[MUD-Dev] Social Networks

[Koster]

From: Dave Rickey

> There's been a lot of research into the workings of networks
> (networks as a theoretical entity, not just electronic networks)
> in the last few years (and will likely be a few Nobel prizes
> handed out for some breakthroughs in that time).  Much of this has
> been an analysis of social networks.

> I know Raph must have been looking into this field, from some
> remarks he made a few months back, but I'm wondering if anyone
> else has tried examining these games in terms of their network
> properties?

Will Wright turned me on to it. Recommended reading, in order from
layman's treatment through to hardcore math:

	The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell
	Linked, Lazslo-Barabasi
	Small Worlds, Duncan J. Watts

I've proposed a GDC paper on this for next year, but have not heard
if it has been accepted yet.

And yes, there is a ton of applicability to mud design, though IMHO
most of the research on scale-free networks tends to skip the "why"
(which is what you focused on in your post). Generally speaking,
it's a mathematical field, or a tool for mathematical analysis. The
*creation* of links between nodes is not as studied an area. That's
where it helps to dig into other things, like Alexander's "A Pattern
Language" or other books on architectural theory, and where "Tipping
Point" proves to be more illuminating in some ways despite its more
casual treatment of the subject. I also find it useful to supplement
it with reading in general anthropology (stuff like Jared Diamond,
or Roger McElvaine's "Eve's Seed."

Network analysis is not only useful for community formation, btw. It
also provides insights into community management and community
destruction.

-Raph

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