A previous post focused on getting one’s feet wet in a basic virtual world. Open ended virtual worlds like There, Active Worlds and Second Life provide free initial memberships and are not overly demanding in terms of computing power. They function well as simulations of real world environments for social, entertainment, educational, and business purposes.
In this entry we’ll look at the process of exploring the theme based “gaming” worlds called MMORPGs (Massive Mulitplayer Online Role Playing Games) or MMOs. These worlds have the largest number of members world wide (15+ million), and while not used as widely for educational purposes, they have a number of potential applications. Among their participants are a significant number of educators who play for fun, challenge and connections with others. It’s not uncommon for real life friends, family members and colleagues to spend time adventuring together in these worlds. They have also been the subject of a number of research studies which investigate their social aspects, virtual economies, cultural dimensions and skills developed in the process of playing.
Worlds of Imagination
These worlds tend to be less realistic than the worlds mentioned in the earlier post. Instead MMO’s provide fictional worlds inspired by novels and films. One observer noted that there will always be a gap between the real world and the worlds created by our imagination, but MMOs come as close as we may get to bridging that gap.
Although they are referred to as “games” since they draw their basic design from single player role playing games, many people see these environments as persistent virtual worlds instead. Unlike a game, you don’t win or lose, there is no end or finishing point, and most people are not active role-players. However, they generally provide a storyline or historical lore to frame the experience, there are structured activities to pursue, and your avatar evolves in a number of ways over time. These worlds provide ample opportunities for social interaction through group collaboration and larger communities (guilds) which become a kind of “in world” family.
Getting Started
If you want to give one of these worlds a try, what are the steps to follow? First be aware that although there are some free MMOs and others have free trial periods, the most highly regarded worlds eventually will require a monthly fee to continue play (usually $10-15 per month). Given that there are no time limits with regard to time spent in these worlds, they can provide a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment and socialization. However, since at this point you’re exploring these worlds as a newcomer and not committing to any long term involvement, you can get by for a week to a month with little or no financial investment.
Technology Requirements
The primary barrier is computing power, in particular your computer’s graphic capabilities. While most modern computers purchased in the last few years have the processing power to run these worlds, they often fall short in their graphics area. These worlds require a lot of visual processing and the computers purchased for schools and the less expensive computers purchased for the home usually don’t measure up.
The key component is a device known as your video card. In the past virtually all computers came with video cards, but now in order to save costs, many manufacturers combine the video processing with another component (generally the motherboard). This has led to the availability of lower cost computers, but it does limit their versatility. Fortunately virtually all computers can accommodate a seperate video card as an upgrade.
Upgrading Your Video Card
These cards range in cost from under $100 for a basic card to $300 or more for the high end cards used for professional graphics work (and very serious gamers). However, for somewhere between $100-150 you can get a solid mid-level video card that should run most of the currently available MMO’s without difficulty. It’s also recommended that you have 2 gigabytes of RAM (working memory) on your computer.
While computers are designed to be relatively easy to upgrade at home, if you’re not comfortable working under the hood there are usually computer stores in your area that will sell you a video card and upgrade your memory and install the products. If you’re using a school computer and are exploring these worlds for potential educational applications, your IT department may provide (and install) a memory and video card upgrade.
If you’re thinking of purchasing a new computer keep these requirements in mind. Many of the computers available in retail stores do not include competent video cards for virtual world use. Online companies like Dell and ABS have models designated specifically for this purpose (both desktops or laptops). Toshiba makes a relatively affordable line of “gaming” laptops that include competent video cards. These computers can also easily handle all the usual demands of work.
Taking the Plunge
Once your computer is ready to go, it’s a matter of choosing a world, installing the software (downloaded or purchased at a store), creating an account and logging in. You’ll generally be given the opportunitiy to select and customize an avatar and then off you go. Many worlds now have tutorials and hints for beginners to assist you (as well as paper manuals and guidebooks). In a future post, we’ll talk more about some specific worlds you may want to consider, and what to do when you arrive. An earlier blog post “Which Virtual World to Choose” can be helpful reading to get you started.
