| For most of the 20th century, life used | | | | possible to play both random opponents |
| to be rather simple for most people. | | | | matched to you approximately by skill, |
| There was school, college, work, | | | | either one on one or in teams of up to 4 |
| retirement. Along with that you had | | | | on 4, or play others in pre-arranged |
| hobbies like cars, bowling, or | | | | teams. As in FPS games, there are also |
| gardening. The former was more or a less | | | | clans in Warcraft, which in this case |
| of a chore, the latter the fun stuff you | | | | are even explicitly supported by |
| did in your free time, usually together | | | | Battlenet. This and the very immediate |
| with local friends from the same | | | | visibility of someone's skill level |
| neighborhood. This was basically the | | | | (basically, his win/loss ratio) gives |
| same as a thousand years ago. For a few | | | | rise to much competition between |
| lucky people the two areas overlapped | | | | dedicated players for the top ladder |
| and they could do the stuff that they | | | | (ranking) spots. Unlike geographically |
| liked as their main job.Now, in the last | | | | uniform games like Counter-Strike with |
| 10 years of the 20th century, as well as | | | | tens of thousands of servers, Warcraft |
| in the first few years of the 21st, this | | | | has just a handful of large servers, |
| has been changing rather dramatically. | | | | each for a certain area of the world |
| The reason is the rapid technical | | | | (e.g. Americas, Europe, Asia). |
| progress, both in the wide area network | | | | Interestingly enough, most strategy |
| and computing power areas. Contemporary | | | | games are dominated by Asian, especially |
| hardware can animate very detailed and | | | | South Korean, players, where online |
| realistic graphics fluently, and | | | | multiplayer games have been a very major |
| transfer data on the movements and | | | | part of the culture for years already. |
| actions of hundreds of objects and | | | | The professional South Korean Starcraft |
| characters around the world in | | | | and Warcraft tournaments are major |
| milliseconds (although, unfortunately, | | | | events with hundreds of thousands of |
| the speed of light still remains a | | | | live spectators, played on an extremely |
| limiting factor). This has led to an | | | | competitive level, and broadcasted on |
| explosion in the availability and | | | | TV, and the top players have practically |
| quality of online games, with the newest | | | | celebrity status and incomes in the |
| generation like Counter-Strike and World | | | | six-figure range and higher.Since the |
| of Warcraft becoming a phenomenon no | | | | popular strategy games are usually also |
| longer limited to any particular social | | | | just round-based, there is not very much |
| class, but rather an all-encompassing | | | | room for social interaction apart from |
| cultural element in the industrial | | | | an occasional chat. Strategy players are |
| countries.Increasingly, parents find | | | | probably a bit older than FPS players on |
| that their children spend a lot of time | | | | average, mostly between 16 and 35 in the |
| playing some of those games, and more | | | | Western societies.Massively Multiplayer |
| and more people come in contact with | | | | Online Role Playing Games MMORPGs are |
| them. This leads to people wanting | | | | the final and by far the most complex |
| objective information, which is in | | | | group in our classification. They are |
| practice not easy to obtain. Most | | | | something like little worlds within |
| articles about these games are either | | | | themselves, often resembling scaled-down |
| written by rather clueless journalists | | | | copies of the real world, yet different |
| who have never or hardly played the | | | | as well. The two leading MMORPGs as of |
| games in question and therefore mainly | | | | the time of writing are probably World |
| focus on scandalous negative side | | | | of Warcraft (WoW) and Final Fantasy XI |
| effects, or by enthusiastic fans who | | | | (FFXI) , each with millions of active |
| dive deep into the technicalities and | | | | players worldwide. The distinctive |
| don't mention the real world | | | | difference between MMORPGs and the other |
| consequences much. This article tries to | | | | kinds of online multiplayer games is |
| bridge the gap - it describes the | | | | that RPGs are not round-based, and do |
| currently most important types of online | | | | not have a time limit or any specific |
| games and looks in detail at the social | | | | goal to achieve. They are just there to |
| relationships behind them. The authors | | | | be explored along (or sometimes against) |
| have been longterm players for years and | | | | other players. The key concept is that |
| therefore hope that they can address the | | | | each player chooses a single virtual |
| issue in considerably greater depth and | | | | avatar which is at first rather weak |
| detail than most journalists (however, | | | | (low-level) and starts in some safe |
| you won't find detailed technical facts | | | | basic area of his choice. The current |
| here since it is not in scope of this | | | | MMORPGs all offer a rich palette of |
| article).There are basically three main | | | | races and locations to start with. |
| types of multiplayer online | | | | Usually, to be able to explore the |
| games:First-person shooters (FPS) where | | | | world, the character must be made |
| the player sees everything through a | | | | stronger, which is typically achieved by |
| (usually temporary, just for the online | | | | killing some kind of virtual monsters |
| session or less) character's eyes and | | | | repeatedly, at low levels usually alone, |
| his gun's barrel. This category still | | | | later in a group. You can also do |
| remains predominant in total worldwide | | | | "quests" - tasks given to you by an |
| player numbers (according to Valve, | | | | in-game character - for various rewards |
| Counterstrike is currently still the | | | | and with various degrees of |
| most popular online multiplayer game). | | | | difficulty.Current MMORPGs are very |
| Some of the other examples include | | | | large and highly complex. Even fully |
| Quake, Unreal Tournament, and | | | | exploring their worlds can take years, |
| Doom3.Strategy games are the the second | | | | and trying out all the playstyles and |
| main category. Usually similar to FPS | | | | options is almost impossible. There are |
| games in the round/session-based style | | | | lots of different strategies for doing |
| of play, in these games the player | | | | quests and winning difficult battles, |
| usually does not have any single entity, | | | | and organizational and managemental |
| but rather commands a number of troops | | | | skills become essential in major |
| of some kind against other human | | | | conflicts where sometimes hundreds of |
| opponents. There are also various | | | | people are involved at once. Those |
| options where one can both play with | | | | large-scale groups already resemble |
| other humans against the computer etc. | | | | something like real-world armies, with a |
| Games of this kind include Starcraft, | | | | defined command structure and squads |
| Warcraft III, Age of Empires and many | | | | with some special tasks each. This is |
| others.The last group, the MMORPG | | | | something entirely new - nothing of |
| (Massively Multiplayer Online Role | | | | comparable scale and complexity has been |
| Playing Games), is the area which | | | | there until just several years ago - and |
| popularity has really exploded in the | | | | the scale is likely to become ever |
| last few years. Here, the player obtains | | | | greater.An impressive fact is the |
| a permanent character (or entity) or | | | | extreme internationality of MMORPGs. A |
| several which can evolve and be equipped | | | | little less obvious with WoW, since it |
| with various gear, and undertakes | | | | is also Battlenet-based and uses the |
| adventures in a large world full with | | | | regional server concept, it is highly |
| other players. This is probably the most | | | | apparent with Final Fantasy XI, which |
| promising group since it resembles the | | | | does not distinguish any regions - each |
| real world most, and it has also been | | | | of its servers has people from the |
| the fastest developing recently. The | | | | entire Earth. Most players come from |
| currently most prominent games in this | | | | Japan (where the game originates from), |
| category are World of Warcraft, Final | | | | many from the US and Europe, but it is |
| Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Everquest II and | | | | possible to meet people from too many |
| Lineage II.FPSIn first-person shooter | | | | countries to list here, almost every |
| games, the basic principle is simple. | | | | corner of the world being represented. |
| Shoot or be shot, kill or be killed. | | | | An interesting side effect is that one |
| Starting with the original Castle of | | | | comes in contact with numerous cultures |
| Wolfenstein and Doom, these games have | | | | and customs and many different |
| developed to a level of frightening | | | | languages. Some anecdotal stories from |
| realism mainly for men living out their | | | | the authors' own experience include a |
| ancient predatory and fighting instincts | | | | maid coming in to clean an Egyptian |
| (according to some surveys, there are | | | | player's room at the wrong time, relaxed |
| about 10 times as many male as female | | | | Moroccan players sipping on a water pipe |
| players in average FPS games). One of | | | | in an Internet cafe while playing, and a |
| the recent milestones in this category, | | | | Canadian PhD student surveying the |
| Doom 3 is a game which is | | | | attitudes of gamers for her thesis |
| psychologically scary even to adult men | | | | work.Another positive thing about |
| with the highly detailed and realistic | | | | MMORPGs is that they encourage making |
| monsters suddenly attacking from dark | | | | friends and teamplay very much. It may |
| corners. However, once these games take | | | | be possible to do a lot alone (although |
| to the online multiplayer stage, their | | | | not in all RPGs), but a well-matched |
| focus shifts a little. The goal is no | | | | group can do much more. Therefore, |
| longer to scare the pants off the lone | | | | social skills like making contacts and |
| player in his dark room, but rather to | | | | keeping them are substantial in MMORPGs. |
| provide a fun platform for competition | | | | Since the player is hidden behind his |
| between many players of different skill. | | | | avatar, the threshold to approach |
| The most popular online game in this | | | | someone you don't know is a lot lower |
| category is still without doubt | | | | than in real life, which makes them a |
| Counter-Strike - a game which has | | | | good playground for shy people. The |
| received much negative fame because of | | | | authors know of several real-life |
| various school shootings done by | | | | relationships that initially started |
| Counter-Strike players, yet still | | | | with the players liking each other in |
| remains a highly captivating pastime for | | | | the game and then finding out they liked |
| millions worldwide. It is a fan | | | | each other in real life as well. Of |
| modification of Half-Life, a Valve game, | | | | course, the chance for a mess-up is much |
| and a team game in its core: one team is | | | | higher here as well - after all in real |
| the "terrorists", the other the | | | | life it's unlikely you date someone who |
| "counter-terrorists", and the play is | | | | looks cute for a while, only to find out |
| round-based: at the start of a round, | | | | he's a chain smoking guy in his 30s. |
| each team member receives an identical | | | | However, still, interestingly enough, |
| (except for clothing) avatar, picks some | | | | MMORPGs are relatively much more popular |
| weapons, and the the two teams clash in | | | | with women when compared to FPS or |
| combat until either a bomb is placed or | | | | strategy games. That is probably because |
| everyone of one team is dead (there are | | | | there's a lot of social interaction |
| also variations like "capture the flag" | | | | within them - you make friends who you |
| etc).There are numerous reasons for the | | | | see and adventure together a lot, and |
| massive popularity of Counter-Strike. | | | | there's a lot of talking and personal |
| The game rounds are short-term in nature | | | | information being exchanged - something |
| and don't require much time. It is | | | | almost entirely missing from most other |
| comparatively realistic - weapons | | | | multiplayer games.The clan idea from FPS |
| existing in reality like the M-16 or | | | | and strategy games is even much more |
| AK-47 are used in the game, and even one | | | | emphasized in MMORPGs. Guilds in WoW and |
| shot may be enough to kill. Also, it is | | | | linkshells in FFXI are major social |
| easily accessible - almost everyone can | | | | entities, with their members meeting |
| install and run a Counter-Strike server, | | | | each other daily for years. The |
| and there are many thousands of them in | | | | real-life meetings of large guilds or |
| the world online at any given time. | | | | linkshells are worldwide events, with |
| Although the basic game does not lead to | | | | people coming together from many |
| social interaction deeper than a quick | | | | different places. Linkshell friendships |
| chat, the grouping of people around some | | | | sometimes last for years. On the |
| specific favorite servers and the wish | | | | downside, this means that one can get |
| to play better, which inevitably | | | | hurt as well in the game - a fact that |
| requires solid teamplay, has led to the | | | | many people unfamiliar with the whole |
| phenomenon of so-called "clans", or | | | | phenomenon often fail to understand. |
| dedicated player groups, which usually | | | | "It's just a game", they say. On the one |
| have their own server where they train. | | | | hand, they're right. Yet on the other |
| A competitive clan will usually have | | | | hand, if it is possible to make new |
| requirements for people wanting to join | | | | friends through these games, who become |
| - a certain skill level, or some minimum | | | | real-life friends as well, one should |
| playtime - and most serious clan players | | | | realize that it is quite possible to get |
| play at least several hours a day. | | | | friendships broken by them as well, for |
| Dedicated clans will also sometimes meet | | | | instance when being disappointed by |
| in real life to discuss strategies and | | | | people one had trusted. This is also |
| generally have fun, which is not much | | | | something almost unique to MMORPGs - |
| different from most other groups of | | | | there has never been so much reality in |
| people with similar hobbies, like e.g. | | | | a virtual world before. Talking of that, |
| stamp collectors or RC model builders. | | | | one should mention another peculiar |
| Since many servers are regional, mostly | | | | aspect of those games - the equipment |
| there are same-country and often even | | | | hunting. As the avatars are the same (or |
| same-neighborhood people on the same | | | | similar) for everyone, the gear or |
| server, which of course makes meeting in | | | | equipment that a player has basically |
| real life easier as well.The picture is | | | | measures his social status, much like a |
| roughly comparable in the other FPS | | | | car or money in real life. Players with |
| multiplayer games like Quake 4 and | | | | very rare, "godly" gear, are admired and |
| Unreal Tournament, with the main | | | | envied by many people with regular |
| difference between that the latter are | | | | equipment. Since that is something most |
| less realistic and include sci-fi | | | | people like, and, as mentioned, the |
| weapons like laser guns and such. They | | | | thresholds for doing things are so much |
| are also typically much faster, with | | | | lower than in real life, many nasty |
| frantic movement (means, being hard to | | | | things have been done in order to obtain |
| target) being highly important to | | | | gear. Again, here the RPGs are almost |
| survival, which is a concept rather | | | | like a mirror of real life, condensing |
| different to Counter-Strike where | | | | down the more hidden similar issues |
| sometimes the top scorers just sit in | | | | there to a more compact and visible |
| one place with a sniper rifle. However, | | | | form. In a way, it is a pretty |
| a thing common to all FPS, mouse control | | | | interesting experience and can teach one |
| is highly essential. Skilled FPS players | | | | a lot about people. It just becomes |
| develop extremely good mouse control | | | | clear much faster who is worth what. A |
| (conventional mice no longer being good | | | | related trait of these games is the |
| enough for them led to the development | | | | emerging RMT (Real Money Trade) |
| of a whole new segment of gaming mice) | | | | industry, which basically thrives on |
| and have reaction times below 0.1 | | | | selling virtual game money and items for |
| seconds. The numerous stress peaks and | | | | real money, and for some games has |
| drops, lack of time between rounds, and | | | | reached revenues comparable to the per |
| the frantic gameplay often leads to | | | | capita gross national products of |
| additional addictions, though - many of | | | | European countries. Here one can see the |
| the hardcore FPS players are chain | | | | blurring of the distinction between work |
| smokers, fast-food eaters, coffee | | | | and playing - many people don't play for |
| addicts, or all of it combined. There | | | | fun anymore. They earn money by |
| are worldwide tournaments held for most | | | | "camping" (sitting at the same spot all |
| of the established FPS, and the current | | | | day) special monsters and selling the |
| champions are mostly from Europe or the | | | | dropped items. It turns out it is |
| US.Strategy gamesThe picture is a bit | | | | possible to earn sizable amounts with |
| different with strategy games. Usually | | | | that - more than a regular hard job in |
| they are less frantic and leave much | | | | some countries would pay.To summarize, |
| more room for logical thinking (of | | | | online multiplayer games are a very |
| course, the classic board games like | | | | large and ever increasing phenomenon. |
| chess or Go also have major online | | | | Very addictive, and easily able to |
| playing facilities nowadays, but they | | | | occupy a player for years, they are |
| cannot really be called multiplayer | | | | perhaps becoming the major modern |
| games since there is little to none team | | | | escape-from-reality tool of the next |
| aspect, it's just one-on-one most of the | | | | generation. Certainly, they have their |
| time). A typical example is Warcraft | | | | drawbacks, and not too few. However, if |
| III, which is the most recent in the | | | | seen as an alternative to TV, MMORPGs |
| Warcraft realtime strategy game series | | | | are definitely more worthwhile, in the |
| by Blizzard. It is played on the | | | | authors' humble opinion.The authors are |
| so-called Battlenet, a major online | | | | experienced gamers and alongside with |
| gaming hub by Blizzard, which also | | | | their work as co-founders of a web |
| serves other strategy games like | | | | design and development company ( still |
| StarCraft. In Warcraft III it is | | | | enjoy an occasional round of play. |