Social Networks in MMOG‘s Arend Stührmann Associate Producer CCP Games Df

Arend Stührmann

Associate Producer

CCP Games

Social Networking in MMOG‘s Outline: How do we define a social network? How can we use it in gaming? Examples from EVE Online The Future...

Outline:

How do we define a social network?

How can we use it in gaming?

Examples from EVE Online

The Future...

How do we define a Social Network? Need to differentiate between: Social Network Social Network Service As the combination of both leads to the formation of virtual communities PAGE

Need to differentiate between:

Social Network

Social Network Service

As the combination of both leads to the formation of virtual communities

Social Network A social network is a social structure made of nodes, generally individuals or organisations, that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency. Values Visions Financial exchange Friends Dislikes Conflict Trade

A social network is a social structure made of nodes, generally individuals or organisations, that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency.

Values

Visions

Financial exchange

Friends

Dislikes

Conflict

Trade

Social Network Service A social network service uses software to build online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Primarily web-based Various interaction methods: Chat Email Video Voice chat Blogging

A social network service uses software to build online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others.

Primarily web-based

Various interaction methods:

Chat

Email

Video

Voice chat

Blogging

Established Social Network Services “ Standard” social network services already have some elements of game play in them, even if they are not obviously game related: Number of contacts Quality of contacts Quality of content Number of comments Rankings (arbitrary or formal) Games And more...

“ Standard” social network services already have some elements of game play in them, even if they are not obviously game related:

Number of contacts

Quality of contacts

Quality of content

Number of comments

Rankings (arbitrary or formal)

Games

And more...

MMOG Social Network - Specialities? MMOG‘s can be argued to embody all aspects of Social Networks and Social Network Services: They provide foundations of interdependency for the network. The gameplay creates a framework for the network service. And through playing, a virtual network for interpersonal interaction is formed.

MMOG‘s can be argued to embody all aspects of Social Networks and Social Network Services:

They provide foundations of interdependency for the network.

The gameplay creates a framework for the network service.

And through playing, a virtual network for interpersonal interaction is formed.

MMOG Social Network - Specialities? MMOG Networks can require more and different interpersonal skills when compared to other online network services: Leadership skills Negotiation skills Cross-cultural communication Organisational skills MMOG Networks can therefore actually teach interpersonal skills and networking skills. Player Quote: “ Being CEO of an EVE corp, taught me a lot about how to recruit, organise, motivate and retain people from across the world.”

MMOG Networks can require more and different interpersonal skills when compared to other online network services:

Leadership skills

Negotiation skills

Cross-cultural communication

Organisational skills

MMOG Networks can therefore actually teach interpersonal skills and networking skills.

Player Quote: “ Being CEO of an EVE corp, taught me a lot about how to recruit, organise, motivate and retain people from across the world.”

EVE Online‘s Gameplay Over 230,000 subscribers. Single-shard server structure: Over 43k players simultaneously in one cohesive universe. Players of EVE are the actual game content. Estimated over 250,000 manhours spent building structures in-game All major game-systems in EVE are driven by players Market Production Raw material acquisition Access to the raw materials And more…

Over 230,000 subscribers.

Single-shard server structure: Over 43k players simultaneously in one cohesive universe.

Players of EVE are the actual game content.

Estimated over 250,000 manhours spent building structures in-game

All major game-systems in EVE are driven by players

Market

Production

Raw material acquisition

Access to the raw materials

And more…

5000+ solarsystems

Communication Communication is key to any network EVE includes tools to establish connections with any player Chat EVE Mail Voice Communication Searchable listings External website: Forums Many interaction tools run through the Chat system.

Communication is key to any network

EVE includes tools to establish connections with any player

Chat

EVE Mail

Voice Communication

Searchable listings

External website: Forums

Many interaction tools run

through the Chat system.

Communication Communication with others is central to gameplay in EVE Without team-work, higher level objectives are harder to reach (if not impossible) Learning how to use the communication interface and the communication norms becomes essential to success. Intelligence gathering Trading Diplomacy Entertainment

Communication with others is central to gameplay in EVE

Without team-work, higher level objectives are harder to reach (if not impossible)

Learning how to use the communication interface and the communication norms becomes essential to success.

Intelligence gathering

Trading

Diplomacy

Entertainment

Communication Players develop network connections through channels other than the provided structure: Espionage Escrow Services Black Market Advertising “ Can Art”

Players develop network connections through channels other than the provided structure:

Espionage

Escrow Services

Black Market

Advertising

“ Can Art”

Communication The question then arises: Do we install “official” mechanisms to accommodate these activities? Other elements of gameplay that have evolved through player use: Fleet formation system Recruitment ads system Contracts system

The question then arises: Do we install “official” mechanisms to accommodate these activities?

Other elements of gameplay that have evolved through player use:

Fleet formation system

Recruitment ads system

Contracts system

Social Structure: Corporations Basic social unit in EVE. Anywhere from 2 to 6,500 members Usual size is around 20 to 250 members Members are assigned Roles within the Corporation Accountants Logistics Directors Diplomats Defense

Basic social unit in EVE.

Anywhere from 2 to 6,500 members

Usual size is around 20 to 250 members

Members are assigned

Roles within the Corporation

Accountants

Logistics

Directors

Diplomats

Defense

Social Structure: Corporations Corporations can specialise in certain areas: Combat Mercenaries Bounty hunters Pirates Pirate Hunters Industry Resource gathering Research Production Logistics All these areas depend on each other to certain degrees. A corporation will need to either have these specialisations “in house” or hire external parties to provide them.

Corporations can specialise in certain areas:

Combat

Mercenaries

Bounty hunters

Pirates

Pirate Hunters

Industry

Resource gathering

Research

Production

Logistics

All these areas depend on each other to certain degrees. A corporation will need to either have these specialisations “in house” or hire external parties to provide them.

Social Structure: Corporations Employment History is important A character‘s reputation is literally priceless Allows for unusual game play mechanics such as escrow services Your reputation is created by both your actions and those of the people you fly with Corporations can give members Titles Way of rewarding service or marking important deeds Indicates rank and other information to outsiders Helps establish reputation

Employment History is important

A character‘s reputation is literally

priceless

Allows for unusual game play

mechanics such as escrow services

Your reputation is created by both

your actions and those of the

people you fly with

Corporations can give members Titles

Way of rewarding service or marking important deeds

Indicates rank and other information to outsiders

Helps establish reputation

Social Structure: Alliances

Social Structure: Alliances Involve thousands of players Are able to declare sovereign territory in the outer reaches of the galaxy Function like nations with wars, diplomacy, treaties, trade agreements and more... Can achieve larger goals than corporations alone: Sovereignty Outposts (permanent, conquerable stations) Titans (enormous combat and logistics vessels)

Involve thousands of players

Are able to declare sovereign territory in the outer reaches of the galaxy

Function like nations with wars, diplomacy, treaties, trade agreements and more...

Can achieve larger goals than corporations alone:

Sovereignty

Outposts (permanent,

conquerable stations)

Titans (enormous combat

and logistics vessels)

Alliance Politics and warfare result in a constantly changing game universe... PAGE

Alliance Politics and warfare result in a constantly changing game universe...

July 2007 PAGE

July 2007

March 2008

March 2008

Alliances Evolving Alliances existed before the formal mechanic was implemented in Nov 2004. Now we see that Alliances are forming Coalitions. Larger player groups demand more management by leaders Will there always be players who wish to lead? When does it stop being fun? Can we avoid flux through redesigning and adapting game mechanics? Should we?

Alliances existed before the formal mechanic was implemented in Nov 2004.

Now we see that Alliances are forming Coalitions.

Larger player groups demand more management by leaders

Will there always be players who wish to lead?

When does it stop being fun?

Can we avoid flux through

redesigning and adapting game

mechanics?

Should we?

Alliances Evolving Game design considerations: Do we introduce more frameworks for larger groups? Are the in-game communication tools suitable and sufficient? Do we consider increasing the size of the universe? How do the goals we have in-game need to evolve? How do these large groups affect newer players? PAGE

Game design considerations:

Do we introduce more frameworks for larger groups?

Are the in-game communication tools suitable and sufficient?

Do we consider increasing the size of the universe?

How do the goals we have in-game need to evolve?

How do these large groups affect newer players?

The Question of Fun Some basic assumptions: We enjoy interacting with people on our own terms. Virtual communities give an individual greater control of his or her presented image. People play games for entertainment, challenges and diversion. We need to bear this in mind when designing games and mechanics relying on social interaction. PAGE

Some basic assumptions:

We enjoy interacting with people on our own terms.

Virtual communities give an individual greater control of his or her presented image.

People play games for entertainment, challenges and diversion.

We need to bear this in mind when designing games and mechanics relying on social interaction.

The Question of Fun Generating a sense of achievement from gameplay can require different elements: Rankings Medals Titles Peer recognition Loot Or a combination of the above… MMOG’s as Social Network Services are uniquely placed to be able to provide all of the above in one contiguous environment, while also facilitating communication about non game-play issues. PAGE

Generating a sense of achievement from gameplay can require different elements:

Rankings

Medals

Titles

Peer recognition

Loot

Or a combination of the above…

MMOG’s as Social Network Services are uniquely placed to be able to provide all of the above in one contiguous environment, while also facilitating communication about non game-play issues.

Alliances set up their own specific awards and ranks: The EVE API gives players the freedom create information displays that is important to them and their social network…

Different Alliances, Different Styles…

The Future... The line between Social Network Services and MMOG‘s will continue to blur. The Virtual Communities built around a game (or games) may develop greater cohesion than traditional social networks. The degree to which individuals define themselves according to which online social network they are most active in may increase.

The line between Social Network Services and MMOG‘s will continue to blur.

The Virtual Communities built around a game (or games) may develop greater cohesion than traditional social networks.

The degree to which individuals define themselves according to which online social network they are most active in may increase.

http://www.mmogchart.com

http://www.mmogchart.com

Questions?

Join the team: http://www.ccpgames.com/ [email_address] Yes, we’re hiring...

Join the team:

http://www.ccpgames.com/

[email_address]