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Challenges of designing for sociability to enhance player experience in Massively Multi-player Online Role-playing Games

Christou, Georgios, Lai-Chong Law, Effie, Zaphiris, Panayiotis, Ang, Chee Siang (2013) Challenges of designing for sociability to enhance player experience in Massively Multi-player Online Role-playing Games. Behaviour & Information Technology, 32 (7). pp. 724-734. ISSN 0144-929X. (doi:10.1080/0144929X.2012.754497) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:36296)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2012.754497

Abstract

Massively Multi-player Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs) have become a popular leisure activity. It has been suggested that the reason for their popularity is that they offer a new ‘third-place’ for people to socialise. However, designing for sociability in these games has been shown to be a challenge. In this article, we discuss the results of an online survey that was directed towards game design researchers and professionals. We then present a subsequent discussion on the results of the survey at a Special Interest Group (SIG) held at CHI 2011. Through analysis of the findings of the survey and the discussion, we propose six requirements that facilitate the design of MMORPGs: In-game Communication, Off-game Communication, Empathy, Grouping and Rewards, World Design, and Designed Relationships. We state that it is not necessary to add all the proposed requirements in the design of such games, but we also caution that a game that does not include any of the requirements presented here cannot belong to this genre. We discuss limitations of this work, and offer future research directions that result from this work.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/0144929X.2012.754497
Uncontrolled keywords: game design, user experience, player experience, MMORPG, sociability, social games
Subjects: T Technology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Engineering and Digital Arts
Depositing User: Tina Thompson
Date Deposited: 13 Nov 2013 15:35 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:13 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/36296 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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