DIstributed SImulation & Online gaming

Research Article

Massive Online Games and Loot Distribution: an Elusive Problem

  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/icst.simutools.2012.247777,
        author={Dario Maggiorini and Antonio Nigro and Laura Ripamonti and Marco Trubian},
        title={Massive Online Games and Loot Distribution: an Elusive Problem},
        proceedings={DIstributed SImulation \& Online gaming},
        publisher={ACM},
        proceedings_a={DISIO WORKSHOP},
        year={2012},
        month={6},
        keywords={massively multiplayer online games videogames games theory simulation},
        doi={10.4108/icst.simutools.2012.247777}
    }
    
  • Dario Maggiorini
    Antonio Nigro
    Laura Ripamonti
    Marco Trubian
    Year: 2012
    Massive Online Games and Loot Distribution: an Elusive Problem
    DISIO WORKSHOP
    ACM
    DOI: 10.4108/icst.simutools.2012.247777
Dario Maggiorini1, Antonio Nigro1, Laura Ripamonti1,*, Marco Trubian1
  • 1: University of Milano
*Contact email: ripamonti@dico.unimi.it

Abstract

Massively Multi-player Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) and Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) are complex socio-technical distributed systems. In these environments, a huge amount of players interact to have fun and develop their characters. Looting systems have been developed to help allocating valuable in-game objects, gained after finishing quests, as fairly as possible among the participating players. The medium/long term effects of the adoption of different Looting Systems on players have not yet been adequately investigated, in spite of the fact that they could impact heavily on players’ satisfaction. In the present work, we move a first step in this direction in order to offer several hints for improvement to game designers and companies developing and managing MMORPGs and MMOs.