MMORPG

Draft

Definition

• Massively multiplayer online role-playing computer games (MMORPG)s are a form of virtual environments or virtual habitats.

• The global internal economy of these worlds is now bigger than the ones of small third world states.

Implementation

• Most MMORPGs are implemented with 3D games engines, a form of desktop virtual reality technology.

• Some games use augmented technology (mixed reality or mobile technology, i.e. are integrated in real world space

• Some still popular games use text-based virtual reality, e.g. MUDs augmented with illustrations.

Popular environments

Multi purpose habitats

Some people may argue that these systems are not just games (i.e. they are virtual habitats). That is true, but they do contain games or "gaming" features.

• Second Life
• Entropia, includes a covertible cash economy !

Games

(there are many others !)

• Ultima online
• Everquest

MMOPRGs in education ?

There is some potential in using its technology. Examples:

• Implementation of "virtual universities" (digitalize existing practice of lecture halls, libraries, meeting rooms). There have been several attemps, but none really successful.
• Various gaming and simulation worlds, e.g. in business, economy, sociology and history
• Modeling and microworld environments for science phenomena (e.g. physics and biology)
• Habitats for non-informal collaboration (e.g. as an alternative to instant messaging)

Software

Free Multi-user game engines

We don't know if there exist any operational systems that one could use to create more educational many-user games.

Lists

• MMOG Middleware List of, Wikipedia.

Multiverse

• Multiverse Network (Wikipedia)

WorldForge

• WorldForge (Wikipedia)
• WorldForge (homepage).

Virtual environments

Since 3D interactive environments are scriptable to some extent, they also could be used to implement games. This page lists some technologies.

See also MUDs, an older, but functional text-based technology.

Links

• socialstudygames.com (Research, News and Resources, papers online about online gaming and education)
• Massively multiplayer online game (Wikipedia)
• Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (Wikipedia)
• Wikipedia: Virtual World
• Kirk Battle's blog on Games and LAW (including MMO judiciary)