There are MMORPGs about so, so, SO many things right now. Why not Shakespeare? Researchers interested in making an "educational" MMORPG based on the world and life of the bard from Stratford. From the site:
From June 2006 to May 2008, with funding from the MacArthur Foundation's Digital Learning program, students and faculty in the Indiana University Department of Telecommunications built virtual worlds based on the works of William Shakespeare. Our objective was to build a world in which we could conduct social science experiments
Arden I is our "Shakespeare Game," the complex version that most people did not want to play. We created a village nestled in the countryside where you can talk to Falstaff, play cards with Nym, and ask Shylock about markets. It has a fairly complicated crafting economy. It has a Wheel of Fortune, complete with Fortune's Fool. It has a character who asks questions about Shakespeare and his plays; if you get enough right, you win a prize. In short, it has many things that one might want to see in a Shakespeare teaching environment. The problem is, Arden I was determined by our players to be, well, no fun at all. If you are thinking of building your own virtual world for education, collaboration, marketing, or some other serious purpose, you should download and experience Arden I to review an approach that, whatever its other merits, did not retain the attention of users.
If you have a hankering for Shakespeare, you can download the game on the web site. Enjoy!
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This could be a pretty exciting Download Games for those Literature lovers. We seldom see a game featuring real characters. I have not seen this. I hope I can try even for once.
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