[MUD-Dev] Interpersonal Relations in Virtual Worlds

[Lee Faris]

On Monday, January 26, 2004 10:24 AM Brad King wrote:

> My name is Brad King (http://www.bradking.org/). There's a lot to
> cover here, and I don't want to lose any of you, so I'm just going
> to jump right in. (a little truth in advertising. I've posted this
> note to other game lists as well...)

> I've been asked to put together a college course that will both
> familiarize students with the history of virtual worlds and
> illustrate how interpersonal relationships change through
> technology. I thought the best way to teach this course is through
> the history of games -- partly because I co-authored a book on
> this subject (www.dungeonsanddreamers.com) and partly because it's
> through games that we connect with other people.

> I've put together a very brief list of readings, but I was hoping
> that some of you might have recommendations for case studies,
> books, and other interesting tidbits that would fit into the
> course.

There was a course offered at the University of Washington not too
long ago that may have been along the same theme.  It was offered as
a communications class and I don't think there was a single CS major
in it (Perhaps only because word had not gotten out yet).  The
description says, "In this course, we will conduct an ethnographic
study of the behaviors, cultural practices, and motivations of
MMORPG players."  The students had to spend a number of weeks in EQ
and try out a text MUD.  The students, almost none of which had
every been on any kind of online game, had to keep an online journal
of thier experiences (some entertaining reading).

The professor moved schools the quarter after the class ended, but I
found his class webpage archived at:

  http://web.archive.org/web/20030604122143/faculty.washington.edu/redwood/com480/index.html

I thought you might be interested in the assigned readings.  Some by
of which were authored by members of this list.  And all the rest
seemed to be referenced in the previously mentioned book by Richard
Bartle.
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