My sense of him, this net gamer ESAC as I read his text reminded me of a description from Kafka’s writing Metamorphosis, “He was a monstrous insect”. Yes I could see this net gamer as that, something that would turn your stomach if you were to look upon its hard brown shelled body, shiny wet that exoskeleton with wings clasp tight against its back. This bugs small head and large mandibles which moved slowly in a jerky motion. Propelling itself about on many thin legs that resembled thorn covered rose wood. Yet is had only one large eye located in the center of the rather featureless face, an eye like that of a Cyclops, ever open with no lids to close. Esca was his screen name and he had bought himself a position of power and prestige among his gathered gaming minions, most all who had been verbally aggressive in the open chat channel. These were the children born of the net, unable to have empathy beyond their own self-indulgence. Yet I have used the term children in a broad sense, as some like the big bug Esca were very much the age of adults. Yet in this group you could find those who took great joy in causing pain served out in text abuse only found in war-gamming chat channels. Many of Esac’s players young boys finding this as an outlet to somehow validate man hood and getting great joy in name calling and humiliation of pears. Also you can finds in his legion girls, those who look for the strong father figure and male attention along with the older woman using this as an opportunity to boast her sexual titillations texts, men and boys are drawn to that like the moth is to the flame. Drawing them in tighter to the bugs fold as they not only try to prove themselves to the power leader, but to the temptress. You can also observe a pack mentality when that legions called alliance enters open chat channel. All non-alliance persons are fare game there as well to belittle, bully and to gloat over, much as a dog urinates its boundaries. Of course this is all pointed out just in good fun and after all, “It’s a war game”. So this scope of human behavior is very much excepted and applauded as well as encouraged by the powerful Esac and his crony known as the Mailman. Blustering and threats of driving those from the game and showing all what losers those they have defeated is the daily dialog in Dragons of Atlantis. It’s a war game where and individuals power that increases with what they have and have built. Building there city-scape becomes to most an everyday activity indulged in for months at a time. This game is not one you buy, in fact it is free to all players. However there is this huge caveat, you can buy your way in this game also. Which lends itself to anyone who has the time and deep-pockets can be a” Game Lord”. Now my attraction was a subtle one, yes that nurturing aspect in me that found that first dragons egg which I mothered like a broody hen. Although virtual it has grown on this game player as if it were in fact truly a pet to be treasured and cared for. In return your dragon pet serves you as a family dog might in protecting your home, in the game that would be known as your city. This game has an attraction with many tendrils to get you sucked in and spending money if you can and at the least hours of your time. Yet most humans are unable to compartmentalize all aspects of life, such as, “It’s just a game”. Most that play any type of games do so with some expectation, whether that is winning, having fun or learning. In a game where you are intimately involved daily on feeding, building and caring for even a virtual thing you may find it rather difficult to not care what happens to it even if it is just a game. If there was no psychological links to nonliving things we would not see collections of items or men in midlife crises buying that very sporty car. And so forth. It is healthy well that in time will be decided by the mantel clinicians. I can only draw on my own experiences and observations. This bug was using a type of contol see used in the past by many such types in history.
I sat back some from my laptop and took a long drink of my soda, which I had neglected while watching World Chat, it was me lurking as the alliance one member after another logged in like a pack of yelping coyotes after making a kill. Esac was calling out the name of some weak gamer and his city he had crushed as he did her minions yipped in with comments of great admiration in regards to his killing skills. Some none alliance players joined in hoping to at least find some leaves of acceptance that might spare them from the next hunt. ESAC made it clear to all he would only favor a select few outside his ever growing killer alliance. Yes the Str8 Killers they dubbed themselves. Str8 what did that stand for? Was that meant to stand for the founding members? Or was that a hostel jab at the gay populous? I did not put that type of hate text to bed without some thought as accusations of gender preferences seems to be the dialog at times inferring that what you are or say is gay. This goading many players in to heated text debates where they were cornered like a wounded rabbit. Why not just hit the off key on the computer yet that seemed to never occur to any in the heat of being bashed. It would end that same even if any other came to the defense, the threats of killing off your game and the game of all your alliance. I had taken to lurking more then taking an active part in the chat when the Str8 were in the house I had had my day with them as well and even knowing that all I had to do was go I stayed to defend myself and my friends. Oh how happy that had made them, how venomous they had become. One stood out with his friend, FelonKid and thsCoolestKid, both taunting like a pair of vipers, drawing in and striking. I noticed the lying, putting words in one’s mouth and twisting words to make things escalate. It was then I was told of a program they had that could help them get your city location and crush the player. Interesting now we can even buy a way to cheat. Cheating at game that has no pay off.
