Aimed at dedicated fans of the role playing game World of Warcraft, this dynamic collection of essays explores the undying fascination with a game that is a welcome escape from reality for millions of people around the world. Gaming experts, developers, and bestselling sci-fi authors examine the overwhelming success of the game and the underlying motivations for gamers to spend, on average, as much time as...

Aimed at dedicated fans of the role playing game World of Warcraft, this dynamic collection of essays explores the undying fascination with a game that is a welcome escape from reality for millions of people around the world. Gaming experts, developers, and bestselling sci-fi authors examine the overwhelming success of the game and the underlying motivations for gamers to spend, on average, as much time as they would at a part-time job battling in the world of Azeroth, and address issues ranging from economics and psychology to addiction and game ethics are addressed, as are the outstanding design of the game and the histories of several main characters.

Contents:
Part one: The game --
Elegant game design: fishing for those missing hours / Scott Cuthbertson --
Underworld of Warcraft / James John Bell --
World of Warcraft: timesink of the gods / Justina Robson --
LGF--
and a little more / Nancy Berman --
Reframed relationships: MMORPGs and societies / Mel White --
The economy of World of Warcraft / Jerry Jackson --
Ancestors and competitors / Chris McCubbin --
Maps and mapping / James M. Ward --
Should we sell World of Warcraft by prescription only? / Maressa Hecht Orzack and Deborah S. Orzack --
Altaholics not so anonymous / Doranna Durgin and Nancy Durgin --
I play like a girl: yes, that level 60 night elf warrior is mine / Nancy Berman --
Advice to the WoWlorn / Jody Lynn Nye --
Part two: World of Warcraft classes / Chris McCubbin --
Paladin --
Priest --
Shaman --
Druid --
Rogue --
Mage --
Warrior --
Warlock --
Hunter.