Eladhari, et al.
Mirjam Eladhari and Craig Lindley
craig.lindley@interactiveinstitute.se
mirjam.eladhari@interactiveinstitute.se
Player Character Design Facilitating Emotional Depth in MMORPGs
Abstract for Paper Submission
How can we create computer games facilitating emotional depth in the playing experience?
While single player games of RPG type work with authored characterization methods more similar to methods used in movie making and literature, the social aspect of MMORPG type games opens the way for game mastered and player created characterization methods similar to those used in live role playing. In current MMORPGs, however, the mechanics are more similar to single player RPGs than live role play. This said, playing styles developed by players and groups of players in MMORPGs represent unique sub-cultural expressions. Alternative identities and second selves are created, growing by interaction with other player characters, by experiencing and evolving the overall story of the game and by performance within the game world. Where is the perceived border between the player's own personality and the virtual character? When entering into a persistent virtual world the player leaves the body behind. It is up to the game designer to create a virtual body with skills, needs and drives necessary for survival and pleasure in the game world. Would it be sensible also to create a virtual mind for the player to possess and evolve? Can models like Maslow's hierarchy of needs and 'being-values', the trait model popularly called 'the big five' or Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment be used for character design in a way that suits massive multi player game form?
Based upon a view of the player character as the concentrated mirror of the functionality of an RPG game and adding features inspired from psychology and behaviour science, this paper presents the high level system design of a virtual mind for the player to possess in a MMORPG. This research is conducted in the Zero-Game Studio within the frame of the open research MMORPG Ouroboros.
Biographies of Authors
Mirjam Eladhari, was born in Sweden, 1971-06-25. Tech lead at Zero-Game Studio (part of Interactive Institute). Mirjam has studied literature, computing science and behavioural science and has an MA in literary studies. Her masters thesis, Objektorienterat berŠttande i berŠttelsedrivna datorspel, (Object Oriented Story Construction in Story Driven Computer Games) presents a story construction methodology for computer games that allows false casual relations in game stories to be minimised. Her primary research interest is the constitution of player entities, the players representation, in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs). Mirjam has worked as a game programmer at Liquid Media in Stockholm, Sweden. The most recent title she worked on is Diamantmysteriet i Rosemond Valley (The Diamond Mystery of Rosemond Valley), a mystery game in real time 3D, where she had the role of lead game programmer.
Craig Lindley has an extensive scientific research background specialising in the areas of knowledge base systems, artificial intelligence, autonomous agents and digital media systems. He has a PhD in computing science, and has worked as a technical researcher, a technical R&D project leader and a project manager for many research projects conducted in collaboration with industry partners. Most of his research experience has been conducted while working for the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). In recent years he has been involved in research on computer game forms, characterisation, narrative and believable agents in virtual environments, and has developed both 2D and 3D game engines. He has extensive international research publications in the areas of artificial intelligence and digital media systems.
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