Analysis of friendship network from MMORPG based data

TL;DR

This paper analyzes friendship networks in an MMORPG, exploring their structure, relationship with clan networks, and developing a community-based recommendation method for ungrouped players.

Contribution

It introduces a novel community-based recommendation approach for players outside clans, based on friendship network analysis in MMORPG data.

Findings

Friendship network exhibits clear community structures.

Correlation between friendship and clan networks is significant.

Proposed recommendation method improves player grouping accuracy.

Abstract

This work analyzes friendship network from a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG). The network is based on data from a private server that was active from 2007 until 2011. The work conducts a standard analysis of the network and then divides players according to different groups based on their activity. Work checks how friendship network can be correlated to the clan (a self-organized group of players who often form a league and play on the same side in a match) network. Main part of the work is the recommendation method for players that are not part of any clan and it is based on communities of friendship network.