Design of Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Brian M Winn and John W Fisher II

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1 Design of Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Brian M Winn and John W Fisher II Accepted for presentation at Computer Game Technology Conference Toronto, Canada, April 8 th, 2004 Introduction In the early 1960s, Spacewar!, a two-player competitive computer game emerged from the labs of MIT. Often heralded as the first computer game ever, Spacewar! was also the first multiplayer computer game (Hertz 1997). Today, multiplayer and in particular, online multiplayer games, are the buzz of the gaming industry. From enhancements of single player games to massively multiplayer games, developers and designers are looking to reap the benefits of online gameplay. Why have online games become so popular? Quite simply, online gaming offers the possibility of much more realistic and engaging gameplay. In most single player games, a participant is working with or against characters that appear as part of a games programming through artificial intelligence. While artificial intelligence-based characters have become much more sophisticated, patterns often emerge which the (human) player can identify and learn to work around. In comparison online games provide dynamic and more realistic competition and cooperation from a much harder to predict human opponent. The games emotional impact is heightened through the addition of players who are aware of their opponents ability. As Jonathan Baron (1999) points out, no computer-based opponent can shame you because shame requires that other people be present. The players awareness of the very real, human opponents provides for not only in-game shame, but also a stronger sense of glory upon victory. It is the addition of this realistic and emotional interaction with other players that increases a games longevity and gameplay dynamics. While multiplayer games on the same computing device have been around since Spacewar!, online games are relatively new. Online games differ from these traditional multiplayer games in that each player has their own view on the game world. This allows the designer to create experiences that are not possible on a shared screen in which every player can see what the other players are doing. Without the screen real-estate and control system limitations of a single computing device, it gives the designer the ability to create games that allow many more players to interact simultaneously at one time (Rollings and Adams 2003). Still, despite several early successes and growing interest, online titles still face many challenges among gamers. Issues such as cost of use, bandwidth requirements, and time commitments make online play unappealing to even core gamers. In other cases, poor design and/or implementation have discouraged gamers from exploring the possibilities of online gaming. However, as games increasingly include online capabilities, more and more players will be drawn into online gaming. To remain competitive, game designers must learn to plan and design effective online titles. This paper offers some guidance. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 1 of 13

2 Design of Online Games Creating a game with a solid concept and engaging premise is a task unto itself, but adding multiplayer features and online enhancements raise new design and development considerations. Jared Wierzbicki (1999) points out that multiplayer may be the next evolution of single player games: Multiplayer games are a logical extension of single player games; for the most part, they make use of the same constructs, the same methods, and involve the same general concepts as any other games. The only difference is that the engine for a multiplayer game has to be able to handle more than one player at a time. While the process of designing for online interaction can remain as simple as adapting network communication to an already existing single player game, such alteration isn t always possible or desirable. Designing with online features in mind often changes the entire focus of the gameplay. Some genres of games adapt easier to online play, particularly those that let players interact in virtual worlds and purposely work with or against one another, such as first-person action, strategy, and role-playing games. These have been the easiest to adapt and most readily accepted forms of online gaming. However other genres such as sports and puzzle games are now being transformed into online multiplayer titles. The quality of online multiplayer gaming relies not only on the game itself, but the people who choose to populate it. With this in mind; online game design can become somewhat of a social science (Squire 2001). A game designer is no longer creating a static experience for a controlled number of players, but rather a gathering place for numerous players, all engaging in similar activities. As an online game attracts more players, it s participants begin to establish tasks and take on responsibilities in the system, forming a community that helps to define the larger experience of playing the game itself. Like any community, chaos can emerge, but by defining rules and roles within the system the designer helps to create a stable social community. Online gaming is still evolving, with new features and enhancements emerging with each new title. Many of the most popular online games, both old and new, provide a wealth of different features and gameplay adaptations. However, three major components exist in most online games. These components are interpersonal communication, player-to-player competition, and collaboration. It is our belief that by looking specifically at these three components, we can draw conclusions about how designers can prepare and produce effective online games. We analyzed six titles that make major use of online enhancements to drive and extend their gameplay. The titles were chosen to be representative of several platforms, including computer, console, and web-based, as well as several genres, including real-time strategy, first-person shooter, action, role-playing, simulation, and casual. The games we chose to look at were Starcraft (Blizzard Entertainment 1998), Return to Castle Wolfenstein (Id Software 2001), Phantasy Star Online (Sonic Team 2001), Lineage (NCSoft 2003), The Sims Online (Maxis 2003), and SissyFight (Word 2001). Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 2 of 13

3 Communication Communication is a key component of the online experience. Whether waiting in a lobby for a game to begin, or wandering through a games environment, players need to be able to interact and speak with one another. It is this interaction that helps players establish relationships and experience the reality of their fellow players. In the online game Counter Strike, Wright, Boria, and Breidenbach (2002) found that players actively create the meaning of the game through their virtual talk and behavior. By looking specifically at the methods of communication we see that each of the analyzed games use communication in similar ways to develop relationships between players. In Starcraft, communication takes place through text messages between players prior to play in the game staging area and during play inside the game world. Players can send messages on a one-to-one or one-to-many basis. Communication becomes a more important factor when players are working together to take on an enemy players communicate to coordinate their efforts. However, when competing against one another, communication is used more so to taunt, gloat, and congratulate other players. Communication in Return to Castle Wolfenstein is available through two different means. Players can send text messages to each other or use specific key combinations to trigger automatic audio messages. Since the game is played at such a fast pace, the audio messages often provide a quick and easy way for players to request cover or taunt other players. Both text and audio communication can occur strictly between teammates, one-on-one, or through messages broadcast to all players. Communication is presented through some inventive techniques in Phantasy Star Online. Since this game was released on a console system rather than a personal computer, most players do not have a keyboard. To counter this problem, the chat system can optionally use icons rather than text, with faces, question marks, and a number of other graphics. Players can map these icons to specific controller keys, so they are easily accessible during play. Players can even customize their own icons, making for some very personalized and expressive communication. Players in your group or individuals in range of your character see all messages, whether in text or icon form. Another interesting aspect of the communication process in Phantasy Star Online is that players can trade Guild Cards, which are similar to business cards. If a player gives another their guild card, that individual can contact and locate them in the game for future interaction. This feature allows players to meet up multiple times online and plan future expeditions together. Players can also send -like messages to one another, so they can communicate asynchronously. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 3 of 13

4 In Lineage players must interact with both non-player and player characters on a regular basis to learn more about their surroundings and create alliances. Players send text messages that appear above their character on screen. Non-player characters provide assistance and help move players on their journey; however player characters add a sense of realism to the game through much more interesting feedback. Chat is implemented in a very straightforward style, but its effect on the players experience is immense. Players must communicate to foster relationships and form into groups. Lineage s gameplay and storyline hinge on the players ability to form into these groups (see Collaboration section below). The massively multiplayer online role-playing game Lineage uses a traditional text-based communication system In The Sims Online, each player, or Sim, an individual communicates with contributes to the experience of playing, much as the events and stories of our dayto-day life are formed around the people we meet and communicate with. Therefore, the primary focus of The Sims Online is the social interaction between players. This social interaction relies largely on the communication that occurs between participants. Chatting with other players is done through a simple text based means; however players can also have their Sims dance, scowl, or perform other actions to communicate non-verbally. Players can also send messages to others, even when they are offline, to be received when they return to the game. A major feature that helps players meet and communicate with new people is the friendship web. The friendship web lets players add individuals they meet to a visual web so they can track friends as they move though the environment and keep ties to one another. The friendship web also provides players with a method for meeting new acquaintances, via degrees of separation through a common friend. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 4 of 13

5 The Sims Online unique friendship web for tracking in-game relationships Similar to Starcraft, in SissyFight communication occurs in both the lobby and fight areas. At any time, players can type a text message and send it to others within the match. Players can also choose the word bubble style of the messages to further express themselves. Players must speak with one another to create alliances and instruct teammates to collaborate on specific tasks. However, text cannot be sent privately between players; all messages sent are seen publicly in the area the players are in. Therefore, some players use communication just to respond to what recently happened in the game, rather than to coordinate future attacks. However, other players develop their own language to communicate with each other, forming an interesting social dynamic in which players may say one thing but mean another (for those in the know). In each of the games reviewed, communication is present via some form of textbased exchange of information. In Phantasy Star Online s icon based chat, the audio messages players can send to one another in Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and in the non-verbal actions in The Sims Online we see the addition of communication through non-conventional yet effective channels. By adding these alternative forms of communication players can still communicate with one another without breaking their focus on the gameplay to type a message. In each of the games analyzed, communication provides the means of interaction, and without it, many of these titles wouldn t be engaging. Competition To create goals and needs within any game, some form of competition is needed. In most online games this competition occurs between players. The player-to-player competition can be much more rewarding than single player gaming in that opponents are very real and distinctly more dynamic than non-player characters. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 5 of 13

6 Competition is the core focus of the gameplay in Starcraft, both in single player and multiplayer modes. The goal of every player is to conquer the enemy forces. As mentioned previously, playing against human adversaries increases the richness and challenge of the gameplay over computer opponents. However, Starcraft further exploits the competitive nature of players by tracking and highlighting players achievements on the Battle.net system. This drives players to play and seek glory not only in a particular game but also in the larger Starcraft community. Players compete head-to-head through the online Battle.net system found in the real-time strategy game, Starcraft In Return to Castle Wolfenstein competition occurs as players are persistently working against one another to win over opposing forces. Players are not only required to complete a series of objectives before the opposing team does, but they also receive scores for the number of enemy soldiers they kill, creating competition among all players, even those on the same team. These competitive gameplay factors help give players reasons to track and eliminate enemies rather than simply completing objectives. Competition does not occur as directly between players in Phantasy Star Online. The primary focus of each player in Phantasy Star Online is to increase the level and skills of their character by battling non-player characters. While players do not battle against one another, there is an emergent social competition that takes place in the game. Players try to build their characters to rise to the top of the games social hierarchy, with the added gameplay reward of being able to embark on much more complex and challenging missions. Lineage takes a different approach, allowing players to compete against, and even kill other players. To reduce the negative impact on beginner players, Lineage was designed to ensure that defeating other players only happens in designated combat zones. For example, individuals cannot fight while in a town or village. Within designated combat zones, players can attack one another; however gameplay tweaks have been made to limit player kills. For example, an individual may attain a lawful status by avoiding killing other players. These lawful players, if killed, can return to the game without any inventory loss. However, if a non-lawful individual defeats a lawful player, they in turn receive a chaotic status, and are more likely to drop items from their inventory upon their death. If lawful players encounter chaotic Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 6 of 13

7 players, they may kill them in hopes of collecting some of their inventory. These two factors help to moderate and balance the world, preventing players from killing each other on a routine basis. Competition, in the traditional sense, is not a primary factor of The Sims Online s gameplay; though there are game objects, such as board or crocket-style games, that can add competitive elements to the game. These games are optional, and are not required to progress in the world. Each game, in effect, provides an additional method of interacting and communicating with other players. As there is no single player option in SissyFight, the gameplay is centered entirely on multiplayer competition in the form of the schoolyard fights. Similar to the Battle.net system in Starcraft, SissyFight has an accumulated game-to-game ranking system. The Brownie Points earned during the game can help players place on a number of different ranking lists. These points are totaled from fight to fight, and player rankings are persistent in the game. Each player gets points just for playing in a match, so long as they don t leave before it ends. Players may also receive points for each player they defeat who has a lower overall ranking than themselves, and more points for those with a higher ranking. This has the result of players competing more heavily against more experienced players. The brutally competitive schoolyard in SissyFight As we can see, competition is used in many different ways in each of these online titles. While games like Phantasy Star Online and The Sims Online do not embrace player-to-player competition as immediately or visibly as other titles, they do utilize some antagonistic factors to drive their gameplay. It should be noted that competition does not always exist in the form of direct player against player interaction. Players may compete in much more social ways as they attempt to create avatars that are superior in the games social hierarchy. Collaboration While competition is at the heart of most online games, working with other players is often just as compelling as working against them. Shared glory, the sense of teamwork, and being part of something bigger than the individual player are all motivations to add collaborative elements into the online gameplay. Overall, collaboration provides players with another unique reason to play online titles as the alliances formed add a new dynamic to the gameplay. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 7 of 13

8 An effortless form of collaboration can be found in Starcraft. In the multiplayer mode, up to 8 players can compete for total domination of the game map. However, players can also ally into teams, working together to achieve victory. Alliances can be formed or broken dynamically during gameplay. Victory is achieved when the player or team has conquered all other players not on their team. Coordinated strategy, such as a joint attack on another non-team member or protecting a weaker team member, is possible in the game. Further, a team of players may use their combined species selection as part of this strategy, as each species in Starcraft has their own strengths and weaknesses. But other than this elementary coordination, there is no other collaborative elements built into the gameplay itself. Each player is in essence playing as an individual toward a shared victory condition. Collaboration is a key factor in the multiplayer gameplay of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Players can choose to join a match as either an Axis or Allied soldier in one of four classes, each with different abilities, including a soldier, medic, engineer, or lieutenant. Soldiers can choose from a number of different weapons, medics can distribute supplies to help other players who are injured, engineers can destroy obstacles and disarm bombs, and lieutenants can survey the situation with binoculars or call in air strikes. With each of these different classes, it becomes evident that players must work together and communicate to complete objectives. For example, teammates may have to collaborate to protect their single engineer so they can blow-up an obstacle, or wait for a lieutenant to call in an air-strike before they raid an enemy bunker. Players can also move though enemy territory as a group to ensure that medics can heal the wounded and complete objectives while dealing with enemy forces. Defined roles and collaboration greatly enhance the first-person shooter genre in Return to Castle Wolfenstein Phantasy Star Online borrows its collaboration model from the party concept inherent in the traditional Dungeon & Dragons style role-playing game. Collaboration takes place as players form parties and begin to work together on specific missions. As a party of up to four players teleport to a location in the game and embark on a mission, the game engine dynamically increases the amount of enemies encountered to counter the number of players in a party. Collaboration is encouraged since the experience earned is shared across the party and players may learn new abilities depending on the classes of characters they are working with. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 8 of 13

9 A party of players on a mission in the console-based Phantasy Star Online role-playing game Lineage uses a similar party concept as its core collaborative model, but adds several gameplay elements to enhance the collaboration. In the basic form, any number of players can form into hunting parties. The players in the hunting party share experience and resources as they battle foes. The party concept is greatly expanded in what Lineage calls a blood pledge. Certain players (a prince or princess) can form and manage a blood pledge. Other players can be invited to join. During a blood pledge the party receives riches and protection from each other while attempting to seize and control castles and kingdoms from others. Pledges have a strong impact on the game world and storyline in Lineage creating a strong draw for players to participate. Further, members of a pledge share in all experience gained by the party, even when they are not logged in, helping players advance their characters. Several blood pledges can join together to form alliances. This creates more advanced collaborative behavior, leading to a lush political system in the game. Collaboration takes place in a number of ways in The Sims Online. For example, players can share their home with other players. These roommates can work together to buy objects and build additions to their home in hopes of increasing the number visitors to their residence, which is a rewarded behavior in the game. Job objects are another feature that requires collaboration. These objects generate money at a high rate, and working together, players can earn more income than working alone. Job objects require a number of players, each with different skill levels in different areas to participate in the task. An example job object allows players to work together to make a pizza. Each player would have different duties and could contribute using their skill level in different areas to prepare the pizza. In SissyFight collaboration between players is encouraged through the scoring and fighting system. Since the effect of specific actions like scratching and teasing are amplified when more than one fighter participates, it is in each player s best interest to make alliances with others. Also, since multiple individuals in a fight can come out winners and earn points for defeating others, players can increase the number of points they earn by working together instead of alone. The need to execute specific attacks as a group to succeed helps place a demand on players to work in unison. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 9 of 13

10 Even the act of tattling can cause fighters to work together, as many players may join together to attack a tattler. While player-to-player competition was a strong element built into the gameplay in most games analyzed, collaboration was often a secondary, not-required feature. However, all the games do have incentives for players who work together, adding to the dynamics of the gameplay and enhancing communication between players. Like competition, collaboration attracts group play. In some cases, such as Lineage and the Sims Online, collaboration may be at the heart of why players play, to foster and/or nurture friendships through collaborative interaction. Conclusion For players to interact and work with one another, whether as allies or foes, they must be able to perceive that the individuals they are communicating with are real people. Interpersonal communication provides the backbone of the online gaming experience. Competition and collaboration between players is born out of this communication. So the question remains, how can a developer use communication, competition, and collaboration to create an engaging online experience? Based on this analysis, we provide these suggestions: Communication must be as unobtrusive to the gameplay as possible. Most modern games have adopted real-time interaction models. In each of the games evaluated, communication did not prompt a pause in this real-time interaction. Therefore, the communication method had to be effortless and not impede the gameplay. Most games follow the Starcraft model, giving the player a quick way to type short messages on the keyboard. Other games have implemented innovative methods to communication without disrupting the gameplay, including the option of playing pre-made audio files in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and the icon based chat in Phantasy Star Online. Manninen (2003) points out that players can effectively use various forms of communication, if the system is designed to support them in a memorable, yet invisible, manner. Optimally communication should work to not only provide a base for online interaction, but a way of enhancing the competitive or collaborative aspects of that game. None of the games analyzed provided voice communication, though many others have implemented the feature. This provides a hands-off way of communicating; however, it too has it drawbacks. For example, it is hard to listen to more than one audio message at the same time, and unlike text messages, due to audio s temporal nature, you cannot review it after the message is played. Nevertheless, as bandwidth and standard hardware ability increase, we can expect more audio and even video-based communication in online games. Player-to-player competition and collaboration should be explicitly built into the gameplay. The ability to work with or against others in an online setting enhances and amplifies the gameplay by providing social incentives and rewards for players outside of the single player experience. This competition and collaboration Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 10 of 13

11 may not be explicitly designed into the gameplay, instead emerging solely out of the interpersonal communication between players. However, the game designer can create a more engaging online experience by building in explicit means for competition and collaboration between players, integrated into gameplay elements as seen in all the games analyzed. Player-to-player competition and collaboration must be carefully balanced. Rollings and Adams (2003) define a balanced game as one where the main determining factory for the success of the player is the skill level of that player. This is particularly hard to do in an online game. A designer must plan carefully and balance the elements of competition and collaboration, as they attempt to create a level playing field among players. Starcraft and SissyFight do this by simply give each player equal abilities. They have equal chance to succeed with the exception of their experience of actually playing the game. However, many games allow players to earn abilities over time, thereby creating instability between players in the game. In such games, the designer should make sure players who might be starting out in the online game aren t driven off by older and more experience players. Competition and collaboration should assist less experienced players as they become acquainted with the game. For example, Phantasy Star Online requires players to build up their character with others on simpler missions before embarking on more advanced objectives. Lineage s use of combat zones and the lawful/chaotic player status, and the related repercussions, are also good examples of this. Players should be able to identify with other players prior to direct interaction. Due to the nature of online gaming, players are often not in the same physical location when playing. Further, they may not have ever met before (physically or virtually). In order for meaningful communication, competition, and collaboration to take place, the game should provide methods for players to identify other players, learn of their abilities, and even know a bit about their personalities prior to interacting. For example, The Sims Online and SissyFight allow the player to not only choose their name, but also their physical appearance, offering other players a glimpse into their (virtual) personality. In Lineage, lawful and chaotic players are differentiated by the color of their avatar (chaotic players are pink). In addition, players in a blood pledge are shown with their pledge name and emblem. This allows other players to quickly know what the players stand for, similar to clan patterns of old or modern day gang colors. Mechanisms should be in place to maintain in-game relationship. Building of in-game relationships is one of the primary elements that attract many players to online games. These relationships may be formed for competition or collaborative purposes, or may just be formed for the sake of socializing. In any case, once a player has made a connection with another player, the game should provide mechanisms to maintain this relationship. The group, party, or team is a common mechanism for collaborative gameplay, as found in several of the analyzed games. Other mechanisms can Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 11 of 13

12 provide the player with the ability to keep track of and find the other players as the game progresses. Guild Cards in Phantasy Star Online and the Friendship web in the Sims Online are prime examples. Think about ways to expand communication, competition, and collaboration outside of the game. Another way to keep players involved in the game is to offer methods of communication, competition, and collaboration that go beyond the scope of the immediate game. In Phantasy Star Online and The Sims Online, for example, players can keep in contact via an -like message system, and keep in touch when not immediately playing the game. The game-to-game ranking system in Starcraft and SissyFight are examples of expanding the competitive element outside the game. In this way the relationships players have established online are carried over outside of the game and prompt players to continue to develop their persona online and encourage the players to return to the game. As Baron (2003) points out Members of true online communities invariably arrange to communicate with each other outside the forum. However, by providing those players with a method of external communication under your own controlled circumstances will let you further enhance the game. While there is no immediate formula for making a great online game, this analysis and subsequent suggestions should provide you with some insight. As long as a game designer begins with a solid concept and can mold the gameplay by integrating elements of communication, player-to-player competition, and collaboration, the game has potential to become a great online experience. References Baron, Jonathan Glory and Shame: Powerful Psychology in Multiplayer Online Games. Gamasutra. November 10th < Blizzard Entertainment. Starcraft. V1.09. Blizzard Entertainment, Hertz, J.C. Joystick Nation: How Videogames Ate Our Quarters, Won Our Hearts, and Rewired Our Minds. Little Brown & Company, ID Software. Return to Castle Wolfenstein. v1.41 Santa Monica: Activision, Manninen, Tony. Interaction Forms and Communicative Actions in Multiplayer Games. Game Studies. May < Maxis. The Sims Online. Electronic Arts, NCsoft. Lineage. US Version. Seoul, Rollings, Andrew and Adams, Ernest. Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design. New Riders Publishing. Indiana Sonic Team. Phantasy Star Online: Episode I. Sega of America, Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 12 of 13

13 Squire, Kurt. Star Wars Galaxies: A Case Study in Participatory Design. Joystick101. July 20th < Wierzbicki, Jared Introduction: Designing Multiplayer Games. Gamedev.net. September 14th Word. Sissyfight. Gamelab, 2001 Wright, Talmadge, Boria, Eric and Breidenbach, Paul. Creative Player Actions in FPS Online Video Games. Game Studies. December < Baron, Johnathan. Heat into Light: Community Generating Conflict in Online Multiplayer Games. GIGNews January 21 st < About the Authors Brian M Winn (winnb@msu.edu) is an Assistant Professor in the Digital Media Art & Technology (DMAT) program in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University were he teaches courses, designs, and researches interactive media design, including digital games. Winn is a lead coordinator for the Michigan Chapter of the International Game Developers Association and a faculty advisor for the SpartaSoft Student Game Developer group at Michigan State University. John W Fisher II (john@mechanicalpulse.com) recently graduated in summer 2003 with a Master of Arts in Digital Media Art & Technology from the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University were he assisted in teaching the Game Design course during summer and fall of The inspiration for this article was a result of his production thesis on the methods and considerations that game developers must acknowledge when developing online games. Communication, Competition, and Collaboration in Online Games Page 13 of 13