Flânorcs and Flânelfs: An Alternate Self in an Alternate Reality

Blog graphic (2016)

In Azeroth, players find a world of infinite possibilities and places. For the Horde side of the community, places like Orgrimmar, or Warspear are home. Conversely, Alliance players place importance on places like Stormwind and Stormshield in their map of the world (Kuttainen, V. 2016) In those spaces, they are both anonymous and known, and sometimes even infamous. It is possible for a player to find a new sense of self within the characters they create, and the worlds they navigate. This identity need not be completely composed of aspects of their personalities, but can also embody characteristics not applicable to them in the real world.

In this colourful world, a player might be a leader, highly skilled in organising a group into harmony. They might be powerful and respected within the Warcraft community for their dexterity, and mastery of the game. While the game’s very nature is incorporeal, it also allows full immersion into the world for as long as players choose to participate in it, lending it an aura of reality; the world outside becomes no more than a background. (Barnes, G, 1997). Some take this concept to another level, mimicking the flâneur of 19th century France.

A flâneur in the environment of Warcraft is a conspicuous character. They tend to frequent highly populated areas, wearing prestigious and aesthetic armour, and keeping a presence in their server’s
public chat channels. One such flâneur comes to mind, we’ll call him DaveDave. DaveDave is infamous across several servers, and known by a very large amount of players. Depending on who you ask, DaveDave is either a benevolent joker, or a rude troll. He spends his time online hanging around in public chat, seemingly revelling in the attention he draws with his antics; whether that attention is negative or positive doesn’t seem to faze him. In this way, flâneurs such as DaveDave leave an impression of themselves on the world of Azeroth, while who they truly are remains cloaked in anonymity.

References:
Kuttainen, V. (2016). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place, week 3 notes [Power Point slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_2417221_1&course_id=_76323_1&framesetWrapped=true

Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flaneur. Retrieved from: http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html

Blog graphic (2016) retrieved from http://canva.com