This week’s collaborative play of Stardew Valley in the gamelab exposed the differences found between multiplayer and individual gameplay, mainly that multiplayer gameplay triggered a departure from optimal strategy and players indulged more freely in sandbox elements of the game. I suggest that this is a result of the degradation of a sense of immersion in the game, as players simultaneously act inside and outside the fictional world on the screen, they are less inclined to play optimally because their attention is divided and they seek to not only engage with the game but also those around them. Group play seemed to produce a positive corporeal externality that overpowered any satisfaction that could come from obtaining success traditionally in the game. In individual gameplay, by contrast, a players’ full attention is on the game, perhaps making them more disposed to following storylines because no other alternative is visibly present and no greater feeling is produced. Additionally, multiplayer gameplay conjoins various aspects of each individual’s playing style that is then reflected in group play.
When my group met to play, we originally began to pursue optimal gameplay. Each player contributed to planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops to accrue as much money as possible. When we began playing, we developed a division of labor and each player was given a task to do that would help the farm. These tasks could be self-selected and were often voluntarily taken up, although one member of our group did assign tasks. When it was time to switch out players and this member that assumed a leadership role was not playing, the crystalized division of labor came undone very quickly and players stopped being attuned to these working roles. Despite making a substantial profit in the first hour, by the end of our 2nd hour we were completely broke. Players’ focus in the game changed as time went by and shifted to completely neglect the farming aspect of the game. At some point, a group member decided to spend the entire day fishing (literally until fainting at the docks) and other players followed in suit. At one point, every player was fishing on the dock off the beach. I found this interesting because aside from myself, who did participate in fishing but gravitated more towards building friendships with villagers and foraging, everyone decided to devote their days to this one aspect of the game. I probably would have too if I were better at the fishing mini-game. The gameplay pursued in both hours of play points towards the convergence of playing styles in group play, although it is interesting that the fishing strategy was more prominent than other player’s original styles (focus on foraging, farming, mining). Lively commentary about the game ensued as we all were fishing on the dock, almost mimicking the real life conversations typical in waiting during fishing in reality. Additionally, players engaged in metagaming by competing to catch the most fish or the rarest fish. Perhaps the traditional objective of accruing wealth was displaced because the metagaming approach fostered more camaraderie amongst group members.
As I noted above, I did not exactly conform with my group because I did not prioritize fishing as much as they did. At first, I was content pursuing my own goals as I was playing and enjoyed roaming the map in search of flowers and materials. When I did finally decide to give it a try, it was because I felt I was missing out on experiencing the camaraderie that was being fostered amongst members of my group. I felt compelled to fish because I wanted to join and engage with conversation ensuing about topics related to fishing such as where to fish, what conditions influenced the types of fish you could catch, and bait. When I did finally join, I had much more fun because my ineptitude for fishing became the subject of playful critique and banter. I also learned a lot from fishing from more experienced players as they taught me how to successfully catch a fish and about the benefits fishing had as an approach to money-making.
Lastly, the camaraderie fostered during group play persisted even after we left the gamelab and during the next class I spoke to a group member turned new friend. Without the shared experience of gameplay, I am weary to say we would have been friends otherwise because of how large the class is.
