More exciting news for me. You might recall that Kotaku did a post a while back about that Monster Hunter "event" in Akiba that just didn't fly. Well, it seems there's a lot more love here in Taiwan. As I wandered through Taipei's version of Akihabara I spotted something that made me very happy. This being random groups of gamers out and about with their portable systems having LAN parties of sorts.
I queried a few gamers and found out that what was going on was a weekly event that would happen on the weekends where gamers would congregate in various locations in the local vicinity and separate and find spots based on their game of choice. Basically, what would happen is the first gamers to arrive would find a spot and plop down based on what game they were playing and then when other gamers would arrive, they would wander around until they found the game they wanted to play. Or if they didn't find it, they would find a spot and start their own group.
The general vicinity that they picked wasn't terribly large, possible half a square mile in total distance, so that gamers could hop from group to group depending on what they wanted to play. At this point in time though, most of the groups had been established and were more of a normal thing, but new groups would form with new games. The most popular ones that I saw were:
Monster Hunter Freedom 2
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
Zaft vs Union Portable (EDIT: It seems Gundam Battle Royale Chronicle is overtaking at the moment in this venue, although it's just basically an updated version of the same engine with different characters.)
There were also plenty of groups formed around particular shops for card games, and new groups were just beginning to form for Juushinden: Ultimate Beast Battlers and there were some trade and duel based groups for a variety of RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. But these were more about a genre than a particular game.
This type of social gathering is what really makes me happy, to see gaming taken out to a public social venue. People walking by would stop and ask about particular games that were being played or if they had their system and the right game with them, they would be able to just drop in, or for some, all it took was a simple game-share. I was able to hop into a round of Monster Hunter, but my equipment was sorely lacking. 10 minutes later, I had some of the best gear I had ever seen given to me so that I could participate in some missions. This was probably one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had, to be able to just sit around and hobnob with other fans and just have a good time. Nevermind sanctioned areas, a handheld system, a place to sit, and a passion for games is all it takes.
But what about us, in the States? What do you think prevents this kind of gathering from happening for the most part? Portable console, and gaming in general is more about between friends rather than getting to know total strangers. While stores like Gamestop try to hold these events, it's the lure of some kind of prize rather than the lure of the game itself that draws people. Even most gaming clubs have trouble dragging in people from outside their immediate circle. Gaming in the West is more about a closed personal experience than a shared social one. What is it going to take to drive the passion and social factor back into the our gaming society?
Comments (5)
"But what about us, in the States?"
> Don't you think it's also related to the conception of space in the US. It may no be allowed to gather in this kind of way in a shopping mall. You can have similar things at home where people gather in the living room but rarely in a public (street) or private (mall) environment. Not event in public transport.
SO I guess there are two variables: the social/personal experience as you mentioned but also how we deal with space and what we can do in public space.
Posted by nicolas Nova | December 21, 2007 2:55 AM
Posted on December 21, 2007 02:55
Thanks for your comment, Nick. You bring up a very valid point, as there really are not many public spaces in which this kind of congregation could take place in the United States without some sort of repercussion. The most I've seen these kind of gatherings happen here are at sanctioned conventions that are devoted to either games or related popular culture.
I'm also curious about this kind of experience in other cultures. In your experience, have you seen anything related or similar in nature to these type of gatherings in Europe, or what do you feel would be allowed in the current environment there?
Posted by Al Yang![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/ayang/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 21, 2007 6:38 AM
Posted on December 21, 2007 06:38
I agree, it's probably the concept of space that makes things different in the States, but it's also due to the American concept of the secluded, peak-performance gamer. Yes, it comes down to the competitive American attitude.
I think another reason it doesn't happen in America is because no one regularly tries to set it up. Events like these come from out of the blue and seem outright strange for it. An event pops up, it fails, and those putting it on give up. If it were made to seem more regular and normalized, there's a chance that gamers would crawl out of the woodwork for it. Of course, this may be my idealistic view of gamers - that ultimately they want to be a bit more social about it but are more often than not made to feel ashamed and like they have to keep it to themselves. Hence the popularity of the Live Network!
If an event like this were setup on the streets of Santa Monica every three weeks or so and advertised online each time (with pictures to show it's real), I think it could take off after a few months. It just takes time. Really, the gaming community is already in place. It's just a matter of socializing it.
Posted by Gospel X | December 21, 2007 10:06 AM
Posted on December 21, 2007 10:06
Also, I read somewhere that that Gundam Battle Royale is an upgraded version of Gundam Battle Tactics, not the next iteration of Zaft vs. Union. I seriously think they're going to hold off on that one for at least another year. Gundam 00 is promising to introduce at least three more Gundam units within the current series (Gundam 00 will be broken up into two parts, so after the initial 26 episodes, they'll take a break for roughly 26 weeks and resume next Fall with 26 more episodes), so it would be wise for Namco/Bandai & Capcom to wait until the planning and concepts for the second part are hammered out before putting the game together. Although, truth be told, an arcade battle royale of Gundams would probably result in making machines that print money.
Posted by Gospel X | December 21, 2007 10:12 AM
Posted on December 21, 2007 10:12
First off, thanks for the correction Gospel, nothing Gundam-wise ever gets by you. It's Gundam Battle Chronicle, not Royale that was being played, and I think we had a discussion about the new Gundam mix-up coming soon. With the 00 characters being "featured", much like the Seed characters were in Battle Assault 3. Seeing at how much we played Zaft vs Union 2, I can't wait to get my hands on some G-Gundam action.
In response to your first post, I don't think it's the competitive American attitude that stalls this kind of gathering, seeing as hardcore competition is almost required to be a gamer in Asia. However, I do think you touched upon the key point that does, namely shame. Whereas gaming is much more out in the public forum in Asia, in the West, it's still an stigmatized hobby, and the media spin isn't making it any better. The gamer society is already in place, absolutely, but that's why systems like the Live network that let players interact in anonymity are so popular. I think it's going to take some more gamer pride before we see any real change. Maybe we should have a parade?
Posted by Al Yang![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/ayang/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 21, 2007 8:27 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 20:27