Monday, June 20, 2011

MMO Research Introduction

I'm currently doing research on encouraging cooperation and community building in online games.  This blog is where I'll write about my research.

My project's goal is to create a fun, non-violent multiplayer online game, in which players have to work together to win.  The massively multiplayer game market is saturated with World of Warcraft clones and shooter games, with only a few innovative titles like Puzzle Pirates or Eve Online.

In addition, I believe that MMOs have the ability to effect substantial social change.  MMOs are extremely popular, and people spend large amounts of their free time playing these games, in which they interact with each other in structured virtual environments with their own rules and dynamics.  I believe that it's possible to create an MMO that encourages people to think in a socially conscious way.

As part of this project, I'll be designing and creating a small online multiplayer game called SpiritMUD.  This game will be available to play online.  I'll be using this game to test various ideas and designs I come up with, and I'll be observing how people work together within the game.

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