2008 Woodie Awards
On-line gamers express details of their time-consuming hobby
Gamers give their thoughts on massive multi-player online role-playing games known as MMORPGs
Kerry Price
Issue date: 2/19/07 Section: Intermission
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With the introduction of the first commercial massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) in the mid-1980s, the gaming world has grown and changed substantially, creating an online universe for millions of gamers.
MMORPGs are distinct from other role-playing games (RPGs) by the number of players and the game's virtual worlds.
MMORPGs have worlds that are constantly changing and maintained by the game's developers. The virtual world will continue to change and grow even if the player is not gaming at the moment.
According to independent researcher Bruce Sterling Woodcock on his site mmogchart.com, in 2006, there was a combined subscription and non-subscription global membership for MMORPGs exceeding 15 million players.
Among the most popular MMORPGs are Dungeons and Dragons with 20 million worldwide players and World of Warcraft with eight million worldwide players.
The fantasy-based role-playing games are sometimes believed to cause a disillusion between reality and the virtual world.
The players that one interacts within the game are real people that gamers can become friends and quest. The games create a virtual playground for gamers to meet up with friends and family and participate in the fantasy world of superhuman powers with the ability to slay evil.
"Some of my favorite games right now are spy games like Splinter Cell," said online gamer Nate Dunne, 22. "I like it because the artificial intelligence is incredible and the storyline in the game is different from any other type of spy story.
"It's even better than James Bond and Mission Impossible. You are trying to uncover this worldwide terror plot in Korea. What you do in the game, the choices you make, influences the way the game changes. It's kind of like an RPG, you take on the role of the spy."
Due to the shrouding between reality and fantasy, gamers may become highly emotional during game play.
According to Nick Yee, Ph.D student at Stanford University, at nickyee.com, the emotions that occur online can be so overwhelming that 10 percent of male and 33 percent of female gamers have engaged in an online marriage.
MMORPGs are distinct from other role-playing games (RPGs) by the number of players and the game's virtual worlds.
MMORPGs have worlds that are constantly changing and maintained by the game's developers. The virtual world will continue to change and grow even if the player is not gaming at the moment.
According to independent researcher Bruce Sterling Woodcock on his site mmogchart.com, in 2006, there was a combined subscription and non-subscription global membership for MMORPGs exceeding 15 million players.
Among the most popular MMORPGs are Dungeons and Dragons with 20 million worldwide players and World of Warcraft with eight million worldwide players.
The fantasy-based role-playing games are sometimes believed to cause a disillusion between reality and the virtual world.
The players that one interacts within the game are real people that gamers can become friends and quest. The games create a virtual playground for gamers to meet up with friends and family and participate in the fantasy world of superhuman powers with the ability to slay evil.
"Some of my favorite games right now are spy games like Splinter Cell," said online gamer Nate Dunne, 22. "I like it because the artificial intelligence is incredible and the storyline in the game is different from any other type of spy story.
"It's even better than James Bond and Mission Impossible. You are trying to uncover this worldwide terror plot in Korea. What you do in the game, the choices you make, influences the way the game changes. It's kind of like an RPG, you take on the role of the spy."
Due to the shrouding between reality and fantasy, gamers may become highly emotional during game play.
According to Nick Yee, Ph.D student at Stanford University, at nickyee.com, the emotions that occur online can be so overwhelming that 10 percent of male and 33 percent of female gamers have engaged in an online marriage.