I read through
Dungeons & Dreamers: A Story of How Computer Games Created a Global Community. It was one of the best reads I've read in awhile, detailing what the authors consider to watershed periods in the emergence of gaming communities and the people at the center of them, specifically.
1) The emergence of
Dungeons & Dragons as sort of the foundation of what computer game would be based on later on, along with some of the very early computer games of the 60s and 70s.
2) The games created by Richard Garriott, especially focusing on the
Ultima series, which was apparently based on his desire to create an authentic
D&D-like experience as his own programming and design experience grew.
3) id Software, and particularly the creation of
Doom and
Quake, as the first mega-successful games focused on multiplayer, with some focus on the subsequent creation of clans, gaming conventions, LAN parties, tournaments, and professional players over these games.
4) The pushback against games following the Columbine shootings, and the arguments made for and against violent games in particular as well as its effect on the gaming community.
5) The emergence and domination of MMOs, with particular focus on
Ultima Online and its focus on giving players unrivaled freedom over how to advance in the game compared with later games such as
World of Warcraft that offered players more restrictive but better-structured experiences. Also briefly mentioning the relative failure of
The Sims Online and
Second Life, platforms that moved even further away from gaming but offered even greater control over their experience.
I have to admit, I'm not really knowledgeable about much of this history, but it was a fascinating read because one of the things that transformed me from a casual player to a more dedicated player was the idea of people playing games, sharing experiences, and building friendships while they were doing it, something I think reflects even now with Wintreath's focus on community. The book argues, and I agree, that games were never truly meant to be played alone, and that gaming is and should be as much a social experience as anything else. It was definitely an inspiring read.
