Gaia as a game?

[Triskdaemon]

I've noticed that a lot of people new to the site consistently refer to Gaia as a game, rather than a forum, a community, or any other categorization that those users who have been on longer would probably apply. What is it about this site that so universally convinces the newbies that we're a game? The gold is the obvious answer... But what is Gaia, really? Are we a community forum with gold and items on the side, or are we merely the community that is spawned from the game we play? Forums like the exchange and the minishops forums are arguably just offshoots of the economic aspect of the site, but to what extent does the economy control the content and tilt of the other forums? site-not-allowed overly influenced by the site economy? How about GCD? Our reliance on plot and Gaian site features to spark discussion certainly provides a case for our forum being spawned from a game, more than the other way around.

So, thoughts? I really would like to hear some opinions on this.

[JordanJM]

Hmmm...

[NathalieBinks]

I think its the layout/template or whatever. With the bright colors, avatars, gold and towns it looks like a game because many other forums are just simply plain. They are mostley strictly for talking. With all the gold involved in Gaia it makes many think its a game to get as much gold as you can and buy stuff. I think... sweatdrop

[The Mighty Sushi Database]

i don't really think of it as a game. more an interactive comunity with added story line all the things that come with that. as to the rest i'm not really sure as i've never really thought of it as a game, more a forum with extra stuff, its the extra stuff that inticied me from my home forum. another reason for newbies mistaking it for a game is the avatars and map which seem unique to us as a forum.

[Shivvy]

o.o I don't feel like answering those questions individually xd Basically I think that Gaia is turning more in the Game direction... And as I've noticed, they're putting less and less emphasis on the actual forums and more on the future games and storyline.
I mean, this is the first time they've ever had a real story plot and gotten into actual NPC personalities.
It seems as if most people think the Game is to spam all you can, then use the money you get from spamming to buy items, and also to get better fishing rods to buy more stuff.

As for the economy issue.. The overpopulation is giving Gaia the first economic problems they've had. I used to love how Gaia's economy worked to smoothly as opposed to Neopets and other games in which most items are unknown and priceless. (I blame the fish-helmets) <--- That whole paragraph probably made no sense sweatdrop

But umm... I went off-track again. confused I had more to say, but I can't remember. I have to go in a minute sad

[Triskdaemon]

Shivvy

As for the economy issue.. The overpopulation is giving Gaia the first economic problems they've had. I used to love how Gaia's economy worked to smoothly as opposed to Neopets and other games in which most items are unknown and priceless. (I blame the fish-helmets) <--- That whole paragraph probably made no sense sweatdrop

Well, the economic issues certainly are making Gaia more of an economically stratified society, rich are getting richer and all that. It's kind of inevitable, though... Without this inflation, people wouldn't donate, and donations keep Gaia going.

[Lord-of-the-flies]

I believe the reference "game" comes to play in the sense that you would do as one could in an MMORPG.

You have the gold, obviously, the NPCs where you can purchase goods, the visuals (you can see yourself and others), the town in which you can explore, the discussion (which is a part of any good MMORPGs), the mini-game, ect. And the battle system, that's gonna put the icing on the cake.

I can understand how people often make this conclusion, and I believe that it has become a game of sorts. Now if they only had a cave we could explore...

Edit: Gaia's economy may be getting richer, but the items in shop are pulling the economy to an equal balance. After all, gold is worthless without items, and mini-shops run by gaians eventually find the way back to the shops anyhow. Doing anything -> Gold -> Shop -> No gold.

[Baneful]

I think of gaia as a forum with perks, nothing more, nothing less. I certainly couldn't care much about post count, join date or gold, what matters to me is more the actual discussion of things than simple, yet hollow earning.

Moreover, I think with the battle system on it's way, things can unfortunately, only get more and more like neopets.

[Lucrecia Sapphire]

I think the site even called itself a game. I was always on the impression that it was... then I learned that it's more than that.... it's an interactive super fun story game... with people. Kinda reminds me of .hack with the forums and stuff.

[Triskdaemon]

The "forum with benefits" view of Gaia is one that seems to work for right now, but Lanzer has stated that Gaia is basically not working as intended yet... Alpha means alpha, really. We're not anywhere near Lanzer's vision for the site.

[The Mighty Sushi Database]

TriskDaemon

The "forum with benefits" view of Gaia is one that seems to work for right now, but Lanzer has stated that Gaia is basically not working as intended yet... Alpha means alpha, really. We're not anywhere near Lanzer's vision for the site.

yup i don't think he's even mentioned all the things he plans for beta. the thing is though i think i'll be a bit sad when beta comes out as (although it will have story and good features) there won't be anymore to look forward to or the anticipation that there is now but maybe the features will be so cool i don't care.

[Lord-of-the-flies]

TriskDaemon

Alpha means alpha, really. We're not anywhere near Lanzer's vision for the site.

Alpha means "we can leave this word here to impress".

This is any programmer's vision, to impress. I know this being one myself, having programmed an entire forum system from scratch, with numerous upgrades, and still refering to it as version 0.0.1alpha.

[Triskdaemon]

The Mighty Sushi Database

TriskDaemon

The "forum with benefits" view of Gaia is one that seems to work for right now, but Lanzer has stated that Gaia is basically not working as intended yet... Alpha means alpha, really. We're not anywhere near Lanzer's vision for the site.

yup i don't think he's even mentioned all the things he plans for beta. the thing is though i think i'll be a bit sad when beta comes out as (although it will have story and good features) there won't be anymore to look forward to or the anticipation that there is now but maybe the features will be so cool i don't care.

Ehh... I think that beta doesn't mean that there will be NO more new features. A site like this is never finished. They might pause the code, but they won't freeze it forever. They can't let Gaia stagnate.

[The Mighty Sushi Database]

TriskDaemon

The Mighty Sushi Database

TriskDaemon

The "forum with benefits" view of Gaia is one that seems to work for right now, but Lanzer has stated that Gaia is basically not working as intended yet... Alpha means alpha, really. We're not anywhere near Lanzer's vision for the site.

yup i don't think he's even mentioned all the things he plans for beta. the thing is though i think i'll be a bit sad when beta comes out as (although it will have story and good features) there won't be anymore to look forward to or the anticipation that there is now but maybe the features will be so cool i don't care.

Ehh... I think that beta doesn't mean that there will be NO more new features. A site like this is never finished. They might pause the code, but they won't freeze it forever. They can't let Gaia stagnate.

ahh good point n_n but still they'll be fewer and far between.

[l337_man392]

We are a hybrid n_n

The child of game and forum =)

Um... The... sandwich, with both toasted bread on one side and plain on the other, with some cheese inm the middle...? o_o;