The Warcraft Civilization: Social Science in a Virtual World
- ISBN-10
- 0262518066
- ISBN-13
- 9780262518062
- Category
- Games & Activities
- Pages
- 248
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2012-09
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Author
- William Sims Bainbridge
Description
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.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2010
- 248 pages
- Paperback
- MIT Press (MA)
Similar books
-
The Ethics of Poker
By Todd M. Furman... deals made with a drunken person violate the informed consent rule and are immoral. how ... morally accountable for his action(s) if the action(s) 4.
-
Treading Through: 45 Years of Philippine Dance
By Basilio Esteban S. VillaruzThat body is whole because it is a thinking ( Mabel Todd's ) and conceptualizing body . ... Both processes have to deal with the idea of beauty in dance ...
-
We the Gamers: How Games Teach Ethics and Civics
By Karen SchrierK. Schrier and D. Gibson (Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2010), pp. 239–261). 15. Becker, “Choosing and Using Games in the Classroom.” 16. For further information, see D. Simkins, “Assessing Video Games for Learning,” Learning, ...
-
Playing with Sound: A Theory of Interacting with Sound and Music in Video Games
By Karen CollinsLeonardo Music Journal 14 : 97-104 . Gibbs , M. R. , K. Hew , and G. Wadley . 2004. Social Translucence of the Xbox Live Voice Channel . In Entertainment Computing , ed . M. Rauterberg . 377–385 . Berlin : Springer - Verlag Gibson ...
-
A Parent's Guide to Video Games: A Practical Guide to Selecting and Managing Home Video Games
By Jason RichProduction Staff Lead Editor : J. L. France Copy Editors : Cover Design : Irene , Alphonse & Manfred Additional Concepts One on One Graphics Carolyn Porter Page Design : Cover Credits DuckTalesTM and © 1991 The Disney Company .
-
Really Clever Crosswords 2
By David Levinson WilkC rossword lovers will welcome this second volume of clever, challenging puzzles by David Levinson Wilk.
-
Crosswords
By David Levinson WilkFill the coffee cup, find a pencil, and grab a chair: it’s time to solve some crosswords! What a great way to take a break, relax, and give the brain a fun challenge, too.
-
Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond
By David G. SchwartzLevinson was a prominent member of the Detroit - area “ gambling fraternity . ” He collaborated with Samuel Garfield , a Midwest betting and gambling operator and friend of Moe Dalitz.26 Levinson's two brothers , Mike and Louis ...
-
The Hogwarts Library Collection: The Complete Harry Potter Hogwarts Library Books
By J.K. RowlingThis collection includes the updated edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, with a new foreword from J.K. Rowling (writing as Newt Scamander) and six new beasts!
-
Bridge Strategy at Trick One
By Fred L. Karpin21445-1 Paperbound $ 2.50 THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF Oz , L. Frank Baum . America's finest children's book in facsimile of first edition with all Denslow illustrations in full color . The edition a child should have .