Richard Bartle is the creator of the first virtual world (it was called Multi-User Dungeon (MUD), 1978) and one of the most important scholars and authors in our industry. In his studies, he categorized the kind of players who enjoy playing in virtual worlds (a categorization that can also be applied to other kinds of games but which it is worth pointing out that was intended by the author for Massively Multiplayer Online Games only).
He identified four main types of player:
- Achievers
- Socializers
- Explorers
- Killers
Let's have a closer look at each category and try to understand why it is so crucial for a game designer to understand them.
The Achievers are the players who enjoy setting and reaching the goals set ...
