Online Games
Singleplayer Games
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Single computer
Play alone
Multiplayer Games
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Same Computer
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LAN
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See the other person
Several persons interact with each other
Know the persons
Internet
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Many players
Mostly unknown persons
Online Games
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Internet games
Both MP games and Massive Multiplayer
Online Games (MMOG)
Several persons have to interact with each
other
Alias
MMOG
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Consistent World
The world is a community
Server/Client
Company has complete control over the
server
Rules in MMOG
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Rules of World
Rules of Conduct
Implicit Rules
Rules of World
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Game mechanics
What the player is able to do
PVE, PVP
How people interact with eachother
Basically the ”physics” of the game
Exploits
Toontown
Rules of Conduct
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Terms of Services
Common rules
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Not
Not
Not
Not
impersonate game staff
ruin the game play for other players
exploiting the game mechanics
using bots to automate the game
The “Law” of the game
What is considered ok in one game...
Example of ROC
Player may not engage in any conduct
or communication while using the DAoC
Services which is unlawful or which restricts
or inhibits any other Player from using or
enjoying these Services.
(Dark age of Camelot)
Implicit rules
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What is considered ok by the
players/game
Subjective for different players
Changes over time
Discussion
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Is it ok to allow games which is based on
killing other people, when games are
looking and feeling more and more real
Discussion
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If we want to make a game as free as
possible
Should we allow bullying, stealing, killing,
torturing or raping in a game where there
is a culprit and a victim?
Who should draw the line, and where
Discussion
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Protecting people from harassment and
foul language
Toontown
Speedchat / only emotes
Safe friendlist
Restrictive interaction vs protection
Discussion
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Self running Bots have shown to ruin
gameplay for the serious gamers and
making them leave the game
Blizzard created “the Warden”
A program that scans what programs you
are currently running and sending it back
to Blizzard
Privacy vs protecting the game
Discussion
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“Easy” access to accounts
50€ for the game, 10€ a month = 200€
for 15 months of play
Not counting the hours spent playing the
character(s)