Session 2: Relationships between WoW and the "Real World."

Chair: Dmitri Williams

Session Logistics 

This session would include contributions on such topics as: the relationship of the WoW economic system to the economy of the surrounding world; interesting comparisons between WoW and other games or virtual worlds; allegorical features of WoW in such areas as colonialism and state corruption; the importation of real-world social movements into WoW like environmentalism; this virtual world as an arena for players who want to explore alternative personalities and roles; the impact of WoW on players, whether educational or possibly harmful.

Pre-Session Activities:

• 12:00 You may wish to read four brief books: "Draconic for Dummies" (Undercity 76,38 and three history books (Undercity 55,50).
• 12:15  If you stand beside the bell near the entrance to the ruins of the human city, and use your sounds interface control to turn ambient sounds to the maximum, you can hear the bell celebrating a human victory from years before (Ruins of Lordaeron 65, 25).  Ozymandias anyone?
• 12:20 Assemble for Opening Procession at Hunter's Hall, Valley of Honor (Orgrimmar 66,18)

12:30 Session: Main cavern of the Undercity sewers (Undercity 32,32).

The pictures below illustrate possible connections between WoW and the outside world:

Anti-capitalist, pro-environmental values in the picture of a priest fighting a deforestation machine.

Auction of the legendary Hanzo Sword for 111 gold 11 silver 11 copper, representing real wealth.