Sunday, August 28, 2016

A Brief Observation of In-Game Behavior of Wizard101 Players

I've sat around quietly in Wizard City, seeing how players behaved. It's interesting to see what unfolds when you fade into the background. So what happens over a brief period of time in Wizard City?


I started in the Commons, in the most crowded realm I could get into, which was Bernie. At first it was just busy, and no one was talking. Finally, someone chatted, and actually addressed the lack of people talking. Conversation soon bloomed, and it was literally about no one talking.

A small group gathered in front of Castle Tours. They were all wearing stitched gear, the typical attire of the experienced gamer. They didn't randomly talk to others, but rather to their friend group. It's possible that this group knows each other outside of the game OR are in contact outside the game, because they were talking as if they were in a group chat. They talked about playing housing games, PvP, and port parties.

The small group of experienced players
Stereotypically, a group like this may harass AFK or Low-Level characters, but this group didn't. They simply met up and talked for a bit, then went their separate ways. Speaking from experience, it's really not fun when high level players are mean, so this group is exemplary for high level players. If you are of a high level, being a friendly and helpful wizard goes a long way!

I also found that many lower level wizards tend to ask for gifts. I'm sure most of you are aware of this. This typical behavior, along with the "Help needed." "Can we hatch?" and "Can you take me here?" messages were frequently popping up. It's unfortunate that some low levels ruin the reputation of low levels as a whole.

Next, I went to Unicorn Way to see what was happening. I was on realm Balestrom, and it was silent. There was barely any wizards fighting, so I went to the Bazaar, which is a pretty busy place. Strangely, it was also silent. At one point 2 wizards discussed school specific pets, but that was mainly it. In the past, I have found that it's common to use the Bazaar to look for hatches and Treasure Card trades.

I then went back to the Commons, this time on realm Wu. Yes, the infamous realm Wu. Known for drama, role playing, and the frequent "I need a girl" messages. As much as I want to say it isn't true, it is. Realm Wu is like the bad side of town. Everyone harasses each other. It's just really not a great place to leave your wizard AFK. I would advise you to not go to realm Wu if you know what's good for you.

In general, I've found that most stereotypes are true when it comes to Wizard101. That being said, do not automatically assume the worst when someone friends you at random. Lots of wizards have good intentions. Ultimately, be careful with who you friend, quest, and chat with.

**I would like to re-dive into this topic on a later date, and go more in depth with it.

What type of behaviors have you observed in Wizard City?

No comments :

Post a Comment