Second though, I finally broke down and brought WOW – which most people know as World of Warcraft. It’s the largest massively multiplayer game online and was recently parodied in an episode of South Park. Now I like video games as much as anyone, and especially the more quest/problem solving ones (like the Sims). I’ve enjoyed it, but never realized it would be tainted by discrimination.
WOW allows you to go on quests through an almost endless number of realms in the WOW world. Some of them are problem solving, hide and seeks, delivering messages. They range from delivery secret messages to the capital, to wiping out pesky murlocks and trogs. And as you play you loot each vanquished foe for booty that you can swap or trade for cash and other useful items.
It also promotes multi-player use. You can play as a single player, but it’s much harder. You can form groups as you come and go and coordinate strikes and swap goods. This gets to be fun, but you never really know who you might be playing with. I once tagged along and an attack of a trog mining operation with a group of Marines stationed in Iraq.
You also get to join “Guilds” which are large groups that get together and form gaming parties to carry out quests. So I did some research on any GLBT guilds and found several. I also stumbled into a rather interesting case of discrimination.
WOW has banned the use of “GLBT” in any sort of guild associations, on the basis of harassment.
Not that GLBT players are actually doing any harassment. However, the company feels that by identifying themselves as GLBT it’s just inviting harassment from other players. With probably a lot of their player base being teenage boys, you can see where it might be a problem.
However – can you actually ban “GLBT” as a term, just because it brings out homophobia and harassment – in other people? WOW’s apparently rethinking their stand after a threatened lawsuit.
Above, CLEOMAN, 20-Level Human Rogue, does a little disco stepping on the docks on scenic Lake Everstill, in disputed Alliance territory.
Don’t you love the fur Sonny and Cher boots? I saw those on sale in the Western Garrison on the way to Westfall and just had to get them. Not only are fashionable, but kick ass with armory points. You actually get to buy different accessories, not only weapons, but the boots, tunics, gloves, etc. You buy them mostly for armor points and other benefits, but sometimes they just look FABULOUS!
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