Expert opinion on the influences of bots on the economy and gaming enjoyment in mmorpgs Version dated 29 th March 2012 Compiled by Prof. Dr rer nat. Wolfgang Broll on behalf of Bossland GmbH


The relationship between players and their avatar



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Expert opinion on the influences of bots
5.3. The relationship between players and their avatar
In virtual worlds, especially in games and here in turn especially in MMORPGs, the player identifies strongly with his avatar, i.e. his representation in the virtual world. The experience construct of identification or character binding (sometimes also called character attachment or CA) is therefore especially pronounced with MMORPGs (see
Lewis, Weber & Bowman 2008). The latest studies show that identification and CA have a pronounced effect on the gaming motivations of MMORPG players (see Bowman,


Prof. Dr. W. Broll
Gutachten zum Einfluss von Bots auf Spielspaß und Ökonomie in MMORPGS
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Schultheiss & Schumann 2012), which in turn can lead to a more intensive and longer use of the respective game. However, players only bind themselves intensively to a gaming character or avatar if it corresponds to their vision or expectations regarding success and performance. This means that the better the avatar is in the view of the player the more pronounced the binding to it and the longer the respective game is used.
5.4. Conclusions
To summarise, it can be said that MMORPGs are used because of a series of different play motivations which in turn exert an influence on the intensity of the players’ entertainment experience. An intensive entertainment experience, on the other hand, has a pronouncedly positive effect on how intensively players use MMORPGs in future.


Prof. Dr. W. Broll
Gutachten zum Einfluss von Bots auf Spielspaß und Ökonomie in MMORPGS
16
6. The influence of bots on gaming enjoyment in MMORPGs
6.1. Regulations concerning bots in the conditions for use
As has already been explained, bots take over the automatic performance of gaming actions in games without the user’s intervention. The activities are performed within the online world exactly as a real user could perform them. It is also extremely difficult or impossible for games operators to differentiate bots from regular users by means of their use behaviour. Bots are therefore explicitly prohibited in most MMORPGs, specifically in WoW, by the conditions for use which players must agree to when they install the software. To what extent end user agreements (EULA or Terms of Service -
TOS) are binding for European and German users of international providers’ software is at any rate legally disputable. The recognised opinion is that EULAs are only part of the agreement if they are agreed between the vendor and the buyer before buying. This is, however, not usually the case with games software. Assent by the user during installation of the gaming software also has no effect. Whether these conditions also apply for access to online gaming servers such as that for WoW has not been finally legally adjudged. It can, however, be assumed that even valid EULAs which would be equivalent to general terms and conditions regulations in German law have no binding effect for providers of external software tools such as bots since no contractual relationship exists between the provider of the bot and the provider of the game.

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