MMORPGs
Persistent virtual worlds
MMORPGs is the plural of MMORPG, an acronym for massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
These are video games where thousands of players simultaneously inhabit a persistent virtual world, creating characters, completing quests, and interacting with each other: I wasted most of college on MMORPGs.
World of Warcraft remains the genre's most famous example.
Making flat or equal
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- questingActively looking for something
- raidingSudden attack for plunder
- dungeonsUnderground prison chambers
PvE · PvP · loot · crafting · endgame · instances · expansions · patch
Professional mutual-aid society
- partyGathering for celebration
- allianceFormal union of parties
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
- chatInformal verbal exchange
cooperation · teamwork · community · forum · recruitment · trade · auction-house · matchmaking
Mythical small beings
- dwarvesMythical small beings
- orcsSavage fantasy humanoids
- dragonsMythical fire-breathing reptiles
- magicSupernatural or illusory power
sorcery · wizardry · alchemy · necromancy · goblins · trolls · runes · enchantment
Optimizing character builds strategically
- buildsCreates by assembling parts
- rotationsTurns around center points
- kitingAirborne recreation or fraud
- meta-gameStrategy beyond rules
DPS · tanking · healing · threat · positioning · parsing · simulations · consumables
leveling
Making flat or equal
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- questingActively looking for something
- raidingSudden attack for plunder
dungeons · PvE · PvP · loot · crafting · endgame · instances · expansions · patch · cooldowns
guild
Professional mutual-aid society
chat · cooperation · teamwork · community · forum · recruitment · trade · auction-house · matchmaking · emotes
elves
Mythical small beings
magic · sorcery · wizardry · alchemy · necromancy · goblins · trolls · runes · enchantment · spellcasting
min-maxing
Optimizing character builds strategically
- buildsCreates by assembling parts
- rotationsTurns around center points
- kitingAirborne recreation or fraud
meta-game · DPS · tanking · healing · threat · positioning · parsing · simulations · consumables
avatar
Digital user representation
skills · abilities · talents · hitpoints · mana · equipment · gear · stats · customization · spec
persistent
Continuing despite difficulty
- zonesDefined territorial divisions
- regionsDefined geographical areas
- mapsGeographic visual representations
exploration · waypoints · hub · instanced · seamless · sandbox · phasing · sharding · terrain · landmarks
- long gamesMonopoly, Civilization, Test cricket, grand strategy, World of Warcraft
- RPGsDungeons and Dragons, Final Fantasy, Skyrim, GM, Baldur's Gate
- screen addictiondoomscrolling, infinite scroll, phone addiction, screen time, binge watching
MMORPGsarcade games
Quarter-fed video amusements
casual games · mobile games · roguelikes · minigames · party games