In preparation for Discussion Friday #6 (which happens on Oct. 8), each student will participate in three sessions of network multiplayer gaming with one or more other people. This means that students must play with other people online in different physical locations. Students may play the same game during each session or different games. Students may play with the same people each session or different people (although I encourage students to play at least one session with strangers). Play may be cooperative or competitive.

After the three play sessions, each student must post a critical comment of approximately 500 words. Students must select games from the list below (most of which are available at Sharky's or available for check out from me) or independently find games with a network multiplayer component.

• Halo 3 (Sharky's)
• Halo ODST (Sharky's)
• Gears of War
• Gears of War 2
• Left 4 Dead 2 (Sharky's)
• Boom Blox Bash Party (check out from me)
• Monster Hunter Tri (check out from me)
• World of Warcraft
• EVE Online
• Conquer Club
• Friends for Sale (Facebook)
• YoVille (Facebook)
• FarmVille (Facebook)
• Mafia Wars (Facebook)

Submit your comment below after critically considering issues surrounding your network multiplayer experiences, such as:

• How one or more of our readings inform your experiences
• The differences among your various play sessions
• How cooperative play and competitive play affect the social dynamic
• How playing with strangers differs from playing with acquaintances
• How network multiplayer play differs from local multiplayer play or individual play
• The applicable issues of race, class, or gender in the games

The preceding prompts may help you focus your thoughts, but feel free to take your discussion in any productive direction you wish. I look forward to reading your work and discussing it in class.