May 2009
- MUD-based Articles for Hartford Gaming Lifestyle Examiner Michael Tresca
- opensim and muds in general bristle2008@yahoo.com
- [NEWS] mischief & opensim Bristle Mischief
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Jeffrey Kesselman
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Caliban Darklock
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Sean Howard
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Nathan Yospe
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Nabil Maynard
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING Threshold
- Since when has MUD-DEV become MUD-MARKETING bristle2008@yahoo.com
- Getting the word out about your game Threshold
- Getting the word out about your game Ilia Malkovitch
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Mike Rozak
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Jeffrey Kesselman
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Mike Rozak
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Jeffrey Kesselman
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Mike Rozak
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Benjamin Tolputt
- [Technology] Lend your ears to science! Mike Rozak
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Mike Rozak
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Matt Owen
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Mike Sellers
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games John A. Bertoglio
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Damion Schubert
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Richard A. Bartle
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Mike Rozak
Damion Schubert wrote: (And others wrote something similar.)
> In my personal opinion, the answer is NOT to make purely solo
> or small-group 'MMO' experiences - you are then competing with the
> people who can make those games faster and cheaper than
> you, because you're not trying to tackle all of the infrastructure
> an MMO requires. To me, the answer is to provide a solid solo/
> small group backbone to the game, but have those paths lead
> to a truly 'massive' experience that only the MMO experience
> can provide.
Do most people really want "[to be led to] a truly massive experience that
only the MMO experience can provide"?
In the days of yore, the USPs ("unique selling points" - for those of you
who don't remember all their TLAs - "three-letter acronyms") of MMOs were
that (a) you could play a CRPG with your friends, (b) you could meet new
friends/enemies in the game, (c) you could join massive raids/battles, (d)
MMOs have 500+ hours of content, (e) etc.
But my point is that MMOs have a new USP to add: Players not only don't have
to buy the game from a store, they DON'T have to download the entire game
before they start playing. And, all game updates (to content and code) are
automagically installed.)And, to top it off, players DON'T even have to pay
for the game.
This new USP may be a paradigm shifter; it may make some other MMO USP's
much less relevent.
It reminds me of Cable TV; when cable TV first appeared, its USPs where (a)
quality of signal, (b) no commercials, (c) adult shows, and (d) lots (aka:
20) of TV channels.
Cable TV's USPs have changed since the late 70's: The most obvious is that
the "no commercials" USP was thrown out the window. "Adult shows" became
irrelevent as soon as VHS rentals became easy. "Quality of signal" just
disappeared with the introduction of digital TV. Cable's USPs are now (a)
huge numbers of channels and (b) an included cable modem.
To this, I'll add another idea:
I like to listen to classical music, especially Mozart. I don't care for
most rock, country, etc. I can't possibly imagine how anyone would like rap.
Having said that, LOTs of people like rap. Probably, more people like rap
music than like Mozart.
I'd wager that everyone on this mailing list METAPHORICALLY likes Mozart.
You like MMOs (mozart) because of the way MMOs are now, were 10 years ago,
or were 20 years ago.
Most people on this mailing list think that single-player games are missing
the social aspect of gaming, which is why people on this list are attracted
to MMOs in the first place. This is a self-selecting community. For those of
you who develop MMOs, your fellow developers/designers/artists are also
self-selected by the same criteria; you all like Mozart.
To repeat: More people like rap than mozart... Most people play games alone
(they like rap). Most have tried MMOs briefly, but returned to single-player
games for various reasons (like griefing, inability to change the world, not
enought time to keep up with friends, etc.).
Beware your myopathy: Just because you like Mozart and dislike rap, DON'T be
surprised if rap sells a lot more CDs than Mozart.
The convenience of "not having to download or pay for the game to play it"
is a very big draw. This may attract a lot of single-player gamers into MMOs
like FreeRealms. These players might then start demanding more even
single-player features, like lots of instancing (with their friends). Such
players might eventually become the majority, and effectively expel raiders
from "MMOs".
In the future, raiders may be stuck playing indie remakes of WoW, just like
Ultima IV fans must satisfy their cravings with Jeff Vogel's low-budget
games, and IF fans lament the death of Infocom. - [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games cruise
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Mike Rozak
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Mike Sellers
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games cruise
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Dana V. Baldwin
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Threshold
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Dana V. Baldwin
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolveto massively single-player games Threshold
- Fallen Earth John A. Bertoglio
- Fallen Earth Threshold
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Sean Howard
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Amanda Walker
- Fallen Earth Vincent Archer
- Fallen Earth John A. Bertoglio
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Benjamin Tolputt
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Sean Howard
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Aurel
- Fallen Earth Damion Schubert
- Fallen Earth Sean Howard
- Fallen Earth Jeffrey Kesselman
- Fallen Earth Threshold
- Fallen Earth Aurel
- Fallen Earth John A. Bertoglio
- Fallen Earth Dana V. Baldwin
- Fallen Earth Sean Howard
- Fallen Earth Tess Snider
- Fallen Earth Sean Howard
- Fallen Earth Tess Snider
- Fallen Earth Siege)
- Fallen Earth Tess Snider
- Comparing Worlds (was: Fallen Earth) Christopher Lloyd
- Fallen Earth Jeffrey Kesselman
- Fallen Earth John A. Bertoglio
- Fallen Earth Mike Sellers
- Fallen Earth Matt Owen
- Fallen Earth Threshold
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Vincent Archer
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Threshold
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games cruise
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Aurel
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Amanda Walker
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Jeffrey Kesselman
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games John Buehler
- [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games Bristle Mischief
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Bristle Mischief
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Jeffrey Kesselman
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Siege)
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Nuno Silva
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Jeffrey Kesselman
- [Design] is home-base networks not possible? Jeffrey Kesselman