Comparison and Contrast of MMORPG and Spades

Massively Multi-Playing Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) give gamers ability to play high-speed games online against anyone, no matter the location or country. Various social cognitive phenomena occur when playing MMORPG. The player interacts only with the game with no human interaction, thus limiting his or her social interaction behaviors. The lack of face-to-face interaction inhibits the player’s ability to interact thus leading to various disorders such as depression and loneliness (Kirby, Jones & Coppello, 2014). The MMORPGs can identify and assist various players in exploring the different levels of the game offered, the online games attract players who possess the same desire and interest in playing but cannot afford the same timeframe in a face-to-face checkers game due to life demands. Playing online allows the player to be able to save and pause the game as well as play several games concomitantly. Moreover, the player can register online accounts and enhance their skills through the learning of online tactics.

The player can also conduct online chatting while playing with the opponent as a form of virtual interaction through the online experience.   In MMORPG, an individual can cheat as the opponent may have a friend who is making the strategic moves. The players are not able to determine the person they are playing against. In this scenario, some of the players deceive and gets a higher rating than they are supposed to have. This scenario cannot happen in a face-to-face game playing as the players can see each other while playing. Quite naturally when playing checkers, you are playing face to face with someone you know. However, the human interaction in the game of checkers is far less attractive than it is in an MMORPG. You can explore the quests in MMORPG along or as a member of a team. Playing with a team is more effective because it gives you a sense of belonging. While playing checkers, you can see each other's facial expressions and get a sense of whether your opponent feels comfortable about the game. With MMORPGs, you will not have that advantage.

Comparison and contrasting

 In both MMORPG and a game of spades, you are trying to dethrone your opponents. Winning a spades game gives you bragging rights and the title as the King or Queen of Spades, or that’s what we call our winners, as well as with MMORPGs, the ability to complete different levels to conquer the quests also gives you bragging rights and a sense of ownership. Playing MMORPGs is similar to a game of spades in that they both require strategy and the objective of the game is to win. The way you interact with your partner and learning their strategy while playing the game of spades resembles the way you interact with your team on a MMORPG. Both require you to rely on your partners to win the game.   

A person is more involved and can sit for many hours playing a MMORPG because it is more intriguing. On the contrary, one cannot sit for hours playing spades face-to-face as there is no adrenaline flow that gives you the urge or burst to want to sit for hours and hours. Although the MMORPG environment is fictional, you actually feel as though you are inside that world, unlike with the environment of the face-to-face card game where you are sitting at a table with no graphics. There is violence in most MMORPG as opposed to a game of spades. The speed of the game gives you a rush but speed is not a factor with spades. When you play spades, you are not rushed into playing your next card; it is all part of strategizing.

Impact of the environment

  The gaming environment is called a community. The community is where you socialize with whom you meet to play the different games. Interaction of Player-to-player has great impact on the gaming experience of the player. The community or the gaming environment determines whether a player will continue playing effectively the given game as it has much influence on many aspects of the game and how it is played (Koivisto, 2003). Playing a game of spades player effectiveness depends on the conduciveness and the type of environment a player is in. The environment has an effect on how the player competes and cooperates with the others. The environment of the game helps in the provision of a platform for players’ interaction thus encouraging collaboration and determines the ability to play. You can create an avatar to play, but other than that, there is no storyline or other levels to conquer in spades.     

User interface requirements to be included by the Designer

Developing the interface with some requirements facilitates the engagement of players in a MMORPG environment. Creating a realistic fiction is a requirement to keep the players engaged. The process entails designing the game to fit the user’s specifications which will in turn keep them playing the game.  The World of Warcraft is popular since the designers gave the users the flexibility of creating or customizing their own interface. The collaboration also allows players to be creative in the sequence of events.

Implementing tutorials is another essential requirement. While playing World of Warcraft, available tutorials at every level of the game for new players or seasoned players helps them in learning how to play that level. The tutorial is a necessity in the interface that enables players to engage in the play. Another requirement a designer can include is to add rewards for conquering a level, a phase, or guild, whatever the case may be. As players, it is a huge deal to finish a level and receive an achievement for doing so. The achievement will definitely peek a gamer's interest to continue to play and see how far they can go to beat the entire game.

            Adding status bar is a vital requirement. The status bar offers the ability to see how well you are doing at that particular time. All designers should can add, a status bar at the top showing the user’s progression. Games played in a particular period can be portrayed showing the progression level of the user. If a user has, the ability to make modifications it will increase the number of players that join and play the game. The more content they are allowed, the more time they will be engaged. The content is an important factor for designers, as it makes the game enjoyable prompting a person to invite others to play and will increase the sale of the game.

The designer should also incorporate the ability to modify a program. There are group forums that provide instructions. Another benefit of allowing the user interface in designing massively multiplayer online role-playing games is that it saves the designers time and money customizing the program (Targett, Verlysdonk, Hamilton & Hepting, 2012). Modifications can give a user an advantage. However, each user is able to make any modification they deem necessary. The changes they make are something they believe is missing or will enhance the program more. 

References

Kirby, A., Jones, C., & Coppello, A. (2014). The Impact of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-

Playing Games (MMORPGs). International Journal of Mental Health & Addition.

Koivisto, E. M. (2003). Supporting Communities in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games by Game Design. In DiGRA Conference.

Targett, S., Verlysdonk, V., Hamilton, H. J., & Hepting, D. (2012). A study of user interface modifications in World of Warcraft. Game Studies, 12(2).