Online+Gaming

toc =Definition=



The terms Online Games, Multiplayer Games or Online Gaming refer to video games that can be played over the Internet ranging from a couple of close friends to a massive game where thousands can play together on a server. This is usually done through a network (most commonly the Internet) where players can participate in several forms of gaming. The development of the Internet has led to the development of old classics like board/console/paper & dice games into a much more realistic gaming environment where interaction is not based on meeting IRL (In real life) but is done behind a computer screen. While this provides a much more interactive global environment, arising problems (not just gaming) like racial slurs and harassment in games have been a huge problem as players of the gaming community feels that they are not held responsible for what is said or occurs when they openly offend people personally, ethnically, etc.

News Issues: [|Online Game ID Theft Victimizes Thousands] Gaming as a new sport

=Types of Online Games=

MMORPG

 * Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game**

MMORPG roots are usually from the famous D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) board game that provides the rich fantasy world and semi-hard level curve. These games can host anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of players depending on the server capacity and usually requires higher PC specs in order to play, since the games are done in a high quality 3D environment. As the RPG (Role Playing Game) suggests, these types of games requires a certain level grind in order to progress and perform greater feats like having better equipment, skills, etc. In this sense, there is ‘supposedly’ limited character development and a huge time sink in order for the characters to develop and compete efficiently with the top dogs. These games usually require the purchase of the game (for it’s cd-key whether you download or buy the copy from a store to activate the account) and then monthly subscriptions, which was popularized, by Ultima Online and this feature has been adopted by other developed commercial MMO’s. The main reason behind a subscription fee is because servers run on huge bandwidths in order to maintain the amount of traffic coming from thousands of players at once and the game constantly changes with patches that provide more content every few months so that the world will continuously develop. In the game world, players can interact with friends, family, clanmates, and even strangers as they go on quests, castle sieges, hostile territory takeover missions, etc. Disputes can be settled in game by Game Masters or on forums. The most successful MMORPG developers are stationed in Korea and N.America. Their games include the following:

//Ultima Online//: Credited with popularizing this game genre, UO is set in a 3D fantasy environment. Many problems of exploitation, balance, and bugs were fixed during it’s reign as a monopoly in the MMORPG environment and it’s competing successors still face these issues but at a much smaller degree.

//Everquest//: Originally developed by 989 Studios then Verant Interactive, and then later sold to SOE ( Sony Online Entertainment ). It managed to surpass Ultima in subscribers. Even though there were some stability problems early on, the game’s design (similar to the popular Dungeons and Dragons concept) and seemingly endless world attracted a huge crowd of early MMO players.

//Kingdom of the Winds//: First Korean MMORPG to be released, the game was developed by Nexus and had a moderate success rate that allowed it to expand into the US market as well. It’s main achievement was that it held the highest number of active users in a stable server (12,000) in 1999 and was a new milestone in server capacity development at that time.

//Lineage//: The most successful MMORPG to have ever come out up till the present. The game was developed by NCSoft in 1998 and at one point recorded over 4 million subscribers worldwide while EQ was still only registering at 500,000. In 2003 Lineage finally released the final patch that concluded the MMO saga. It’s successor is Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicles which benefits a lot from the first title.

//World of Warcraft//: Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, the game is based off of the Warcraft universe and set four years after the defeat of Lord Archimonde and the appearance of the new Lich King. Using WC3 as momentum the game was released shortly with an overeager crowd that subscribed and to this day has over 5 million active users worldwide with an expansion about to be released scheduled for 2006.

**RTS**

 * Real-Time Strategy**

RTS (Real Time Strategy) games was a new way of gaming in the 1980s that relies on real-time rather than turn based games to provide short couple hour campaigns that require strategic building, economy management, and warfare which would normally take weeks or months to do in turn based games. Real time refers to the game being run in parallel to our time while strategy refers to the ‘micromanagement’ of everything (plan out, etc.), in order to outsmart and outplay your opponent (AI or players). With the development and launch of the Internet, RTS games provided up to four people to access a specified server (usually free) over the Internet to compete against each other. That number has increased significantly and usually sits at around 8-12 players that can play together in one map.

The first of it’s kind was //Stonkers// while the success of //Dune 2// provide many other titles that would bring about many familiar names to the gaming fanbase. Later on, RTS games would shift from the 2D board to a 3D environment like //Warcraft III// that provides a much richer environment.

Other examples of RTS: //- StarCraft/StarCraft BroodWar//: Also developed by Blizzard Entertainment in the mid-1990s, StarCraft quickly became a hit in the RTS gaming community with its futuristic setting, and is still widely played today, having found its way onto the professional gaming circuit - //Command & Conquer (series)//: Developed by WestWood Entertainment, the //C&C// series first came out with the //Tiberian Sun// series**. Although C&C was not as successful as StarCraft, it still managed to become a hit with serious RTS gamers.

RTT** (**Real-Time Strategy/Tactics**)

RTT (Real Time Tactics) games usually feature extremely short 1-2 hour games that rely on outmanuvering an enemy in order to achieve a victory. It's similar to RTS in the sense that it's real-time based but usually does not require intensive micromanagement of building a base and managing resource as effectively. An example of this would be the //Total War// series that have little empire managing required and mainly focuses on troop types, battle formations, and battle strategy based on your nationality and special units in order to successfully run a campaign against your enemies. Since the empire building of these games are usually too long, the Multiplayer portion usually features two armies (8-12 players) that face off in different terrains and are played until one side is defeated before the game is over.

MMOFPS

 * Massive Multiplayer Online First-Player Shooter**

One of the first games that come to mind when people think of first-player shooter is CS (Counter Strike), the game had been so popular among gamers that even with many hacking problems there are still thousands that play on public/private servers. The games originated from DOOM, a single game first player shooter that came out in 1992-1993 and became a hit legend to many people as different weapons could be armed in order to advance through the stages. First-player shooters are designed to give somewhat of a real experience, players have to rely on quick reflex and reaction time in order to maneuver quickly against an enemy threat. Some first-person shooters have implemented features like hearing footsteps so that players can have a little time to prepare, etc.

While CS may have been one of the first successful online FPS, they’re certainly nowhere the MMO factor. New games like Battlefield and World War II Online feature thousands of FPS players fighting in historical battles scenarios like Normandy or the landing of Sicily. MMOFPS in short is MMORPG adapted to first-player shooter after the development of stable servers that could host many players at once.

**Browser**-Based
Browser based games were one of the first types of online games based on text that appeared when Internet gaming was still in it's infancy. Using servers that could host thousands, the size has gradually increased to hundreds of thousands of players that can simultaneously play online. Browser-based games usually run on an 'click on advertisement' to support it's payroll while some have donations, subscriptions or premium plans that may give you an advantage compared to the 'freeloader'. One of the first successful browser-based games was Utopia that launched in Jan. 1999, using D&D and a turn-based structure they launched a fantasy world where players can take land and gain honor in a 3 month time period before one ' Age ' would end and another began as they continue to enjoy popular success. Similarly, games have continued to follow in turn-based but a new breed of real-time has also occured where some features such as buildings and warfare are based on real-time calculations and incorporate a new era of the browser games. Gradually graphics have also slipped into this genre to attract players and some have combined javascript and Flash to provide interactive graphics as well.

MUD
MUDs incorporate the fantasy D&D features into it's style of gameplay that is based on an interactive text browser-like screen where players can read descriptions about their surroundings and perform various acts while questing in a 2d based world. This has changed since 1977 as MUDs now have graphics and various program downloads that can allow a 3d world in necessary. They can be both free or subscribe to play. The worlds tend to include the most popular online gaming genres which are fantasy or science-fiction.
 * Multi-user Dungeon

=Online Gaming Service and Subscription Structures=

Users access online games through various methods and subscription services that differ according to the game and the platform you are playing on.


 * Pay-to-play:** Games that are designed solely for online play usually require a monthly subscription fee to be paid in order to access the virtual world. This subscription usually pays for the use of the server through which users communicate and interact. This fee also allows for continuous updates in the game through downloads and patches. This type of subscription is usually used for PC games and originates from the subscription structure used by early online games such as Everquest and Ultima: Online.


 * Free:** Some games are playable online at no extra cost to the user. This is possible through the use of private servers, which are paid by donations from the players itself or a variety of advertisement banners that players must click on every certain amount of time. Private servers may require a username and password in order to be accessed. Examples of free gaming servers are games like //Silkroad Online// or //Gunbound//. One of the problems with free gaming is that the servers tend to lag, and they are more susceptible to attempts by players to hack the system so that they can cheat. This is usually remedied by game creators integrating a protection system to ban hackers and cheaters from playing.


 * Consoles:** Online gaming has only just begun to move to home video game consoles such as Xbox and PS2. Each different console-maker has approached the prospect of online gaming differently. Xbox for example, offers subscriptions to Xbox LIVE! for a fee that allows users to connect to the network and face other players in games such as //Halo 2//, or //Fight Night Round 3//.


 * SegaNet:** The first company to bring online gaming to home consoles was Sega with the launch of **SegaNet** on September 10, 2000. SegaNet was considered quite a success for Sega when their Dreamcast console sales were suffering due to competition from the Playstation 2. Phantasy Star Online and Daytona USA were among Sega’s first popular online titles. SegaNet was a dial-up subscription service offered to those who did not already have internet access. However you were not required to subscribe if you already had internet access, ISP settings could be saved in the Dreamcast’s internal memory for use alternatively.

//Image courtesy of:// http://dreamcast.planetweb.com/images/daily/seganet.jpg


 * XBOX Live:** The online service offered by Microsoft for use with its Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles is a full-featured online gaming community. A monthly subscription fee grants users a membership within a vast online network where a user creates and builds upon a profile. In addition, Xbox Live also provides downloadable demos, profile personalization, forums, and game tournaments.


 * Nintendo DS WiFi:** Video-game giant Nintendo finally entered the online gaming market in 2005 after much deliberation. Nintendo's approach to an online service differs in numerous ways from its competitors. Nintendo launched its service for use initially with its portable console the Nintendo DS (Dual-Screen). The service is free and operates strictly on wireless internet access. Nintendo has made efforts to make this technology more widely available among its users by offering a wireless USB adapter which acts as a router sending wireless internet access to the Nintendo DS where it is received by a built-in receiver. Nintendo has also contributed to the creation of numerous Wi-Fi "hotspots" across North America where users can bring their Nintendo DS console and play online totally free. These hotspots are located in areas where pedestrian traffic is highly concentrated. They can also be found in certain McDonalds restaurant locations.

=Problems with Online Gaming=

There are two types of issues that have evolved as online gaming has grown over the years: technical and social.

Technical**
 * //Lag -// (slow for laggard) usually occurs in games when a person with a slow Internet connections (56k Dial-up connection, for example) is part of a multiplayer game. In MMO's, this could result in seeing the game periodically pause for seconds, to sometimes minutes at a time so that data packets can be sent to the users computer. Although the user of a slow connection will see their character stand still, game servers still execute actions. As a result, MMO players on slow connections could suffer the death of their characters, since they are unable to see actions in real time. According to Wikipedia, if a slow user joins an FPS game, where all players must be synchronized, the laggard will slow down the game for everyone else, since the server has to wait for data packets to be delivered.

//Low frame rate, or FR -// The difference between Lag and a low FR is that users who have a low FR will not slow down an entire game. In this case, if a player experiences low FR, it will usually result in choppy movement of game characters in MMOs, and in the case of FPS games, will experience movement that is choppy (low FR has been compared to a slideshow by many gamers on the CounterStrike servers), slow firing rates, and an inability to play to one's full potential.

//Cheating// – It happens in any and every game and the infancy of the Internet with it’s relatively low security has allowed for cheating to occur in online games as well. This can be done through a variety of things (ie. Hacking, keyloggers, bug exploits) by players for a variety reasons (ie. Being more powerful and ‘owning’ people, personal amusement, stealing people’s items to increase one’s e-ego).
 * Social**

//Harassment// – Media outlets advertise how to deal with bullies, hate spam, etc. Online gaming has it’s own fair share with players offending each other senselessly due to being griefed, losing face in battles, flame wars, etc. This can occur anywhere in the forums, personal messages, e-mail, stalked on real-time communications, etc. Some fine names rewarded to these people are //forum trolls, board warriors, and eagerbeavers//. A new sexual harassment issue has been over the horizon. Although not as big as the others, this is more along the lines of other players continuously asking to ‘cyber’ with another.

//Addiction and Loss of Reality// – One of the most common things in MMOs (especially MMORPG) is the addiction to a game that requires a lot of time. Some issues surrounding this includes the following:


 * //Suicide//: Some players have been known to commit so much to a game, that it becomes there life. When accounts are hacked, players can loss their account and everything in it. This shock sometimes leads to a committed suicide.
 * //Losing a job/skipping work//: When a new game starts it’s usually very important to get a good head start from the other gamers to keep up in the level curve and not experience lag in the ‘noobie’ zones. Skipping a week of work for a game and addicts who’ve lost their jobs to play 24/7 in a MMO are not uncommon in the gaming world.
 * //Social disadvantage//: When players become severely addicted to MMORPGs, it might enhance its online social life. However, these players may tend to push away their social circle. It is not surprising to see relationships fail due to the player's obsession over the game and not spending time with their siginificant other or family. Also, many younger players tend to have sour relationships with their parents.
 * //Ebaying/Sexual Favors/Currency Exchange Companies//: Perhaps the most common thing to ever occur in online gaming is the buying and selling of virtual currency. The market has been estimated to be about $1 billion US and growing as new MMORPGs come out. Buyers tend to be in the North American realm who earn enough to actually spend on purchasing virtual currency provided by sellers who are known as ‘farmers’ (Chinese farmers in particular) who spend 24/7 farming resources in order to sell to players through mediums like Ebay or IGE. This is done usually by rotating different people in shifts in front of a concentrated PC area so there are multiple farmers providing maximum output. Rare cases like sexual favors have also occurred before in countries where sex is performed as an exchange for virtual currency.

**Benefits of Online Gaming**
Online games with multiple human opponents offer fresh twists and an unlimited replay factor. There are many advantages for the gamer and online games can provide: **Fun,** gamers can compete against other gamers across the globe through the internet. Online gaming is **Fast,** as it provides speed and reliability. Online gaming offers competitive around the clock access to a variety of games. **Cost effective,** everyone on the network can take advantage of one high speed Internet connection and can play all at the same time. **Flexible,** users can connect with or without wires at the convenience of their own homes.

**Anti-Gaming Advocates**
Recently, popular media outlets and public figures have spoken out against video games, such as:

[|Jack Thompson] [|Hilary Clinton]

Many gamers are outraged by both Thompson and Clinton, stating that their opinions of video games are short-sighted. Gamers argue that video games are turned into scapegoats to cover up more serious issues like family problems and poor parenting. =Works Cited=

Benefits of Networking. Motorola. Retrieved on February 19th, 2006. Online at: 

“MMORPG.” __Wikipedia.__ 24 February 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 24 February 2006. 

“Lag.” __Wikipedia.__ 19 February 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 26 February 2006. 

“SegaNet.” __Wikipedia.__ 18 February 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 24 February 2006. 