Though common in tabletop role-playing, playing a supporting role was never a major focus for video games until online multiplayer became popular. John Walker tells us why he's no longer going to be one of those supporting roles, a healer in an MMOG.
Even when every game mechanic is designed against it, there are still occasions when gamers would rather be social. Mark Wallace narrates one of these occasions, a personal experience from World of Warcraft.
"Ever since the first RPG was made, computer and videogames have been sorely lacking in well developed characters." Spanner looks at characterization in gaming, with a heavy dose of Spider-Man for good measure.
There's an online community out there based around gaming bargains. Unlike many other bargain-based communities, this one isn't about turning a quick buck on eBay, but about experiencing games and gaming. Pat Miller talks with David "CheapyD" Abrams, founder of Cheap Ass Gamer.
"Gamers exist in communities. Whether we're grouped by the faction we're a part of, the server we play on, the game we play, the genre of game we play - or some combination thereof - we exist as part of a community." Shawn Williams tells us how gamers and their virtual communities have provided support that his local ones could not.
It sometimes comes as a surprise when people find out the same guys who run a comic featuring a drunken DivX player and a juicer with a lust for the flesh of virgin oranges also happen to be the founders of a children's charity. Shannon Drake talks with Penny Arcade about Child's Play.
