The theme of connection:
Overall in all of the resources, I have looked through the connection between the player and the avatar is a big and common topic. It looks at how close the player connects with the avatar and what makes them connect to the game. It is discussed what there is about the avatar and the game design that draws the player in. It states how the ability to customize your avatar makes the person feel like they are connected to the avatar. Other things that connect the two are any similarities that they have like characteristics or storyline.
The theme of relationship:
This theme differs from the theme of connection despite its similarities because it is more specific and focuses on what type of relationship is the PAR (player-avatar relationship). The PAR can be very meaningful or more basic as they can be both long-term or short-term. In most cases, it was discussed how a player has a strong PAR where the player develops feelings about the avatar and can almost feel for them almost like in a human relationship. Some papers argue how the PAR can almost be a social relationship yet others argue how it can't be as it is not in the real world.
The theme of Beliefs:
From reading the papers I have noticed that is it all due to the player's beliefs that the PAR exists. Nothing would be examined or research to the point it is now if the players wouldn't believe in their avatar and the bond that they can form throughout the gameplay. A lot of topics that were discussed in the paper are based on what the players believe in. Belief plays an important theme here as the player needs belief to finish the game with their character. The player believes that the journey they have while playing is real, meaningful and gives them an important role.
The theme of two worlds:
This is suitable as the player escapes reality when gaming and enters a different world with different living organisms. Most games make the player forget the real world and gives them the ability to be something or someone that they can't in the real world. The games are even said to be a different world as they are called the game world where people can escape to and be whoever they want and have what they desire without worrying about their problems in the real world. There are a lot of restrictions in our world yet you can leave it and enter the game world where you are free and don't have any worries.
The theme of Identity:
This is a big theme throughout the whole research that I have done. The identity of the player and the identity of the avatar is greatly discussed and looked at in detail to find similarities. The avatar is usually identified to be a brave, and skillful type of character looking to save the world or gain revenge giving the player a great sense of victory and adventure. The avatar can match very closely the identification of the player with the ability to customize and develop your avatar in the game. It has been shown that many times the customized avatar had a lot of the player's identification. Throughout the gameplay, the player can get a strong feeling of identifying themselves as the avatar.
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