Ethnography of Online RPGs

[dreamthief]

Now why didn't they offer this when I was in college??
http://faculty.washington.edu/redwood/com480/index.html

Course requirements:
In lieu of a textbook, you are expected to purchase a copy of the Everquest Trilogy software (approximately $20 retail). You must also commit to a three-month subscription at the rate of $12.95 per month. Since the first month is free, the total expenditure for computer supplies is approximately $46.

A significant amount of class time will be spent in the virtual world, but you are also expected to conduct on-line research outside of class. In order to install the software on your home system, it must meet the basic requirements listed below. Feel free to contact the instructor if you have questions about how to diagnose your home computer?s capabilities.

PS: click on Useful links for a rather familiar graphic.

 

[Bloodstone Mage]

Hmm...maybe I could move to Seattle.

Sounds interesting. I wonder if other colleges offer this as well...

By the way, did you check out the Assignments page? It says "you should spend five hours in the virtual world to get the most out of this class."

Cheers!

 

[Drawmack]

sounds to me like a professor was sick of not giving out a's

 

[Buttercup]

I dunno, Drawmack. It could be an actual, scholarly course. Just because people spend their leisure time playing MMORPGs, doesn't mean they aren't worthy of study. It's an interesting cultural phenomenon.

Of course, it could just be a throw-away course too.

 

[drnuncheon]

I'd be a lot more impressed if it looked like the class studied the actual history if MMORPGS to see where stuff like Everquest came from - and to see what else is out there. I mean, why limit it to EQ? That might be the biggest of the graphical MMORPGS, sure, but if you want to make a serious study of the phenomenon, how can you ignore the MUDs that they came from? How about the MUSH/MUX branch that abandons the coded combat and interactions in favor of a player-driven system more akin to tabletop?

It's sort of like calling the course "ethnography of TV" and only asking students to watch Friends.

J
online gamer

 

[Avatar]

There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Funniest signature line ever!!!!!!

Also, the course looks interesting.

 

[2d6]

sounds to me like a professor was sick of not giving out a's

Are you kidding??

I mean, you got the level grind, having to scrouge for uber phat lewtz. Then watch, the Prof will want to do his "research" on a PvP server. I can just see it now, there you are doing your homework and BAM! twink got my loot, and I gotta do a 45 min. corpse run. Bah! hope he's not a corpse camper.


LOL

 

[Emiricol]

I'd be a lot more impressed if it looked like the class studied the actual history if MMORPGS to see where stuff like Everquest came from - and to see what else is out there. I mean, why limit it to EQ? That might be the biggest of the graphical MMORPGS, sure, but if you want to make a serious study of the phenomenon, how can you ignore the MUDs that they came from? How about the MUSH/MUX branch that abandons the coded combat and interactions in favor of a player-driven system more akin to tabletop?

It's sort of like calling the course "ethnography of TV" and only asking students to watch Friends.

J
online gamer

True, but I can fully understand the study of the *most successful one ever* to understand the phenomenon. I mean, you gotta study something, might as well study the one that best exhibits what you are studying.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

I'd say it's definitely a valid area of research. MMORPGs touch on a lot of sociological topics, since they tend to give rise to miniature societies of their own. In addition, the market economies that spring up (and their crossover into real-world economics) is an interesting topic.

 

[2d6]

I'd say it's definitely a valid area of research. MMORPGs touch on a lot of sociological topics, since they tend to give rise to miniature societies of their own. In addition, the market economies that spring up (and their crossover into real-world economics) is an interesting topic.

There is a rather intresting article on EQ economies here

here is the abstract -

In March 1999, a small number of Californians discovered a new world called "Norrath", populated by an exotic but industrious people. About 12,000 people call this place their permanent home, although some 60,000 are present there at any given time. The nominal hourly wage is about USD 3.42 per hour, and the labors of the people produce a GNP per capita somewhere between that of Russia and Bulgaria. A unit of Norrath's currency is traded on exchange markets at USD 0.0107, higher than the Yen and the Lira. The economy is characterized by extreme inequality, yet life there is quite attractive to many. The population is growing rapidly, swollen each each day by hundreds of emigres from various places around the globe, but especially the United States. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the new world is its location. Norrath is a virtual world that exists entirely on 40 computers in San Diego. Unlike many internet ventures, virtual worlds are making money -- with annual revenues expected to top USD 1.5 billion by 2004 -- and if network effects are as powerful here as they have been with other internet innovations, virtual worlds may soon become the primary venue for all online activity.