As a 7 year gamer, Id just like to take a moment to say very well written. You seem to be showing all aspects of gaming, many that most dont understand unless they also have played for many years. In my opinion what you have so far written is a clear, very acurate look into MMOG's.
The quotes are a big eye opener.

I just read the first chapter and would like to ask about the omission of a couple games I believe are of the MMORPG genre - maybe they were post-UO - The Realm (which I beta tested) and Meridian 59. I just can't remember when I tested The Realm.

It also seems to me that Sierra was out there before Origin in the online arena. If I recall, they had a game online (Yserbius?) which was logic/questing/level-up format ... but still having a multi-player setting and somewhat of a storyline. I know it was role-play as many of the Sierra players went to Irealms' Empiriana when Yserbius & Sierra's online efforts died out. I played with more than a few of them in Empiriana.

I look forward to the full work!

Really really good! Congrats on getting something published :-) I just wish it had had more info on the downsides of the games, I find that equally or more interesting then the good things that come out of it lol... Anyway Congrats again :-)

First, congrats on being published. That is an accomplishment to have your work in printed form. Second, I would just like to commend you on the efforts to keep this surveying system alive. MMOs are a large part of my life and I find it interesting to know what the views of other gamers are and how their experiences compare to mine. This site is one of the few things that can draw my attention away from gaming ;) Keep up the good work!

I'd like to reiterate the congatulations on getting published, as well as the lavishing of the phrase "good-work" and "well-written."

I found the chapter fascinating, something that resonates powerfully with anyone who enjoys the MMORPG's you talk about and is very informative for anyone who has not played them.

The motivations section has particular interest to me, as I plan to eventually design storylines for games and have been studying psychology to help work in the motivations of the gamers. I look forward especially to new findings on any other motivations involved with these games, as well as any other new material. Keep up the excellent work!

Excellently written and well presented.

One of the most difficult aspects of publishing a research paper like this is that the audience statistics and gameplay change as the genre matures and expands further into the mainstream. As such, I've found a lot of the statistical data and quotes to completely based on EQ's hayday.

Final Fantasy XI's community for example is a much younger audience with a guestimated average of 23 years old and is nearly completely void of griefers. On the flip-side however there is much more concern revolving around the "pseudo-companies" that you allude to from China that are hiring to sell virtual items.

Guild Wars provides content in bite-sized pieces so it's unlikely you'll see the same ratio of people who've played for 10+ hours since the primary reason for leaving is "finishing x" or "leveling in this great group".

The structure, statistics, and interdependancy of the community should change based on the game they're playing.

First, excellent research thus far on the social ramifications on the previous generation of MMO games.

Second, please keep up the good work to stay ontop of the genre. This is a brilliantly composed paper and look forward to reading more like them.

Third, I somewhat recall you reference users who've spent 10+ hours continuiously on an MMORPG at 60.9% and then again at 70%. Is this working as intended? :P

Excellent read and bravo!
-Kagaden

I am citing this chapter - and several articles from the Daedalus Project, Mosaic, and the Norrathian Scrolls - in a paper I am writing for a research methods class this quarter. I'm pursuing a phd in educational technology and am particularly intersted in the educational potential of MMORPGs.

Thanks for sharing your research online.

I'll definatly be picking up a copy of your book. I've cited your site multipule times in College Research Essays I've written on the MMO subject and it'll be great to have a hard copy around the house for later use. Keep up the good work and Grats!

I must say, nicely done. I was pretty supprised by some of those quotes, lol. The insight is apparent, i have played for 3 years as a gammer online, and I can tell you I was not unhappy with your work. Good job, i await any further publications you might write.

Thank you on behalf of the gamer community for shedding a light on the good aspects, rather then the always-bad points of gaming. I have been searching the Internet for positive views on the online gaming culture for a class paper. I was blown away by the fantastic information and open views.
Great job

I'll second the previous compliments, especially about your generosity in keeping all this online.

One criticism worth mentioning is that you're either mistaken or (IMO) overgeneralising about all early MMORPGs having exclusively combat-oriented skills. From when I started playing Ultima Online, and I think from the start (though you'd have to check with Origin), there were a number of solely craft-related skills. Stratics lists all the skills at http://uo.stratics.com/content/skills/skills.shtml

It's not entirely clear from the site which skills are trades, or which have been added since the game started, though. As far as I remember, though, they include:

Alchemy (brewing potions)
Begging
Blacksmithy
Bowcraft
Carpentry
Cooking
Inscription (making magic scrolls)
Lumberjacking
Mining
Stealing
Tailoring
Tinkering

Most of the others either had some combat element or were support skills, but it was entirely possible to develop a non-combat character.

Interesting draft. My students are currently researching on MMORPG and they've been visiting your site quite often lately. Can't wait for the book. Nice job.

Great stuff. So glad we found this. I have a group of doc'l students working with me on some MMOG studies and this is a great landscape painting you've provided. We're all play WoW...a lot...but our particular interest is focused more on the interface and on the third party mods/addons/UI. Do you have any interest in following that line?

I"m also curious how you drive respondents to your survey site. Are you just posting the link in forums? (One of my doc students found you/this site.)

If you will be at GLS in Wisc or at E3 in LA, please drop me an email, privately (I assume you have access to your hidden data), and let's hook up. We have a private blog of our experiences and I'd be happy to share it with you, but not in here.

Really great job. I can't wait for the book! I will, most definately, be quoting you when I take Research Methods.

I was slightly dis-heartened to see you call them RPGs. I think role-playing was lost in the 'transition' from MUDs to MMOGs.

Thank you for conducting this invaluable research!

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