Gaming, particularly MMORPGs, changes a person. It can be either a positive or a negative change. As there are a lot of negative comments on the negative aspects of gaming, let me give my own opinions on how gaming can help make a better person. Personally, I have experienced how gaming affected my life. I can say that it helped me in different aspects of my life.
MMORPGs can be a source of social interactions. Being part of a guild, I have made a lot of friends. And this is not confined to just the virtual world; it has extended into the real world in the form of EBs, parties, or just plain malling. Conversations are not limited to online events, but would include school or work. The circle of friends is also not geographically-bound; there would be friends from different parts of the country or even abroad.
One thing good about this is that it teaches a person the value of friendship as a serious matter not to be taken lightly. There might have been “friends” who would approach you only during times of need. But friends that are bound together by a common goal (such as being a part of the same guild) are more loyal to each other. Being a loyal friend means to be considerate, to always think about the welfare of others.
In short, MMORPGs allow a person to open himself (or herself) up to other people, and to broaden one’s view with regards to others (in terms of culture, ideas, etc).
Another thing about MMORPGs are they, in a way, exemplify some of the things we learn in school. One of my favorite examples for this is in the field of Economics. Gamers, particularly those who sell items, usually base their prices in accordance to the Law of Demand and Supply. And this is done by even those who are in High School.
Being in a guild also teaches a person to become a good leader and a good follower. Of course, not everyone can be the leader, and what is a leader if without followers? A good leader, according to my experience, is a person that is responsible, fair, good at making decisions, encouraging and easily approachable, someone who can acknowledge his/her mistakes and has the courage to learn from them. Someone who knows that no one is perfect, therefore everybody can make mistakes. I believe that MMORPGs is a good training ground for leadership, as it also allows the interaction of people from all walks of life.
Being a good follower is not all about blindly following the leaders. It also involves giving opinions and sharing ideas, it is being supportive to your leader, making constructive criticisms if needed. It is about being united and cooperative with fellow members.
Other values that are inculcated into gamers are patience, hard work, resourcefulness, and even thrift. Remember wanting a rare, expensive item? Saving up your in-game cash just to buy it, or patiently waiting every two hours just to get a shot at a boss monster hoping that there would be a rare item dropped, or two hours defending an Agit like an automaton. Improvisation whenever necessary, it makes gamers imaginative and creative.
The key to seeing the positive values of MMORPGs lie in playing in moderation. Of course, how can people see the “good side” if the “bad side” outweighs it?
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This is my entry to the fourth week of GM T's Group Writing Project, of which the theme is "The Positive Values of MMORPG: How Gaming Made Me a Better Person"...
