Learning to fly in persistent digital worlds

This paper discusses virtual communities' formation and skill development through the process of participation in collective practices in on-line role-playing game environments. The study that follows is mainly based on the participant observation of players acting in two popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. Data have been collected through participation and observation of players and their unfolding practices in forming and maintaining such communities. The objective was to document these practices and to study virtual game environments in order to understand learning opportunities within and among these communities, and to identify design elements of the game that cultivate community building. The primary unit of analysis is the in-game communities known as 'guilds'. Research findings indicate that in such multicultural and anonymous environments, many learning processes are evolving that affect both players' understanding of the game's state, and their social interaction and communication skills.