Having spent more time than usual at my computer, I have been playing the Xbox360 more than usual.
One thing strikes me about playing online, is how easily a small community forms just around your gamer tag. You sign in, find a game and play.
I mainly play GRAW, a 1st person squad based game where you basically have to shoot the enemy. I like being a sniper, sitting around spying out the movement and then picking one off is great fun, especially when someone comments on how many times you shot them and they never saw you once! Of-coarse I usually die more often that I kill!
Morality aside (I may write something up on gaming vs violence later), the fascinating thing is how easily these gamers adopt you into their world. One moment you play a few rounds with someone, leave the game, and next thing you know a friend invite is sitting in your messages. You hop on-line and bang, someone wants to play. Its a little like being selected for the team by your mates, without the angst!
What is interesting is the spectrum of people you play with/against, the only real absence is women (no real surprise there!). You can be grouped with Americans (the normal human type), Americans (the tourist type), Builders, Computer Geeks, Doctors, etc. Very little church chat going on, I wonder why?
The community is very open and fluid, playing a stupid game where you need the help of your team mates is addictive. You interact with literally 100's of people a night, and the only time I've ever been ejected was by some french guys who didn't seem to like me being English! I know this because of their chatter about me before ejecting me. It never seems to amaze me how most Europeans will assume you can't understand their language and say the most interesting things to your face!
Any back on subject. Looking at WEB 2.0, and more specifically Church 2.0, I wonder if the church is missing a point here. Most virtual churches I've seen are too focused on the church aspect and leave out the community aspect of their offering. I don't mean it doesn't exist, but where are the Church 2.0 apps that let people drop in and chat, with a nice virtual coffee? Church of Fools let you wander around the most, with a space to sit and chat. What about a sensible chat room that works, built right inside the church app, not just sitting to one side? A place to drop in and simply chat? Wrapped around a place with virtual prayer and virtual service, but still a place to chat.
Does one exist and I missed it (too much time on the xbox?)
So come on us emergent types, lets look at a real virtual church community. Let me know.....
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