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Prof Gets $100,000 Grant to Study World of Warcraft

September 17, 2008 in News comments 13

Bonnie Nardi and the University of California has been given $100,000 to study the game of World of Warcraft. She wants to study up on why American Players wanted to mod the game more than others. Wondering why they'd give her all that money to study the game.

Here is what she will probably be spending:
* WoW - $19.99
* Burning Crusade Expansion - $29.99
* Pre-order Lich King Expansion - $39.99
* Hot Alienware PC - $3,000.00
* Strategy guide - $24.99
* 12 month WoW subscription - $180.00
* Power leveling service - $250.00
* Ample supply of black market *bleep* - $1,000.00
* TOTAL: $4,544.96

A researcher at University of California at Irvine got $100,000 from the National Science Foundation to study how Americans play the popular online game World of Warcraft, The Orange County Register reports.

A hundred thousand dollars to study a video game that pits ax-wielding ogres against a cast of other fanciful characters? That would buy about 50,000 cans of Red Bull to support those late-night gaming, er, “research” sessions.

As it turns out, the informatics professor, Bonnie Nardi, has already studied how the Chinese play the video game, which is used by 10 million people worldwide. In China she worked to debunk the notion that gamers there are interested only in turning World of Warcraft’s fake currency into real money.
Twisted via chronicle.com »
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  • 0
    kspiess Sep 17, 08
    It seems like there are way more interesting things to study in World of Warcraft than why some people like mods more than others. Seems like a waste of a study to me. But its not my PhD, so hey why not.
  • 0
    Shadow of Death* Sep 17, 08
    Wow, yeah, a $100 grant? Wonder what it could be spent on....I suppose you could hire someone do do part of the work, but even a full time job wouldn't have you pay them more than maybe $40 grand (if you're generous)....

    Could probably save a crapload of money, to just have some WoW fan collect data and stuff.....Just have th PhD analyze the data collected >_>
  • 3
    Capn Droid Sep 17, 08
    I just love where all this donation money being given at bake sales is going to. What a good cause.
  • 3
    Dark Arcanine Sep 17, 08
    I agree with the others, it's a very bad use of resources and a waste of money which could be put to much better use.
  • 0
    Final Blade Sep 17, 08
    Wait a second!! They pay her 100 Grand to spend on resources for the game and ends up paying 4,500 thousand dollars? Thats like close to 1/6th of that money? Whats she's going to use the rest of it? Another waste of money.
    • 2
      Onvacation Sep 18, 08
      Dude, learn to fraction. Its more like just under 1/20th of the money.
      • 0
        Final Blade Sep 18, 08
        Sorry Mr. Calculator, It was late last night and I was trying to do it in my head.
        • 1
          Onvacation Sep 18, 08
          Is it too hard to divide 100 by 20?
    • 0
      Big Willie Sep 18, 08
      The article doesn't say anything about how much she's actually going to spend. That's just what Twisted wrote. But in actuality, it's probably worth to some research firms. MMO's, specifically WoW, is a multi-million dollar industry if not billions. Whatever information they can gleam off of her research could be significant.
  • 0
    Deathsythe Sep 18, 08
    Where do I apply for my grant to do some 'independent research' on Crysis?

    • 0
      Avalith Sep 18, 08
      I was actually thinking more along the lines of getting a grant to study porn stars playing Wii Fit and posting it on Youtube...
      • 0
        Deathsythe Sep 18, 08
        I think that is a good scientific study as well, shows a lot of promise.

        I think you will need a few more um... researchers for this - so hit me up Avalith, you have my number

  • 0
    Aphex Sep 18, 08
    It's just crazy how into the game people are and how big the game can be. I played it for a while but stopped a while ago and realised how much money I spent on just paying the monthly fees.

    However, studies about it actually can be interesting. I mean, I would like to hear what she finds out from going into the interactive world.

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