Matrix Online

With the success of the Matrix series- both the movies and the computer games, it is not surprising to see Warner Bros. taking that extra step, to commission a Matrix Online. The Matrix Online features on-line interactivity in the world of the Matrix, which allows players to ‘jack in’ and interact with the world of the Matrix. How this added feature of on-line interactivity adds to the notion of community in the game here, is that it allows fans of the Matrix series to play out their Matrix fantasies in the virtual world with an added feature of interaction with other ‘jacked in’ players.

Already, before the game’s release, the hype generated has spawned numerous fan-sites, and its main website even has a forum up and running, so that discussions can be made regarding certain interfaces in the game. The main commodity in the game is information, and this requires players to source for the leaked information in the matrix environment, which allows them to trade this information with other players. But true to its nature, such ‘snoopers’ as the website terms it, will be hunted down and eliminated. The main website for the Matrix Online can be accessed via http://thematrixonline.warnerbros.com/web/index.jsp.

Thus, the revolution in on-line gaming now incorporates graphically stunning interfaces, and doesn’t require you to use your imagination as with text-based on-line games like MUDs and Trade Wars. However, the two variants of on-line games serve a purpose, which is to foster a sense of virtual gaming community - a virtual game culture, and in turn, this real life community of gamers is affected by the events in the on-line games.

Some interesting events which have happened, through my interactions with some of these Trade War players, is that some meet their wives through playing Trade Wars. One player shared that when he realized he had been destroyed by a crafty female player, he had to meet his female ‘killer’. After they had met, they fostered a relationship, and eventually got married. Such a real life example, shows how powerful the influence of the virtual game culture, can transcend into real life

This paper has looked at the various ways in which community and the definition of community has evolved to immerse itself in the world of cyberspace. Interactions like electronic mail, on-line chat rooms, and on-line games have remediated, according to Bolter & Grusin’s definition, the community into a virtual community, bringing a sense of immediacy to the interaction, regardless of space and time. In turn, with the interaction of these on-line game communities, our real life notion of community changes with the interactions that take place in the on-line world. In the foreseeable future, perhaps Virtual Reality sets will be implanted to remediate this experience of game play, and perhaps then, we can live in our on-line game worlds, and not have to contend with our existence in the material world with its dismal political climate of despair, disappointments and doom.

Beam me up Scotty.