Theorycraft and Optimization - Wordplay and the Discourse of Video Games - page 131

can also be applied to other games, from the city experiments of SimCity
to almost any game through the use of GameFAQs or walkthroughs, which
present an ideal route through a game. Gerald Voorhees briefl y mentions a
similar approach for Civilization players who of er “detailed roadmaps for
civilizations that more resemble a math problem than a strategy guide.” 11
These theorycraftesque approaches work from outside the game to change
how it is played, potentially in ways that were not anticipated by develop-
ers, radically expanding the infl uential forces relevant to games.
The term theorycraft was coined before WoW , as Starcraft players engaged
in debates about optimal strategies and approaches. 12 However, much like
the reaction of mainstream baseball to Beane's dif erent way of building a
team, theorycraft was a derogatory term, a dismissive rebuttal emphasizing
the importance of playing the game in practice, rather than debating how the
game works in theory. In spite of this, WoW players took the idea and ran
with it, blending theory with practice to of er a form of theorycraft predi-
cated on working outside the game to improve the quality of play inside it.
Theorycraft in WoW began with the fi rst expansion to the game, with
several factors encouraging the move toward statistical analysis. New tools
for tracking what was done in a raid, like WoW Web Stats, 13 provided clear,
detailed data for subsequent analysis. Dr. Boom, an NPC 14 in Netherstorm,
was a suitable testing dummy, as he could not be killed through normal player
attacks and posed little risk to the player, which let theorycrafters bombard
him with spells while testing various hypotheses. The tenor of raiding also
changed, as the profusion of enrage timers 15 forced raiding groups to perform
with greater skill to ensure success. The designed increase in expectations
pushed players to better understand how WoW worked, driving the growth
of theorycraft. One player defi nes theorycraft as “to hyperanalyze, math-
ematically, game mechanics and abilities to gain a deeper understanding and
to ultimately maximize ef ectiveness.” 16 Theorycrafting shifts how the game
of WoW is played for practitioners, focusing on “using math to guide your
choices, instead of simply playing from your gut.” 17
Theorycraft is at the core of WoW metagaming, the game outside the
game. In describing the philosophy behind metagaming for new players,
Lisa Poisso writes,
Welcome to metagaming. Researching your WoW game—your crunchy
bits—can be one of the most enjoyable aspects of playing World of
Warcraft . While some players relish tackling new content with no prep-
aration and no spoilers, others enjoy digging up encounter strategies
and mapping out intricate leveling, gear and crafting plans. 18
For some players proper play means that “you're going to have to theory-
craft every piece of gear, every talent choice, and every ability that you use
at any given time” 19 or that “we're talking about squeezing the last bit of
dps [damage per second] from your toon [character] (i.e. 902dps to 904dps)
and then having the awareness to notice if, in fact, the dps changes are