Massively multiplayer online role-playing games : The past, present, and future
- Authors: Achterbosch, Leigh , Pierce, Robyn , Simmons, Gregory
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Computers in Entertainment Vol. 5, no. 4 (2008), p. 1-33
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are emerging in the computer game industry as a very popular genre. These games have existed since the late 1990s, but in the last few years the market has become increasingly strong. This relatively new genre is attracting a widespread audience, bringing together those who previously enjoyed both pen and paper and computer role-playing games, as well as those who enjoy socializing with other players in a virtual environment. Game developers see MMORPGs as a potentially profitable business due to its widespread appeal, but the reality is that only a small percentage of MMORPGs that are released become a success [Kosak 2006]. This article attempts to determine the many aspects that make a successful MMORPG; it also attempts to ascertain what new and innovative features are expected by the users from the next generation of MMORPGs. This is achieved by looking at and discussing past literature and surveying the MMORPG community's perception of previous and current MMORPGs, as well as their expectations of the next generation. An online survey attracted 122 participants to provide their perceptions of current and past MMORPGs. This article determines and outlines the respondents' preferences in the MMORPG genre, discussing what implications these could have on its future. The survey also gave insight into the respondents' expectations of the future of MMORPGs. We conclude this article with a discussion of aspects of current MMORPGs that the participants would like improved, as well as new features they would like incorporated into the next generation of games. © 2008 ACM.
- Description: C1
Open source development and agile methods
- Authors: Simmons, Gregory , Dillon, Tharam
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at Software Engineering & Applications Conference 2003, California, USA : 3rd November, 2003
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The recent success of open source software has meant that there is a need to further understand the way it is devel oped, and in doing so identify best practice in open source software development. Agile software development is the term used to describe and promote a variety of software de velopment methodologies designed for use in commercial projects with unstable requirements and tight time frames. Agile methods are often termed "lightweight methods" in that they downplay the importance of traditional labor in tensive software engineering practices such as exhaustive requirements specifications, detailed design and exhaustive documentation. This paper argues that the open source software development process is in fact a special type of agile method.
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003000443
Stuttering support and nursing education: Two case studies in second life
- Authors: Meredith, Grant , Miller, Charlynn , Simmons, Gregory
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Engaging the Avatar: New frontiers in immersive education p. 217-254
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
Towards an ontology for open source software development
- Authors: Simmons, Gregory , Dillon, Tharam
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, Open Source Systems 2006, Como, Italy : 8th June, 2006 p. 65-75
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Software development is a knowledge intensive process and the information generated in open source software development projects is typically housed in a central Internet repository. Open source repositories typically contains vast amounts of information, much of it unstructured, meaning that even if a question has previously been discussed and dealt with it is not a trivial task to locate it. This can lead to rework and confusion amongst developers and possibly deter new developers from getting involved in the project in the first place. This paper will present the case for an open source software development ontology. Such an ontology would enable better categorization of information and the development of sophisticated knowledge portals in order to better organize community knowledge and increase efficiency in the open source development process.
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003001925