For people who only play video games on consoles, Halo2 is a fan favorite. When logging in to play Halo 2 online there are plenty of norms in which a player should get accustomed in order to have an enjoyable experience. Most of the norms involve the game play. If you are playing as part of a team, you shouldn’t kill anyone on your team. If you are playing as a team and you are not good with the sniper rifle, then don’t pick it up. When deciding which race you will play as, either human or elite, you should always play as a human because elites have bigger heads and are therefore easier to kill and snipe.
People usually know these rules from playing the single player campaign or from previous multiplayer experiences. The game’s administrators also help enforce some of the more obvious rules. When a player kills someone on his/ her own team, the team member who was killed gets the special option of ejecting his traitor teammate from the game. Also, after each match, each player is given an opportunity to give negative or positive feedback to the players with whom he/ she just played. If a player gets enough negative feedback then he/ she will get punished by the Xbox Live Staff by being suspended from play for predestined time period or simply not being allowed to play anymore and having their membership revoked. The other norms are usually learned by playing the game and interacting with the other players. If you are not good with the sniper rifle and your teammates see that you are not killing anyone with it, they will implore you to give it up to someone with more skill. Also, if you play as an elite, the sniper on the opposing team will always pick on you as a favorite target since you are easier to hit than the other non-elite players. Other players will usually tell you about this if you do not know, especially if you are on their team and your constant death hurts the teams efforts.
The main Leviathan of the game is the Xbox Live staff since they are ultimately the ones who decide who plays the game and when they get to play. They enforce the rules with their special administrative powers that allow them to ban certain players from game play.
I think that Wallace’s arched brow is especially relevant to the Xbox Live environment. A popular taunt is to call someone a “noob” referring to someone who is new to the environment and therefore doesn’t know about the rules to the degree that a more experienced player might know. Whenever a player does something that he/she should by the standards shared by the rest of the players, he/ she is referred to as a “noob”. This is a bad insult for online gamers. By attacking unfavorable behavior and embarrassing a player, that player learns not to make the same mistakes.
3 comments:
Hey Mike. Your blog illustrates, in depth, the many ways that social norms on Xbox Live Halo are established, and upheld. I found it to be very interesting because I have never played an online game before. The fact that most players have prior experience with Halo from single player campaigns, as you state in your blog, definitely establishes a certain level of social conduct and seriousness on the online game. What seems to be unique about online gaming experiences, in terms of upholding social conventions, is the fact that there are various Leviathan figures. Not only can players give feedback to each other, in aims of upholding social norms, but also the xbox live administrators possess the ultimate power of revoking memberships. Finally, I think you are correct that Wallace’s “Arched Brow,” play significant roles in upholding social norms. It seems that players are conscious of their level of play not only to avoid negative feedback and repercussions by the administrators, but also to avoid hurtful insults.
Mike, I really enjoyed your Halo post. I don't play all that often, but i played online once with a friend and I was called a noob and I didn't know what that was. I can see a great deal of group polarization effects involved in this online environment. With such strong norms, I assume there are always people who enjoy ruining a game by killing their own teammates and violating other unspoken rules concerning the game play. their failure to conform, if not punished by the X-Box Live staff, continues as long as they have animosity towards the in-group of experienced gamers.
Mike, your post about 'netiquitte' on Halo2 was completely right. I played this game with my cousin and was actually kicked out for killing another teammate. Furthermore, I think your point about the Xbox staff as being the Leviathan really was a good one. Everyone follows the norm because they do not want their membership to be taken away by the staff, especially since this game quite expensive. The method of calling the newbies a 'noob', or the reproach as Wallace calls it, is a little harsh and it definitely keeps the other players from breaking the norm on this game. This was a sold post and I can't wait to go home for fall break and play this game again with my cousin.
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