---
7jss1@... wrote:
> Hello.
>
> Player questions
>
> How old are you?
29
> Are you male or female?
male
> How long have you been playing Everquest?
Nearly 2 years
> Is Everquest the first on-line roleplaying game
> you've played?
Yes
> Why did you start playing Everquest?
Friends at work got me addicted.
> Avatar questions
>
> What level, race, class, gender is your main avatar?
lvl 24, male gnome wizard
> Do you have secondary avatars?
Yes
> What levels, races, classes, genders are your
> secondary avatars?
lvl 8 half-elf female bard
lvl 6 high elf male cleric
lvl 5 dwarf paladin
lvl 5 erudite enchanter
> Why did you choose the classes you did for your
> avatars?
bard--I'd heard it's an extremely fun class, and I
came up with a ridiculous name that inspired the
character
cleric--my main group decided to start a secondary
group when things got a little stale, and I
volunteered to play the cleric
paladin--I was sick of staring at spell books
enchanter--decided it would be a fun change of pace
> Do you play on a PvP server?
No
> Are you in a guild?
No
> For what reasons are you in a guild (or
> alternatively for what reasons are you not in a
> guild)?
I've been in a couple of guilds. I joined because the
guilds were started by friends, or I became friends
with current guild members who talked me into joining.
Both guilds eventually disbanded as the leaders left
and everyone else drifted off. I haven't joined
another because I don't play enough now to make it
worthwhile.
>
> Do you attend guild events?
I do when I'm in a guild
> Do you plan to ahead of time to attend guild events?
Yes
> Do you normally group with
>
> 1) People you meet that session
> 2) People you knew prior to playing Everquest
> 3) People you met through Everquest
> 4) Guildmate you found in your area
> 5) Other (please specify)
Options 1, 2, or 3. Just depends on who's online at
the time.
> Have your grouping patterns changed as you've gained
> experience at the game? How so?
I'm a lot less likely to group now, because I'm
pickier about people with whom I spend my time.
>
> Time questions
>
> How many hours a week (on average) do you play
> Everquest?
8
> How many hours do you play each session?
6
> How do you normally spend your time in Norrath?
Generally by trying to be the group clown while we're
killing stuff. Assuming I'm in a group.
> Are you on a constant quest to level or do you take
> time off from gaining experience while playing?
I'm on a constant quest to have fun. Leveling's nice,
but very minor.
>
> What do you do when you take time off from the mobs?
Help newbies. Travel and get screen shots. Chat with
friends. Waste money on trade skills.
> While trying to level do you ever take time out to
> help others?
Yes.
> If yes (to the previous question), in what ways?
Help with corpse retrieval, saving from death, escort
duty, playing guide, assistance in killing some rare
mob which might have a good drop.
>
> Did you know the other avatars prior to helping
> them?
Usually not.
> Can you give any reasons why you chose to help
> others?
Part of the point to playing is to be heroic and do
great deeds, helping others.
> Have you ever died helping others (outside of a
> group situation)?
Yes.
> Calls for help
>
> Do you ever help newbies?
Yes.
> If yes (to the previous question), how do you help
> newbies?
Same as above. Guide, protection, buffs, healing.
Usually won't help them kill something they shouldn't
have tackled.
>
> Can you give any reasons why you helped them?
Passing along good deeds that were done when I was a
newbie.
> Were you helped as a newbie? (This does not include
> help from friends you met prior to playing)
Yes.
> If yes (to the previous question), how were you
> helped?
I once lost a corpse in Faydark. A bard tried to help
me find it, and wound up dying several times.
I had one budding cook buy a stack of batwings from my
paladin and pay a pair of bronze gloves.
Food donated when I was running across country for a
corpse retrieval.
> Do you respond to the /yell command?
I've never figured yet out where the yeller is in time
to do any good. But I try.
>
> Does your respose to a plea for help depend on any
> factors? What are those factors?
Of course it does. I'm much less likely to help
twinks. Courtesy is a major factor. I don't help
people who beg for items or money. (Well, a level 5
character whose corpse has just disappeared would be
an exception). If I've had a chance to observe the
other player, for good or ill, in action will adjust
things. And, of course, how immediately the help is
needed, and how capable I am of helping.
> Are you more likely to help members of a specific
> race? gender?
> class? Why?
I'm more likely to donate things to wizards, because
that's where I'm most likely to have equipment I've
outgrown. Other than that, I don't bother with such
distinctions.
> Was there any time in your avatars life when you
> were more likely to
> help others?
No.
> If yes (to the previous question), what brought
> about the difference
> in game play?
n/a
> Why do you think that people help others in
> Everquest?
Partly because it's a miniature of real life. Society
has developed because people are more effective in
greater numbers than alone. The same is very true in
EQ. The "scratching each others' back" thing. And
there's also the point about playing a heroic
role-playing game. Most of us have a swash-buckler
lurking inside (people attracted to EQ are probably
more likely than most to have this suppressed in
there), and it's more possible to let this loose in
real life.
The flip side of the coin also holds true, of course.
There are also people who will only help a limited
sample of others, or no one else at all. I think most
of those people will not last long on EQ, because they
won't make many friends, and that's vital at higher
levels. (At least, that's what I've seen in all my
peers who are now lvl 50+)
>
> Comments? Further thoughts?
>
> Please e-mail to 7jss1@...
>
> Thank you for spending your time completing this
> survey. If anyone
> would be kind enough to meet our research team
> on-line (either in
> game, ICQ or IRC) for discussion we would be very
> grateful for the
> opportunity.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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