Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia
"What position are you applying for?" The interviewer listens and nods.
"Mmhmm. Thank you. Now, what special skills can you bring to the team?"
"Please list all previous experience and describe your major accomplishments." A pause.
"Have you the required equipment to adequately perform your duties?"
The interviewer is quiet while sizing up the applicant.
"I'm sorry, but you just don't quite have what we are looking for. Next!"
Sound familiar? No, this isn't a job interview -- this is the rigmarole many players experience simply to get into a group in NCsoft's Aion. You might think that time of day or availability of people in the right level range would have the most affect on forming up a group, whether in a legion or a PUG. Instead, players often must contend with an entirely different beast before even stepping foot into an instance: group elitism.
Unless you have a regular group of friends with identical play times or a very supportive legion, you are apt to occasionally find yourself in the situation of seeking a group while traipsing about Atreia. Even with a regular group, there are going to be times you are left more-or-less on your own and just want to get something done. Thus begins the (oft times unpleasant) task of creating or finding a group. Like a microcosm of drama played out in short spurts, group formation showcases a variety of less-than-desirable attributes: greed; envy; lust; selfishness; and inflated egos. Just how exclusive can this process become? Your inclusion could ride solely on your class, equipment, or skill set, and have nothing to do with your ability and skill as a player. Heck, even your name may keep you out of groups.
Join me past the cut to explore elitism in group dynamics in Aion.
Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut
Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.