Facebook Official Icon, Source: Cnib

Without the Internet, there would be no WoW. As Travis stated in the interview , the Internet plays a vital role within their subculture. First and foremost, you do not have an offline mode when playing WoW. You need to be connected to the Internet while you play at all times. By this, you share a virtual world with other players, and are able to connect with people from all over the world. Travis’s Guild First Legion Germanica uses the Internet in a transformative way by connecting through different social media networks for online conferences. Facebook is one of the social media sites that Travis’s guild interacts on. They have created a subculture within FB and created their own private group, where if you are not a member, you cannot locate or enter their site. Travis stated, “It’s very confidential, it’s where we go over upcoming challenges, events and levels. If people were even able to look at it, they would most likely not even understand it considering we use so much jargon and lingo amongst the game and within our particular subculture.”

Guilds are persistent groups of characters who regularly play together and who generally prefer a similar gaming style. If you are a member of a Guild, you will have easier access to other players with whom you can form parties and raids. Being in a Guild, you have a wide range of other benefits. Every Guild has its own dedicated chat channels providing all its members with a convenient means to talk to each other. The two standard channels for each guild are called Guild Chat and Officer Chat; the guild leader can set different access rights for these chats depending on your guild rank. Guild Chat is used for regular guild communication, while Officer Chat is traditionally only available to the Guild’s senior members.

Communication in the game is essential. If the players do not communicate with each other, they will fail the mission or the individual will most likely die. First Legion Germanica is a team amongst the Guild community, and in order for a team to succeed, they MUST have communication. The players have different ways that they can interconnect amongst themselves. One way for guild members to communicate, is talking to each other through their headset over Skype, Ventrilo and, Teamspeak. They will communicate through a VoIP ((voice chat) method, especially during instances, raids, or battlegrounds. Another way is through an instant messaging system that is set up within WoW that is explained above. Having both ways of communication, verbally and written, are essential to the game and gives the play more variety.

To learn more about Guilds and their unique interactions, click on Chapter III: Playing Together.

Home | Blog | Cultural Hypertext | Tactical Hypertext | Analytical Hypertext