This document discusses how players in the MMORPG World of Warcraft have developed an "epistemic culture" around playing the game. It examines how players engage in "theorycrafting" to optimize their avatars, utilizing precise mathematical analysis of game mechanics and sharing expertise through online communities. This "instrumental play" treats gaming like scientific experimentation and focuses on performance metrics. The knowledge created is codified and shared through detailed online guides and forums, representing an emergent culture with its own material, social, and symbolic practices centered around optimizing gameplay.

1. Knowing play The epistemic machinery of game culture Kristine Ask www.kristineask.com

3. Research questions What knowledge does a instrumental player use? How is it created and shared? Case: World of Warcraft 1 year ethnographic study of a player community in World of Warcraft (WoW) Between 20 and 50 hours play pr week Interviews with 19 WoW players at varying levels of progression

4. Theoretical framework Epistemic cultures (Knorr Cetina 1999): cultures that create and warrant knowledge ”how we know what we know” Material, social and symbolic practices

5. The Game in question: MMORPG A game platform of many subgames Primary game: Developing the avatar Virtual world Up to 30 000 players Avatars used to interact with the world

7. Set times

8. Team effort

9. Complicated

13. Example: Frostfire bolt Game description avg_damage_per_cast_noncrit = (avg_cast_base_dmg + (spell_coefficient + empowered_fire + empowered_frostbolt + arcane_empowerment) * final_spell_dmg) * (firepower + ffb_glyph + spell_impact + arcane_blast_buff + arcane_power) * pwf * piercing_ice [* ebon_plaguebringer or coe+malediction or earth&moon] * arcane_instability * frostbolt_glyph * molten_fury [* sanctified_retribution or ferocious_inspiration] * tricks_of_the_trade * troll_beast_racial/worgen_racial ex: frostfire bolt -- molten fury + berserking(20%) + bloodlust + icy veins + 4pct7 + CSD included, 2000 spelldmg, 55% crit, 500 haste ratingavg_damage_per_cast_noncrit = ( (722+838)/2 + (3/3.5 + 0.15) * 2000 spelldmg) * (1.1 + 0.02) * 1.03 * 1.06 * 1.13 * 1.12 =4324.43avg_damage_per_cast_critical = 4324.43 * (1 + 0.55 * (3.34565 - 1)) = 9903.41final_cast_time = 3 / (1 + 500/32.78998947/100) / 1.05 / 1.03 / 1.3 / 1.2 / 1.2 = 1.29 Theory-craftted version

14. More examples Threat modifiers are mechanics that increase or decrease your threat caused, per point of threat. Threat modifiers are multiplicative; so, when you see something like: "Reduces your threat by 30%", it means "Multiplies your threat by .7". Alternatively, you can reverse threat modifiers to see how much damage you gain by using threat modifiers. Threat modifier: 1 - [(1 - X) x (1 - Y) x (1 - Z)] = Threat Modifier

15. How and why? Hypothetical deductive method: Problem, playtesting, analysis Large playercommunity / critical mass

16. How and why? Hypothetical deductive method: Problem, playtesting, analysis Large playercommunity / critical mass Precise knowledge about the game allows for more optimal customization

18. Knowledge is localized by the remaking and linking of guides in local and public forumsTheory-craft

19. Material Online community Digitalized Viral Explicit knowledge ”hard numbers” Tools to understand the game Simulators Addons Databases

20. Material Delegation of complexity Precise Sharing and storing of expertise VS

21. Social Theorycraft community Elitist Jerks Volunteer based Guilds are structured and formalized playergroups Applications Performance requirements Sharing information as a way of socializing

22. Symbolic A game about numbers Performance oriented Evaluation of players

23. The avatar ethos in play Gaming is not about immersion, but performance Pleasure, but not ”play” Mastery is not just mastery over digital monsters: Tools Norms Playing by numbers

24. Playing in an epistemic culture New players are introduced to a network of technologies, norms and practices where theorycraft is incorporated Instrumental play as a resource