Knowing that
CHAPTER 6. WORLD OF WARCRAFT
The computer game World of Warcraft (WoW) belongs to the MMORPG genre and the popularity of the game has fostered several anthropological studies where in particular the books My Life as a Night Elf Priest by Bonnie Nardi (2010) and Leet Noobs by Mark Chen (2012) have been an inspiration (Castillo, 2019; Chen, 2012; Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013; Nardi, 2010). World of Warcraft has maintained its status over the last decade as one of the highest-grossing and most subscribed to games (Billieux et al., 2013; Castillo, 2019; Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013). Bainbridge (2012) argues that WoW’s popularity is due to its complexity, cultural wealth and expansive structure (Bainbridge, 2012). The game takes place in a heroic fantasy-based world called
“Azeroth” (Billieux et al., 2013) and has a built-in problem-solution feature through quests, realistic scenarios, role play and collaborative mechanisms that stimulate players’ intuitive motivation ( Deterding, 2012; Gee, 2007; Hou, 2012; Morris et al., 2013; Suznjevic et al., 2013). Nardi (2010) argues that the complex structure of World of Warcraft through a series of unique quests at each new level creates an “aesthetic experience” and thus the feeling of motivation (Dewey, 1980; Nardi, 2010).
The multifaceted structure of World of Warcraft implies that it is designed in a way where the gaming activities are time-consuming as it is built around hard and tough challenges. A player’s chances of success, therefore, require an efficient learning process (Castillo, 2019; Gee, 2007; Nardi, 2010). A central feature of WoW is, therefore, the concept of progression where players need to acquire new skills and knowledge through succeeding in quests and missions (Bainbridge, 2012; Billieux et al., 2013).
As a system, MMORPGs progress through a variety of game challenges such as quests, missions and dungeons, levelling up, achievement systems, crafting and farming activities, and wiping (Billieux et al., 2013; Chen, 2012; Daneva, 2017; Nardi, 2010;
Newgarden & Zheng, 2016; Silva & Mousavidin, 2015). So, although WoW, to some extent, is based on predetermined and programmed activities, players experience many dimensions with a great deal of freedom (Bainbridge, 2012). The complexity of the game requires players to think flexibly and imagine alternative ways of achieving their goals. Also, information that seems insignificant may turn out to be crucial and necessary to continue. As Bainbridge (2012) says,
Insight learning involves abstracting a lesson from one’s observation or by assembling information from multiple sources. A fundamental feature of insights is that they tend to exist in hierarchiesm with later insights modifying earlier ones. First a person develops a mental map describing part of the world, one that successfully achieves early goals. Then, he or she becomes aware of anomalies or contradictions that suggest a more sophisticated mental map is needed. (Bainbridge, 2012, p. 98)
An important aspect of World of Warcraft is the question of sense making and how
context affords actions that realise different arrays of values through dialogue between players (Newgarden & Zheng, 2016; Rodríguez, 2013). A study by Newgarden and Zheng (2016) shows that World of Warcraft facilitates an extensive range of communicative activities like coordinating, sharing game knowledge, reporting on actions, negotiating meanings, seeking and offering help, expressing needs, locating, etc. (Newgarden & Zheng, 2016). Observations made by Rodríguez (2013) show the same trend:
Members were observed discussing the importance of finding the most useful data when faced with the extensive amount of information available yet limited time. Both their frequent discussion on this topic and the situation-dependent use they made of several different sources of information were seen as fully supporting the claims made in the literature. (Rodríguez, 2013, p. 719)
The designed game context draws on multimodal resources that create and mediate sociocultural communication and collaboration. Situated activities become sense making in the game world and thus support the progress of the games (Bainbridge, 2012; Newgarden & Zheng, 2016). Existing research also shows that a large part of the game is learned through activities such as “finding facts, developing tactics or strategy, and being socialized to the norms and values that constitute game ethos” (Bainbridge, 2012, p. 90). Bainbridge (2012) uses the theories of Bandura about adopting behaviour patterns from others to explain how the players non-verbally imitate each other through abstract perception, modelling and insight (Bainbridge, 2012). He points out that this highlights one of the flaws of behaviourist theories of learning, since learning in World of Warcraft is not solely constituted through the reward system, but to a greater extent through the social interaction of the players in between (Bainbridge, 2012; Silva
& Mousavidin, 2015). Players are thus constantly developing and expanding their strategies for how to achieve their goals in the game through an experimental approach of trial and error (Bainbridge, 2012; Silva & Mousavidin, 2015).
6.1. WORLD OF WARCRAFT AS A MAGIC CIRCLE
A game like World of Warcraft can be challenging to define theoretically as it contains a unique complexity in terms of both mechanical and social design elements.
Therefore, it is also challenging to fit the game into existing game theories or definitions (Corneliussen & Rettberg, 2008). For example, World of Warcraft does not have a clear and defined ending with a quantifiable outcome as Salen and Zimmerman’s definition proposes (Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013; Salen & Zimmerman, 2004). This also means that this project’s choice of the concept “the magic circle” as the general definition of a game is challenged by a multilayered game like WoW (Corneliussen & Rettberg, 2008). One of the challenges in understanding World of Warcraft as a notion of a
magic circle that is separated from real life is the blurred boundaries between reality and games caused by its absorbing nature (Corneliussen & Rettberg, 2008; Nardi, 2010). According to Nardi (2010), gaming activities in World of Warcraft are thus part of both the conscious and unconscious mind outside the playing time (Nardi, 2010). Corneliussen and Rettberg (2008) share the same observations, but point out that the link between World of Warcraft and the magic circle is about how the World of Warcraft is understood culturally:
World of Warcraft seems to challenge the concept of the magic circle in several ways, both in relation to what is going on in the game, for example when the research guild meets to discuss, and what goes on outside it. Thus in order to understand WoW we must study it both as a game and as a cultural site requiring the application of multiple disciplines, analytical tools, concepts and methods so that we may fully comprehend this phenomenon. (Corneliussen & Rettberg, 2008, p. 9)
Nardi (2010) also points to Huizinga’s notion of the magic circle and that it opens up a discussion on how World of Warcraft can be understood as a cultural phenomenon where “the meaningfulness of play is bound with the activity of those who actually play” (Nardi, 2010, p. 116). Huizinga observed that the magic circle brings with it a sense of being together about something that creates its very own collective and social order. This social order is non-players excluded from participating by not understanding the cultural significance of the activities. As a result of this, the magic circle is constituted by defining who is inside and who is out based on cultural and social norms and values, more than through the game’s concrete activities (Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013; Nardi, 2010; Salen & Zimmerman, 2004).
Figure 19 ‒ World of Warcraft as a “magic circle” consisting of a number of magic circles.
CIRCLE
Time
MAGIC
Games as
Space
Rules
Space
Rules Space
Rules
External + Internal = GrammarsDesign
The magic circle can be perceived as spatial and in particular the fictional world of World of Warcraft can be interpreted as an extension of the real world, or as a ’social media platform where people meet to socialise. Thus, players often make an active choice within the game where they initiate new game activities and venture out to quest, complete a dungeon or farm resources. This leads us to think of World of Warcraft as a magic circle consisting of a number of magic circles ‒ like instances or the different zones of landscapes (Bainbridge, 2012; Chen, 2012; Corneliussen & Rettberg, 2008;
Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013; Nardi, 2010; Salen & Zimmerman, 2004).
The following section will elaborate in greater depth with some of the more technical and theoretical aspects of game design. In this section, there will be a continuous focus on games described through a design grammar consisting of an internal and external design space, as well as a description of games as being scaffolded on three levels of learning opportunities.
6.2. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DESIGN GRAMMARS IN WOW Playing a game is not just about decoding text and images but also about being able to focus on the context or the social and cultural conditions that affect understanding and interpretations (Sourmelis et al., 2017; Newgarden & Zheng, 2016;). Gee (2007) calls it “semiotic (sign) domains” that can be considered a series of activities that people treat, think of and value in a particular way (Gee, 2007). World of Warcraft consists of sequences of semiotic domains and thus forms a practice drawing on different types of meaning (Sourmelis et al., 2017). Each “semiotic domain” can be seen from two different perspectives: an internal perspective and an external perspective. As Gee (2007) explains, “a design space, internally as a system of interrelated elements making up the possible content of the domain and externally as ways of thinking, acting, interacting and valuing that constitute the identities of those people who are members of the affinity group associated with the domain” (Gee, 2007, p. 32). This means that World of Warcraft overall is built around a general design grammar based on sequences of activities. These activities can either be in-game skills in the internal design grammar or emergent skills in the external design grammar (Ang et al., 2007;
Gee, 2007; Sourmelis et al., 2017).
Figure 20 – The internal and external design grammar creates the game design.
The internal design grammar is about principles and patterns that are recognisable regarding typical and acceptable content in the semiotic domain. It consists of skills needed to complete the game’s missions (Ang et al., 2007; Billieux et al., 2013; Gee, 2007; Sourmelis et al., 2017). The external design grammar deals with the principles and patterns that are identifiable regarding typical and acceptable social practice (Gee, 2007). The external design grammar refer to abilities that are detached from the game, such as decision-making skills, strategic planning, facts, theories and principles – the way in which people interact in the game or each semiotic domain (Ang et al., 2007;
Gee, 2007; Sourmelis et al., 2017). The internal and external design grammars have a close relationship as they both complement and transform each other. In video games, the players know which patterns or combinations of the individual elements within the “semiotic domain” are allowed. It is crucial to gain knowledge of the situated meaning of the whole system to understand the situated significance of the individual elements, how they can/should be combined, and used to complement each other to achieve the best performance (Gee, 2007). Sourmelis et al. (2017) conclude in their literature review the following: “A consistent finding in the literature appears to be that learning in MMORPGs is a progressive, complex process that involves the use of in-game and external resources” (Sourmelis et al., 2017, p. 44). One consequence of this relationship forces the players to create different discussions about the content that subsequently add to the virtual world subnarratives. In order to achieve active learning, the student must thus understand and operate within both internal and external design grammars. To learn in the game, one should be able to reflect, be critical, and be able to manipulate the internal and external design grammar at a meta level (Ang et al., 2007; Gee, 2007; Sourmelis et al., 2017).
Figure 21 ‒ Designing games for specific educational purposes must deliberately be a combination of doings (internal design grammar) and beings (external design grammar).
Morris et al. (2013) therefore point out that games are culturally situated and scaffolded activities. By analysing game elements and their relationship, they present three levels of scaffolding: motivational scaffolding, cognitive scaffolding and metacognitive scaffolding (Morris et al., 2013). This structure is known from scientific thinking,
Transactions and Inquiry Professional
Identities Democratic Dialogues Trajectories Professional Values
Strategy Discussions
Aesthetic
Experience Curriculum
Activities Trial and Error