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In the real world, Sovereignty is defined as the exclusive right to exercise absolute power over a legitimate territory or a group of people (Dictionary Labor Law Talk 2005). In game worlds, developers are similiar to governments that are found in the real world, in that they determine what games are going to be like. Things such as sounds, graphics and formation are designed by the developers. More importantly, the developers have rights to game code which are considered as law in the virtual world (Burke 2004).
In the game world, design decisions of the developers can shape the possibilities for the environment. The developers have a clear concept on how a “world�? should be modeled, to such details as how light and shadow will be incorporated. As one programmer puts it, "we like to say we are gods. Gods of the worlds that we create�? (Taylor 2004). They also have the power to structure, at an extensive level, how one can move, interact, create, and communicate in that space.
In Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG)s, the developers creates a virtual world as an interactive platform of activity for players to grow and progress freely. However, the game is based on content driven in which the players’ activities are constructed in certain ways. In short, the developers discourage users from playing creativity, rather than how the developers intend. The players’ role in the MMOG is basically constructed of four different types such as socialisers, achievers, explorers, and competitors. For the socialisers, the game is a place where they can interact and chat with others. The achievers are those who like to have challenges to conquer. For the explorers, the game is an envinronment in which to discover. For the competitor, they like to compete with other players (Squire and Steinkuehler 2003).
In addition, in MMOGs the game developers are regarded as the rule-makers of virtual worlds where they have the right to regulate the behavior of game players. The actions of game players are restricted by game code. The game code is the law used by game developers to regulate and prevent the players from actively disrupting virtual environments (Burke 2004).
Another perspective on the vast power of game developers comes from the ownership of virtual property. Game players in MMOGs are regarded as investors, in which they pay a monthly fee for accessing the games and services provided by the game developers, such as new areas of maps and other items available for purchase in the online gaming world. The game developers have power over the End User License Agreement (EULA), they claim to hold all the virtual services provided to the game players. In order to make profits, the game players are allowed to sell their virtual items within the virtual world rather than in the real world (Grimmelmann 2004, 32-34).
It’s My Time and I’ll Sell if I Want To
Burke, T. 2004. Play of State: Sovereignty and Governance in MMOGs. http://weblogs.swarthmore.edu/burke/?page_id=32 (accessed October 14, 2005)
Dictionary Labor Law Talk. 2005. Sovereignty. http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Sovereignty (accessed October 23, 2005)
Grimmelmann, J. 2004. Virtual worlds as comparative law. http://www.nyls.edu/pdfs/v49n1p147-184.pdf (accessed October 22, 2005)
Squire, K. D. and C. A. Steinkuehler. 2003. Generating CyberCulture/s: The Case of Star Wars Galaxies. http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/SquireSteinkuehlerCYBER2004.pdf (accessed October 23, 2005).
Taylor, T. L. 2004. The social design of virtual worlds: Constructing the user and community through. http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:6F1PR6vg-_YJ:www.itu.dk/people/tltaylor/papers/Taylor-SocialDesign.pdf+MMOG+social+issue&hl=zh-TW (accessed October 23, 2005)
The link to key entry:Computer Games - Ethics
--Chang I-Jung 18:40, 23 Oct 2005 (EST)
