While the concept of the virtual world is normally used for online multilayer games, there are many examples of vibrant offline worlds that are designed for the enjoyment of an individual player. While these games have only person playing the game they are filled with complex AI characters going through routines that mimic real life and this gives the illusion of a world that continues beyond the players immediate location. In many times this illusion, is real and the AI is in fact having fights and conflict all on its own without the player being involved.
A good example of this style of game is Red Dead Redemption. A western game designed to encapsulate the feelings and emotional up-heaving of the old west during the turn of the last century. The game creates a fantastic atmosphere around the situation and allowed the player to live a life in the old west and truly immerse themselves into the period situation.
Another game that is a good example of a strong single player virtual world is the game Bioshock where the player explores an undersea city that was designed to be a great utopia but had failed to lived up to it's creators designs and had fallen in disrepair. This game allows the player to explore a realized fictional world at their own pace and leisure and understand how they fit into this fantastic situation.
bioshock - link to website about bioshock
red dead redemption - link to website about red dead redemption
So far I have experienced only a virtual world in games. Sometimes it's just another world created for me! Do you think that its effect may be too negative when being obsessed by a virtual world? Maybe it's time for human nature to be changed... We can create heaven for ourselves! It's interesting!
ReplyDeleteDoes the AI keep fighting/playing when there are no users in the game? It all seems like a really interesting concept.
ReplyDeleteIn games like RDR the game is not playing itself when it is off, however the in game area is so big that other things are happening in the game when you are not there that will affect you when you get to your next location that are not part of a scripted event.
ReplyDeleteGames like Animal Crossing and the World Ends with You DO play when you turn them off in that your characters will go events and social engagements that occur according to the in game calender and if your not playing it at the right moment you will miss out on unique content.
on the reverse side of this situation we have Boktai, a game that rewards you for playing it outside during the day by making the in-game character stronger and weaker when you play it indoors or at night. however if you play it outside for to long your character gets heat exhaustion and needs to rest forcing you to stop playing the game!