| For most of the 20th century, life used
| |
| | random opponents matched to you
|
| to be rather simple for most people.
| |
| | approximately by skill, either one on one
|
| There was school, college, work,
| |
| | or in teams of up to 4 on 4, or play
|
| retirement. Along with that you had
| |
| | others in pre-arranged teams. As in FPS
|
| hobbies like cars, bowling, or gardening.
| |
| | games, there are also clans in Warcraft,
|
| The former was more or a less of a chore,
| |
| | which in this case are even explicitly
|
| the latter the fun stuff you did in your
| |
| | supported by Battlenet. This and the very
|
| free time, usually together with local
| |
| | immediate visibility of someone's skill
|
| friends from the same neighborhood. This
| |
| | level (basically, his win/loss ratio)
|
| was basically the same as a thousand
| |
| | gives rise to much competition between
|
| years ago. For a few lucky people the two
| |
| | dedicated players for the top ladder
|
| areas overlapped and they could do the
| |
| | (ranking) spots. Unlike geographically
|
| stuff that they liked as their main
| |
| | uniform games like Counter-Strike with
|
| job.Now, in the last 10 years of the 20th
| |
| | tens of thousands of servers, Warcraft
|
| century, as well as in the first few
| |
| | has just a handful of large servers, each
|
| years of the 21st, this has been changing
| |
| | for a certain area of the world (e.g.
|
| rather dramatically. The reason is the
| |
| | Americas, Europe, Asia). Interestingly
|
| rapid technical progress, both in the
| |
| | enough, most strategy games are dominated
|
| wide area network and computing power
| |
| | by Asian, especially South Korean,
|
| areas. Contemporary hardware can animate
| |
| | players, where online multiplayer games
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| very detailed and realistic graphics
| |
| | have been a very major part of the
|
| fluently, and transfer data on the
| |
| | culture for years already. The
|
| movements and actions of hundreds of
| |
| | professional South Korean Starcraft and
|
| objects and characters around the world
| |
| | Warcraft tournaments are major events
|
| in milliseconds (although, unfortunately,
| |
| | with hundreds of thousands of live
|
| the speed of light still remains a
| |
| | spectators, played on an extremely
|
| limiting factor). This has led to an
| |
| | competitive level, and broadcasted on TV,
|
| explosion in the availability and quality
| |
| | and the top players have practically
|
| of online games, with the newest
| |
| | celebrity status and incomes in the
|
| generation like Counter-Strike and World
| |
| | six-figure range and higher.Since the
|
| of Warcraft becoming a phenomenon no
| |
| | popular strategy games are usually also
|
| longer limited to any particular social
| |
| | just round-based, there is not very much
|
| class, but rather an all-encompassing
| |
| | room for social interaction apart from an
|
| cultural element in the industrial
| |
| | occasional chat. Strategy players are
|
| countries.Increasingly, parents find that
| |
| | probably a bit older than FPS players on
|
| their children spend a lot of time
| |
| | average, mostly between 16 and 35 in the
|
| playing some of those games, and more and
| |
| | Western societies.Massively Multiplayer
|
| more people come in contact with them.
| |
| | Online Role Playing Games MMORPGs are the
|
| This leads to people wanting objective
| |
| | final and by far the most complex group
|
| information, which is in practice not
| |
| | in our classification. They are something
|
| easy to obtain. Most articles about these
| |
| | like little worlds within themselves,
|
| games are either written by rather
| |
| | often resembling scaled-down copies of
|
| clueless journalists who have never or
| |
| | the real world, yet different as well.
|
| hardly played the games in question and
| |
| | The two leading MMORPGs as of the time of
|
| therefore mainly focus on scandalous
| |
| | writing are probably World of Warcraft
|
| negative side effects, or by enthusiastic
| |
| | (WoW) and Final Fantasy XI (FFXI) , each
|
| fans who dive deep into the
| |
| | with millions of active players
|
| technicalities and don't mention the real
| |
| | worldwide. The distinctive difference
|
| world consequences much. This article
| |
| | between MMORPGs and the other kinds of
|
| tries to bridge the gap - it describes
| |
| | online multiplayer games is that RPGs are
|
| the currently most important types of
| |
| | not round-based, and do not have a time
|
| online games and looks in detail at the
| |
| | limit or any specific goal to achieve.
|
| social relationships behind them. The
| |
| | They are just there to be explored along
|
| authors have been longterm players for
| |
| | (or sometimes against) other players. The
|
| years and therefore hope that they can
| |
| | key concept is that each player chooses a
|
| address the issue in considerably greater
| |
| | single virtual avatar which is at first
|
| depth and detail than most journalists
| |
| | rather weak (low-level) and starts in
|
| (however, you won't find detailed
| |
| | some safe basic area of his choice. The
|
| technical facts here since it is not in
| |
| | current MMORPGs all offer a rich palette
|
| scope of this article).There are
| |
| | of races and locations to start with.
|
| basically three main types of multiplayer
| |
| | Usually, to be able to explore the world,
|
| online games:First-person shooters (FPS)
| |
| | the character must be made stronger,
|
| where the player sees everything through
| |
| | which is typically achieved by killing
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| a (usually temporary, just for the online
| |
| | some kind of virtual monsters repeatedly,
|
| session or less) character's eyes and his
| |
| | at low levels usually alone, later in a
|
| gun's barrel. This category still remains
| |
| | group. You can also do "quests" - tasks
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| predominant in total worldwide player
| |
| | given to you by an in-game character -
|
| numbers (according to Valve,
| |
| | for various rewards and with various
|
| Counterstrike is currently still the most
| |
| | degrees of difficulty.Current MMORPGs are
|
| popular online multiplayer game). Some of
| |
| | very large and highly complex. Even fully
|
| the other examples include Quake, Unreal
| |
| | exploring their worlds can take years,
|
| Tournament, and Doom3.Strategy games are
| |
| | and trying out all the playstyles and
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| the the second main category. Usually
| |
| | options is almost impossible. There are
|
| similar to FPS games in the round
| |
| | lots of different strategies for doing
|
| session-based style of play, in these
| |
| | quests and winning difficult battles, and
|
| games the player usually does not have
| |
| | organizational and managemental skills
|
| any single entity, but rather commands a
| |
| | become essential in major conflicts where
|
| number of troops of some kind against
| |
| | sometimes hundreds of people are involved
|
| other human opponents. There are also
| |
| | at once. Those large-scale groups already
|
| various options where one can both play
| |
| | resemble something like real-world
|
| with other humans against the computer
| |
| | armies, with a defined command structure
|
| etc. Games of this kind include
| |
| | and squads with some special tasks each.
|
| Starcraft, Warcraft III, Age of Empires
| |
| | This is something entirely new - nothing
|
| and many others.The last group, the
| |
| | of comparable scale and complexity has
|
| MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role
| |
| | been there until just several years ago -
|
| Playing Games), is the area which
| |
| | and the scale is likely to become ever
|
| popularity has really exploded in the
| |
| | greater.An impressive fact is the extreme
|
| last few years. Here, the player obtains
| |
| | internationality of MMORPGs. A little
|
| a permanent character (or entity) or
| |
| | less obvious with WoW, since it is also
|
| several which can evolve and be equipped
| |
| | Battlenet-based and uses the regional
|
| with various gear, and undertakes
| |
| | server concept, it is highly apparent
|
| adventures in a large world full with
| |
| | with Final Fantasy XI, which does not
|
| other players. This is probably the most
| |
| | distinguish any regions - each of its
|
| promising group since it resembles the
| |
| | servers has people from the entire Earth.
|
| real world most, and it has also been the
| |
| | Most players come from Japan (where the
|
| fastest developing recently. The
| |
| | game originates from), many from the US
|
| currently most prominent games in this
| |
| | and Europe, but it is possible to meet
|
| category are World of Warcraft, Final
| |
| | people from too many countries to list
|
| Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Everquest II and
| |
| | here, almost every corner of the world
|
| Lineage II.FPSIn first-person shooter
| |
| | being represented. An interesting side
|
| games, the basic principle is simple.
| |
| | effect is that one comes in contact with
|
| Shoot or be shot, kill or be killed.
| |
| | numerous cultures and customs and many
|
| Starting with the original Castle of
| |
| | different languages. Some anecdotal
|
| Wolfenstein and Doom, these games have
| |
| | stories from the authors' own experience
|
| developed to a level of frightening
| |
| | include a maid coming in to clean an
|
| realism mainly for men living out their
| |
| | Egyptian player's room at the wrong time,
|
| ancient predatory and fighting instincts
| |
| | relaxed Moroccan players sipping on a
|
| (according to some surveys, there are
| |
| | water pipe in an Internet cafe while
|
| about 10 times as many male as female
| |
| | playing, and a Canadian PhD student
|
| players in average FPS games). One of the
| |
| | surveying the attitudes of gamers for her
|
| recent milestones in this category, Doom
| |
| | thesis work.Another positive thing about
|
| 3 is a game which is psychologically
| |
| | MMORPGs is that they encourage making
|
| scary even to adult men with the highly
| |
| | friends and teamplay very much. It may be
|
| detailed and realistic monsters suddenly
| |
| | possible to do a lot alone (although not
|
| attacking from dark corners. However,
| |
| | in all RPGs), but a well-matched group
|
| once these games take to the online
| |
| | can do much more. Therefore, social
|
| multiplayer stage, their focus shifts a
| |
| | skills like making contacts and keeping
|
| little. The goal is no longer to scare
| |
| | them are substantial in MMORPGs. Since
|
| the pants off the lone player in his dark
| |
| | the player is hidden behind his avatar,
|
| room, but rather to provide a fun
| |
| | the threshold to approach someone you
|
| platform for competition between many
| |
| | don't know is a lot lower than in real
|
| players of different skill. The most
| |
| | life, which makes them a good playground
|
| popular online game in this category is
| |
| | for shy people. The authors know of
|
| still without doubt Counter-Strike - a
| |
| | several real-life relationships that
|
| game which has received much negative
| |
| | initially started with the players liking
|
| fame because of various school shootings
| |
| | each other in the game and then finding
|
| done by Counter-Strike players, yet still
| |
| | out they liked each other in real life as
|
| remains a highly captivating pastime for
| |
| | well. Of course, the chance for a mess-up
|
| millions worldwide. It is a fan
| |
| | is much higher here as well - after all
|
| modification of Half-Life, a Valve game,
| |
| | in real life it's unlikely you date
|
| and a team game in its core: one team is
| |
| | someone who looks cute for a while, only
|
| the "terrorists", the other the
| |
| | to find out he's a chain smoking guy in
|
| "counter-terrorists", and the play is
| |
| | his 30s. However, still, interestingly
|
| round-based: at the start of a round,
| |
| | enough, MMORPGs are relatively much more
|
| each team member receives an identical
| |
| | popular with women when compared to FPS
|
| (except for clothing) avatar, picks some
| |
| | or strategy games. That is probably
|
| weapons, and the the two teams clash in
| |
| | because there's a lot of social
|
| combat until either a bomb is placed or
| |
| | interaction within them - you make
|
| everyone of one team is dead (there are
| |
| | friends who you see and adventure
|
| also variations like "capture the flag"
| |
| | together a lot, and there's a lot of
|
| etc).There are numerous reasons for the
| |
| | talking and personal information being
|
| massive popularity of Counter-Strike. The
| |
| | exchanged - something almost entirely
|
| game rounds are short-term in nature and
| |
| | missing from most other multiplayer
|
| don't require much time. It is
| |
| | games.The clan idea from FPS and strategy
|
| comparatively realistic - weapons
| |
| | games is even much more emphasized in
|
| existing in reality like the M-16 or
| |
| | MMORPGs. Guilds in WoW and linkshells in
|
| AK-47 are used in the game, and even one
| |
| | FFXI are major social entities, with
|
| shot may be enough to kill. Also, it is
| |
| | their members meeting each other daily
|
| easily accessible - almost everyone can
| |
| | for years. The real-life meetings of
|
| install and run a Counter-Strike server,
| |
| | large guilds or linkshells are worldwide
|
| and there are many thousands of them in
| |
| | events, with people coming together from
|
| the world online at any given time.
| |
| | many different places. Linkshell
|
| Although the basic game does not lead to
| |
| | friendships sometimes last for years. On
|
| social interaction deeper than a quick
| |
| | the downside, this means that one can get
|
| chat, the grouping of people around some
| |
| | hurt as well in the game - a fact that
|
| specific favorite servers and the wish to
| |
| | many people unfamiliar with the whole
|
| play better, which inevitably requires
| |
| | phenomenon often fail to understand.
|
| solid teamplay, has led to the phenomenon
| |
| | "It's just a game", they say. On the one
|
| of so-called "clans", or dedicated player
| |
| | hand, they're right. Yet on the other
|
| groups, which usually have their own
| |
| | hand, if it is possible to make new
|
| server where they train. A competitive
| |
| | friends through these games, who become
|
| clan will usually have requirements for
| |
| | real-life friends as well, one should
|
| people wanting to join - a certain skill
| |
| | realize that it is quite possible to get
|
| level, or some minimum playtime - and
| |
| | friendships broken by them as well, for
|
| most serious clan players play at least
| |
| | instance when being disappointed by
|
| several hours a day. Dedicated clans will
| |
| | people one had trusted. This is also
|
| also sometimes meet in real life to
| |
| | something almost unique to MMORPGs -
|
| discuss strategies and generally have
| |
| | there has never been so much reality in a
|
| fun, which is not much different from
| |
| | virtual world before. Talking of that,
|
| most other groups of people with similar
| |
| | one should mention another peculiar
|
| hobbies, like e.g. stamp collectors or RC
| |
| | aspect of those games - the equipment
|
| model builders. Since many servers are
| |
| | hunting. As the avatars are the same (or
|
| regional, mostly there are same-country
| |
| | similar) for everyone, the gear or
|
| and often even same-neighborhood people
| |
| | equipment that a player has basically
|
| on the same server, which of course makes
| |
| | measures his social status, much like a
|
| meeting in real life easier as well.The
| |
| | car or money in real life. Players with
|
| picture is roughly comparable in the
| |
| | very rare, "godly" gear, are admired and
|
| other FPS multiplayer games like Quake 4
| |
| | envied by many people with regular
|
| and Unreal Tournament, with the main
| |
| | equipment. Since that is something most
|
| difference between that the latter are
| |
| | people like, and, as mentioned, the
|
| less realistic and include sci-fi weapons
| |
| | thresholds for doing things are so much
|
| like laser guns and such. They are also
| |
| | lower than in real life, many nasty
|
| typically much faster, with frantic
| |
| | things have been done in order to obtain
|
| movement (means, being hard to target)
| |
| | gear. Again, here the RPGs are almost
|
| being highly important to survival, which
| |
| | like a mirror of real life, condensing
|
| is a concept rather different to
| |
| | down the more hidden similar issues there
|
| Counter-Strike where sometimes the top
| |
| | to a more compact and visible form. In a
|
| scorers just sit in one place with a
| |
| | way, it is a pretty interesting
|
| sniper rifle. However, a thing common to
| |
| | experience and can teach one a lot about
|
| all FPS, mouse control is highly
| |
| | people. It just becomes clear much faster
|
| essential. Skilled FPS players develop
| |
| | who is worth what. A related trait of
|
| extremely good mouse control
| |
| | these games is the emerging RMT (Real
|
| (conventional mice no longer being good
| |
| | Money Trade) industry, which basically
|
| enough for them led to the development of
| |
| | thrives on selling virtual game money and
|
| a whole new segment of gaming mice) and
| |
| | items for real money, and for some games
|
| have reaction times below 0.1 seconds.
| |
| | has reached revenues comparable to the
|
| The numerous stress peaks and drops, lack
| |
| | per capita gross national products of
|
| of time between rounds, and the frantic
| |
| | European countries. Here one can see the
|
| gameplay often leads to additional
| |
| | blurring of the distinction between work
|
| addictions, though - many of the hardcore
| |
| | and playing - many people don't play for
|
| FPS players are chain smokers, fast-food
| |
| | fun anymore. They earn money by "camping"
|
| eaters, coffee addicts, or all of it
| |
| | (sitting at the same spot all day)
|
| combined. There are worldwide tournaments
| |
| | special monsters and selling the dropped
|
| held for most of the established FPS, and
| |
| | items. It turns out it is possible to
|
| the current champions are mostly from
| |
| | earn sizable amounts with that - more
|
| Europe or the US.Strategy gamesThe
| |
| | than a regular hard job in some countries
|
| picture is a bit different with strategy
| |
| | would pay.To summarize, online
|
| games. Usually they are less frantic and
| |
| | multiplayer games are a very large and
|
| leave much more room for logical thinking
| |
| | ever increasing phenomenon. Very
|
| (of course, the classic board games like
| |
| | addictive, and easily able to occupy a
|
| chess or Go also have major online
| |
| | player for years, they are perhaps
|
| playing facilities nowadays, but they
| |
| | becoming the major modern
|
| cannot really be called multiplayer games
| |
| | escape-from-reality tool of the next
|
| since there is little to none team
| |
| | generation. Certainly, they have their
|
| aspect, it's just one-on-one most of the
| |
| | drawbacks, and not too few. However, if
|
| time). A typical example is Warcraft III,
| |
| | seen as an alternative to TV, MMORPGs are
|
| which is the most recent in the Warcraft
| |
| | definitely more worthwhile, in the
|
| realtime strategy game series by
| |
| | authors' humble opinion.The authors are
|
| Blizzard. It is played on the so-called
| |
| | experienced gamers and alongside with
|
| Battlenet, a major online gaming hub by
| |
| | their work as co-founders of a web design
|
| Blizzard, which also serves other
| |
| | and development company ( still enjoy an
|
| strategy games like StarCraft. In
| |
| | occasional round of play.
|
| Warcraft III it is possible to play both
| |
| |
|
