This study investigates the learning experiences of three L2 learners of English in connection to the massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft (WoW). The participants, who all attend the course English A at upper secondary school at the time of the study, are frequent players of the game.By writing journals, the participants were asked to report on their learning experiences in direct connection to playing the game. In addition to this they were also interviewed in order to gain a further understanding of their linguistic development through the game.The research shows that the participants were very positive to the learning experiences attached to the game. They all had an abundance of examples to show for their linguistic skills improving significantly by playing the game. Especially the opportunity to engage in authentic dialogue with co-players in English reportedly greatly improved their linguistic skills. However, some doubts exist as to the teaching benefits of the game as most participants were negative to using the game in a setting of instructed learning.

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Using a case-study design, this qualitative investigation examines individual linguistic identity formation and the development of multiliteracies of two second language (L2) English speakers within the context of the massively multiplayer online role-play gaming (MMORPG) community. The theories and methodologies of this study draw from perspectives of sociolinguistics, digital ethnography, and discourse studies. From October 2021- March 2022, data was collected and consisted of the participants’ personal interviews and their asynchronous computer mediated communications (ACMC) within their respective gaming discussion communities. Data analyses consisted of both qualitative coding procedures of the ACMC data into literacy features and cross examination with participants’ personal interviews. Through these two case studies, this thesis shows how two English L2 gamers- one being Russian L1 and one being both Russian and Ukrainian L1- use linguistically sophisticated employment of digital multiliteracies to express their translocal and individual identities. The findings of these case studies contribute to conceptual understandings of how modern virtual communities of practice mediated by communication technologies act in conjunction with translocal L2 identity formation.

The importance of using Artificial Intelligence in video games is growing in response to the need that videogames have of showing behaviors and other game elements in a closer regard to what is witnessed at the real world. This need combined with a high level of user interaction and a large variety of games offering different situations and behaviors in complex controlled environments, places the videogames as an invaluable exploring niche for the application of different artificial intelligence techniques. This was the initial concept that led to the idea of using a MMORPG as background for demonstrating the application of artificial intelligence techniques, a game genre which values a rich environment, full of interactivity and with significant events happening simultaneously, in a similar manner to what is witnessed at the real world. Taking advantage of the MMORPG context, this essay will demonstrate the application of the genetic algorithm based on abstract data type (GAADT) to provide the modification of a game map features due to the course of time, closely resembling what would happen at the real world. A concept that is thus far, little explored in videogames, particularly in MMORPGs. In addition, it is expected that the application created here for validating the GAADT s algorithmic model for the problem presented here can be refined, thus, providing educators with a tool that allows them to use a MMORPG game scenario as a way to draw didactic parallels between the game environment and the content seen at the classroom. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / A importância do uso de recursos de Inteligência Artificial em jogos eletrônicos cresce em resposta a necessidade de jogos que apresentem comportamentos e elementos mais próximos da realidade. Uma necessidade que aliada ao alto nível de interação com o usuário e uma grande variedade de jogos, que oferecem a possibilidade de simular diferentes situações e comportamentos em ambientes complexos controlados, caracteriza os jogos eletrônicos como um importante nicho a ser explorado para a aplicação de diferentes técnicas de inteligência artificial. Este foi o conceito inicial do qual partiu a idéia de utilizar um jogo de MMORPG como pano de fundo para demonstrar a aplicação de técnicas de inteligência artificial, um gênero de jogo que preza por um ambiente rico, interativo e com eventos significativos ocorrendo de forma simultânea, similarmente ao que ocorre no mundo real. Tomando proveito do contexto do MMORPG, esta dissertação irá demonstrar a aplicação do algoritmo genético baseado em tipos abstratos de dados (GAADT) para proporcionar a alteração das características de um mapa de jogo em razão da passagem do tempo, de forma similar ao que ocorreria no mundo real. Um conceito ainda pouco explorado em jogos eletrônicos, sobretudo em MMORPGs. Espera-se ainda que a aplicação criada aqui para a validação do modelo do GAADT a este problema possa ser refinada, de modo a proporcionar aos educadores uma ferramenta que lhes permitam utilizar o cenário de jogo de um MMORPG como um meio para traçar paralelos didáticos entre a ambientação do jogo e o conteúdo de sala de aula.

Submitted by Liliane Ferreira (ljuvencia30@gmail.com) on 2018-09-20T14:32:11Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - José Guilherme Abrão Firmino - 2018.pdf: 3193761 bytes, checksum: a92cfe65f4bd0adda0768ea3bba20f0d (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-09-21T11:27:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - José Guilherme Abrão Firmino - 2018.pdf: 3193761 bytes, checksum: a92cfe65f4bd0adda0768ea3bba20f0d (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-21T11:27:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - José Guilherme Abrão Firmino - 2018.pdf: 3193761 bytes, checksum: a92cfe65f4bd0adda0768ea3bba20f0d (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-27 / The present study aims to explore the relationship between digital games, game communities and the agency for creating social bonds and emerging behaviors in interactive digital media: video games. To do so, we rely on Victor Turner’s concepts of liminality and communitas, as well as Richard Schechner's concepts of transport/transformation and I-not-I, and link them to Janet Murray's and Brenda Laurel’s definitions of games and video games, among others and recent publications about media working on such concepts as Ian Bogost's procedural rhetoric and Henry Jenkins' narrative architecture. We argue that through agency, video games allow players to create lasting and real bonds with each other, and to create and interpret meanings about the world around them and about themselves. For this, we are based on the play concepts of Johan Huizinga and Eugen Fink. To do so, we conducted a field survey in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online accompanying a group of five players in their online activities over three months. We had as methodological base the digital ethnography of Robert Kozinets, the mechanism of Jon Elster and the study of behavior and facades of Erving Goffman. In this way, we were able to trace the profile and analyze the actions of our subjects and it was possible to conclude that they have in fact developed significant and lasting affective ties in the digital space without face-to-face contact with the other players. This study also allowed us to look at the social challenges a novice player undergoes in embarking on a massive online game as well as better delineate what motivates veteran players to continue playing. Thus, we argue that this study demonstrates the relevance of cultural performance studies as a theoretical-methodological framework for the study of the field of video games specifically and of social media in general. In addition, we believe that the results and data obtained in this research open windows to new issues in the field of digital media and especially for social studies and discourse analysis focused on video games in general and online video games in particular. / O presente estudo visa se aprofundar na relação entre jogos digitais, comunidades de jogos e agência para a criação de laços sociais e comportamentos emergentes em mídias digitais interativas: os video games. Para tanto, nos baseamos nos conceitos das performances culturais de liminaridade, communitas, de Victor Turner, e de transporte/transformação e do não-não eu, de Richard Schechner e fazemos a ligação entre eles com as definições de jogos e videogames de Janet Murray, Brenda Laurel entre outros e de publicações recentes sobre mídias trabalhando conceitos como a retórica procedural de Ian Bogost e a arquitetura narrativa de Henry Jenkins. Defendemos que, através da agência, os video games permitem aos jogadores criarem laços duradouros e reais entre si, além de criarem e interpretarem significados sobre o mundo ao seu redor e sobre si mesmos. Para isto, nos baseamos nos conceitos de play de Johan Huizinga e Eugen Fink. Para tanto, realizamos uma pesquisa de campo no MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online acompanhando um grupo de cinco jogadores em suas atividades online ao longo de três meses. Tivemos como base metodológica a etnografia digital de Robert Kozinets, o mecanismo de Jon Elster e o estudo de comportamento e fachadas de Erving Goffman. Desta forma, nos foi possível traçar o perfil e analisar as ações de nossos sujeitos e nos foi possível concluir que eles de fato desenvolveram laços afetivos significativos e duradouros no espaço digital sem a realização de um contato face-a-face com os demais jogadores. Este estudo também nos permitiu verificar os desafios sociais a que um jogador novato está submetido ao embarcar em um jogo online massivo assim como melhor delinear o que motiva os jogadores veteranos a continuarem jogando. Desta forma, argumentamos que este estudo demonstra a relevância dos estudos de performance cultural como arcabouço teórico-metodológico para o estudo do campo dos video games especificamente e de mídias sociais em geral. Além disso, acreditamos que os resultados e os dados obtidos nesta pesquisa abrem janelas para novas questões no campo das mídias digitais e especialmente para os estudos sociais e de análise do discurso centradas em video games em geral e nos video games online em particular.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-09-19T15:21:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T15:45:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T15:46:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-04T15:46:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-05-24 / Os MMORPGs são um fenômeno à parte na indústria dos jogos eletrônicos. Possuem um desenvolvimento paralelo, trazendo sempre elementos novos e diferenciados para a cultura dos games. World of Warcraft, lançado em 2004, é o mais expressivo representante do gênero MMORPG, com 11.5 milhões de usuários pagantes no mundo. O jogo é constantemente alvo de críticas devido ao alto grau de envolvimento dos jogadores (fenômeno denominado ―vício‖ ou ―uso problemático‖) que passam, em média, 20 horas por semana conectados. Entender o desenvolvimento deste game e como se dá a participação nele conduziu à verificação da existência de padrões na concepção do jogo que buscam criar hábitos específicos nos jogadores, resultando no alto grau de envolvimento. Partindo da hipótese de que os jogos eletrônicos estão modificando hábitos, comportamentos e até a sociabilidade, uma contextualização bibliográfica sobre o desenvolvimento dos jogos eletrônicos, desde seus primórdios, indicou que o gênero MMORPG sempre encerrou características essenciais para este envolvimento. O detalhamento de World of Warcraft como mídia híbrida - por meio das Matrizes da Linguagem e do Pensamento de Lúcia Santaella, apoiadas na semiótica peirceana -, conduziu a uma análise das dominâncias sonoras, visuais e verbais no jogo, assim como os hibridismos que atuam potencialmente sobre a formação de hábitos. A análise das semioses para produção de envolvimento apontou que o universo do jogo é concebido e modificado para adequar os hábitos dos jogadores aos interesses comerciais dos desenvolvedores. / The MMORPGs are a phenomenon apart in the industry of electronic games. They have a parallel development, always bringing new and different elements to the culture of games. World of Warcraft, launched in 2004, is the most significant representative of the MMORPG genre, with 11.5 million paying users in the world. The title is constantly criticized because of the high degree of engagement of the players (called "addiction" or "problematic use") that are on average 20 hours per week online. Understanding the development of this game and how does the participation in it led to the determination of standards inside the game design seeking to establish specific habits in the players, resulting in the high degree of involvement identified. Assuming that electronic games are changing habits, behavior and even sociability, a bibliographic research on the development of electronic games, since its inception, said the MMORPG genre always ended the essential characteristics for this involvement. The details of World of Warcraft as hybrid media – through Matrix of Language and Thought by Lucia Santaella, supported by Peirce's semiotics –, led to an analysis of dominances of sound, visual and verbal aspects in the game, as well as hybrid forms, potentially acting on the formation of habits. The analysis of the semiosis for the production of engagement pointed that the game world is designed and modified to suit the habits of players to the developers‘ commercial interests.

Les média relatent des cas de joueurs de MMORPG recrutés sur des postes à responsabilités au regard de leurs compétences managériales acquises en jouant. Les joueurs de MMORPG développent-ils réellement des compétences managériales en jouant, et si oui, dans quelles conditions ? Pour explorer ces questions de recherche, nous fondons nos travaux sur la Théorie de l'Apprentissage Social ainsi que sur la Théorie Sociale Cognitive, toutes deux issues des recherches d'Albert Bandura. La revue de la littérature ainsi qu'une étude qualitative exploratoire (13 joueurs et anciens joueurs de MMORPG) nous amènent à proposer un modèle structurel de l'apprentissage des compétences managériales des joueurs de MMORPG. Ce modèle est testé grâce à une étude quantitative menée auprès de 4.397 individus. Deux analyses ont été réalisées. Pour la première, à visée exploratoire, permettant d'épurer les instruments de mesure, 414 questionnaires ont été validés (sur 707 reçus). Pour la seconde, à visée confirmatoire, permettant de vérifier les hypothèses, 2.628 questionnaires ont été validés (sur 3.690 reçus). Après avoir dessiné le profil des joueurs de MMORPG, nous montrons qu'il existe des phénomènes d'apprentissage de compétences managériales perçues par les joueurs, développées puis mobilisées dans les MMORPG, selon certaines conditions liées à l'environnement du jeu ainsi qu'à l'état intérieur du joueur. Le modèle proposé est ainsi validé. Les conclusions de cette recherche offrent des perspectives pour les joueurs ainsi que les organisations dans divers domaines, tels que le recrutement ou la formation, en tirant profit du potentiel des MMORPG. Des études longitudinales mériteraient d'être menées pour explorer l'évolution de l'apprentissage des joueurs de MMORPG et confirmer nos résultats. / Media relate instances where MMORPG players are being recruited to responsibility positions, thanks to their managerial skills, acquired through playing. Do MMORPG players really develop such skills though playing, and if so, under what conditions? To explore these research questions, we're basing our works on the Social Learning Theory as well as the Social Cognitive Theory, both resulting from of Albert Bandura's researches. Literature reviewing as well as an exploratory qualitative study (13 players and older MMORPG players) led us to propose a managerial skill learning structural model of the MMORPG player. Two analyses were realized.The first one, in an exploratory aim, allowing to refine measuring tools, saw 414 questionnaires being validated (on 707 collected). The second one, with a confirmatory aim, allowing to verify hypothesis, saw 2 628 questionnaires being validated (on 3 690 collected). Once we've drawn the MMORPG player's profile, we're showing that there are managerial skill learning phenomena perceived by the players that are developed then mastered in MMORPG, under specific conditions linked to the game's environment, as well as the internal state of the player. The proposed model is thus validated.Conclusions of this research offer possibilities for players as well as organizations in various domains, such as recruitment or training, by benefiting MMORPG's potential. Longitudinal studies would deserve to be done in order to explore the MMORPG's player learning evolution, and confirm our results.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse storytelling in Korean online games, mainly represented by MMORPG genre. The first chapter introduces five essential Korean MMORPGs that will be subjected to the analyses throughout the thesis. Next chapters research storytelling in MMORPGs and its instruments, which are used to anchor the story inside the game. Main practical part then analyses mentioned online games and searches for motives based on Asian mythology, history and culture. For better comprehension a technical vocabulary related to gaming industry is also included at the end of the thesis. Because of technical reasons, all mentioned games are analysed in their European versions. Key words Korean online games, MMORPG, storytelling, mythology, multiplayer, asian motives, Heterocosmica

<h2>The phenomenona MMORPG-games – a qualitative study on MMORPG-games effects on the players life</h2><p>The aim of this study was to shed lights on what it is that makes some people play MMORPG-games, get a insight in how a gamers social network can look like and how the game can change the players everyday life. To acchieve this aim the authors carried out four individual interwievs with MMORPG-players. These interwieves was hermeneutic interpreted with the socialantropology networkstheory, roletheory, social identitytheory and the entirety was interpreted with the concept: “the late modern society”.</p><p>The conclusions that was found were that the games helps the players to handle their everyday life and has a condition for the players to produce relationships with other players. The study also reviled that the games can have different effects on the players and the amplitude of the effects depends on how deep the players involve themselves into the games. Furthermore the study showed that the players has a possibility to create identities in the MMORPG-games but it also showed that there are a conflict between the gameworld and the physical life where the gameworld is understood as the “secondary world”.</p><p> </p>

As social interactions migrate to the ubiquitous Internet we are facing a change in theway we relate to each other, which presents interesting new opportunities foranonymity to create identities. An aspect of this radically evolving technology thatexhibits strong possibilities for altering or producing identities is the rapidly growingonline game genre MMOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Game) which isentertainment that millions of people all over the globe engage in daily. Thisrelatively new platform for socialising has become of cultural and social significance,which is why it calls for examination and research. Thus, the main research questionsasked in this thesis are as following: How does players of MMOGs utilise the nighcomplete anonymity to present or modify their identities online? In which ways areMMOGs used as a platform for socialising and development of social groupdynamics? After observing a large group of players in a popular MMOG, as well asconducting several interviews with key identities within the group, I discovered three fundamental parts of identity creation, and created a model for use and applicationin different social situations and constellations.