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| ⚫ | '''Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games''' or '''MMORPG'''s are virtual persistent worlds located on the ] in which players interact with each other through cybernetic ]s, that is, graphical representations of the characters they play. | ||
| == Explanation == | |||
| ⚫ | '''Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games''' or '''MMORPG'''s |
||
| MMORPGs are ] that trace their roots to non-graphical online ] games, to text-based computer games such as ] and ], and to pen and paper ]s like ]. | MMORPGs are ] that trace their roots to non-graphical online ] games, to text-based computer games such as ] and ], and to pen and paper ]s like ]. | ||
| Most MMORPGs run several identical copies of the virtual world, called "shards" or "servers", that the player can choose from. They strive to allow the player to shape their own experience by providing multiple (or customizable) avatars that the player can use. Once a player enters the world, they can engage in a variety of activities with other players who are accessing the game the same way from all over Earth. MMORPG developers are in charge of supervising the virtual world and offering the users a constantly updated set of new activities and enhancements to guarantee the interest of players. | |||
| MMORPGs are |
Most MMORPGs are commercial in that a user must pay money for the client software and/or a monthly fee, in order to continually access the virtual world. Still, some totally free-of-charge MMORPGs may be found on the Internet, although their quality is generally lower compared to commercial MMORPGs. Some of the most popular commercial MMORPGs are ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]) and ] (]). Of all MMORPGs, ] has the most subscribers and is the most popular in ]. There are also several projects in development to create high-quality free MMORPGs, such as ], or a free ] for MMORPGs, such as Arianne. See ''']''' for more. | ||
| == Academic attention == | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| MMORPGs have begun to attract significant academic attention, for example in ]. | MMORPGs have begun to attract significant academic attention, for example in ]. With the growing popularity of the genre, a growing number of ]s and ]s study the actions and interactions of the players in such games. One of the more famous of these researchers is ]. | ||
| == Genre |
== Genre challenges == | ||
| Most MMORPGs require significant development resources to overcome the logistical hurdles associated with such a large production. These games demand large worlds, significant hardware requirements from the developer (e.g., servers and bandwidth), and dedicated support staff. Despite the efforts of developers cognizant of these issues, reviewers often cite non-optimal populations (such as overcrowding or under-populated worlds), ], and poor support as problems of games in this genre. | |||
| MMORPG developers face many challenges: | |||
| In addition to the challenges faced in making an MMORPG, designers also must face problems largely unique to the genre: | |||
| * It is impossible for one player to realistically affect the overall state of the world. In a normal RPG, the player or party is the hero and single-handedly saves the world. In an MMORPG, every player can't save the world. | * It is impossible for one player to realistically affect the overall state of the world. In a normal RPG, the player or party is the hero and single-handedly saves the world. In an MMORPG, every player can't save the world. | ||
| * ]. In many MMORPGs, the economy becomes imbalanced |
* ]. In many MMORPGs, the economy becomes imbalanced over time and can reduce meaningful interaction between players of varying level (i.e., ]s versus more powerful players). This is primarily due to the gradual accumulation of wealth and power within the RPG. Some RPGs have addressed this with varying degrees of success. Asheron's Call for example uses a guild system where lower level characters swear allegiance to higher level players, and generate additional ] for them. The theory being that it is in the interest of higher level players to assist the lower players and thus increase the reward they receive. Ultima Online has items wear out gradually, so that there is a constant demand for crafting resources, which new characters can acquire and sell to the higher level characters. Diablo 2, while not a MMORPG, has similar problems in ''Softcore'' but not in ''Hardcore'' play where death is permanent. This is due to the constant recycling of players, creating an active market for all levels of equipment. | ||
| * ]s. In many MMORPGs, you can set up |
* ]s. In many MMORPGs, you can set up ]s (also known as bots or ]s) to play the game, performing a simple task over and over again, and reap huge rewards. This lets you build up a powerful character just by letting your computer run unattended. This flaw is built into almost the very essence of a RPG "leveling", that your character becomes more powerful primarily by repeatedly performing actions. These macros are forbidden in many of these games, and developers are now fighting back by working on automation detection systems. | ||
| * ] (PKing). In |
* ] (PKing). In a more realistic world, players should be able to kill anything, even other players. However, this is very discouraging to new players, who are slaughtered by experienced player killers. | ||
| * Time Commitment. A character's power represents how much time is invested in playing, rather than skill. Again this is due to the "leveling" aspect of the game. Being killed is discouraging for casual players, who are interested in 1-3 hours a week without |
* Time Commitment. A character's power usually represents how much time is invested in playing, rather than skill. Again this is due to the "leveling" aspect of the game. Being killed is discouraging for casual players, who are interested in 1-3 hours a week without dedicating their entire life to the game. This also leads to the problem that powerful characters and items being sold on ]. | ||
| * Pay to play, Pay even more to win. Due to the problems just mentioned, one can receive a great advantage in game by buying another persons' already powerful character. It is also possible to buy memberships or special items such as those offered by games such as ] and ]. | * Pay to play, Pay even more to win. Due to the problems just mentioned, one can receive a great advantage in game by buying another persons' already powerful character. It is also possible to buy memberships or special items such as those offered by games such as ] and ]. | ||
| * Rude Players. There also is a problem of rudeness by other players. Some MMORPGs discipline nasty players by ensuring that responsible |
* Rude Players. There also is a problem of rudeness by other players. Some MMORPGs discipline nasty players (termed "griefers") by ensuring that responsible adminstrators or support personnel are online at all times. | ||
| * Scamming. Scamming can also be a problem in many of these games, as players try to break the rules to further enhance their characters. Typically this occurs by manipulating bugs in the game code |
* Scamming. Scamming can also be a problem in many of these games, as players try to break the rules to further enhance their characters. Typically this occurs by manipulating bugs in the game code or by taking advantage of new players' lack of familiarity with the details of game mechanics. | ||
| * Uberguilds. Sometimes, the most powerful characters on a server form a single, influential association popularly called an ''uberguild'' (after appearing in EverQuest). These groups can use their influence to affect gameplay, for example by "owning" areas of the world or by controlling the market for certain items. Such forces discourage non-hardcore players. | |||
| * Clans. Often these games bring players together in clans where they can make allegiences and enemies, enhancing the game itself and the roleplay within it. | |||
| * Lag. Perhaps the most popular annoying factor for MMORPG players, as there is a wide amount of data that needs to be sent and received from and to many parts of the world at all moments, players, especially those with low-bandwith connections to the internet, experience a series of events in the game due to which disrupt the gaming experience, such as avatar freezing in the virtual world, late response to commands and between players, and total disconnection from the game world, due to the low speed of sending and retrieval of data concerning the MMORPG. This effect, known as lag, ruins the overall MMORPG experience for many, and is the main reason for many players to complain and keeps them from enjoying MMORPGs correctly. | |||
| == Related topics == | |||
| * ] | |||
| ⚫ | * ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| == External |
== External links == | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
Revision as of 17:48, 6 December 2003
Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games or MMORPGs are virtual persistent worlds located on the Internet in which players interact with each other through cybernetic avatars, that is, graphical representations of the characters they play.
MMORPGs are computer games that trace their roots to non-graphical online MUD games, to text-based computer games such as Adventure and Zork, and to pen and paper role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.
Most MMORPGs run several identical copies of the virtual world, called "shards" or "servers", that the player can choose from. They strive to allow the player to shape their own experience by providing multiple (or customizable) avatars that the player can use. Once a player enters the world, they can engage in a variety of activities with other players who are accessing the game the same way from all over Earth. MMORPG developers are in charge of supervising the virtual world and offering the users a constantly updated set of new activities and enhancements to guarantee the interest of players.
Most MMORPGs are commercial in that a user must pay money for the client software and/or a monthly fee, in order to continually access the virtual world. Still, some totally free-of-charge MMORPGs may be found on the Internet, although their quality is generally lower compared to commercial MMORPGs. Some of the most popular commercial MMORPGs are Ultima Online (1997), EverQuest (1999), Asheron's Call (1999), Anarchy Online (2001) and Star Wars Galaxies (2003). Of all MMORPGs, Lineage has the most subscribers and is the most popular in Korea. There are also several projects in development to create high-quality free MMORPGs, such as PlaneShift, or a free game engine for MMORPGs, such as Arianne. See list of MMORPGs for more.
Academic attention
MMORPGs have begun to attract significant academic attention, for example in economics. With the growing popularity of the genre, a growing number of psychologists and sociologists study the actions and interactions of the players in such games. One of the more famous of these researchers is Sherry Turkle.
Genre challenges
Most MMORPGs require significant development resources to overcome the logistical hurdles associated with such a large production. These games demand large worlds, significant hardware requirements from the developer (e.g., servers and bandwidth), and dedicated support staff. Despite the efforts of developers cognizant of these issues, reviewers often cite non-optimal populations (such as overcrowding or under-populated worlds), lag, and poor support as problems of games in this genre.
In addition to the challenges faced in making an MMORPG, designers also must face problems largely unique to the genre:
- It is impossible for one player to realistically affect the overall state of the world. In a normal RPG, the player or party is the hero and single-handedly saves the world. In an MMORPG, every player can't save the world.
- Inflation. In many MMORPGs, the economy becomes imbalanced over time and can reduce meaningful interaction between players of varying level (i.e., newbies versus more powerful players). This is primarily due to the gradual accumulation of wealth and power within the RPG. Some RPGs have addressed this with varying degrees of success. Asheron's Call for example uses a guild system where lower level characters swear allegiance to higher level players, and generate additional experience points for them. The theory being that it is in the interest of higher level players to assist the lower players and thus increase the reward they receive. Ultima Online has items wear out gradually, so that there is a constant demand for crafting resources, which new characters can acquire and sell to the higher level characters. Diablo 2, while not a MMORPG, has similar problems in Softcore but not in Hardcore play where death is permanent. This is due to the constant recycling of players, creating an active market for all levels of equipment.
- Bots. In many MMORPGs, you can set up scripts (also known as bots or macros) to play the game, performing a simple task over and over again, and reap huge rewards. This lets you build up a powerful character just by letting your computer run unattended. This flaw is built into almost the very essence of a RPG "leveling", that your character becomes more powerful primarily by repeatedly performing actions. These macros are forbidden in many of these games, and developers are now fighting back by working on automation detection systems.
- Player Killing (PKing). In a more realistic world, players should be able to kill anything, even other players. However, this is very discouraging to new players, who are slaughtered by experienced player killers.
- Time Commitment. A character's power usually represents how much time is invested in playing, rather than skill. Again this is due to the "leveling" aspect of the game. Being killed is discouraging for casual players, who are interested in 1-3 hours a week without dedicating their entire life to the game. This also leads to the problem that powerful characters and items being sold on eBay.
- Pay to play, Pay even more to win. Due to the problems just mentioned, one can receive a great advantage in game by buying another persons' already powerful character. It is also possible to buy memberships or special items such as those offered by games such as Runescape and Elysaria.
- Rude Players. There also is a problem of rudeness by other players. Some MMORPGs discipline nasty players (termed "griefers") by ensuring that responsible adminstrators or support personnel are online at all times.
- Scamming. Scamming can also be a problem in many of these games, as players try to break the rules to further enhance their characters. Typically this occurs by manipulating bugs in the game code or by taking advantage of new players' lack of familiarity with the details of game mechanics.
- Uberguilds. Sometimes, the most powerful characters on a server form a single, influential association popularly called an uberguild (after appearing in EverQuest). These groups can use their influence to affect gameplay, for example by "owning" areas of the world or by controlling the market for certain items. Such forces discourage non-hardcore players.