What does "mobs" mean?

[Exy]

I'm asking entirely out of idle curiosity, but this has stuck out to me for the several years I've followed this place and brinkster.

Why do you guys say "mobs" when you clearly mean "monsters"? It's obvious in the circumstance that you don't mean what "mob" actually means in real life -- as in, a "mob" may not in fact be a mob of monsters, because generally it appears to mean a single monster.

So, uh, what exactly is a "mob" and where did the tradition of using the word that way start? Because I have never seen the word "mob" used similarly in any other context. And I'm full of curiosities.

[Chris]

I don't know myself (though I've never really wondered about that particular thing) but I find it cute that it was your first post

I always thought it was because they were mobbing my character all the time. So I kill them. Damn mobs.

[gut]

soirana once used it in reference to a monster. I picked it up
because for some reason, I liked it. To my knowledge, I am
the only one who uses it.

[_Ln_]

To my knowledge, I am
the only one who uses it.

Written that too, haven't you?

[gut]

ahh, I don't play MMORPG's, so wouldn't really know that.

Does explain why I got it from soirana though, as I think
he once linked to some MMORPG online quiz, so perhaps
he was/is active in that scene and picked the word up from
there.

Good to know I'm not alone

[Exy]

Wait, Soirana is a he? I always assumed she was a she, due to her name ending with an A.

[Chris]

And your second post is also brilliant

Even though the only MMORPG's I've played have been Runescape (barely qualifies, eh?) and WoW (only one week) I don't recall hearing the term "mobs" in there.

[gut]

According to what bloody just linked, it stands for 'mobile'.
To think of all these years I just thought I was repeating a
bit of Lithuanglish.

And soirana has, in the past, teased females for being less
good in math than males. That is a sure-fire tip off

[Grey]

It's very hard for me to imagine Soirana as a female :/ And I mean that as a compliment to women everywhere...

I always thoughts mobs tied in with the idea of being mobbed. According to Wikipedia that comes from the Latin for "fickle commoners", though supposedly the computer gaming term is from the term "mobile" for enemies in an early MUD. However it's hard to be sure of just how accurate the latter is. After all, we pronounce it "moh-b" not "mow-b", leading me to believe the regular term for mobs is more of an influence.

[_Ln_]

Well, I always thought 'mob' is a common word in gaming slang. Often heard it in talks of FPS's and RPG's (don't know about MMORPG's since never played, but why not).

I must admit I was also surprised to see the 'mobile' idea. Somehow I thought it was more like 'mobster'.

Wait, Soirana is a he? I always assumed she was a she, due to her name ending with an A.

Don't listen to any of them, Soirana really is a Hot Chick.