The social side of gaming
Published 6 November 2004
Nicolas Ducheneaut, Robert J. Moore
Citations352
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TL;DR
This paper analyzes player-to-player interactions in two locations in the game Star Wars Galaxies, and outlines different patterns of interactivity, and discusses how they are affected by the structure of the game.
Abstract
Playing computer games has become a social experience. Hundreds of thousands of players interact in massively multiplayer online games (MMORPGs), a recent and successful genre descending from the pioneering multi-user dungeons (MUDs). These new games are purposefully designed to encourage interactions among players, but little is known about the nature and structure of these interactions. In this paper, we analyze player-to-player interactions in two locations in the game Star Wars Galaxies. We outline different patterns of interactivity, and discuss how they are affected by the structure of the game. We conclude with a series of recommendations for the design and support of social activities within multiplayer games.
Keywords
Social SciencesComputer Science
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