The situation Ms. EC explained (along with others in this forum) is the kind of thing that I wish more people knew about. The sterotypes for gaming is so far off, and seems to target such a small percentage of the gaming populace. I am a parent and play video games with my wife and kids. We of course do other things as a family, like go to the lake, play baseball, etc. In terms of online gaming, our favorite is Everquest. We have a couple computers so we can get on and group and quest/raid with our guild a couple times a week. It's a great way for parents to connect with kids. Just another way to find a common interest. I also think it is very understated the kinds of lessons kids can learn from games.

We have four kids that play. The yougest is a 10 year old who has taken a fancy in making platinum through buying and selling items. He has learned the "buy low and sell high" mechanics of the bazaar (basic economics).

While working toward his epic, he once complained that it was too hard. I told him, if you don't want to do the quest, then don't. You just won't have your epic. He went on to complete the epic and learned that the better rewards in life require more work (goal orientation).

The list continues, and as long as the parents set limitations, it's perfectly healthy. Our kids can play only after their homework and chores are done. They must keep their gpa up, and they have a time limit. During the summer, we make sure they are outside on sunny days and can play video games in the evening. During the schoolyear, they each get a couple nights during the week they can get on for an hour or two. I have personally played games my whole life. I learned a lot from games growing up. If nothing else, my vocabulary and spelling had a head start on the rest of my classmates because the RPGs were all text-based back then.

I now work for an insurance company, so I can't claim to have any sort of glorified job, but I do alright. I have a friend who has been a gamer his whole life and just finished medical school. He's starting his internship, so I'm sure he'll be removed from gaming for some time, but when he's done and isn't working 80 hour weeks, he'll be back to playing. All three of my brothers play various games (mostly online) and all hold respectable jobs and have families. I know of at least two families within my guild where both parents play and their children play. I hope BBC at least tries to portray some of the better sides of MMORPGs in their film.

Maybe you need to spend more time away from your computer. You are doing "good" in school and considering going on to "collage." Improper grammar and mis-spellings are a certain indication that your education is being put on the back burner in favor of other pursuits. Perhaps the BBC will explore this issue?

Having said that, I can also say that I know many people who are on-line almost daily. For the most part, these people are normal, well-adjusted, intelligent and articulate. I see MMO gaming as a new means of socializing; however, they are not a replacement for other forms of socialization. It will be interesting to see how the BBC handles the subject.

Here's another high school English teacher who plays MMOs.

I'm even middle-aged.

Stereotypes need not apply for many of us.

Cheers.

The BBC News website has run some very good articles indeed on MMORPGs. Mostly they've concentrated on Second Life, but also the economic aspects of allowed-RMT games such as Entropia. WoW, FFXI, EQ2, and Lineage 2 also get regular mentions. Almost invariably the articles are well balanced and positive, and consistently absent of any of the usual tabloid stereotyping. The articles appear in their Technology section.

"Film" in this context is British English for program(mes) like "HBO Special" in the USA. It's a one-off production intended to be complete in itself. Horizon has for many, many years been an excellent documentary series. Subjects are generally treated fairly with a remarkable absence of bias.

It's been a long time since I've seen Horizon -- I left the UK over 20 years ago -- but based on what I've heard since, and the BBC's continuing fair treatment of MMORPGs on their news website, no-one need fear being misprepresented.


Edited, Aug 25th 2006 at 2:06pm EDT by Laverda

I started playing MMO's before I started at the school I earned my advanced bookkeeping certification at. As such, while I greatly enjoy playing games, I am disturbed at the thought of others asuming that because I do play online games, I can't focus on the real world. The openion that I am irresponsible, immature, and unmotivated to be highly insulting.

This is a very simple minded view in my oppinion and profiling people just becouse they dont aggree with you is even more simplistic.

I would realy like to know how you define this "decline of our society", how was it better off before MMO´s?

I study modern studies along with working in a book store and my favorite hobby is playing world of warcraft. I dont know ********* about flippin burgers but one thing I do know is that people´s critical thinking on any given subject is always dominated by prejudices.

If my favorite hobby would involve a ball I´d probably never hear anything seriously negative about it

The bottom line is that MMO´s are very new to the world and there will alwais be people who see anything new as a threat and take it on to themselves to save the rest of us from ourselves.

This is a very simple minded view in my oppinion and profiling people just becouse they dont aggree with you is even more simplistic.

I would realy like to know how you define this "decline of our society", how was it better off before MMO´s?

I study modern studies along with working in a book store and my favorite hobby is playing world of warcraft. I dont know ********* about flippin burgers but one thing I do know is that people´s critical thinking on any given subject is always dominated by prejudices.

If my favorite hobby would involve a ball I´d probably never hear anything seriously negative about it.

The bottom line is that MMO´s are very new to the world and there will alwais be people who see anything new as a threat and take it on to themselves to save the rest of us from ourselves.