MMORPGs
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, or MMORPGs, evolved from computer and console role-playing games. MMORPGs unlike traditional role-playing games introduce a social aspect into the video games which enhanced the video gaming experience.
MMORPGs received their influence from older traditional roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons. traditional games like Dungeon and Dragon were popular and like MMORPGs required players to socialize. Given the history of games like dungeons and Dragons and more modern MMORPGs, it is imperative developers maintain inherent standards when designing an MMORPG to be released to the public.
When considering designing an MMORPG a developer must first consider the history of MMORPGs, more specifically, what has caused the growth in their popularity, making them what they are today. to break down MMORPGs we can simply break down the meaning of each of the words in the abbreviation. In an MMORPG multiple players began by choosing a role to play in an online fictional environment.
Before MMORPGs, there were simple role-playing games or RPGs, one of the most popular is Dungeons and Dragons. However, when computers began to grow in popularity, the idea to create RPG video games. The first RPG video game was released in 1976 called Colossal Cave Adventure, known by many simply as Adventure. The adventure was a simple text-based game which was an obvious resemblance of the classic tabletop RPGs. These tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons played and continue to play a significant role in guiding Developers of MMORPGs. *****
The largest problem with these early videogame RPGs was that they were single-player games and lacked the social aspect that the tabletop RPGs offered. This problem was solved years later when the first MMORPG was introduced, known as, Ultima Online. Ultima Online
Paved the way for what we know today as MMORPGs, conversing using voice instead of chat allows the layer to develop a much deeper connection.
So how does the virtual environment presented by MMORPGs compare to more traditional games that require face to face interactions? To evaluate this lets we will look at two aspects first the physical than the psychological. Playing spades in a virtual environment is going to feel different than in a physical environment because moving a mouse feels different then holding and laying down cards.
When considering the psychological differences, we first consider that in a virtual environment player create a character that represents them in the game. In a face o face environment, the player is physically present, this will often lead players to act differently. While they may see their character in a virtual environment as a confident but may not be as confident in their self. This can directly influence the move a player makes and how they play spades.
**Gertsbein** In a virtual environment a player can disguise their emotions, however, in a face to face environment, a player will often find it difficult to disguise their emotions.
The difference between MMORPGs and more traditional face-to-face games will affect the way a person plays a game, but the effect will differ based on the individual playing. As an example, a person that is better at hiding the emotions and reading other players in the face to face games may be reflected in the way they play MMORPGs, they may try to predict another’s players. Some players may gain needed confidence when playing online that they lacked when playing face-to-face. This confidence boost may lower their nervousness and result in a boost to their performance when playing.
The downside to this boost of confidence coupled with the anonymity provided by an online environment can lead to players saying things they would normally not say when talking
with others face-to-face. By recognizing the differences in the two environments, a set of guidelines can be developed that will increase the usability, in-game aesthetics, and social interactions, leading to the game reaching a broader set of players.
When designing a user interface to keep the user engaged the best approach is to go with what has been proven to work. World of Warcraft is a good example of a successful MMORPG game design. World of Warcraft gained its popularity because it gave the user the ability to redesign their interface to their liking through the use of mod and third-party software like Curse. “The interesting thing about that decision is that while it taps into the incredible resources of the user “moding” community, it is also a tacit admission that a game’s interface is best developed in concert with the players.”***Joh***
Another important aspect to be sure to include is tutorials, this allows users to learn to play the game as they move through the fictional world. Most MMORPGs include multiple different “mini-games” in the MMORPG. In the world of Warcraft, this includes fishing, cooking, tailoring, leatherworking, and a plethora of other things a user can do to ensure there is always something a user can do inside the game. When designing the game, the developer should ensure they allow for future expansion and growth.
Another important design aspect is ensuring that you include achievement awards and milestones inside the game, this gives the players something to strive to attain, this is also why it is important to allow for future expansion. As the game grows you want to make that you can keep people playing by adding addition milestones to the game content.
Some other key interface requirements include the ability to see your status in the game, often this is implemented in the form of a life bar and level. A map if your game allows for free-roaming to ensure players can find their way in the virtual world. As the game grows you will
want to ensure you can still gain new players. To allow new players to start playing there should be some type of catch up implemented to allow players to power through game content to catch up with more experienced players. A final consideration to make sure that you can track game modification to ensure you do not allow players to modify that give them an advantage over other players.
MMORPGs are excellent ways for people to play online together and interact while enjoying a fictional world. That’s not to say there are no drawbacks to these types of games. In a study conducted on the effects of MMORPGs by the Associate Professor of Psychology Joshua Smyth at Syracuse University, Dr. Smyth found that gamers playing MMORPGs “reported a much lower level of overall health and well-being than the other groups. They were also observed to not be sleeping as well as they should, and their quality and quantity of real-life socialization and academic work saw a sharp decrease. It was theorized that MMORPGs were so complex, so fantastical and alluring, and so involved that gamers reported that they had “…lost track of time” while playing and had “…gone to bed late” or “forgotten to eat”.”**Smyth**
As with all things in life, players need to ensure they engage in MMORPGs with moderation. While MMORPGs are a fun engaging way to socialize with others, too often there are stories of people becoming so consumed with the games that they neglect their real lives. So as a final consideration for the interface for an MMORPG I would recommend that a notification is implanted to inform users to use caution and a way for parents to control the time their child spends on the game.