A Model of Decision-Making Based on the Theory of Persuasion used in MMORPGs

Abstract

From a videogame perspective, decision-making is a crucial activity that takes place at all times and at different levels of perception. Moreover, this process influences the gamers' performances, which is an interesting feature for RPGs as they are games that are able to work as tools for increasing the improvement of the proximal development zones of players due to their inherent trait of cooperation, which alone, stimulates their skills of socialization, interaction and, consequently, communication. A feat that is achieved by involving players in a kind of plot that requires them to interact and take decisions, hence, favoring decision-making process. For these reasons, the RPG genre was considered as an appropriate test bed to apply the decision-making model proposed by this paper, which was built by using a Petri Net and that combines concepts taken from The Game Theory and from the reciprocity principle from the Theory of Persuasion.Index Terms-Psychology of persuasion, systems decision making, MMORPG, RPG, Petri net and game theory.