Monday, February 11, 2013

Your Game, Your Team, Your Career: How Video Games Can Help You Professionally


I know what you’re thinking.  Video games are GAMES. They are an evil past time that makes children violent, makes boyfriends yell at their girlfriends, and make parents ignore their families! Maybe. You could also say the same for television, beer, poker nights, book clubs... you get the point.

What if I told you that there are redeeming qualities of video games outside of the typical “I’m bored so I’ll waste some time playing this” reason? Not only is it true, but I’m here to convince you that playing games can actually HELP you in your professional career and development.

I realize the realm of “games” is pretty broad, so I’m going to narrow it down to one particular kind: the MMO. MMO stands for “Massively Multi-player Online.” There are a few different kinds of MMOs, but I’m going to cover the one in which I have most experience.

My favorite is the MMORPG. The RPG part stands for “Role Playing Game.” The basic point of these games is simple: make a character, complete quests, level up. What makes these types of games popular is the connection you make as you level and build your character. You control her.  You want her to succeed.  You’re sad when she dies, even though you can revive her fairly easily. You like getting her better armor and weapons. You cheer when she levels up.  Many games follow this simple formula.  It’s pretty popular, so producers will probably be making these types of games for a while. Yay for me!

But wait, that’s not a team!  How does leveling up a character make you promotion-worthy? Get to the point, Princess, or I’m going back to looking at funny pictures of cats!

Simmer down, Skipper, I’m getting there.

Leveling up is the basic part of an RPG, but what happens when we throw MMO in the front? This means you’re questing in a world with thousands of other people*. You can group up to finish difficult tasks, find help from someone who has already found a quest item, or even ask for advice on the best armor or weapons for your particular character.

Obviously this kind of interaction isn’t necessary, but it certainly does help if you’re new to a game. I’m glossing over concept of “trolls” because let’s face it: trolls aren’t just limited to video games. Trolls are everywhere.

The personal bonuses, in my opinion, come later on. In MMORPGs, there’s always a maximum level your character can reach.  When she does, a whole new world opens up for her. This, my friends, is called ENDGAME.

Endgame is a beautiful bubble of existence that allows players of maximum level to team up and complete harder challengers for prestige and better gear. This is where the skills come in. Twice a week, nine of my friends (whom I met through the game) and I group together to explore this world of Endgame. We enter an encounter, kill bosses (bad guys) and win loot (equipment). The catch is this:

We have to work together.

Endgame encounters (or raids) require a little extra effort. There’s the planning phase, where the fight is explained and a strategy is decided. The right types of characters have to be present and each player’s strengths and weaknesses have to be considered. It’s decided when certain individual abilities will be used to give the most benefit to the team.  There’s the execution phase, which usually takes a few tries (sometimes more... you’ve all been there), some strategy or positioning adjustments, and a lot of communication. Finally, there’s the win phase, wherein your group gets to see the fruits of its labor in the form of sweet loot and maybe an achievement for your character.

This is not unlike the workplace. Most people, at some point in their professional lives, work in groups or on teams. Everyone brings something different to the table, and part of the process is working off each person’s strengths and understanding weaknesses so it doesn’t bring you down. You’re all working towards a common goal. You all want the reward at the end.

Let’s dive a little farther.

As the title of this blog suggests, I primarily play World of Warcraft.  I’ve been playing for more years than I care to count, and so I have experience playing many different characters and roles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. I’ve also had a variety of jobs in my life, ranging from working corn fields, line work at a box factory, fast food, retail, and clerical.  By no means have I had every occupational experience under the sun (or stars), but enough to make a point.

Imagine this: you’re a member of a regular raiding group, and you’re the tank - the one that gets the boss’s attention and keeps everyone else from getting killed.  You may have to interrupt something the boss tries to do or keep additional bad guys from hitting your teammates, but your job is pretty straightforward. While the boss is focused on you, your team is doing a slew of other things necessary to win. Some are healing you as you take the hits, keeping you and your team alive throughout the encounter. Some are activating environmental factors.  Some are busting all they have dealing damage to the boss directly. The point is, everyone has his own role to play, and you, as the tank with the boss’s attention, can’t play all ten characters at once. You depend on your team to do their individual jobs.

Now think of it this way: You’re a manager in an office. You report to the Big Guy In Charge and you have your team that reports directly to you.  You can’t do the work of ten people in your eight hour work day, and if you can, stop reading this post and tell your superiors that you need a raise. You depend on your underlings to do their jobs every day so your business runs smoothly. You may have a secretary that handles communications, a shipping/receiving clerk... you get the idea.

Let’s say you aren’t the tank. Let’s say you’re a healer. Your job is to use your spells and abilities to keep your team alive while it executes the encounter. One false step, and your tank is dead, the boss is running around killing everyone, and you ultimately lose. You may not be on the front line, but you better believe your job is important. In the office, you’re like the secretary. You perform your job so smoothly that your team may not notice until you’re absent. In the case of a raid, everyone dies.

What does this boil down to?  MMORPGs can help you gain or hone skills without you even realizing it.  Even the most hardcore gamer has to work together with a team in order to have success in Endgame. Even that introverted person that prefers to stay at home learns the benefits of a team. Each member is important, and in some cases, irreplaceable.

Next time your job gives you the opportunity to be on a team, think about it like a raid team. Get to know the people you work with on a daily basis.  While you develop a strategy to tackle whatever problem is placed in front of you, consider the strengths and weaknesses of your peers. Draw on the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses. Adjust your strategy if necessary. Communicate.  Then reap the rewards of a job well done.


-ERP Princess



*depending on the game. Some games have followings in the millions.