<s>
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
a	O
graphical	O
browser-based	B-Protocol
MMORPG	B-Protocol
written	O
in	O
PHP	B-Application
and	O
C/C	O
++	O
and	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
futuristic	O
universe	O
where	O
players	O
interact	O
and	O
compete	O
in	O
space	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
dozens	O
of	O
spacecraft	O
models	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
customized	O
with	O
different	O
weapons	O
,	O
armor	O
and	O
other	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pardus	B-Application
characters	O
do	O
not	O
have	O
a	O
defined	O
'	O
class	O
 '	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Partially	O
inspired	O
by	O
classic	O
computer	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Elite	B-Application
and	O
Master	B-Application
of	I-Application
Orion	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Pardus	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
the	O
Austrian	O
company	O
Bayer&Szell	O
OG	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
technologically	O
advanced	O
but	O
war-torn	O
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
may	O
optionally	O
join	O
factions	O
and	O
syndicates	B-Application
for	O
rank-based	O
rewards	O
,	O
or	O
they	O
may	O
choose	O
to	O
build	O
their	O
wealth	O
by	O
developing	O
trade	O
routes	O
or	O
constructing	O
buildings	O
or	O
starbases	B-Application
that	O
produce	O
commodities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
players	O
make	O
a	O
living	O
smuggling	O
contraband	O
goods	O
or	O
pirating	B-Application
and	O
raiding	O
other	O
players	O
and	O
their	O
buildings	O
,	O
or	O
bounty	O
hunting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
Cluster	O
a	O
NPC	O
faction	O
,	O
the	O
Lucidi	O
,	O
rule	O
supreme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
three	O
factions	O
in	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
universe	O
:	O
the	O
Empire	O
,	O
the	O
Federation	B-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
Union	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
two	O
original	O
factions	O
and	O
their	O
ranks	O
are	O
heavily	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
Elite	B-Application
video	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Empire	O
controls	O
the	O
southern	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
universe	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
has	O
six	O
sectors	O
in	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
Cluster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Federation	B-Application
is	O
the	O
other	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
ancestral	O
factions	O
consisting	O
largely	O
of	O
Humans	O
and	O
Rashkir	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
faction	O
to	O
come	O
into	O
existence	O
,	O
the	O
Federation	B-Application
slowly	O
formed	O
as	O
pilots	O
looked	O
to	O
fight	O
the	O
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Federation	B-Application
specializes	O
in	O
ship	O
construction	O
and	O
ship	O
drives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
Federation	B-Application
ships	O
and	O
drives	O
have	O
some	O
design	O
advantages	O
over	O
their	O
neutral	O
and	O
other-faction	O
counterparts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Federation	B-Application
also	O
has	O
a	O
faction	O
specialist	O
,	O
the	O
missile	O
technician	O
,	O
who	O
boosts	O
the	O
intelligence	O
of	O
its	O
captain	O
's	O
missiles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
federation	B-Application
controls	O
the	O
region	O
of	O
space	O
in	O
the	O
north-west	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
universe	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
seven	O
sectors	O
in	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
Cluster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Federation	B-Application
's	O
rank	O
structure	O
has	O
the	O
feel	O
of	O
a	O
regimented	O
military	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
initial	O
development	O
,	O
many	O
former	O
Empire	O
and	O
Federation	B-Application
pilots	O
left	O
to	O
tap	O
this	O
new	O
territory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Union	O
was	O
formed	O
by	O
"	O
Mad	O
"	O
Max	O
Sheppard	O
who	O
was	O
a	O
trader	O
–	O
selling	O
arms	O
to	O
both	O
the	O
Federation	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Empire	O
during	O
the	O
Second	O
Great	O
War	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Union	O
's	O
original	O
aim	O
was	O
to	O
extend	O
the	O
fighting	O
between	O
the	O
Federation	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Empire	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
profit	O
by	O
selling	O
arms	O
to	O
both	O
factions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Union	O
controls	O
the	O
north-eastern	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
universe	O
,	O
including	O
seven	O
sectors	O
in	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
Cluster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
faction	O
controls	O
clusters	O
and	O
a	O
smaller	O
Pardus	B-Application
contingent	O
cluster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
a	O
starbase	B-Application
build	O
by	O
a	O
player	O
belonging	O
to	O
a	O
faction	O
exerts	O
a	O
certain	O
amount	O
of	O
influence	O
both	O
economically	O
and	O
militarily	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
two	O
Syndicates	B-Application
which	O
generally	O
represent	O
opposed	O
ends	O
of	O
the	O
lawful/lawless	O
spectrum	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
join	O
either	O
syndicate	B-Application
,	O
you	O
must	O
meet	O
the	O
reputation	O
requirements	O
of	O
the	O
syndicate	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Syndicates	B-Application
are	O
generally	O
smaller	O
than	O
factions	O
and	O
do	O
not	O
claim	O
territories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
syndicate	B-Application
provides	O
to	O
its	O
members	O
access	O
to	O
unique	O
ships	O
and	O
equipment	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
daily	O
reputation	O
bonuses	O
(	O
positive	O
or	O
negative	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Esteemed	O
Pilots	O
Syndicate	B-Application
is	O
the	O
syndicate	B-Application
of	O
order	O
and	O
lawfulness	O
,	O
created	O
as	O
a	O
response	O
to	O
the	O
formation	O
of	O
TSS	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Shadow	O
Syndicate	B-Application
is	O
the	O
syndicate	B-Application
of	O
chaos	O
and	O
lawlessness	O
,	O
formed	O
as	O
the	O
Union	O
became	O
an	O
official	O
and	O
more	O
lawful	O
faction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
browser-based	B-Protocol
and	O
requires	O
no	O
downloads	O
to	O
play	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
dozens	O
of	O
ship	O
models	O
available	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
,	O
but	O
only	O
one	O
ship	O
is	O
used	O
by	O
a	O
character	O
at	O
any	O
one	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ships	O
and	O
equipment	O
available	O
to	O
a	O
player	O
depend	O
on	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
faction	O
or	O
syndicate	B-Application
,	O
faction	O
rank	O
,	O
competency	O
level	O
and	O
experience	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
turn-based	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
chooses	O
how	O
many	O
rounds	O
to	O
battle	O
against	O
an	O
opponent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
economy	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
dynamic	O
and	O
relies	O
mostly	O
on	O
player	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
times	O
each	O
day	O
at	O
fixed	O
intervals	O
all	O
planets	O
,	O
starbases	B-Application
and	O
buildings	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
consume	O
and	O
produce	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
commodities	O
,	O
provided	O
certain	O
upkeep	O
needs	O
are	O
met	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
reputation	O
loss	O
is	O
often	O
used	O
by	O
pirates	B-Application
to	O
easily	O
gain	O
acceptance	O
into	O
The	O
Shadow	O
Syndicate	B-Application
and	O
enjoy	O
relevant	O
benefits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Starbases	B-Application
are	O
important	O
trade	O
centers	O
in	O
areas	O
where	O
no	O
planets	O
are	O
to	O
be	O
found	O
and	O
are	O
a	O
very	O
important	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
economy	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Player-owned	O
starbases	B-Application
,	O
though	O
generally	O
more	O
difficult	O
to	O
maintain	O
than	O
other	O
buildings	O
,	O
can	O
make	O
their	O
owners	O
a	O
considerable	O
amount	O
of	O
money	O
if	O
well	O
placed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
important	O
function	O
of	O
starbases	B-Application
is	O
providing	O
players	O
with	O
a	O
place	O
to	O
repair	O
their	O
vessels	O
,	O
provided	O
the	O
starbase	B-Application
owner	O
builds	O
a	O
repair	O
facility	O
onto	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Starbases	B-Application
may	O
also	O
produce	O
spacecraft	O
and	O
equipment	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
owner	O
may	O
then	O
sell	O
to	O
other	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
a	O
very	O
popular	O
function	O
,	O
as	O
player-built	O
ships	O
and	O
equipment	O
is	O
usually	O
considerably	O
cheaper	O
than	O
their	O
regular	O
price	O
offered	O
by	O
NPC	O
starbases	B-Application
and	O
planets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
other	O
buildings	O
,	O
starbases	B-Application
may	O
be	O
transferred	O
to	O
another	O
player	O
or	O
conquered	O
by	O
force	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Starbases	B-Application
also	O
play	O
a	O
key	O
role	O
in	O
faction	O
wars	O
,	O
especially	O
in	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
contingents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
basic	O
method	O
of	O
obtaining	O
wealth	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
trading	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
buy	O
goods	O
from	O
a	O
planet	O
,	O
starbase	B-Application
or	O
building	O
,	O
then	O
travel	O
to	O
another	O
to	O
sell	O
it	O
in	O
a	O
"	O
buy	O
low-sell	O
high	O
"	O
fashion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NPC	O
starbases	B-Application
and	O
planets	O
have	O
dynamic	O
pricing	O
which	O
adjusts	O
the	O
commodity	O
price	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
supply	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Planets	O
and	O
starbases	B-Application
hold	O
randomly	O
generated	O
missions	O
that	O
replenish	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
they	O
are	O
completed	O
by	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
players	O
take	O
pirating	B-Application
to	O
an	O
extreme	O
and	O
attempt	O
to	O
destroy	O
anyone	O
they	O
can	O
;	O
these	O
pirates	B-Application
often	O
get	O
bountied	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Illegal	O
commodities	O
may	O
be	O
sold	O
to	O
other	O
players	O
or	O
to	O
the	O
black	O
market	O
available	O
on	O
any	O
planet	O
or	O
a	O
starbase	B-Application
with	O
a	O
population	O
over	O
30,000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
important	O
aspect	O
of	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
interaction	O
between	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Player	O
versus	O
player	O
(	O
PvP	O
)	O
combat	O
is	O
frequent	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
also	O
player-made	O
alliances	O
in	O
Pardus	B-Application
;	O
many	O
alliances	O
claim	O
a	O
section	O
of	O
space	O
by	O
building	O
a	O
blockade	O
of	O
military	O
outposts	O
(	O
which	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
be	O
equipped	O
with	O
defenses	O
not	O
available	O
to	O
other	O
buildings	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
October	O
1	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
Pardus	B-Application
implemented	O
premium	O
subscriptions	O
which	O
give	O
players	O
access	O
to	O
new	O
features	O
and	O
areas	O
unavailable	O
to	O
non-paying	O
players	O
,	O
plus	O
a	O
premium-only	O
server	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Premium	O
subscriptions	O
give	O
access	O
to	O
three	O
Pardus	B-Application
contingent	O
clusters	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
20	O
sectors	O
,	O
each	O
owned	O
by	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
factions	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
unique	O
central	O
Pardus	B-Application
sector	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Only	O
the	O
central	O
Pardus	B-Application
cluster	O
,	O
offering	O
unique	O
NPC	O
opponents	O
and	O
additional	O
rules	O
,	O
remains	O
neutral	O
at	O
all	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
may	O
also	O
get	O
a	O
free	O
Premium	O
subscription	O
with	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
"	O
referral	O
program	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pardus	B-Application
won	O
the	O
Best	O
Free	O
Online	O
RPG	O
award	O
in	O
the	O
2005	O
Online	O
Game	O
Awards	O
held	O
by	O
GameOgre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
collecting	O
anonymous	O
data	O
from	O
users	O
Pardus	B-Application
has	O
been	O
used	O
in	O
social	O
networking	O
research	O
,	O
with	O
particular	O
attention	O
to	O
positive	O
versus	O
negative	O
relationships	O
with	O
other	O
players	O
and	O
how	O
those	O
relationships	O
impact	O
behavior	O
and	O
other	O
interactions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
certainly	O
not	O
unique	O
in	O
collecting	O
electronic	O
user	O
data	O
,	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
particularly	O
useful	O
for	O
studying	O
social	O
interactions	O
and	O
complex	O
networks	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
unusual	O
depth	O
of	O
the	O
social	O
networking	O
information	O
collected	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
Pardus	B-Application
is	O
player-driven	O
and	O
open-ended	O
,	O
it	O
acts	O
similarly	O
to	O
agent-based	O
models	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
important	O
distinction	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
agents	O
"	O
being	O
real	O
people	O
instead	O
of	O
programmed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
tracking	O
how	O
relationships	O
,	O
positive	O
or	O
negative	O
,	O
evolve	O
and	O
impact	O
the	O
Pardus	B-Application
society	O
on	O
micro	O
and	O
macro	O
scales	O
,	O
researchers	O
have	O
been	O
able	O
to	O
validate	O
a	O
long-standing	O
social	O
psychology	O
theory	O
known	O
as	O
social	O
balance	O
theory	O
.	O
</s>
