The Evolution of Gaming and Geeks

Like many hobbies and activities, MMORPG online gaming has its own terminology, inside jokes, and references. Two online gamers talking on TeamSpeak or in real life (or 'IRL' as it might be called in chat) may even seem to have their own language, potentially using online acronyms and lingo in real spoken speech.

With the proliferation of internet use, geek culture inevitably became more popular. Naturally, there are many hardcore World of Warcraft gamers, for example, that spend a large portion of their time leveling all of their characters to 60, but there are also many casual gamers.

Warcraft and other MMORPGs such as City of Heroes and City of Villains have also brought individuals of varying ages into the gaming world. Responsible parents wonder what their children are interested in playing-only to find the games engaging and worth playing. Customizable characters enhance the MMORPG experience, making these games suitable for a variety of players.

Weird Al's extremely popular parody hit "White and Nerdy" has absolutely solidified the fact that geek and gaming culture. Online gamers, among others in the geek subculture, use the song as an anthem.

While others consider it isolating to spend a great deal of time in front of the computer screen, many gamers disagree-one can get a great deal of interaction in the MMORPG environment, and new friends can also be made online. With much of our world going digital, it's only a natural progression.

In the world of AOL online role play, players assume the role of a character and play in a chat-based environment. Discussing the storyline (SL) out of character is usually considered essential for a good story as characters interact. This is a great way for a writer to experience the world of online gaming.

Online gaming has redefined the world of gaming and geekiness: a gamer may or may not play something more traditional like the tabletop D20 Dungeons & Dragons. The online gamer can be just about anyone-teacher or student, parent or child. In fact, the average American gamer is 28 years old. (Source: Games, Gamers, and Gaming Culture.)