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The Sci-Fi MMO: The Present

William Murphy Posted:
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Editorials 0

Anarchy Online, also previously mentioned as one of the pioneers in Sci-Fi MMOs, is still alive and kicking today on a F2P model. Not only was Funcom one of the first developers to toy with such a payment model in the US, they were also one of the first companies to arguably make such a model a success. Recently Funcom was intending to revitalize the game using the same rendering technology that fuels Age of Conan, but the project was put on indefinite hold when the company came to realize how significant an undertaking it would wind up. For now, it seems that Anarchy Online is on its way toward purely historical status, but who knows... perhaps if The Secret World is a success for the developer the graphical overhaul will be revisited and the game will see new life. Regardless of its eventual fate, Anarchy Online will always be remembered fondly by players who stuck with the game through its troubled start.

Fallen Earth released late in 2009, from a small but devoted developer whose sole goal was to release an open-ended post-apocalyptic game that would give players the chance to see what it would be like to be in Mad Max or the Road Warrior. With a shaky and buggy launch under its belt, there's no denying that Fallen Earth seems to have a unique hold on whoever gives it a space on their hard drive. A sprawling and desolate wasteland where players must fight and work together to survive (ammo for guns must be made by the players, horses must be cared for), Fallen Earth is something of a unique take on sand-box gameplay. With a loyal and devoted fanbase behind it, the real intrigue will be in watching how Fallen Earth evolves over the months and years.

There are two other new kids on the block when it comes to Sci-Fi themed games, the first of which is Global Agenda. Following in the steps of games like Planetside, Neocron (a small but still-kicking MMOFPS), and Tribes, Hi-Rez Studios' recently released debut pits rival groups of players against each other in a constant struggle for territory and resources. Some of the main criticisms against Global Agenda are its smaller scale (fights of 10v10) when compared to some other games that number the sides in dozens. Still, Global Agenda has received fairly positive reviews from critics, and its development staff shows a real passion for their community. One of the more requested features from its players was the addition of a large open combat area that would make the game seem more like a "world". Sure enough Hi-Rez is aiming to deliver just that in March of this year, free of charge.

Star Trek Online is the second game to be released so far in 2010 with a (rather obvious) Science Fiction slant. And while critics so far have not been too forgiving of what they perceive as shallow gameplay, perhaps its intellectual property makes up for some of its early shortcomings. Over a million accounts have been created thus far for the game, and while as with Global Agenda it may be too early to declare the title a success or a failure, one thing is certain: its developers are eager to please the fans. Players want more content for Klingons, and they're getting it. They want to see more of the inside of their ships, and that's coming too. And while the game has divided the MMO community over its worth and value (you either love it or hate it), it's doubtful that the title will be going anywhere anytime soon. And considering the checkered history of Science Fiction in the industry, I can't help but hope that STO does indeed live long and prosper.

But where do we go from here? In recent years there has been an outcry from MMO players for more unique offerings, more sci-fi, and less orcs and elves. Now that we're seeing such a change, will we step up and make them the successes they need to be? Or will we simply clamor for novelty until it's handed to us and then blissfully return to our comfort zones when the grass is not deemed greener? The onslaught of Science Fiction games is not over yet.

In the next few years we'll hopefully see the launch of several more Sci-Fi offerings. Jumpgate Evolution, Earthrise, Black Prophecy, The Secret World, World of Darkness, and that other Star Wars game everyone's talking about are all set to be released in the near or somewhat near future. In the third part of this series next week, we'll take a look at what players should expect from these games based on what we know so far, and just what these games might mean for the industry as a whole.

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BillMurphy

William Murphy

Bill is the former Managing Editor of MMORPG.com, RTSGuru.com, and lover of all things gaming. He's been playing and writing about MMOs and geekery since 2002, and you can harass him and his views on Twitter @thebillmurphy.