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www.lineage.com
SMALL WARS:
A view from the game Lineage
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Posted Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002; 2.02 p.m. GMT
Lineage, Korea's most popular online game, unfolds in a medieval world where gamers play-act as princes, wizards and elves, fighting to the "death" for castles. In 2003 Lineage will likely gain fame as the game with the priciest black market. Victors can levy taxes on other players who stay in their castle, or buy virtual weapons to bolster their chances of survival. Some players bid for weapons at online auctions, paying as much as $1,000 in real-world money for a good cybersword.
Even veteran gamers were shocked recently when a castle reportedly changed hands for $30,000. The game has 2 million players in Korea, and up to 120,000 are online at any one time. Theft and fraudulent trade in weapons are rampant; the game's freewheeling environment has made it a hit with gangsters.
If Korea leads the world in online connectivity, it's also way ahead in Web-induced evils. Cybercrime arrests rocketed from 2,190 in 2000 to 24,455 last year and this year's figures are expected to be higher still. Psychologists report growing trends in gaming, porn and online-shopping addiction. Net addiction clinics estimate that up to at least 5% of Internet users are full-blown addicts, meaning they can't cut their hours online without help. And you thought TV was bad for you.
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