Massive multiplayer online
role-playing games
Armen Galstyan
April 24, 2010
CS 575
What is MMORPG
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Genre of computer role-playing games
Large number of players interact with
each another
Played within a virtual game world
The development of the player's
character is a primary goal
The game world continues to exist and
evolve even while the player is away
from the game
History
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MMORPG was coined by Richard
Garriott, creator of Ultima Online, 1997
First graphical multi-user RPG was
Neverwinter Nights, published by
America Online in 1991
Ultima Online, 1997, popularizing
MMORPG the genre
Everquest, 1999, made the genre
mainstream in America
System Architecture
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Most MMORPGs are deployed using a
client–server system architecture
The software that generates and
persists the "world" runs continuously
on a server
Players connect to it via client software
Increasing trend using pre-existing
"thin" clients, such as a web browser
Development
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Commercial MMORPG title often exceeds
$10 million to develop
Required disciplines: 3D modeling, 2D art,
animation, user interfaces, client/server
engineering, database architecture, and
network infrastructure
Client Side: 3D engines, real-time shader
techniques and physics simulation
Server Side: client/server architecture,
network protocols, security, and relational
database design
Human Psyche – Sherry Turkle
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Professor of the Social Studies of
Science and Technology, MIT
Assuming different personal identities
in a MMORPG may be therapeutic
Underage children present themselves
as adult above the age of 18
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adults having relationships with children posing as adults
Changing attitudes about human life
and concepts about what it means for
something to be alive
Human Psyche – Nick Yee
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Research scientist at the Palo Alto
Research Center (PARC) in California
Surveyed 40,000 players
Personal Spaces
People are willing to do tedious,
complex tasks within games
Routine real-world responsibilities
assigned to a custom online game
Social Interactions
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Anonymity: Players choose what type
of character they want to play and
design their appearance
Virtual Relationships: 15.7% of males
and 5.1% of females dated someone
they met in an MMORPG
Anonymity
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Positive side effect: difficulty in
stereotyping, all players have equal
ability to design themselves
Identity tourism: player to appropriately
role-play his character in the desired
fashion
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without being rejected by the community
Players feel safe and immune to
physical or emotional attack
Virtual Relationships
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Player’s avatar may or may not
characterize actual appearance
Users may select an avatar that
represents their ideal self, what they
aspires to look like
Receiver may perceive attractiveness
through the appearance of one's
avatar
Lack of nonverbal cues may facilitate
romantic relationships
EverCrack
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Very time-consuming for many people
Renowned and berated for its
addictive qualities
Suicide of Shawn Woolley
World of Warcraft
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South Korean man collapsed to the
floor after playing WoW at an Internet
café for 50 hours straight
Chinese man killed a fellow player who
had stolen his virtual sword
Young girl died after playing World of
Warcraft for several consecutive days
Thank You
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Enjoy the video clip
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Hope no one is offended by South Park
End.