| Unless you live in a cave and cannot even reach | | | | others, especially in a role-playing environment is |
| the outside world via satellite link, you have heard | | | | still there. |
| of World of Warcraft. It is an online game called a | | | | World of Warcraft is an almost perfect setting |
| MMORPG, short for Massive Multiplayer Online Role | | | | for today's youth (and adults) to meet, socialize |
| Playing Game. | | | | and role-play in a safe environment without having |
| When we grew up, we played Dungeons and | | | | to leave the comfort and safety of their homes. |
| Dragons with dice and pencil and paper and | | | | It is packed with enough stimulation for sensory |
| sometimes (only the rich kids) with miniature | | | | overload, offers different types of play to suit |
| figurines made of lead. That was as advanced as | | | | everyone's needs and desires, and is massive |
| role-playing games got. When we went high tech, | | | | enough to never get boring or repetitive. Modern |
| it meant there was a Long Playing record playing | | | | parents who fear that their son or daughter might |
| over our quad speaker system while we played. | | | | break a bone riding a bike can feel safe knowing |
| Usually something like Flight of the Valkyries or | | | | they are in the house. |
| anything by Led Zeppelin. | | | | I have found there are many full-grown adults |
| There is a deep-seated desire in most of us to | | | | playing. These are parents who would love to still |
| role-play. Let's face it, when we were younger, | | | | be playing Dungeons and Dragons, but who would |
| before we even played D&D, what did we | | | | be embarrassed to ask their CPA to come on |
| do as kids? We played Cops and Robbers or | | | | over for an evening of dice throwing and |
| Cowboys and Indians. We always role-played. | | | | role-playing. World of Warcraft offers these |
| Even many adults do today, but we'll keep this | | | | people safety, too. Safety from embarrassment |
| article family-oriented! | | | | that they still want to game and role-play. They |
| In today's society, teens still want to role-play, but | | | | can "hide" behind the safety of a cartoon image |
| they are not out and about as much as my | | | | and no one needs to know that their 50-year-old |
| generation was when we were growing up. We | | | | stockbroker spends his evenings as a Gnome |
| rode our bikes for miles and miles. There were no | | | | Mage fighting evil with weapons and magic. |
| curfews. We didn't need to take 20 minutes | | | | Is that good or bad? Who knows. That is certainly |
| putting on safety gear - we just hopped on our | | | | not for me to say. What I can say with total |
| bike and rode. Today, that is discouraged. Fear is | | | | certainty, though, is that World of Warcraft fulfills |
| propagated. Curfews are enacted. Children are not | | | | innate desires in many of us and will be with us |
| encouraged to play outside or to disappear for | | | | for a long time to come. It is most definitely a |
| hours on end. Even so, the desire to socialize with | | | | phenomenon of lasting proportions. |