Talk:Mob (computer gaming)
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Is that link relevant? It's merely an example of the usage of the term. Wouter Lievens 19:15, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)
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[edit] Mobiles
In a 1996 article on MUDs expanding on a 1990 article, the term "mobiles" for "mobs" is used several times. Is THIS perhaps the origin of the term? - BalthCat 04:58, 10 June 2006 (UTC)
Dr. Richard Bartle, who co-wrote the original MUD, actually writes in his book Designing Virtual Worlds that he called them mobiles because they meandered randomly, like a hanging Mobile (Footnote 30 on page 102). 80.246.32.32 07:49, 9 August 2006 (UTC)
Richard Bartle did not co-write the original MUD. http://www.ludd.luth.se/mud/aber/mud-history.html. By 1996 the term Mob/Mobiles had been around for quite a few years.
The ludd.luth.se link being dead, here is a current one http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/mudhist.htm Sinneed (talk) 00:54, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
In support of this I asked Richard in email
<further snip by Sinneed (talk) 20:07, 16 April 2008 (UTC)> <snip>
A little debate came up on the origin of the game term MOB. Some say it means "man or beast" some say it is Mobil OBject.
It's more like the latter than the former, but isn't that either. When I took over programming MUD1, all objects except player characters were static, ie. they didn't move. I wanted some objects that did move, so I could use them for monsters etc.. I needed a name, for programming reasons if nothing else (the variable names, the record structure name). I didn't want to call them "monsters", though, because I could see their being used for non-monsters, eg. helpful humans. I decided to go with "mobiles" as a familiar form of "mobile objects", and because of the happy coincidence of the name's existing use for a those hang-from-the- ceiling secorations that consist of a bunch of seemingly independent entities moving withing predefined constraints. Thus, mobiles were born. The name was passed down through generations of subsequent virtual worlds, until in the late 90s people started shortening it to "mobs". Thus, mob doesn't stand for Mobile OBject, it's a shortened form of "mobile", which in turn is the quick name I gave to mobile objects in MUD1. "Man Or Beast" is a retro-fit. Hope this helps. Richard —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.18.194.203 (talk) 18:57, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] I think this page needs updating.
There are now a large number of computer games in which the term "mobs" is literal - it refers to large groups of monsters. Magnate
- I would view that as the designers simply using the word "mob" literally, not a new use of the word, and so it doesn't need to be included. "A mob of monsters" = "A mob", etc. - BalthCat 16:48, 16 August 2006 (UTC)
? But the article starts with "a mob is a type of NPC", which is just not correct for a number of modern games. So at the very least it could start with "apart from where the word is used in its literal sense, a mob is ..." - or something. I agree we don't need a big exposition of what a literal mob is! - Magnate
- Shall we add "When not referring to actual war machines, a Tank is ..." to tank? "When not referring to the fairy-like creatures..." to Sprite? Both things occur in computer gaming, in both forms. We might have to change an awful lot of articles where homonyms (er, I forget what "identically spelled" words are called... my bad) occur in the same situations. It seems unnecessary to me. A disambiguation link at the top might be best. - BalthCat 00:58, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
I see your point. I guess it's not that important. I just felt that someone might come to this article thinking it was about dealing with large groups of enemies, only to find that it refers to something decades older. Never mind. Magnate 10:53, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
- I had to read the discussion page to find out that it wasn't a mistake or something. =/ 66.38.19.158 (talk) 15:05, 10 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Definition
I always thought a 'mob' was a kind of monster that hangs out in large groups.
- I'm pretty sure that's just "a mob". - BalthCat 19:41, 2 September 2006 (UTC)
It seems a common mistake, possibly due to the use of the term 'the mob' in reference to Roman citizens. As most MUD and MMORPGs are fantasy based it seems an easy conclusion to jump to.
I was against the use of mob short for mobile. Im on record saying it sounds funny to me. However someone clued me into the etymology http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=mob&searchmode=none
Mob: 1688, "disorderly part of the population, rabble," slang shortening of mobile, mobility "common people, populace, rabble" (1676), from L. mobile vulgus "fickle common people" (1600), from mobile, neut. of mobilis "fickle, movable, mobile," from movere "to move" (see move). In Australia and N.Z., used without disparagement for "a crowd." Meaning "gang of criminals working together" is from 1839, originally of thieves or pick-pockets; Amer.Eng. sense of "organized crime in general" is from 1927. The verb meaning "to attack in a mob" is attested from 1709. Mobster is first attested 1917. Mob scene "crowded place" first recorded 1922. Mobocracy "mob rule" is attested from 1754.
So while it is short for mobile, it wasnt coined in 1970s MUD era. It originated in Latin. If anything the etymology on the page is inaccurate and needs changing.
Above comment was unsigned.
The usage of the word mob you've quoted above does not share a common etymology with the usage this page concerns, which is short for mobile. It is not related to the use of the term "mob" meaning a group of people. The above is merely a homonym of the topic discussed on this page. 216.36.186.2 (talk) 21:41, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
- It did mention 'slang shortening of mobile'. the problem as I see it is that the two usages are the same word, short for the same word, allegedly unrelated. This just makes it that much more confusing for anyone who has always seen 'mob' associated with 'group of baddies' in the same genre of games. 66.38.19.158 (talk) 15:09, 10 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] I have a different perspective.
Back in my youth, MOB meant "Mean Old Bastard", and was used by some (perhaps very few) of us who wrote and played very early computer games (1970s).
Someone was writing about his game for a paper to turn in for credit. He (I recall it was a male, and I am unsure about the school - I think it was a California USA university) needed a socially acceptable meaning for "MOB", which appeared in a great deal of discussion, internal documentation, and variable names. The "Mobile OBject" or "MOBile object" or "MObile oBject" was suggested by someone, somewhere, and used. I graduated, went into industry, and years later (25ish) in 1999 I was introduced to MMORPGs. I greeted the "Mobile OBject" story with great laughter, and I fear I offended a few of my fellows who thought I was making fun of their newfound hobby.
So, bad news, NO, MOB does NOT mean "MObile oBject" or "Mobile OBject". That is a "prettying up" like "SLUF" being "Short Little Ugly Fellow" and "BUFF" meaning "Big Ugly Fat Fellow".
I haven't decided where, or even if, this is worth putting into the "face" of the article. I have no citations, have contact with no one else from those days, and certainly no notes.
Nevertheless, this is what I remember from the days of or before "Rogue" and "Hack" and "Colossal Cave" and "Empire" and many many other old games.
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I decided to put it in, and welcome comment. If you take it out, please be ready to explain why, or I will put it back in. Thank you. :)
And yes I used "site" instead of "cite". I apologize.
