| Imagine, you're piloting your space ship through the | | | | Eve Online is one of various MMORPGs on the |
| galaxy, searching for fame and fortune. You're in the | | | | internet. An MMORPG is a Massive Multiplayer Online |
| process of working a trade route, transporting ore | | | | Role Playing Game. A MMORPG like Eve Online is |
| from a mining colony to a heavily industrialized planet | | | | different from most computer games in that in a |
| to sell it at a massive fortune. You're gliding through | | | | regular computer game you are the only human |
| the star system when your sensors select up | | | | player, all of the other characters you interact with |
| something. | | | | are just computerized "bots." |
| Pirates close in on you, and you fire off a few shots | | | | However, in MMORPGs you're interacting with other |
| to keep them at bay. One of them challenges you, | | | | people who populate the world of the game. There |
| "Hand over your cargo or die." You consider | | | | are some characters that are simply part of the |
| bargaining with them, but realize it's no use. You fire | | | | game, usually called NPCs (Non Player Characters), |
| off a missile salvo at the nearest pirate, and he | | | | but for the most part you're interacting with other |
| disintegrates into dust. The other two pirates open | | | | people. The pirates in the Eve Online example are |
| fire, weakening your shields as you make a run for | | | | other people, sometimes on other parts of the |
| the planet. You duck into its protection just as your | | | | world, connected through the Eve Online server. |
| shields dissolve, narrowly escaping death and heading | | | | When you receive messages, there is someone |
| towards the biggest sale of your life. | | | | sending them on the other end. |