Quando tentamos analisar as práticas que se desenrolam dentro dos MMORPGs (jogos massivos de representação online), nosso poder de análise não deixa de ser condicionado por cadeias maiores de valor, que disputam entre si a hegemonia interpretativa de nossa época. Este trabalho busca investigar em que medida as retóricas disponíveis para explicar o fenômeno do jogo representado aqui pelos MMORPGs - estão articuladas dialeticamente com estas concepções epistêmicas. Em última instância, tentaremos reconhecer até que ponto conseguimos transcender os valores racionais da episteme moderna na descrição que fazemos dos jogos. / When we try to investigate the MMORPG practices, our view is certainly conditioned by major value´s chains which, in their turn, are struggling themselves for the interpretative hegemony in our time. This paper tries to inquiry in which way these rhetorical approaches are connected with this epistemological conceptions. Ultimately, we will try to recognize the boundaries of our rational, modern-oriented perception within the game rhetoric\'s.

Quando tentamos analisar as práticas que se desenrolam dentro dos MMORPGs (jogos massivos de representação online), nosso poder de análise não deixa de ser condicionado por cadeias maiores de valor, que disputam entre si a hegemonia interpretativa de nossa época. Este trabalho busca investigar em que medida as retóricas disponíveis para explicar o fenômeno do jogo representado aqui pelos MMORPGs - estão articuladas dialeticamente com estas concepções epistêmicas. Em última instância, tentaremos reconhecer até que ponto conseguimos transcender os valores racionais da episteme moderna na descrição que fazemos dos jogos. / When we try to investigate the MMORPG practices, our view is certainly conditioned by major value´s chains which, in their turn, are struggling themselves for the interpretative hegemony in our time. This paper tries to inquiry in which way these rhetorical approaches are connected with this epistemological conceptions. Ultimately, we will try to recognize the boundaries of our rational, modern-oriented perception within the game rhetoric\'s.

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are growing in popularity and use worldwide. This study seeks to explore the motivations and experiences of MMORPG players through an extensive online survey with more than a thousand participants (n=1,422). The findings support a complex relationship between the variables, including the direct effects of motivations and flow on the time invested by players in MMORPG play, as well as the mediated effects of motivation via flow. Causal relationships are examined in addition to the significance of direct and indirect effects on frequency of play, yielding several significant results, including (1) the overwhelming importance of relationships as a motivation for MMORPG players, (2) the lack of motivation for manipulating players and elements of the game experienced by players, (3) the significance of achievement motivators when mediated by flow, (4) the significance of the direct effects of the mechanisms of flow (challenge, skill, and play) on MMORPG play behaviors, and (5) the recognition of the intricate network of connections between the variables in their effects on MMORPG players' habits.

The purpose of this study is to achieve a deeper understanding of players’ information behavior in regard to MMORPGs’ external information sources. Despite MMORPGs being a popular recreational activity, and players of this genre of games demonstrating novel information search strategies, this is still an understudied aspect of LIS research. The empirical material was gathered by conducting five semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using a model based upon Harviainen and Savolainien’s (2014) theory of MMORPGs as information systems, along with Wilsons (1999) nested model for information-seeking and information search behaviour. The findings show that external information sources play an important role for players in the information infrastructure of MMORPGs as is also confirmed by previous research on this topic. Which information sources players choose to access is determined based on convenience, habits and the nature of the players information need. The players demonstrate differences in their information behavior depending on if they are less experienced or experienced players. Less experienced players prefer utilizing other players before utilizing external information sources, while experienced players prefer utilizing external information sources as their first option. The findings show that the MMORPG Warframe is also applicable in Harviainen and Savolainen’s (2014) theory of MMORPGs as information systems. The different types of information behaviors that a player can manifest during play seems to align with previous research on the subject.

The purpose of this project is to investigate factors that can be used to explain orthographic variation in City of Heroes (CoH), a virtual community based in an online role-playing game. While a number of models of variation exist for speech, to date, no statistical models of orthographic variation in virtual communities exist. By combining traditional variationist methods with computational text processing, this project documents socially meaningful alternations in the linguistic code regarding two types of sociolinguistic variables, namely spelling and use of abbreviations. For each of the two variable types, two dependent variables are posited, i.e. the alternation between: 1) –ing and –in in durative verbal aspect marking in forms such as coming and comin, 2) –s and –z markers of plurality in words such as cats and catz, 3) abbreviated and full forms for referential abbreviation in terms such as Atlas Park and AP, and 4) abbreviated and full forms for conative abbreviations in terms such as looking for team and lft. The study investigates the role that the following factors play in explaining orthographic variation in CoH: 1) message length, 2) standardness of the immediate linguistic environment, 3) cognitive load, 4) relative proximity in the virtual space, 5) degree of message publicness, 6) experience in the community, 7) avatar gender, and 8) social group affiliation. Through mixed-effects, multivariate models, the study demonstrates that each of the predictors has some role in explaining the orthographic variability observed in the textual record of the community. Moreover, interactions between some of the predictors prove to be significant contributors to the models, which highlight the importance of addressing interaction terms in models of language variation. The findings from the study suggest that the socio-contextual meaning of particular structures in the CoH community lead authors to make linguistic choices, which are realized as alternations in the linguistic code. Finally, implications for the study of language variation in general are discussed. / text

Studien undersöker spelares sociala upplevelse inom online dataspelet World of Warcraft (Blizard entertainment 2004). Detta görs genom att studera de designförändringar som sker med verktyget "Guild" från 2004 fram tills Juni 2013.Verktyget "Guild" är avsett för att ge spelare ett sätt  att skapa grupper, så kallade "guilder" som kan närmast efterlikna föreningar inom verkliga livet. Studien har haft som syfte att försöka förstå den sociala interaktionen som kan äga rum i olika "Guilder". Det är sedan planerat att använda sig av Simmels teori om interaktion och artikeln "The Metropolis and Mental Life” (1903) för att förstå spelarens upplevelse. Materialet består av tre djupa intervjuer, händelselogg av tekniska förändringar samt två fokus intervjuer från en tidigare studie. Resultatet visar att respondenternas upplevelse kan relateras till tre olika teman som bygger upp funktionen, Medlemskap och Tillgänglighet, Guild identitet samt en instrumentell karaktär. Den instrumentella karaktären beror på den starka sammankopplingen som finns till karaktärsutvecklingen, där de används som ett verktyg för att klara av de aktiviteter som kräver flera spelare. En gruppidentitet skapas i Guilds med hjälp av visuella ändringar, där t.ex. Guild namnet finns ovanför karaktären. Medlemskap samt Tillgänglighet är hur spelare måste gå tillväga för att få ett medlemskap. Samtliga teman har sedan används för att förstå utvecklingen av Guild verktyget. Studien fann att den sociala upplevelsen minskades för respondenterna med utvecklingen av verktyget. Guild verktyget visade sig också förknippas starkt med spelarens karaktärs utveckling. Detta kan bero på att ökningen av potentiella nätverk som Guild funktionen tillför skapar ett behov av automatiska strukturer. Interaktionsprocesser minskar med utvecklingen av verktyget vilket kan göra att den sociala upplevelsen minskar. Guild verktyget har också en design som uppmuntrar ett Instrumentellt användande samtidigt som det ger möjlighet till social interaktion. Denna design leder till att verktyget främst används för interaktionsformer som innefattar Exchange snarare än Sociability.

The purpose of this study was to investigate language learning through the use of interactive games. A research synthesis was considered to be the most effective method as it was our intention to explore the research available on language learning and gaming. Although various studies have investigated the employment of interactive games in language learning, this field of research is still in its infancy. We juxtaposed neural correlates of language learning with that of interactive gaming and the findings indicated that there are both similarities and differences in the brain structures activated by gaming and those that are activated by language learning. Furthermore, we set out to investigate the employment of interactive games in the language classroom. Our findings indicated that interactive games are highly underused tools in language learning. In addition, we were able to identify techniques which could be used to employ interactive games in language learning. The technological advancement in our society which has shown to have a great impact on the youth of today has given rise to an increasing need for incorporating technology such as interactive games in education and for this reason it is necessary for teachers to receive education in implementing interactive games in the language classroom.

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This study delved into the influence of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), World of Warcraft, on players' real-life social interactions and skill development. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combined surveys and structured interviews, our findings suggested that World of Warcraft is a vibrant hub for socialisation and group activities, particularly among young adults. Our findings also revealed the formation of lasting friendships within the game, with a significant number of players extending these connections beyond the virtual realm to other online platforms and even real-life meetings. Guild membership emerged as a pivotal factor, which may have fostered a strong sense of community and belonging among players, as elucidated by the Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979). Additionally, our analysis revealed notable improvements in communication and teamwork skills among players, echoing the transformative potential of gameplay discussed in the Theory of Transformative Game Design (Bowman & Baird, 2022). Apart from game designers and researchers, this study is also relevant to everyone seeking to develop their social skills and confidence. These findings emphasised the potential impact of World of Warcraft in fostering social integration, skill development, and the cultivation of meaningful relationships that transcend the boundaries of the game environment. As MMORPGs continue to evolve as influential cultural phenomena, our study contributes valuable insights into the nuanced dynamics of online gaming communities and their broader implications for social interaction and personal growth.

Cette recherche aborde le thème des jeux en ligne et plus précisément celui des MMORPGs. L'objet de notre étude consiste à mieux comprendre en quoi « la guilde », une forme d'organisation sociale propre à ce type de jeu, constitue un facteur favorable aux comportements de citoyenneté organisationnelle (CCO). Ces comportements sont définis au travers de la littérature comme des comportements discrétionnaires qui ne sont pas exigés par la tâche et qui contribuent au succès de l'organisation. Cette étude s'intéresse aux comportements de citoyenneté organisationnelle chez les membres d'une guilde. L'échantillon interrogé témoigne d'une perception différente en termes de citoyenneté organisationnelle. L'analyse des réponses révèle que les membres d'une guilde se considèrent davantage comme de bons citoyens organisationnels que les joueurs indépendants. Ainsi, ces divers entretiens ont fait ressortir des liens entre l'appartenance à une guilde et les comportements de citoyenneté organisationnelle en soulignant notamment l'influence de l'engagement affectif et du soutien organisationnel perçu dans ce processus de mobilisation. / This research approaches the topic of the online games and more preciselyMMORPGs. The purpose of our study is to better understand how «the guild», a particular form of social organization to this kind of play, constitutes a favourable factor for the organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB’s). These behaviors are defined, through the literature, as discretionary behaviors, that go beyond prescribed formal role requirements and duties and which contribute to the overall success of the organization. Our study focuses on the organizational citizenship behaviors of guild members. The sample of survey respondentsaccurate knowledge of a different perception in terms of organizational citizenship behaviors. The analysis of the answers also shows that the guild members consider themselves more as organizational citizens than the independent players. These semi-structured interviews emphasized the bond between the guild membership and organizational citizenship behaviors by underlining the influence of two factors such as the affective commitment and the perceived organizational support in this process of mobilization.