Normally I blog about Achaea, but I've been hooked on Battlefield 3 lately. I updated my graphics card from a Radeon 5670 to a 6870, now I'm running every game I play on ultra settings! Couldn't have upgraded at a better time with Guild Wars 2 and Diablo 3 right around the corner. After playing on some 64 player servers on the enormous Conquest maps I found myself designing a MMOFPS in my head. A true MMOFPS hasn't been designed due to modern technical limitations, as things get laggy with just 64 players in BF3.

Ever since I was a kid I always found a logical fallacy with the concept of "virtual reality" - how do you prevent yourself from bumping into walls? My idea of virtual reality was influenced by an X-Files episode where Mulder and Scully enter a virtual reality world, where dying in the game has real life consequences. 

Also, I got one of these really cheap "virtual reality" headsets for a birthday. It was pretty sucktastic and I mean like, you were basically looking at 8-bit graphics in the little headset, and the stupid motion sensors to detect your punches and kicks didn't work 95% of the time. The whole premise of the game was to block your opponents attacks and shurikens, but you had to make these big fan waving motions to get the thing to detect blocks. Also you couldn't really kick as high as the kid on the box. I remember snapping my cord by kicking too high.

Virtual Reality Hamster Balls

Some company named Virtusphere has designed these giant hamster cage balls where you walk inside the ball and as your momentum rotates it, your character moves in that directions. Sounds kind of cool, but 1: they're freaking expensive ($28,000), and 2: the designers admit it takes some work to get the ball rolling.

So while we're getting closer to the ultimate "soldier experience" without actually having to enlist in the Army, it's still just a grossly expensive prototype. 

With all the FPS options out there, I find myself asking what game should I play? I think part of this problem is developers pushing a sequel or new title every few months instead of supporting the current games. DLC is still a big industry but the current model seems to be "release a few DLC packs, then sequel". I want to see a game designed with long-term update support in mind. Why can't developers just stick with one game, then keep us supplied with constant updates? So one thing that a MMOFPS should do is be connected to the real world in a way that updates the game world with content from real life. Real life news headlines flashing across the billboards, clothes for your character from real life fashion designers. A game world that is so large, there are roads and highways and traffic laws, and players can drive from one town to the next, getting into epic gun battles along the way. 

I'm thinking Grand Theft Auto + Borderlands + Second Life all baked into a delicious pie of open-world freedom, mayhem and pure fun. Totally customizable character right down to the length of your toenails, clothing stores, Are you with me? Comment below!