So these first couple of blog posts here will probably be covering several topics in each with no real direction. I just thought I'd get some posts up to get my blogging chops back a little bit before I start tackling specific topics.
So first thing I wanted to do was comment on a post I saw here. Normally I would just post a comment on his blog but I wanted to go a tad more in-depth than that.
MMOGs I like to see made.
- Rifts - This Pencil and Paper RPG just screams for being made into an MMO. I'm unconvinced that there is a company that could make it and not screw it up. The Developer would almost have to use the game mechanics from the RPG adapted to an MMO game. I think it would be done but as I said, I'm not sure there's a company that could do it.
- Star Wars MMO - Samhain had this on his list but I need to add it to mine as well. It just needs to be on as many lists as possible. A Star Wars game, made correctly and maintained, would be a huge success. Ideally I'd like to see a KotOR MMO but at this point I'll take any Star Wars MMO so long as it's not the train wreck known as SWG. Also, ideally SOE would not be a part of the creation of this new Star Wars MMO because SOE sucks fairly hard.
- More Sci-Fi Themed MMOs - Yes, there's a couple coming out eventually and I'm excited but we need more. How many Fantasy MMOs can we have? Some would answer "Not enough. ElvesFTW!" while others would say "To Many! Elves FTL!". Either way I'm personally sick of Fantasy themed MMOs but there just doesn't seem to be an end to them. The only notable exception to this for me is Warhammer Online. I'm excited about it mainly because I'm a huge Warhammer fan in general. Predictably, I'm more of WH40K fan than Warhammer Fantasy but it is Warhammer. Some addition ideas for Sci-Fi MMOs would be Robotech and Jovian Chronicles. I'm keeping my eye on lesser known Sci-Fi games like Infinity and StarGate Worlds (To which I'm not holding my breath)
- Horror Themed MMO - Some of the ideas that jump to mind for this is, and forgive the name example, World of Cthulhu. I just can see a story-centric company like BioWare making this (Which would never happen of course) and it being incredibly interesting and fun. It just seems a no brainer for me. Another example would be something Resident Evil-ish. Zombies vs Humans type deal. A while back I heard of a Zombie game being made with this concept but I forgot the name and haven't heard jack about it since so I'm sure it's long gone. Pity.
I know the high stakes in making an MMO and I understand companies not wanting to take chances but the MMO space is getting stagnant and we need some diversification. No, I don't count the multitude of F2P Asian games flooding the market using the same engine, the same mechanics and the same cookie cutter character customization. Don't even bring up Bloodymare either. BLECH!
We seem to be stuck in a rut MMO-wise much like the First person shooter industry was for a while. Once id started making the FPS to beat the market was flooded with games exactly like it. Notable exceptions where few and far between but companies did take chances. System Shock 2 for example scared the balloon juice out of me. Great game. Then a little company called Valve made a little game called Half-Life and cracked the FPS market in the skull with a ball-peen hammer. Showing you could make an awesome story combined with excellent gameplay elements and have a winner.
Right now we're stuck with the WoW era. Every game that comes out ,with only a few exceptions, will be some derivative of WoW. Blizzard did a lot of things right with WoW but they did a lot wrong (Raiding till your eyes bleed should have died with EQ). They took EQ and made it simple and polished. Ripped out the garbage and put in some slick systems. Making WoW accessible to anyone. This is a good thing generally but now we are all stuck with the knock-offs. Age of Conan will be different but it's monster system requirements will hurt it. What do FunCom care though? They are making it for the PC and the 360. The 360 is the target though I promise you. They may not have said that but that's the target.
Same with Warhammer. They will release it for the 360 even though they haven't announced. I honestly think that was one reason why EA was so enchanted with Mythic they purchased them. They say the demo of Warhammer running on an Xbox 360 and collectively wet themselves. Warhammer is already getting the WoW fans who don't know any better calling Warhammer a rip-off of WoW. While some of the game mechanics might be and the interface most certainly is (One of the things Blizzard did awesomely well was the UI and it's customization), the look and feel of the game and the IP in general came along way before Warcraft was a twinkle in anyones eye. Infact, as much as Blizzard fans (in denial apparently) hate to admit it, Warcraft's inspiration came directly from Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Warhammer 40K being the inspiration for Starcraft. The Sincerest form of flattery is copyright infringment. :)
So If you've read this far I commend you. I did kind of end up moving though a couple topics with generally no direction but I hope it wasn't terribly incoherant.
Thanks for reading. Perhaps I'll post something later on if the mood slaps me.
Conveniently on topic, your avatar picture made me want to play a Vampire/Wearwolves based MMO. I suppose it could fit into the Horror section. There is a pencil and paper game called Vampire The Masquerade that could provide ideas for structure. Instead of being an MMO with PVP included, it could be an MMO about PVP and the struggle between the Vampire and Werewolf factions.
Tue Mar 11 2008 7:21PMActually, CCP the makers of EVE and the owners of White Wolf are making such a game as we speak. No word really on when it's getting released though. Might be interesting when it finally comes out.
Tue Mar 11 2008 8:26PMRifts would be an interesting MMO if done correctly. Would be interesting to see how they handled the inevitability of a non-megadamage player getting hit with a mega damage atttack though.
Tue Mar 11 2008 9:57PMThe first time I heard CCP was working on a WoD MMO, I was happy.
The more the time pass by, the less interested I am. And here is why. CCP and many other devs, seems on an hidden goal of FORCING you to do something you dislike, either PvP or something lame.
Maybe I am wrong and maybe it will freaking rules. Afterall, if we exclude Wraith, I did enjoy each and everything coming from the WoD. That would still never make me enjoys PvP or such a game. They have a strong link with brilliant storytellers which might make them understand that the fun of a player should never be at the expanse of another, never(you lose 1 player each time you gain 1, you have a draw/lose scenario). Maybe these storytellers would make them understand.
Tue Mar 11 2008 10:02PM@Anofalye - I agree. I think EVE is an incredible game and I think it could have done without the PvP. Personally I think PvP is a dreg on MMOs (More about that in a later blog I think. Nothing like stirring the pot, eh?).
Maybe it will be awesome but I'm not holding my breath.
@Nightbringer1 - Oh, I can answer the Mega-dmg vs. normal dmg observation! Pink mist spray. I think we need more body chunks to explode out and sprays of blood mist when we kill things in MMOs.
I'd be interested in seeing what a company would do with that in MMO terms as well though.
Tue Mar 11 2008 11:13PMMMORPG.com writes:
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