.... for man, by nature, is a political animal...

- Aristotle, Politics

As a microcosm of the human society [or as we claim it to be one], individuals engrossed in the realm of online gaming become part of the societal make-up of the certain realm. Pareto (1967), in Political Elites, gives us an account of classifications of political men,  in terms of individual participation. And I believe, it generally coincides with the current make-up of some [if not most, or all] online gaming communitites. 

1.  The Strata of apathy

Somebody would post in the forum of something, more like a bug, or an exploit he discovered while playing the game. Hesitant to inform the community [hence, warn them or something of such programs existing], he would frequent the forums to attract people to his topic. Then a person would post something like, "Let's just play the game as it is. Leave such things to them. You won't change it anyway."

They simply care about their normal lives, play as much as they want, bond with friends. All they care for is the personal benefit, for seemingly valid reasons.

People like these would usually not care about anything; maybe because they had filed a case in the helpdesk, and were not paid due concern, they had a traumatic in-game experience which destroyed their idealism, or they simply do not believe in the capability of the system to change the incongruous acts committed inside the virtual realm.

Or it is just because they feel that they are not being heard and their individual stand will not make a difference in the plethora of individuals coexisting with them with their chosen game environment.

2. The Strata of Political Involement

Second in the heirarchy of political individuals is the person who has a little 'say' to the situations. Ususally those are the persons who think that they can change the system thru their acts, possessing untarnished principles subject to rigorous destruction by individuals of the different perspective.They may comment to issues, saying that the game admins should do their job well, yadda yadda yadda.

Sometimes they seem to have some information in their brains regarding the problem, often from buzztalks, chismis, and the like; but the essence of the message is still there despite the layers of icing in the cake of truth.

Some politically involved individuals might file cases to the customer support regarding the issues of their concern. They believe that it is in the hands of the CS, or the game admins, that the game will prosper; and they help in achieving that ideal environment conducive for other gamers like them.

Others might post topics in the forums regarding current issues, participate in discussions [not spam], and join in-game activities as a manifestation of support for the game administration.

Some players are often supports for main characters in events, ika nga'y tigapalakpak sa mga perfromer, hakot sa stage, and the like. Even though  they are not the main channel for grievances, they show a considerable amount of support inthe principles they uphold and believe.

3. The Strata of power-seekers

The increasing prominence of individuals in their specific MMOs might motivate an individual to be like their idols, for example si level 100 *insert character clas here*, or si pk genius X, or si guild X na laging nananalo sa siege. In an environment containing critical issues for the game survival, these individuals wish to gain substantial character, ethos, in the form of achieving titles in the game environment. They, then, would be like their idols.

However sometimes, people just seek the recognition just for the heck of it, or to perpetuate his name being said online. Famous guilds or individuals coming from other realms carry the pressure of creating a name in other games, because they have proven their accord in some games. The fact that human needs and wants are insatiable drive self-interested individuals to compete with others in search for such fame, power, influence.

Maybe they would use this for the good of all. Ideal, but some martyrs who earned a specific degree of in-game influence had utilized their persuasive language and character skolls to create stands for or against certain issues, thinking that if they do this, or that, they would do it for everybody to be happy. 

Or maybe they did this because they had been deprived of power during the early stages of their online gaming life. I've read stories of individuals being PK'ed or KOS'ed in one game by the environment of high-levelled characters. This formed a part of their drive to play more, to earn gazzilions of levels, acquire a precious rare set, or earn massive amounts of in-game currency, eventually succeeded in their goal to be strong and to get back to the characters who have done their harm, or something.

And these characters, who triumphed in their pursuit of power, would move to the fourth strata of online gaming individuals.

4. The Strata of the Powerful

Harold Lasswell defines the Elite as the persons who are, "influential... who get the most of what there is to get." And basically, the same applies to the realm of online gaming.

When they talk, everybody listen.
When they pass by the certain city, people look them with awe.

They are the characters who are idolized, who are known by a majority of the online gaming population as stars, artists, politically influential individuals, characters in the story who basically have a say on issues. Aside from getting avant-garde gears and [fashion items], uber-high levels, and monstrous fighting capabilities [hence, the term mamaw], they are the ones near the top of the heirarchy of online political men. They strived to be there, worked hard and invested a lot [be it money, time or personal relationships] for them to reach their current status.

Subject to recognition by many, but nitpicked - because of  jealousy - by manier, these individuals have the considerable status and can create or make life-changing decisions that can change gaming environments.

5. The Visible Invisible Hand

Let us not forget the role of the game developers, the game administrators, mdoerators and technical staff which worked hard for the game. They served as the genesis of what games we play, and enjoy as of this very moment. Although some may protest the credibility of this classification [that administrator are placed atop the heirarchy], the corporate nature of an online game, even though it looks upon the demands of their patrons, they ultimately have the final say in the game activities.

Even though we have th popular support of a considerable number of gamers [as in the German Bundestag (I hope I remember it correctly)], the real decision - making body lies still in the hands of the bigwigs.

Even gamers protest in a certain game feature, or appeal for a certain benefit be added [as in the case of placing a Chit-Chat section in the PW Boards], they still decide on our fates. When they say something, they mean something.

All we have to do is to move like bamboos in the presence of the storm.

Be with us, or suffer.

This post is a [supposed to be official entry] to GM Tristan’s Group Writing Project.

:D