Help for university project

[Weazley]

Hi my name is Louise, and i'm a university student who is doing a research project on Males and Females in online gaming. I am looking for people to answer a couple of small questions below and a few people more interested in helping me by answering some more indepth questions. Your answers below will be used only for statistical purposes, except those who wish you provide longer more detailed replies.

nb. if you don't feel comfortable or don't want to write replies, please do as much as you can even just small answers because every bit helps!

1) [if not in your sidebar details] Are you male or female in real life?
2) [if not in your sidebar] Are you male or female in game?
3) Was there any reason you chose one over the other?
4) Do you feel there is discrimination towards males and/or females in online gaming [in general, not specifically in entropia]?
5) Why do you think people choose genders which are not their real life ones?
6) Would you be interested in allowing me an in-depth interview (probably conducted through email or msn)?

Thank you very much for helping!

 

[Dom_sufc]

1) In the Side-bar

2) In the Side-bar

3) Was there any reason you chose one over the other?

No other reason that I was actually male myself. It was just "normal" to me to chose a male avatar.

4) Do you feel there is discrimination towards males and/or females in online gaming [in general, not specifically in entropia]?

The only online-game I play where you can see if the person is a male or female (avatar) is Entropia. I don't believe there is discrimination. Although you will find some male avatars being "friendlier" with female avatars.

5) Why do you think people choose genders which are not their real life ones?

Hmm, a good question really. Maybe they know that being a femal avatar, they may be more "liked", or more people interested in them. Maybe they have issues with themselves in real life, and want to create a whole new person, rather than making a virtual one of themselves.

6) Would you be interested in allowing me an in-depth interview (probably conducted through email or msn)?

Sure
I play alot, although Im not the biggest depositer. And Im 16 too, if that has any meaning to your project.

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EDIT: Im also on GMT, so im going to bed . But I'll be happy to continue it in PM, or e-mail or whatever tommorow.

 

[la aurora]

1) F
2) F
3) I went for my real gender. I was always taking such things seriously and my avatars were always my second-selves. Would feel uneasy trying to play someone I'm not. Played my brother's avatar from time to time though. It was fun for a change.
4) There are curtain attitudes towards male and female players. They are treated differently but I wouldn't call it discrimination.
5)
a) experimenting, trying something you can't do in RL, trying to put yourself in position of opposite gender
b) visual aspects, many males enjoy seeing a nice female on the screen and there are some girls that enjoy seeing their attempt to make a male of their dreams there
c) hope for special treatment, easier life (from simple hope for help from males to easier scamming)
d) cheaper armors
6) Would you be interested in allowing me an in-depth interview (probably conducted through email or msn)?
Sure, I'm quite talkative. Feel free to PM, so we arrange it.

 

[Arokh]

1) In side bar
2) In side bar
3) Originally I had a male avatar, but my mentor told me female armour was cheaper, and so to save money I should pay as female. Was it a good choice? I think so.
4) I don't really think there's any discrimination really, but sometimes gaming is seen more as more of a male thing - as in there's more males playing games than females. I'm not sure why that is. =/
5) Well aside from the apparent "advantage" in EU about having cheaper armour I think people are just genuinely curious. I mean why not? Just because you're one gender in real life does not mean you have to be like that in a game. It's a virtual world where you have the chance to be anything, so why stick to just one thing?
6) Meh, why not?

 

[Asurada]

1)Side Bar
2)Side Bar
3) I went for it coz I feel like having a change. I play with males characters in other games.
4)Yes, some community reckon females shouldn't play mmorpgs.
5)For Fun
6)Not a problem.

 

[Hellfire]

1) m
2) m
3) It would feel unnatural playing as a female, it wouldn't really feel like it was 'me'
4) Usually not
5) To gain an advantage ingame
6) Yes

 

[Miller]

1) Male
2) Male
3) I'm male
4) Not discrimination no, though it does seem there is a tendency for males to lean towards liking female avatars by default, presumably because they assume female avatar = female player.
5) For females picking male avatars - I've no idea. For males picking female avatars - probably some sort of twisted fantasy for the most part *
6) Certainly

Best of luck with your assignment

*Although that probably applies in a lot of cases, a lot of people who read up on Entropia before joining start a female avatar because of the presumption that armour is cheaper. That's arguably not always the case, though it almost certainly affects the decision a lot of people make as opposed to any other reasons.