The Warcraft Civilization: Social Science in a Virtual World - Couverture rigide

Bainbridge, William Sims

 
9780262013703: The Warcraft Civilization: Social Science in a Virtual World
Couverture rigide
ISBN 10 : 0262013703 ISBN 13 : 9780262013703
Editeur : The MIT Press, 2010

Synopsis

An exploration of the popular online role-playing game World of Warcraft as a virtual prototype of the real human future.

World of Warcraft is more than a game. There is no ultimate goal, no winning hand, no princess to be rescued. WoW is an immersive virtual world in which characters must cope in a dangerous environment, assume identities, struggle to understand and communicate, learn to use technology, and compete for dwindling resources. Beyond the fantasy and science fiction details, as many have noted, it's not entirely unlike today's world. In The Warcraft Civilization, sociologist William Sims Bainbridge goes further, arguing that WoW can be seen not only as an allegory of today but also as a virtual prototype of tomorrow, of a real human future in which tribe-like groups will engage in combat over declining natural resources, build temporary alliances on the basis of mutual self-interest, and seek a set of values that transcend the need for war.

What makes WoW an especially good place to look for insights about Western civilization, Bainbridge says, is that it bridges past and future. It is founded on Western cultural tradition, yet aimed toward the virtual worlds we could create in times to come.

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À propos de l?auteur

William Sims Bainbridge is a prolific and influential sociologist who has worked in both academia and government, currently as Director of the Human-Centered Computing program at the National Science Foundation. He has published three other books about gameworlds: Online Multiplayer Games, The Virtual Future: Science-Fiction Gameworlds, and eGods: Fantasy Versus Faith.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
The MIT Press
Date d'édition
2010
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
0262013703
ISBN 13 
9780262013703
Reliure
Relié
Nombre de pages
256
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
non disponible

Autres éditions populaires du même titre

9780262518062: The Warcraft Civilization: Social Science in a Virtual World

Edition présentée

ISBN 10 :  0262518066 ISBN 13 :  9780262518062
Editeur : The MIT Press, 2012
Couverture souple