MMORPG: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Just read a blog post on We Fly Spitfires, an MMORPG blog (which is another way of saying online gaming). The post was called Video Games and Freemasonry and the author, a brother, made some great points about how the lodge could attract younger members.
How you may be wondering? Simply by changing the degrees into video game levels.
Some of his ideas and my thoughts to them:
- Replace the rituals with video game tournaments: OK, I know this is a bit of a stretch,but most tweens today are more at home with Xbox
controllers than they are with pens and paper. - Instead of Degrees, have levels: Honestly, its something ever tween today can relate to from the lowliest game on the Play Station to the ever expanding World of Warcraft.
- Online Degrees – with virtual attendance: With the proliferation of Video & Web Conferencing and Skype Conference Calls, why not do things virtually.
- Freemason Facebook (or MySpace) App (a la Farmville or Mafia Wars): If you know what your looking for, Freemasonry is all over Facebook already (including this site) but a step up in the interactivity may be an interesting take on something most of us do on a daily basis already. Instead of watering our virtual plants in Farmville, we could be learning about degrees and symbols.
Its an interesting concept, and if your already familiar with the on-line gaming world, then maybe you could see some of the applications in your head already.
Why not have a sanctioned World of Warcraft Guild of Freemasons? Several already exist depending on the game server you join.
Besides guilds, there are already several Masonic-esque items living in Warcraft, including the Masons fraternity ring, and this spiffy hammer.
Imagine what that raiding party would look like.
This is just one example of a lodge built in Minecraft.
How about a Masonic skin for Minecraft?
Have you found Freemasonry in other games, MMORPG or otherwise? Drop us a not in the comments below.