MMORPGs - Societies or Games?

Talrias writes "The Community Manager of Codemasters' forthcoming PC MMORPG, Dragon Empires, has written an article over at Stratics about whether MMORPGs are designed as societies or as games, and uses the examples of the two big MMORPGs, Ultima Online (which he claims 'embodied this society design philosophy' when it launched) and EverQuest (which, it's suggested, 'most embodies the game design approach')."

Comments

It depends

[pmz]

If you enjoy it, it is a game.

If you are addicted to it, it is a society.

Re:It depends

[Hythlodaeus]

Comparing the frequency of anecdotal reports of EQ addiction vs UO addiction, it would seem to be the game model is more addictive. That's perhaps why Electronic Arts has been trying to push the UO experience ever closer to the (bigger cash cow) EQ experience since they pushed Lord British out of the picture.

hmm...

[jermyjerm]

Recent ones, with all their focus on balance issues, are either games or good examples of totalitarian societies.

They are neither

[incubusnb]

and both at the same time.

MMORPGs are Gaming Societies, the blend of both worlds

the interactivity and escape to another world of a Game, with the Relationships and bonding that can only happen in a Society

its probably the only place in the world where a Relationship counsiler could hook you up with a Level hack as well

Slashot filler article...

[tm2b]

False dichotomy, or meaningless question?

Re:Slashot filler article...

[Nasarius]

My baloney detector says false dichotomy.

Re:Brothers; join us in jihad

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes

I always thought

[ed333]

society was somewhat of a game already! Ever wonder about why some people can get away with murder (*cough* OJ *cough*), and others are shipped off to death row? It's because thay have more mon^H^H^Hpoints!

Addiction = Society?

[Baron_Yam]

I don't know about that... I'm addicted to dark carbonated caffinated beverages, but I've never felt like recognizing pop as a society.

I'd be more inclined to define the members of an online game as a society if they interact in meaningful ways and have a shared identity.

Re:Addiction = Society?

[pmz]

I've never felt like recognizing pop as a society.

You're not too far off...just add some yogurt, and you get pop culture.

Easy

[Anonymous Coward]

Neither.

They're digital crack and cash cows for the companies that make them.

I work with a couple of Everquest freaks; they talk about nothing but Everquest, play it in a daze for most of the day, but rarely do they actually seem to enjoy themselves. Mostly they either say "$&*( I lost experience / got killed / etc." or "ok now we gotta get to this next thing so we can do that thing," but "fun" doesn't seem to be involved anywhere.

So game? Technically, I suppose, but not the kind that's, you know, fun or enjoyable. Society? Don't make me laugh.

Re:Easy

[tprox]

Actually, it's both and it's very dependent on the person you ask.

People play MMORPG's for different reasons. Some play for the game (sounds like your friends) and some play for the social interaction (glorified chat room).

Sure Everquest is addictive. Most people who play realize that. The reason that people keep coming back, though, is a personal one and it's probably some mixture of the gameplay (crawling up the ladder) and the social (playing with 20-50 of your guildmates/friends) aspect.

I used to play EQ for two and a half years. I learned a lot about the social interaction between people and between groups of people by watching and listening to the environment. If you haven't experienced it, I think you'd be surprised how human nature really rears its head within the game.

online multiplayer RPG..

[gl4ss]

you play a role in a virtual world.. that has many people that interact.

so.. duppatsippadootseippaduu.. oh my gosh, they form a society, no matter how crappy or great it is it's still a society(on one level or another) as long as the people are interacting somehow.

Neither...

[WinnipegDragon]

Sorry, but they aren't either/or. Games require an engine and content, and societies are built around common goals.

Most MMORPGs have little to no content, and 'teamwork' is a only effected in small random groups that rarely represent the average MMORPG player. MMORPGs are essentially chat rooms with ogres and +5 axes.

Re:Neither...

[Alpha27]

Then you should look at jumpgate.

This is a game in the traditional sense. You level through missions, gain money, buy gear, and as you progress you are awarded medals and trophies, and can gain access to better items.

As for social interactions, there are times when groups of people get togehter to huntdown aliens, run transport missions to help the affliation they are apart of, in addition to their clan, and work together to increase income for all.

This is quite possibly one of the more underrated games out there. Just would be nice if the developers had a larger staff and didn't run into the number of problems the game experiences.

Not society

[Kelz]

as much as many people want them to be. Why? No government.

The authorative figures in these games tend to be mindless drones of NPC's that MIGHT talk to you if you click on them, but will say the exact same thing to everyone else.

Many people will think that a society is based on trade or crafting, but really its a government that ties it all together. I really wish I could get the king of Midgard to gather all our forces and kick ass, but it isn't gonna happen, because people (well, sane people with jobs) dont have the time to get on a game every time the game "needs" them.

Re:Not society

[Anonymous Coward]

I really wish I could get the king of Midgard to gather all our forces and kick ass, but it isn't gonna happen, because people (well, sane people with jobs) dont have the time to get on a game every time the game "needs" them.

Actually, in the world of Amaranth where I play, that's exactly what happens. Although most of the rulers are NPC's, they're not computer-run NPC's, they're actually ran and controlled by the staff of the game. We have rulers we can confer with on the town's state of affairs, and we also have plenty of people (IC) having political debates about whether or not our current ruler is a fair and just one, etc, etc.

And who says we don't have time at work to play if our character is called upon? Oh, wait, you said sane people, my bad.

Re:Not society

[tprox]

This brings up a question:

Would it really work to have a NPC be a leader of a war? Wouldn't it be better and more fun to have a PC appointed leader, and try to amass the as large a group as they can?

Anyways, I agree with you, it really is a "government" that ties it all together. I put government in quotes because it isn't government like usually picutre; It's government as in people getting together and making rules for themselves.

In most MMO games I've played, there are always people that do want (and need) to be led, and there's usually a person who is willing to do the leading (for whatever motivation: money, fame, power).

MMORPGs.slashdot.org

[Anonymous Coward]

I keep thinking I typed in the wrong URL for games.slashdot.org Why don't you just change it to mmorpgs.slashdot.org?

Re:MMORPGs.slashdot.org

[TomGroves]

So true.... But I admit to reading every single MMORPG article + comments that comes along....

The Matrix

[jobbleberry]

As the Architect might say .....
"The problem is choice"
From reading the article it kind of reminds me of the Architects discussion with Neo regarding the various iterations of the Matrix.
The question for the designers is really how to ballance Choice and Control.
Of course to this Neo would respond with ....
"Whoa..."

What a stupid title/subject

[lightspawn]

They contain elements of both.

Next time on slashdot: Movies - eye candy or social commentary?

Wait a minute...

[Absurd Monkey]

Are you sure you don't mean America? They sound almost exactly the same.

MMORPG's

[blah1019]

I am involved in one called Everwars. It does not promote clans but there are some. I guess those would be akin to societies somewhat but for the most part, the game doesn't take much time and allows you to get as involved as you like unlike some that I seen that require too much of your time. I enjoy the game but am certainly so hooked to it that I couldn't walk away.