MMORPGs: MUD to WoW

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MMORPGs MUD to WoW

• Shawn Rider
• March 7, 2006

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Pen-and-paper game supplies
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Required to play MMORPGs

• (Plus a monthly subscription fee.)

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Multi-User Dungeon (MUD) 1978

• Created by Richard Bartle and Roy Trubshaw
• Entirely text-based
• Gave rise to splinter technologies that further
  developed text-based MMORPGs

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Neverwinter Nights 1991-1997

• First graphical MMORPG
• Offered for subscription on America OnLine (AOL)
• Peaked at 500K users in 1997
• Sequel released in 2002

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Ultima Online 1997

• From a popular series of single-player RPGs
• Developed by Richard Garriott and Ralph Koster
• In 1998, 100K users
• In 2003, 250K users
• Still in play

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Everquest 1999

• First major mainstream MMORPG
• Released/developed by Sony Online Entertainment
• Initiated a major flood of mainstream releases
  that continues

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World of Warcraft (2004)

• Developed by Blizzard Entertainment
• Currently the fastest growing MMORPG
• 1.5 million subscribers in 2005
• Up to 500K users simultaneously online playing
  together

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Expanding Online Worlds
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Comparison of game popularity
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Comparison of game popularity
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Genre diversity in MMOGs
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Economic studies of Everquest

• Edward Castronova, economist
• In 2002 paper found surprising facts about game
  world economies and real world value
• Norrath's GDP better than China, India
• Norrath platinum more valuable in the US than
  Japanese Yen
• Average gamer could earn 3.50 (USD) per hour
  playing Everquest

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Current game world to real world conversion rates

• WOW US Gold 100 Gold 3.49
• WOW Euro Gold 100 Gold 6.00
• EQ2 Platinum 1 Plat 3.81
• FFXI 1 million Gil 9.50

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Second Life 2002

• Not exactly a game
• In-game tools for content creation
• Users retain intellectual property rights
• Embraces trade of game goods

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Tringo (2005)

• Developed within Second Life
• Published by Crave Entertainment for Game Boy
  Advance
• Like Tetris meets Bingo

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World of Warcraft Corrupted Blood Plague
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Case Study Sociolotron

• Independently created by Patric Lagny in 2003
• Final version released in 2005
• Anything-goes gameplay almost any action is
  possible
• Adults over 21 only

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"Women just need to feel special. Even sex in the
game gets boring if its just sex all the
time-guys don't think of it as much as women and
the fact I take the time to bring flowers or take
them to a park and give them wine and food
impresses women."
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"At my age it has given me a chance to be
different than I am ... without the danger or
expense of doing it in the real world. After all,
no one in their right mind would hire a 62 year
old male hooker!"
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I just love to kick ass on 25 year olds again.
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Not only about the sex...There's politics, too.

• Players fill key roles in government and civil
  structures
• Prime ministers, parliamentary representatives,
  and judges are elected from players
• Many players take these positions very seriously

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"If a toon is running for office, then that toon
shouldn't be seen on the train, fucking in
public."
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t
There's no clemency. No retrial. Guilty until
proven innocent. Even if the real criminal stands
up, and there is proof, there just isn't any
provision for these issues to be solved. If the
decision has been made, it stands."
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In Sociolotron, the player must make a real
decision about whether to do good or evil.
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Ultimately, it's all about choice

• Most MMORPGs force players into an ethical
  paradigm
• Sociolotron offers choice
• Some choose to be good, others to be evil
• The fact that the choice is real makes the game
  more compelling

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Strip Poker and Jigsaw Puzzles

• MMORPGs are, by nature, more suitable for adults
  interested in games than kids
• "When you say 'adult game' everybody thinks of
  strip poker or jigsaw puzzles." -- Patric Lagny

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When given a chance...

• When given a chance, many people will behave well
• Game worlds create cultures, economies, class
  systems, and all of the other social systems we
  see in real life
• In-game experiences are compelling and can be
  emotionally and spiritually rewarding
• MMORPGs continue to grow and develop in new and
  interesting ways