Comments on: Mafia Wars And Real Life

By: mafia wars guide

mafia wars guide — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:57:00 +0000

i never really thought about it from this perspective..great article

By: Justinlee6

Justinlee6 — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 22:36:00 +0000

you are a nutcase how bout you kill yourself?

By: wilson

wilson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:15:12 +0000

it is a fun game…you play in once in a day for about 30 minutes….

By: MBC

MBC — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:52:22 +0000

Glenn, thanks for commenting. I think we disagree on a number of basic assumptions.

It seems that you have found the economic level in the game to which you choose to rise.

Your use of the word “rising” suggests the advancement along some scale of desirability. But really, having the cool stuff isn’t that cool. At least in the game. The coolness does not outweigh the tedious effort and loss of time that it takes to get there.

There is an assumption on your part that the fighting and robbing are anger based.

Yes, and I know from conversing with other players outside the game, that this assumption is correct, at least part of the time. I recently received a FB mail request as follows:

“This guy is an SOB. He’s been attacking my friend A (who I’ve known since high school- A.B., if you were there with us…) on Mafia Wars… He attacks her property every day and is just being an asshole. His name is __. I have done research and it seems he may be a 48 year old guy who listens to 80′s Metal Americana living in Folsom (can you say prison? – thanks Johnny Cash) California… Please do anything you can to stop this man, because I will not put up with this white trash misogynistic crap being thrown at a sister. Can you dig it? I knew that you could… XO”

How did you think the players were going to play and what did you think was the objective?

I don’t know, Glenn. I’m not a game designer. I just thought it would be better than it is.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:30:56 +0000

This behavior proves that persons rise to the economic level that they desire. If one really wanted more “cool stuff” one would continue to play – with the fighting, robbing, etc.. – It seems that you have found the economic level in the game to which you choose to rise.

There is an assumption on your part that the fighting and robbing are anger based. In fact, this could be non-emotional just how the game is played. However, the behavior against you makes you angry and in turn project that emotion on the other players.

It is not the game or the rules of life but rather how one plays. Those that break or bend the rules should be subject to severe censure. That does not happen in the game nor does it happen in life.

Rather, society spends its time censuring persons for little infractions, he hurt my feelings with blah, blah, blah, while those that commit large infractions seem to receive a very modest relative dose of justice.

Hence the anger that you assume is projected on the society and each individual. It is Mafia wars and by extension simulates crime and criminal organizations. How did you think the players were going to play and what did you think was the objective?