NPCs are used in a variety of ways by developers. Functionally, they serve as a mechanism for users to interact with game content. NPCs provide quests, directions, or standardized help with basic game-related concepts. The majority of this information is conveyed using text and is usually stored in the player’s logs. NPCs exist to facilitate play and are not to be confused with MOBs (mobile objects, or monsters) that are designed to provide a challenge, whether via combat or other means.
Published in Chapter:
Intertextuality in Massively Multi-Player Online Games
P. G. Schrader (University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA), Kimberly A. Lawless (University of Illinois, Chicago, USA), and Michael McCreery (University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA)
Copyright: © 2009
|Pages: 17
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59904-808-6.ch045
Abstract
This chapter describes the manner in which gamers engage in multiple text comprehension and intertextual practices within the context of the World of Warcraft (WOW). It describes the nature of and issues associated with multiple text comprehension in a knowledge-based society, intertextuality as it relates to massively multi-player online games, and grounds this discussion in survey results from 745 WOW players. This context is highly complex, rich in information, and supports multiple modes of communication. The literacy skills used by gamers in this environment provide us with a more complete understanding of multiple text comprehension overall and within similar complex environments. The authors hope that the chapter will provide valuable insights into the development and application of 21st century skills and help direct the design of future games and the implementation of games in education.