Mob (computer gaming)
Encyclopedia
A mob, mobile or monster is a computer-controlled non-player character
(NPC) in a computer game such as an MMORPG
or MUD
. Depending on context, all such characters in a game may be considered "mobs", or usage may be limited to hostile NPCs and/or NPCs vulnerable to attack.
s, money, items, or to complete quests
. Combat between player character
s (PCs) and mobs is called player versus environment
(PvE). PCs may attack mobs; some mobs are aggressive, and attack PCs. Monster versus monster (MvM) battles also take place in some games.
for objects that were self-mobile in MUD1
. The term as it exists in MMORPGs is derived from the MUD usage. (Source code in DikuMUD
uses the term "mob" to refer to a generic NPC; DikuMUD was a heavy influence on EverQuest
.) The term is properly an abbreviation rather than an acronym, but backronym
s for "MOB" such as "monster or beast", "mere ordinary beast" and "mean old bastard" have also been coined.
In some games, "mob" may be used to specifically refer to generic monstrous NPCs that the player is expected to hunt and kill, excluding NPCs that engage in dialog or sell items, or who cannot be attacked. Named mobs are distinguished by having a proper name
rather than being referred to by a general type ("a goblin", "a citizen", etc.). Dumb mobs are those capable of no complex behaviors beyond attacking.
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
(NPC) in a computer game such as an MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
or MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
. Depending on context, all such characters in a game may be considered "mobs", or usage may be limited to hostile NPCs and/or NPCs vulnerable to attack.
Purpose of mobs
Defeating mobs may be required to gather experience pointExperience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s, money, items, or to complete quests
Quest (gaming)
A quest in role-playing video games — including massively multiplayer online role-playing games and their predecessors, MUDs — is a task that a player-controlled character or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward...
. Combat between player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s (PCs) and mobs is called player versus environment
Player versus environment
Player versus environment, or PvE , is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, and other online role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled enemies—in contrast to PvP .Usually a PvE mode can be played either alone, with human...
(PvE). PCs may attack mobs; some mobs are aggressive, and attack PCs. Monster versus monster (MvM) battles also take place in some games.
Origin and usage
The term "mob" is short for "mobile", which was used by Richard BartleRichard Bartle
Richard Allan Bartle is a British writer, professor and game researcher, best known for being the co-creator of MUD1 and the author of the seminal Designing Virtual Worlds. He is one of the pioneers of the massively multiplayer online game industry.-Life and career:Bartle received a Ph.D...
for objects that were self-mobile in MUD1
MUD1
Multi-User Dungeon, or MUD is the first MUD and the oldest virtual world in existence. It was created in 1978 by Roy Trubshaw at Essex University on a DEC PDP-10 in the UK, using the MACRO-10 assembly language...
. The term as it exists in MMORPGs is derived from the MUD usage. (Source code in DikuMUD
DikuMUD
DikuMUD is a multiplayer text-based role-playing game, which is a type of MUD. It was written in 1990 and 1991 by Sebastian Hammer, Tom Madsen, Katja Nyboe, Michael Seifert, and Hans Henrik Staerfeldt at DIKU —the department of computer science at the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen,...
uses the term "mob" to refer to a generic NPC; DikuMUD was a heavy influence on EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
.) The term is properly an abbreviation rather than an acronym, but backronym
Backronym
A backronym or bacronym is a phrase constructed purposely, such that an acronym can be formed to a specific desired word. Backronyms may be invented with serious or humorous intent, or may be a type of false or folk etymology....
s for "MOB" such as "monster or beast", "mere ordinary beast" and "mean old bastard" have also been coined.
In some games, "mob" may be used to specifically refer to generic monstrous NPCs that the player is expected to hunt and kill, excluding NPCs that engage in dialog or sell items, or who cannot be attacked. Named mobs are distinguished by having a proper name
Proper noun
A proper noun or proper name is a noun representing a unique entity , as distinguished from a common noun, which represents a class of entities —for example, city, planet, person or corporation)...
rather than being referred to by a general type ("a goblin", "a citizen", etc.). Dumb mobs are those capable of no complex behaviors beyond attacking.