The emptiness of virtual worlds

When comparing the recent comments on my blog about the problems of Wurm Online with my experience with MMORPG with player housing (UO, SWG, ATiTD, ...) it struck me that a big part of the problem is that virtual houses aren't much lived in. Most players only spend something like 10% of their day online, and even then most activity in most games with player housing takes place away from your house. Virtual worlds with player housing often feel rather empty, and that visual isolation stands in t

World of Warkraft...