Onlinespel tillåter spelare över hela världen att interagera med varandra på nya sätt i virtuella världar. Genom att skapa visuella representationer av sig själva kan spelarna nu kommunicera och uttrycka sig bortom den fysiska världens gränser. I denna fenomenologiska studie undersöker vi hur och om HBTQ-personer upplever sig ha möjligheten att uttrycka sexualitet och könsidentitet i online rollspelet Final Fantasy XIV samt om detta påverkas av spelets gemenskap. Med kvalitativa metoder intervjuades spelare från Final Fantasy XIV för att fånga denna upplevelse och med en queerteoretisk lins titta kritiskt på normerna i spelet. Dessa upplevelser analyserades även ur ett dramaturgiskt perspektiv och ett fokus på identitetsteorier. Resultatet från denna studie antyder att spelaren trots begränsningar finner nya och kreativa sätt att uttrycka sexualitet och kön i spelvärlden. Spelarna gör detta genom att konstruera alternativa identiteter och uppträda med sina avatarer på scenen som är den virtuella världen. Gemenskapen är en stor del av detta då den accepterande atmosfären upplevs uppmuntra till öppenhet. / Online games allow players all over the world to interact with each other in new ways in virtual worlds. Through the creation of visual representations of the players they can communicate and express themselves beyond the limits of the physical world. In this phenomenological study we investigate how and if LGBT individuals experience that they can express sexuality and gender identity in the online roleplaying game Final Fantasy XIV and if the game community affects this experience. With qualitative methods players of Final Fantasy XIV were interviewed to capture this experience and through a queer theoretical lens critically examine the norms of the game. These experiences were also analysed from a dramaturgical perspective and a focus on identity theories. The results suggest that the player, despite restrictions, find new and creative ways of expressing their sexuality and gender in the game world. The players do this by constructing alternative identities and perform with their avatars on the stage that is the virtual world. The community is a major part of this as the accepting atmosphere is perceived to encourage openness.

This study explores gender modeling specifically in avatar creation tools through the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. The design of systems is often limited by the experiences of those who build them. In the video game industry; this means that systems are often designed by white, cisgender, heterosexual men. This demographic does not represent the wealth of people who play games and are subjected to these systems. The needs of marginalized communities, especially queer communities, in terms of affordances and representation tend to be overlooked or forgotten. This issue is apparent in avatar creation tools which define the types of bodies and identities that are allowable in the world of the game. Using Brenda Laurel’s research driven design tactics, modifications to Final Fantasy XIV’s current system were realized through a paper prototype and constant input from a group of self-identifying queer players. Both the feedback from these queer players and the modifications made to the prototype were condensed into a series of suggestions for the creators of these tools. Ultimately, I discovered that there are three key features which vastly improve the affordances of character creators for queer players; the inclusion of pronoun identification, the identification of gender identity, and the separation of both of these options from the character’s physical appearance. Designers who implement these findings in their work will contribute to creating environments that support queer identities.

The objective of this study was to investigate how players experience learning English through playing the popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. It also discussed the improvement in English skills achieved through playing the game, exploring what aspects they have improved and how they were able to do that. This research may interest individuals seeking to understand how video games can improve language skills. Moreover, it is relevant to those who play MMORPGs, a genre where players can experience and practice real-life situations and roles. The research has been done through conducting semi-structured qualitative online interviews with six informants from different backgrounds and English levels. During the interviews, informants were questioned about their experience with learning English while playing Final Fantasy XIV. The results suggested that they improved their vocabulary knowledge and their communication skills through using productive skills with other players. Furthermore, players had different experiences on how they have learned, a few of them learned through repetition and exposure to the game’s content.

The purpose of this study was to provide data concerning Distributive Justice system use and perceived fairness by citizens who have participated in a Distributive Justice based society over a long period of time. This data filled a hole in academic studies which had previously focused on datasets from citizens in non-Distributive Justice based societies or participants in short-term experiments. Using a questionnaire, players of the online game Final Fantasy XIV were asked a series of questions concerning their perceptions of fairness and use of varying Distributive models, as well as questions on their perceived relationships to one another and time spent within Final Fantasy XIV. There were four main results of the study. Firstly, Utilitarian and Need based distribution systems were seen as the most fair and used. Secondly, perceived relationships between participants did not majorly affect perceived fairness of Distribution systems. Thirdly, more time spent in Final Fantasy XIV did affect perceived fairness of varying types of Distribution systems. And, finally, the results indicated a Sufficiency based reasoning for using Utilitarian and Need based resource distribution to individuals until groups hit a sufficiency level, at which point the Distribution systems changed to meet new criteria.

The aim of this study was to identify if digital games could be used as a method to study Cosmopolitan Democracy. Using a mixed methods approach, players of the Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) community were asked to answer a questionnaire concerning the importance of age, gender and nationality of other players, in order to see if their values aligned with those of Cosmopolitan Democracy. The questionnaire also investigated the use of the Auto-Translate feature in FFXIV to examine its usefulness as a lingua franca to bridge gaps in language equality. Furthermore a literature review on the use of digital games in education and ideologies was conducted. The results showed that the values of the FFXIV community do align with those of Cosmopolitan Democracy, that Auto-Translate successfully acts as a lingua franca, and that games have a history of teaching players about differing ideologies. The conclusions advocated the creation of a game based on Cosmopolitan Democracy, allowing for players to experience the democratic model and for researchers to gather data on its functionality.