Description
Counter-Strike is a multiplayer-online game in which participants are split into two teams, the counter-terrorists and the terrorists. The mission objective for both sides is to eliminate the opposing force using various real-world weapons. In the beginning of each round, every player chooses a weapon but there is one that only a novice would choose, the one-shot sniper. It is considered “cheap” to eliminate an opponent with one shot and if one decides to choose this weapon, he/she is usually rebuked and taunted by fellow players until the server moderator decides to boot out the “newbie.”
In Counter-Strike, one should not use the “cheap” sniper because the norm is to eliminate others with great effort, teamwork, and multiple shots. Although there is no “sign on the door” that explicitly guides behavior, group members remind new participants by virtually raising an eyebrow. Raising an eyebrow can mean gently hinting to violators that such behavior is not acceptable or in this case, by sending public messages. At times, stronger measures such as the verbal reproach are needed because the internet, unlike ftf, lacks the physical presence of others to ensure conformity. Verbal reproaches can be effective but if the newbie continues to not comply the Leviathan will emerge. In Counter-Strike, the Leviathan is the authority figure who holds the power to ban a player from his/her server. The Leviathan is able to exist in Counter-Strike because group members are eager to maintain a productive and orderly online group environment.
The existence of the Leviathan in Counter-Strike show that while the computer-mediated environment takes away some of the features that encourage conformity, successful groups do flourish on the internet. In place of physical presence and status cues that indicate who the experts are to enforce adherence, factors such as people’s eagerness to conform, signs on the door, reproaches and the Leviathan exist that allow the internet to thrive. Therefore, snipers beware, for conformity and the internet (for better or worse) go hand-in-hand.
Comment 1
Comm 245 Blue: 6: A Rainbow of Delight and Disgust
Comm 245 Blue: 6- The Leviathan at Yahoo! Answers
3 comments:
I’m surprised at how your impressions of counter-strike are so different from my own. Perhaps it’s just that we’ve played on servers with players of different skill levels, but I’ve noticed that the norm is instead to not use the “cheap” and “newbie” automatic sniper rifles. The one-shot rifle is seen as more of an expert gun, because it is much harder to use effectively. Players also complain a lot about this one, but I think this is more because the right player can be unstoppable with it. I would definitely agree that the leviathan who enforces the “not using noob weapons norm” is the server administrator, but I think the method of enforcement is usually passive, reflected in the given server’s ban on or limiting the availability of certain weapons, which makes them impossible to buy. I would also agree that there are a lot of verbal reproaches directed towards users of the sniper rifles, but the ones directed towards autosniper users tend to be more focused on pointing out that the player is a noob, while for the single-shot, accusations of hacking are more frequent.
I enjoyed reading your blog. I have heard a lot about counter-strike, but have never played or even seen it played before. It is interesting how there is a "raised eyebrow" option to do when you are playing the game and someone is not following the rules or acting out of line. Just like in Wallace's book, it happens in face to face interactions as well as computer mediated communication. I could not really think of a CMC example for the eyebrow raise, but this example you used in your post is perfect! I have a couple questions about the game: For counter-strike, can you be certain characters within your group? Do you get to pick them or are you assigned?
I have never played Counter-Strike before and I guess I do not know how it works entirely because I thought you were trying to kill everyone as quickly as possible ("only the strong survive"); however, I do understand how people would try to filter out and get people who are not abiding by the rules to be banned from the game. This is very much like any sort of game in person; where people who do not abide by the rules, whether written (“sign on the door” concept like you stated) or just unanimously understood, will be punished for it.
I also believe that agree with your statement regarding the "raised eyebrow" however, I believe that the more suited term (concept) that Wallace had noted was the “Arched brow” which does regard the online medium, opposed to face-to-face contact.
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