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Petroglyph general manager Chuck Kroegel on Mytheon's union of MMO and RTS
We've been seeing a number of new options in online gaming, some clearly definable as being 'massively multiplayer', others less so. One of those game categories that blurs the line a bit is the MMORTS (massively multiplayer online real-time strategy) game... we'll probably just stick with the acronym from now on. But we've wondered, what exactly can we expect from RTS titles as they adopt more features traditionally associated with MMOs? Steven Crews from The MMO Gamer spoke with Petroglyph Games general manager and executive producer Chuck Kroegel about their upcoming title Mytheon. The game is a free-to-play, downloadable title that will be supported by microtransactions and focuses on the myths, heroes, and monsters of the world's ancient cultures. Crews asks the questions we think are on a lot of people's minds when they hear "MMORTS" -- "Why bring strategy games into the MMO space? What do you get from a persistent universe that you couldn't get out of something like Battle.net?"
Live Gamer's Andy Schneider on legitimizing RMT in games and virtual worlds
Most mentions of real money trading (RMT) in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds conjure up images of virtual sweatshops and the resulting blitz of gold spam. Despite how loudly many protest against the idea of RMT in games, the fact remains that there is a market for this and people spend a lot of real world money on virtual goods every year. Live Gamer is a company that aims to legitimize real money trading, creating a way for players to spend their cash without the risks inherent in dealing with shady gold and item sellers. It also ensures that money spent on virtual goods is going back into the pockets of the game companies. While services such as Live Gamer don't end the debate on whether or not RMT should be permitted in the first place, it's clearly here to stay, and some game publishers are getting proactive about real money trading.
NetDevil president discusses company's origins and risks taken along the way
A lot of interviews we read about the MMO industry deal with the specifics of a forthcoming title, but it's great when someone gives us a peek into an aspect of the industry we haven't seen before. The MMO Gamer recently had a chance to sit down with NetDevil president Scott Brown and discuss how the company came to be. The MMO Gamer piece by Steven Crews is titled "Making MMOs on a Shoestring: The NetDevil Story with Scott Brown."It's a fairly in-depth look at the origins of NetDevil. Brown talks about how he got his start in the gaming industry and how NetDevil stuck to those core principles they brought to the table as gamers. Brown says, "We make the games we desperately want to play that for some reason no one else is making." The interview also discusses the risks that NetDevil has taken thus far, and Brown reflects on the risks that didn't pay off in the end. "Making MMOs on a Shoestring" is a candid look at the NetDevil story and you can read it over at The MMO Gamer.
Fallen Earth interview drops info on factions and storyline
As Fallen Earth gets closer to being released, that previously hazy image of what the game will be like sharpens. The latest bit of info we've come across is an interview with Fallen Earth writer and designer Wes Platt conducted by MMO Gamer's Nate James. In a market rather saturated with fantasy titles, Platt discusses what Fallen Earth brings to the table and how the game will be differentiated from its competitors. The interview also touches upon the background of the six playable factions in the game and their motivations, as well as the storyline element of the Shiva plague. Have a look at MMO Gamer's interview with Wes Platt for more on Fallen Earth's approach to a post-apocalyptic MMO title.[Via WarCry]
Missiles will be sailing through the Jumpgate
Steve Hartmeyer dropped another Jumpgate Evolution developer diary onto MMO Gamer, this one in regards to all the wonderful missiles flying around during combat. Jumpgate Evolution is built on the codebase from the original 2001 game Jumpgate (sometimes referred to as Jumpgate Classic). While some of it was simply modified, other parts had to be completely rewritten. Such is the case with the missile system. JC's missile system was simplistic in that each ship only had a certain number of hardpoints, and there was no lock-on process. Pilots usually had to launch all their ordinance quickly, which became known as "missile spam." JGE's system is being completely reworked to include a new lock-on system. This will not only eliminate "missile spam" but bring a similar style of space combat comparable to Freespace, X-Wing, and Wing Commander. Furthermore, this missile system revamp will let NetDevil include features in JGE that they couldn't put into the original. Missiles will now be defined as independently persistent objects. A suite of active antimissile countermeasures will also be available (i.e., chaff dispensers or decoys). Thankfully, the gang at NetDevil realize that for all this to be effective, it has to be easy to use. HUD elements will be clear and easy to understand, and most importantly it must be fun.Let's hope so![Via MMO Gamer]
Mining in Jumpgate Evolution
Steve Hartmeyer dropped another dev diary into the laps of MMO Gamer, this time he talks about how mining will play out in their upcoming sci-fi MMO. Apparently it was a "major pastime" for a large portion of players in Jumpgate Classic, and basically formed the game's economy. That's all well and good, and I understand the need to cater to loyal players and all types of game styles, but Jumpgate Evolution (for me) better be more about the space combat (the "fun" stuff) then sitting around mining (what I consider insanely "boring" stuff). JGE's mining is getting a whole new face lift in terms of the process and the graphical presentation. Thankfully, they intend to make it fun by turning it into a treasure-hunting activity that can be done as casually or intensively as the player wants. Whew. NetDevil will be able to provide a clearer picture in a few weeks since the whole mining experience is just now entering the implementation phase and hasn't been put through the rigors of testing yet. So if the thought of working in a coal mine (pardon the song pun) spins your wheels, check out the diary for all the details (and there are plenty).
A clandestine interview with The Agency's Kevin O'Hara
MMO Gamer recently got a chance to sit down with Kevin O'Hara, designer for the hotly anticipated SOE spy-thriller The Agency. Among the things O'Hara touches on during the interview are his thoughts on what subscription model they'll use (it's completely up in the air at this point), the wisdom behind directing the game at consoles (O'Hara believes the shooter gameplay will endear it to that audience), and how bosses in a spy game might be slightly atypical (you may travel to their volcano lair and win the day with a hand of poker instead of fighting).One thing I found particularly interesting was the way they're trying to balance fast action with the fun and sense of place that comes from existing in a persistent world. The Agency as he describes it will have a "hub-and-spoke feel to it" where most of the mission-based content will necessarily be instanced. He also mentioned how PvP will be accessible at the touch of a button, tossing you right into the middle of a multiplayer map. In this respect I almost feel like they're paying too much homage to the game's shooter roots. If I wanted to jump into multiplayer deathmatch utterly lacking in context, I'd put in Call of Duty 4. I'm hoping they give slightly more of an incentive to make it akin to traditional MMO PvP. Just, ya know, with guns and spy gadgets.
Jumpgate's evolution(ary) inspiration
By now you know I'm a sci-fi geek, reporting on everything even remotely interesting (and some of our readers would say, not even that on occasion) about Tabula Rasa, Jumpgate Evolution, Stargate Worlds, Earthrise, etc. I also have a fondness for the guys and gals at NetDevil, makers of the now defunct and often criticized (yet loved by it's core of loyal fans, myself included) Auto Assault. In a new dev diary posted on MMO Gamer, NetDevil programmer Steve Hartmeyer talks about the inspiration behind the evolution of Jumpgate. We've reported before that the space combat in JGE will be reminiscent of X-Wing vs. TIE fighter, but until now I didn't know what the impetus behind that comparison was. Apparently Scott Brown (founder of NetDevil) is a lot like me (and many others I'm sure). In 1977 both of us saw Star Wars - and it changed our lives indescribably. JGE stems from his passion for that masterpiece, but it's not the only ingredient. Hartmeyer goes on to include Battlestar Galactica as another key inspiration. Apparently the original Jumpgate development team was inspired by other shows I watched (and obsessed over), such as Space: Above and Beyond and Babylon 5. They had me at Star Wars. With the addition of these other sci-fi franchises which I loved so much, well... The rest of the entry is chock full of inspirational goodness. If you've been sitting on the fence about this game, it might be the very thing that makes you finally say: Hells ya!
Pirates of the Burning Sea giveaway
The MMO Gamer is holding an SEO-sponsored contest: translate a phrase from a movie into pirate-speak and win one of four Pirates of the Burning Sea pre-order packs, which include a pre-boarding party key, a landing party key, and the game's soundtrack. The contest deadline is Friday the 11th, though, so go to the site, comment your entry, and wait. Here's my example of a translation: "Avast! Me name is Inigo Montoya. You keelhauled me pappy; prepare to walk the plank!" Except yours should be, you know, more clever. The only caveat is that you can't use lines from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Nor, I should think, any other pirate movie. What would be the point? Good luck, ye scurvy dogs![Thanks, Lisa!]
MMO Gamer interviews K2 Network
For those of you wondering 'K2 who?', you're not alone; the interviewer himself admits to having to look up the company on its website before beginning the interview. However, as publisher of mostly Asian free-to-play MMO titles such as Knight Online, Global MU Online, and the recently-released Sword of the New World, K2 Network is well-stocked with potential gaming goodness. One of the questions I've always had about these free-to-play MMOs is 'How do they make money?' The answer is 'Item sales', where in-game objects are paid for through purchased currency, which is apparently the standard business model of these types of games in Korea.It's an interesting interview, and one that made me curious to see these games, so watch for my take on them in the near future.[Thanks, Siam!]
