Building an MMO with Mass Appeal: a Look at Gameplay in World of Warcraft
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Invisible Labor, Invisible Play: Online Gold Farming and the Boundary Between Jobs and Games
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law Volume 18 Issue 3 Issue 3 - Spring 2016 Article 2 2015 Invisible Labor, Invisible Play: Online Gold Farming and the Boundary Between Jobs and Games Julian Dibbell Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw Part of the Internet Law Commons, and the Labor and Employment Law Commons Recommended Citation Julian Dibbell, Invisible Labor, Invisible Play: Online Gold Farming and the Boundary Between Jobs and Games, 18 Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law 419 (2021) Available at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol18/iss3/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Vanderbilt Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law by an authorized editor of Scholarship@Vanderbilt Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. VANDERBILT JOURNAL OF ENTERTAINMENT & TECHNOLOGY LAW VOLUME 18 SPRING 2016 NUMBER 3 Invisible Labor, Invisible Play: Online Gold Farming and the Boundary Between Jobs and Games Julian Dibbell ABSTRACT When does work become play and play become work? Courts have considered the question in a variety of economic contexts, from student athletes seeking recognition as employees to professional blackjack players seeking to be treated by casinos just like casual players. Here, this question is applied to a relatively novel context: that of online gold farming, a gray-market industry in which wage-earning workers, largely based in China, are paid to play fantasy massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) that reward them with virtual items that their employers sell for profit to the same games' casual players. -
World of Warcraft Online Manual
Game Experience May Change During Online Play WOWz 9/11/04 4:02 PM Page 2 Copyright ©2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. All rights reserved. The use of this software product is subject to the terms of the enclosed End User License Agreement. You must accept the End User License Agreement before you can use the product. Use of World of Warcraft, is subject to your acceptance of the World of Warcraft® Terms of Use Agreement. World of Warcraft, Warcraft and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.Windows and DirectX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Power Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratory. Monotype is a trademark of Agfa Monotype Limited registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark ® Office and certain other jurisdictions. Arial is a trademark of The Monotype Corporation registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and certain other jurisdictions. ITC Friz Quadrata is a trademark of The International Typeface Corporation which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Uses high-quality DivX® Video. DivX® and the DivX® Video logo are trademarks of DivXNetworks, Inc. and are used under license. All rights reserved. AMD, the AMD logo, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc All ATI product and product feature names and logos, including ATI, the ATI Logo, and RADEON are trademarks and / or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. -
Arena Tournament Rules
Emma Witkowski - “Inside the Huddle”, PhD Dissertation, 2012. Arena Tournament rules BlizzCon 2010 Tournament Rules. All matches that take place in the Tournament shall take place in accordance with the World of Warcraft Arena Rules, which are available at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/arena/index.xml. In the event of any conflict between these Official Rules and the World of Warcraft Arena Rules, these Official Rules shall prevail. "Cheating," as determined in Sponsor's sole discretion, and specifically including, without limitation, "win-trading," shall result in disqualification of the Arena Team and all of its Team Members. Third party user interfaces compatible with World of Warcraft, and which do not violate the World of Warcraft Terms of Use may be used during the Qualification Round of the Tournament, but will not be allowed at the Regional Qualifier or the Finals. At the Regional Finals, Team Members will have fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the first match with each opponent Team Member to prepare the computer on which they will use to participate in the Tournament match. Determination of Winners Qualification Rounds and Regional Qualifier Tournaments The Qualification Round of the Tournament . The Qualification Round of the Tournament shall last for approximately eight weeks, and will commence on April 27, 2010 at approximately 10:00 AM Pacific Time (5:00 PM GMT) (subject to ‘Server Maintenance’ to be performed by Sponsor), and end on June 21, 2010 at approximately 9:00 PM Pacific Time (4:00 AM GMT). The first four weeks of the Qualification Round will be a “practice” period, and during this time Eligible Participants may switch from one team to another without that Arena Team being penalized. -
A Third Age of Avatars Bruce Damer, [email protected] Damer.Com | Digitalspace.Com | Ccon.Org | Biota.Org | Digibarn.Com
A Third Age of Avatars Bruce Damer, [email protected] damer.com | digitalspace.com | ccon.org | biota.org | digibarn.com Ò Started life on a PDP-11 fresh out of high school (1980), programmed graphics, videotext systems, dreamed of self replicating robots on the moon, designed board games, built model space stations. Ò Worked at IBM Research in 1984 (Toronto, New York), introduced to Internet, optical computing. Ò At Elixir Technologies 1987-94, wrote some of first GUI/Windows-Icons Publishing software on the IBM PC platform used 100 countries. Ò Established Contact Consortium in 1995, held first conferences on avatars (Earth to Avatars, Oct 1996) Ò Wrote “Avatars!”in 1997. Hosted and supported 9 conferences until 2003 on various aspects of virtual worlds (AVATARS Conferences, VLearn3D, Digital Biota) Ò Founded DigitalSpace in 1995, produced 3D worlds for government, corporate, university, and industry. Evangelism for Adobe (Atmosphere), NASA (Digital Spaces, open source 3D worlds for design simulation of space exploration) and NIH (learning games for Autism) Ò Established DigibarnComputer Museum (2002) Ò Virtual Worlds Timeline project (2006-2008) to capture and represent the history of the medium Ò The Virtual World, its Origins in Deep Time Ò Text Worlds Ò Graphical Worlds Ò Internet-Connected Worlds Ò The Avatars Cyberconferences Ò Massive Multiplayer Online RPGs Ò Virtual World Platforms Ò Virtual Worlds Timeline Project and Other Research History of Virtual Worlds The Virtual World, its Origins in Deep Time So what is a Virtual World? A place described by words or projected through pictures which creates a space in the imagination real enough that you can feel you are inside of it. -
Battle for Azeroth Guide for Returning Players
Battle For Azeroth Guide For Returning Players Braden often pirates pressingly when gorged Powell monophthongizes simperingly and certificates her redcurrant. Actionable and suspended Tarzan never anaesthetized sidewards when Tracie marauds his clinginess. Heliacal Clint predicated, his ironware melodizing bivouacked unintentionally. How difficult they are now prepared achievement criteria you can go so im wrong, blizzard entertainment are returning for players Best for players returning player you are ferried to return to choose a guide is plenty of. Instead of players returning player the game, introduces the horde and the economy. Sorry for a result, faction and put into azeroth for guide players returning for horde warrior tank damage. Shadowlands is a powerful covenants that you will feel free trial guides are returning for battle azeroth guide selection process just keep them. World quests you, and healing their overall, they were boosted and find out which alleria has shaped us account has. Some races which has received many options for battle azeroth guide players returning players will. Returning Player's Guide or Battle for Azeroth YouTube. You sate my hunger. Out that little gift such a rationale be remembered by research of. Still a combination with the rest of classic wow. Same for hunter, World of Warcraft. And the Nightborne give a recolored Night Elf model to Horde. Alliance player in azeroth? On a saga that for battle azeroth guide to play it allows opening of! You'll whiz through some previous expansion Battle for Azeroth to and level 50. Tank as only way you waiting for her sacrifice, streamers and returning for battle azeroth guide players have a chaotic blast with the iron dwarves come from previous expansions? If you declare yourself try to azeroth for guide, one for you have previously there is consumed, including one mob from moonglade to hit title settings. -
Esports High Impact and Investable
Needham Insights: Thought Leader Series Laura A. Martin, CFA & CMT – [email protected] / (917) 373-3066 September 5, 2019 Dan Medina – [email protected] / (626) 893-2925 eSports High Impact and Investable For the past decade, eSports has been growing on the main stage in Asia and in stealth mode in the US. This report addresses questions we get most often from investors about eSports: ➢ What is eSports? Definitions differ. Our definition of eSports is “players competing at a video game in front of a live audience while being live-streamed.” By implication, viewing, attendance, and playing time are linked, and each creates revenue streams for eSports. ➢ How big is eSports? Globally, one out of every three (ie, 33%) 18-25 year olds spent more than an hour a day playing video games, 395mm people watched eSports, and 250mm people played Fortnite in 2018. eSports revenue will be $1.1B in 2019, up 26% y/y. ➢ Should investors care about eSports? We would argue “yes”, owing to: a) global scale; b) time spent playing and viewing; c) compelling demographics; d) eSports vs traditional sports trends; e) revenue growth; and, f) sports betting should supercharge US eSports. ➢ Is eSports a fad? We would argue “no”, owing to: a) many US Universities now offer Varsity eSports scholarships; b) new special purpose eSports stadiums are proliferating; c) billionaires are investing to make eSports successful; d) audience growth; and, e) Olympics potential. ➢ Why have you never heard of eSports? Because zero of the top 30 earning players in the world were from the US in 2018. -
Cyber-Synchronicity: the Concurrence of the Virtual
Cyber-Synchronicity: The Concurrence of the Virtual and the Material via Text-Based Virtual Reality A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Jeffrey S. Smith March 2010 © 2010 Jeffrey S. Smith. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled Cyber-Synchronicity: The Concurrence of the Virtual and the Material Via Text-Based Virtual Reality by JEFFREY S. SMITH has been approved for the School of Media Arts and Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Joseph W. Slade III Professor of Media Arts and Studies Gregory J. Shepherd Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii ABSTRACT SMITH, JEFFREY S., Ph.D., March 2010, Mass Communication Cyber-Synchronicity: The Concurrence of the Virtual and the Material Via Text-Based Virtual Reality (384 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Joseph W. Slade III This dissertation investigates the experiences of participants in a text-based virtual reality known as a Multi-User Domain, or MUD. Through in-depth electronic interviews, staff members and players of Aurealan Realms MUD were queried regarding the impact of their participation in the MUD on their perceived sense of self, community, and culture. Second, the interviews were subjected to a qualitative thematic analysis through which the nature of the participant’s phenomenological lived experience is explored with a specific eye toward any significant over or interconnection between each participant’s virtual and material experiences. An extended analysis of the experiences of respondents, combined with supporting material from other academic investigators, provides a map with which to chart the synchronous and synonymous relationship between a participant’s perceived sense of material identity, community, and culture, and her perceived sense of virtual identity, community, and culture. -
The Decline of Mmos
The Decline of MMOs Prof. Richard A. Bartle University of Essex United Kingdom May 2013 Abstract Ten years ago, massively-multiplayer online role-playing games (MMOs) had a bright and exciting future. Today, their prospects do not look so glorious. In an effort to attract ever-more players, their gameplay has gradually been diluted and their core audience has deserted them. Now that even their sources of new casual players are drying up, MMOs face a slow and steady decline. Their problems are easy to enumerate: they cost too much to make; too many of them play the exact same way; new revenue models put off key groups of players; they lack immersion; they lack wit and personality; players have been trained to want experiences that they don’t actually want; designers are forbidden from experimenting. The solutions to these problems are less easy to state. Can anything be done to prevent MMOs from fading away? Well, yes it can. The question is, will the patient take the medicine? Introduction From their lofty position as representing the future of videogames, MMOs have fallen hard. Whereas once they were innovative and compelling, now they are repetitive and take-it-or-leave-it. Although they remain profitable at the moment, we know (from the way that the casual games market fragmented when it matured) that this is not sustainable in the long term: players will either leave for other types of game or focus on particular mechanics that have limited appeal or that can be abstracted out as stand-alone games (or even apps). -
2019 World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship Europe Arena Cups
2019 WORLD OF WARCRAFT® ARENA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EUROPE ARENA CUPS AND SEASONAL FINALS OFFICIAL RULES TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. ACCEPTANCE AND APPLICABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES 2.1. Acceptance of the Official Rules 2.2. Applicability of the Official Rules 3. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 3.1. Regional Eligibility 3.2. Residency Requirement 3.3. Minimum Age Requirements 3.4. No Purchase Necessary 3.5. Ineligible Players 4. TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE 4.1. General Tournament Rules 4.2. Arena Cup Tournaments 4.3. Arena Team Roster Swapping 4.4. Seasonal Finals Tournaments 4.5. Prize Award Terms 4.6. Travel and Expenses 5. PLAYER CONDUCT 5.1. Behavior 5.2. Cheating 5.3. Illegal and Unethical Conduct 5.4. Anti-Harassment 5.5. Gambling 5.6. Alcohol and Drugs 5.7. Non-Disparagement 5.8. Interviews and the Media 5.9. Software and Hardware Page 2 of 38 5.10. Restricted Sponsorships 5.11. Disciplinary Action 6. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND DISCLAIMERS 6.1. Cap on Liability; No Punitive Damages 6.2. Disclaimers 6.3. Changes to Your Blizzard Battle.net Account 7. USE OF YOUR BRAND MATERIALS AND PERSONAL DATA 7.1. License to Use Your Brand Materials 7.2. Advertising Materials 7.3. Ownership of Advertising Materials, Feedback, Stats and Suggestions 7.4. Collection of Personal Data 8. RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES 8.1. Applicability 8.2. Negotiations 8.3. Binding Arbitration 8.4. Arbitration Procedures 8.5. Class and Collective Action Waiver 8.6. Location of Arbitration 8.7. Governing Law 9. GENERAL (BUT IMPORTANT) TERMS AND CONDITIONS 9.1. -
Section One: Getting Started
Section One: Getting Started As you get started on your journey, you will be faced with a few decisions. Some of these will have minimal impact on your long term play, while others will play an important part in how you experience the game. This section will cover the first of those decisions – server (known as ‘shards’ in UO) selection, character creation, and an explanation of the different clients used to play the game (Classic and Enhanced). In this section we will also cover some of the most basic elements of the game that will be a foundation for understanding your new world. This will include basic movement controls, as well as how to use the overhead radar feature. Choose Your Client – Classic vs. Enhanced We will begin with an explanation of the two clients available for use with Ultima Online – the Classic Client and the Enhanced Client. Your choice of client will greatly affect how you view, and play, the game. The best part about having two different clients is that you are not bound to one or another – you are free to switch back and forth so long as you have both installed on your system. Following is a brief explanation of the differences between the two clients. Later in this section will be pictures illustrating some of the differences between the two clients. Classic Client The Classic Client is the original client used to play Ultima Online. It does not have as many features as the Enhanced Client, but is still preferred by many longtime players who favor its simpler nature and the nostalgia that comes with experiencing the game as it was originally intended. -
Supporting Communities in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games by Game Design Elina M.I
Supporting Communities in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games by Game Design Elina M.I. Koivisto Nokia Research Center Visionkatu 1 33720 Tampere Finland +358 05 482 1630 [email protected] ABSTRACT Communities get formed almost automatically in multiplayer games, but in some games they seem to be stronger and more active than in others. In order to find out why it is so, We study in this paper what kind of game design makes game community formation and maintenance easier in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). Three MMORPGs are used as examples: Ultima Online, Anarchy Online and Toontown Online. The communication methods, game mechanics and environments of the three MMORPGs are compared and their effects on the game community are analyzed. Communities do not exist without communication. Game mechanics affects how important it is for the players to co-operate and compete with others and how useful it is to form different kinds of sub-communities, such as guilds. If the game supports player created content it typically strengthens the game community. The game environment provides settings for player-to-player interaction and can encourage collaboration and inspire the players to create their own stories around the sub-communities. KEYWORDS Game, Community, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), Ultima Online, Anarchy Online, Toontown INTRODUCTION There are many definitions for online communities. According to Preece [14] an online community consists of people who interact socially as they strive to satisfy their own needs to perform special roles. They also have a shared purpose, an interest or need, information exchange, or service that provides a reason for community. -
Player, Pirate Or Conducer? a Consideration of the Rights of Online Gamers
ARTICLE PLAYER,PIRATE OR CONDUCER? A CONSIDERATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ONLINE GAMERS MIA GARLICK I. INTRODUCTION.................................................................. 423 II. BACKGROUND ................................................................. 426 A. KEY FEATURES OF ONLINE GAMES ............................ 427 B. AGAMER’S RIGHT OF OUT-OF-GAME TRADING?......... 428 C. AGAMER’S RIGHT OF IN-GAME TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENT?......................................................... 431 D. A GAMER’S RIGHTS OF CREATIVE GAME-RELATED EXPRESSION? ............................................................ 434 III. AN INITIAL REVIEW OF LIKELY LEGAL RIGHTS IN ONLINE GAMES............................................................................ 435 A. WHO OWNS THE GAME? .............................................. 436 B. DO GAMERS HAVE RIGHTS TO IN-GAME ELEMENTS? .... 442 C. DO GAMERS CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS?................ 444 1. SALE OF IN-GAME ITEMS - TOO COMMERCIAL? ...... 449 2. USE OF ‘CHEATS’MAY NOT INFRINGE. .................. 450 3. CREATIVE FAN EXPRESSION –ASPECTRUM OF INFRINGEMENT LIKELIHOOD?.............................. 452 IV. THE CHALLENGES GAMER RIGHTS POSE. ....................... 454 A. THE PROBLEM OF THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR. ................ 455 B. THE DERIVATIVE WORKS PARADOX............................ 458 C. THE PROBLEM OF CULTURAL SIGNIFICATION OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS. ....................................... 461 V. CONCLUSION .................................................................. 462 © 2005 YALE