June 2004

• believable NPCs (was Natural Language Generation) Mike Rozak
• TECH: MUD Skeleton Craig L.
• DGN: Space MUD 67Me You
• • DGN: Space MUD ceo
  • DGN: Space MUD Sean Howard
  • DGN: Space MUD Tracy Lee
• AI in gauntlet (was: Natural Language Generation) ceo
• [DGN/BIZ] Why player dont play multi user race or is there a market for multiuser race? stéphane Garin
• • [DGN/BIZ] Why player dont play multi user race or is there a market for multiuser race? Eric Lamy
  • [DGN/BIZ] Why player dont play multi user race or is therea market for multiuser race? Matt Mihaly
  • [DGN/BIZ] Why player dont play multi user race or is there a market for multiuser race? ceo
  • [DGN/BIZ] Why player dont play multi user race or is there a market for multiuser race? Damion Schubert
• [SVEvents] 6/22, J C Lawrence
• BIZ: MMOs in China Chris Yeh
• • BIZ: MMOs in China satya@gamedevid.org
  • • BIZ: MMOs in China Tiago Carita
  • BIZ: MMOs in China Damion Schubert
• JOB: Shattered Prism: Lost Wastelands Trace Kern
• [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Peter Keeler
• • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Matt Mihaly
  • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
    • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Matt Mihaly
      • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
        • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Matt Mihaly
  • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Freeman, Jeff
  • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Peter Keeler
  • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Scott Jennings
  • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market ren@aldermangroup.com
  • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Freeman, Jeff
  • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Scott Jennings
    • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Vladimir Cole
    • • [NEWS] Gaming Open Market Freeman, Jeff
• submissions for MMP Gems book ceo
• [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? David Kennerly
• • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? mike stedman
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Jim Purbrick
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Adam
  • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Jim Purbrick
    • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? ceo
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Mike Rozak
  • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Jon A. Lambert
    • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? J C Lawrence
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Luca Girardo
  • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Matt Mihaly
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Richard A. Bartle
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Luca Girardo
  • • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Tazzik
      Luca Girardo wrote:
      > Mike Rozak wrote:
      
      >> Without a good USP, even if they succeded in a release, they
      >> wouldn't be able to differentiate themselves them from their
      >> competitors. This makes survival much more difficult, since the
      >> game can't rely upon the USP to keep players around after their
      >> 30-day trial.
      
      > Hmm, what is a good USP? And good for whom? For the future
      > customers or for the investors/producers of the MMOG? And is the
      > absence of a clear USP a signal that we are having more
      > evolutionary projects then revolutionary ones? Looking at the list
      > I see three MMOGs that even if they have/had cleared USP, failed
      > to reach a critical customer basis (AC2 for example with an
      > estimated pop of max 10-15K, A tale in the desert with 7,063
      > subscribers (June 2004), Uru Live (already cancelled)). Now from
      > my point of view USP could play a role for a customer in the
      > acquisition moment, but it has less impact on the retention
      > rate. And with the new trend of offering 14 days free trial before
      > acquiring the game, I see USP losing more influence on the
      > customer retention/acquisition rate as more products can be
      > categorized as evolutionary products. >
      
      I would tend to agree with this sentiment. However, in this age of
      many new MMO's coming out and failing to live up to their
      expectations, it stands to reason to think you may need a hook of
      some sort to get the customers in the first place. Once they come
      by to check it out, the gameplay will need to dictate who sticks
      around for any reasonable duration.
      
      Personally, I believe that if a game is good enough, word will
      spread regardless of any USP. Even without a unique selling point,
      if you execute an existing concept better than the current crop of
      games, you can get a solid base of frustrated players to migrate
      over. I see very few MMO's bringing in completely new players to
      the genre, so I do believe you can get good numbers just by
      convincing them that you have a better version of a previous concept
      (combat system, advancement, improved endgame, meaningful PvP,
      etc...).
      
      Of course, USP's can also run the risk of discouraging future
      customers. If you try to make your game too unique, many players
      could be turned off by the unfamiliar. As much as players may
      complain about the same-old same-old, the general population will
      embrace the familiar.
      
      No matter the numbers of how many of us players are in any given
      game, I have yet to meet anyone who is completely satisfied with the
      current crop of games available. Even players of the most
      successful titles are likely to keep an eye open for the next great
      thing. All they really want is something that improves upon the
      shortcomings of their current games (shortcomings being in the
      opinion of each individual player. Obviously, you will never
      satisfy everyone).
      
      For myself, all I look for is an improved combat system (one that
      involves actual player strategies and more fun than pressing a
      simple attack button over and over) and a better advancement system
      (I've already done too many treadmills to bother with another game
      based almost entirely on hours of tedium). I would forgive a lot of
      other shortcomings if a developer could convince me they improved
      enough on those two issues alone. A USP would really be a secondary
      consideration to me, unless you would constitute improving an
      existing concept as a unique selling point.
      
      - Brendan
    • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Michael Sellers
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Mike Rozak
  • [NEWS] Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why? Luca Girardo
• DGN/HUMOR: Virtual worlds and virtual holidays Mike Rozak
• • DGN/HUMOR: Virtual worlds and virtual holidays Michael "Flury" Chui
  • • DGN/HUMOR: Virtual worlds and virtual holidays Mike Rozak
  • DGN/HUMOR: Virtual worlds and virtual holidays Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Michael Sellers
• • "USPs" ceo
  • • "USPs" Luca Girardo
  • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Derek Licciardi
  • • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Threshold RPG
    • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Mike Rozak
    • • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Matt Mihaly
      • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Vincent Archer
    • "USPs" (was: Warhammer Online Cancelled -- Why?) Damion Schubert
  • "USPs" Scott Macmillan
• Exponential experience points and levels ceo
• • Exponential experience points and levels cruise
  • Exponential experience points and levels Sean Middleditch
  • • Exponential experience points and levels Jesus Lopez
    • Exponential experience points and levels Adam
    • • Exponential experience points and levels Sean Middleditch
    • Exponential experience points and levels Steven King
    • • Exponential experience points and levels Ghilardi Filippo
  • Exponential experience points and levels zgj22@drexel.edu
  • • Exponential experience points and levels ceo
    • Exponential experience points and levels mike stedman
    • • Exponential experience points and levels zgj22@drexel.edu
  • Exponential experience points and levels David Kennerly
  • • Exponential experience points and levels Vincent Archer
• Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] Gaming Open Market) David Blankley
• • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] Gaming Open Market) Freeman, Jeff
  • • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] Gaming Open Market) Scott Tengelin
    • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] Gaming OpenMarket) Dana V. Baldwin
    • • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] GamingOpenMarket) Freeman, Jeff
      • • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS]GamingOpenMarket) Dana V. Baldwin
    • Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [NEWS] Gaming Open Market) Timothy Dang