Connor, 18 years old. Germany.
Connor is 17 years old and currently lives in Germany. I visited him when his avatar was just
send to the Bollingbroke Penitentiary, a prison for criminals who are prosecuted inside Grand
Theft Auto V (FiveM). In the game he is role-playing as a criminal who is selling drugs to other
players.
He was introduced to games from an early age by playing Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
The violent/shooting aspect of the game was irrelevant; he wanted to turn his imagination
and dreams into a tangible and immersive digital experience. This imagination revolved
around cars and he actively tried to modify games in a way it would suit his requirements.
For Connor, games are a way to socialize with people all over the world. Especially for roleplaying
games since the game elements are derived from player interactions. This is a big difference in contrast to his real life in Germany. From his own experience, he find it hard to
find people who are open about their background story.
In this role-playing environment, he finds it easier to socialize with other people and be open
about his own life as well. Gaming communities are a place where you can talk to anyone, no
matter what background you have. If a player shows any signs of ‘toxic’ behavior, Connor is
actively trying to resolve the situation by confronting that player or reporting him to the
moderators. This behavior fits the explanation by Jane McGonical about experiencing a
sense a community. A sense of community can result into being more pro-active to maintain
and protect the values of a group.
Role-playing games allowed Connor to see a more open, social and sensitive side of his
identity.
Transcript
Disclaimer
The transcription of the interviews published on the analysis page are the exact words, tone and language used by the participants during the interview. It is posted as an aid to understanding the proceedings of the research, but should not be treated as an authoritative record. Their word choices and grammar are an exact extraction from the interview and not my own interpretation.
My name is Connor I'm 17 and I'm from Germany. I was about seven and it was Need
for Speed Carbon or Grand Theft AutoSan Andreas.
You started to play shooting games from an early age?
Well I just played it because it had cars and I'm an enthusiast since a little age
because when I was five, I was sitting in my dream car. Since then it's my dream car,
it's a Mitsubishi Evolution 9. And yeah, that's when I started playing those games
downloading mods for it so it's realistic cars and stuff like that.
At the beginning you actually wanted to recreate this memory of you sitting in the car?
Yes. And I always loved that feeling.
Okay, so games for you are like an ideal situation of your dreams in real life?
Yeah, it's actually a way of socializing. I meet people around the world, I get to know
them. I get to know about their countries and it's a nice way to socialize actually,
cause you know, you meet new people you learn about their countries and like how
the people behave there. That's also a really big.. it shows how well how the person
behaves, it shows how like, some people and the country they're from how they react
to stuff. So yeah.
You like to meet a lot of people from different cultures and countries. And do you see that in
your own life, is that happening less?
Yeah, actually it is. There are a lot of cultures a lot of traditions. But there are also a lot
of people that like ,don't like to talk about their home countries because maybe they
fled from there ..or well you know, wars and stuff like that. So yeah, I don't meet many
people that talk about their private life before they moved to Germany. But those who
live in Germany, yeah they they normally talk about it and it's really interesting to talk
about how their life is there and yeah...
To be honest I like playing fiveM which is a multiplayer on GTA 5, Grand Theft Auto 5,
but there's also online, but there are a lot of toxic people they like to blow you up for
no reason. So that's why I play here or many awesome people just like our guy here,
interviewing me. You're helpful and nice, that I like about this community.
For you it's more like the social aspect of it, like meeting new people, socializing?
Exactly, yeah and I also love playing Counter Strike because I meet new people there
as well but it's about the fun with the friends you know, with the boys.
Do you also think your online behavior is different compared to how you are in real life?
Yeah, actually in real life I'm more.. like, in games I am more sensitive, but I in real life
I'm actually pretty strict about things. If you don't... if you well... if you make me mad I
get mad as F...it's like mad AF like, and I'm also serious like, I'm not like in games.
I'm normally like, just like acting a bit like- younger you could say, well in real life I'm
serious and strict and I normally don't talk to a lot of people cause.. and in real life it's
not too nice to know too many people I just keep it in my friend base maybe
sometimes you meet new friends. But in games it's... you can meet more people that
are nice.
So, in games you are more like, open and less strict? And, why do you think that is?
I don't actually know, it's like, sometimes the game communities, like, the game
community is basically they're always a bit like... they're nicer you know, they're a bit
more sensitive, but still they're nicer they.. you can talk to them more if you if you're
not strict because if you're too strict. They're just gonna either ignore you or
something and I'm nice to people here as well so.
What virtual characteristics do you wish to have, which you don't have in real life?
I think being nicer. That's probably being nicer, because in real life I'm sometimes too
strict and I... I'm not that nice. I'm just like... How can I say it, in games I normally
compliment people who are nice to them but in real life, I don't know, it's just different
for me.
Yeah, okay. And what makes it different? Because I think we are in a game so we are kind of
anonymous, does that make a difference for you?
No not really, even if you would know where I live my IP address and shit like that I
would probably.. I wouldn't care.
You don't really see a difference between those two identities?
Yeah not really, okay, but like if you don't know who you are like you're anonymous
then people ways act tough and talk shit when they see them in real life they can't
stand on their legs. There all the time, like stuttering and and stuff like that. They can't
talk normally. They can't be calm basically. They're already.. they're scared because
they act tough in games but if you see them in real life they just act up.
Have you ever witnessed that?
Yeah, I actually witnessed that. We were playing a counter-strike. And one kid who
actually lives quite close to me, he was talking shit about me. So my friend... he
actually got that guy's IP address and well we found out who he is and we talked to
him in real life and he was scared cuz well he know that he can get in trouble with that
because they always act up like they're tough and stuff like that but if you see them in
real life, they're not gonna say anything.
Do you prefer the virtual world, or the real world?
Real world for sure, but, the virtual world is kind of a piece of mine in the heart. Yeah.
And it will always be there.