Game Decisions

Woah okay so this weeks reading took a WHILE.
It was really interesting though  had absolutely no idea that so much thought and process has to go into making MMOs.
Although, with trying to create our own games, I have come to realise, that game development and design definitely are not my strong suit, That being said, I am enjoying making this game and doing all the reading on the different ways different types of games are made.

This week our reading (linked here)was based around creating MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games.
Although we are not making these games ourselves, this reading has helped.

The first thing the article talks about is "Borrowing from social psychology".
The article talks about the different ways that game makers build their games, as to make the players as close to each other as they possibly can, in reference to the game.
- Friendship
The single bond between two people. This is the essential part of the bond that is needed for the players to work together through the game.
-Dunbar's Layers
This is the research on the structural distribution of relationship bonds. This states that a humans can only have up to 150 friends, and the closer those friends are, the less there is.
-Social groups
Multiple individuals with similar interests.

Friendships develop due to several factors
Proximity- being close to one another for long periods of time
Similarity- similar interests
Reciprocity- engaging in escalating back-and-forth interactions
Disclosure - safe sharing of weakness

These are key in the way that interaction is designed within games
opening- opportunity for player 1  to ask a questions, etc.
opportunity- allows player 2 to answer
response- acknowledges player1 and answers
acknowledgement- player 1 acknowledges player 2's response
the loop is complete

This way of communication really allows the players to get to know each other, therefore building the bond that they need in order to continue through the game and so on

signing off
-AK