There is tendency in our society to dismiss computer games as just games and nothing
more. If this is so, why do so many people spend so much time in these game
environments? The purpose of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of how
the users feel about their playing, whether they experience the game environment and
its activities as "real" or "fake". The study also explores to what extent the users feel
that the activities they carry out in the virtual environment have an affect on their
lives. This work is part of a larger user-centric study carried out in the massively
multiplayer online role-playing game called Asheron's call. An effect of this study is
to hopefully make a contribution to the marginal academic debate and to improve the
general level of understanding of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games.
The approach used in this study was to take a step into the environment that was
studied, with the purpose of obtaining the users point of view of the studied
phenomenon. This approach resulted in a deeper understanding for the users and how
they feel about the activities that take place within the game environment and for the
environment itself. There are many prejudices against computer games, this study
discuss whether these are based on inadequate understanding and knowledge of the
concept of what computer games really are. As this thesis will show, a majority of the
users experience the game environment and its activities as a meaningful occupation,
which has effects on their lives and they also consider Asheron's Call to be "real" and
not "fake". This thesis will also stress that it is important that designers, who develop
these kinds of environments, have adequate knowledge of how the users use the
environment and what kind of activities that take place within the environment.
Designers must be aware of the power they possess and consider the social
consequences that are generated from the developed environments.
Keywords
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, Social interaction,
User-Centric Study, Virtual Environment, Asheron's Call, Design
Complete Thesis as PDF
List of Master Theses in Interaction Design
interaction design | chalmers
