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15 Minutes of Fame: Actor Jake Stormoen lives the fantasy life on set and in Azeroth
Photo: Arrowstorm Entertainment I actually made myself practice saying the first name of actor Jake Stormoen before our recent phone interview: "Jayyyyyyyke," I intoned over and over, trying to banish the memory of the chewy Irish "Jehk" I'd heard so many times in tale after tale of Azerothian camaraderie from long-time gaming buddy Kristian Nairn ("Hodor" in HBO's Game of Thrones). It's impossible to get very far talking with either actor without running into a reference to the other; the two have formed one of those crazy gaming bonds that -- well, you know how it is with a bromance forged in the ice and fire of Azeroth. I caught up with the smaller half of the inseparable WoW-playing duo by phone during a break from the frigid set of multi-part fantasy epic Mythica, now filming on location in Utah in temperatures as low as 10 below zero. Young actor with a cool fantasy role? This guy's most definitely got it going on. We explored WoW friendships, mused over the pressures of tanking, laughed about blowing off steam in Azeroth after a long day on the set -- oh, and paused the whole interview mid-stream to deadpan and snort our way through a phone call from the Hodor-sized half of the Nairn/Stormoen duo.
The Perfect Ten: MMOs that died in development hell
If you know me, you probably know that I have a weird fascination with alternate history. You know, the daydreams of historians when they're not rewriting the past to suit the latest trends. "What if?" my mind wonders, especially when it comes to MMOs. You see, for every game that actually makes it to launch, there are several that die gasping and alone in the bowels of development hell. Sure, many of these are pathetic creatures that didn't really stand a chance anyway, but there are some that could have made an impact on the industry if they had reached release and been halfway decent. We'll never know what a world would look like with these games in them, but we can always muse, "What if?" Continuing Perfect Ten's recent dark streak, here are 10 MMOs that died in development hell; it's to our eternal loss that we'll never get to play them.
The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011
You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward. And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today. So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!
Why Microsoft is 'the MMO graveyard'
Anyone who's been following MMOs for any length of time will have come to the astute conclusion that Microsoft is not a fertile ground for the growth of such projects. In fact, in an opinion piece over at CVG, the author labels the company and Xbox Live as an "MMO graveyard" where good titles go to wither and die. Citing MMOs such as Mythica and True Fantasy Live Online as evidence, CVG says that Microsoft's "inflexibility" became the company's biggest obstacle to seeing a title through to launch. Instead, MMO after MMO was canceled, transferred to other companies, or promised and forgotten. CVG says that there is enough evidence to suggest that Microsoft is unsure and afraid of the MMO model, and instead of doing its best to be accommodating to such projects, the company made it all but impossible for original projects or PC ports to come to fruition. The article is a fascinating overview of the games and issues involved in Microsoft's approach to the MMO market, and ends with a handful of "hopefuls" that will prove that console MMOs can be done, and done well.
The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Imperator Online
It's been a rollercoaster ride over these past two months bringing the maddening -- and fascinating -- topics of "what if?" MMOs to light. We've covered a wide range of promising titles that were cut down before their release, from True Fantasy Live Online to Mythica, and we've only scratched the surface. Unfortunately, the process of MMO development is rarely smooth and casualties can and do occur, which is why we now pay homage to these fallen games. While I'd love nothing more than to continue this series, I also feel that it's time to return to our normal format starting next week. So today marks the last "what if?" for now, and I've picked a mind-boggler of a game, one that not only frustrates us with its potential but one that asks a "what if?" question of its own. I'm talking about Imperator Online, the MMO from Mythic Entertainment that dared to ask "What if the Roman Empire never fell, but instead continued on to become a really radical futuristic online role-playing game setting?"
The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Mythica
While Microsoft may be the big cheese when it comes to operating systems and worldwide domination, for whatever reason the company has the absolute worst of luck (or worst of decision-makers) when it comes to MMOs. Microsoft Game Studios has proven remarkably skittish when it approached the swimming pool of online RPGs, choosing to dip a toe into the water, give a girlie scream, and run away without taking the dive. True Fantasy Live Online had a bumpy ride with the studio, Marvel Universe Online circled the drain faster than my morning shower, and the less said about its relationship with Vanguard's development, the better. But there was yet another aborted project that Microsoft jumped into -- and then back out of -- between 2003 and 2004, and in my opinion, it was the one the company should've stuck out to completion. I remember when Microsoft first announced Mythica, because I thought "This is gonna be cool." Vikings, Norse mythology, gods made flesh, and a big-name studio funding limitless adventures. In the pre-World of Warcraft era, the field was wide open for a company to come up and rival Sony Online Entertainment for the crown, so why not this one? But... cold water, skittish toes, and another MMO kicked the bucket before it saw the light of its first day. Take my hand (don't worry, I washed today) and we shall travel back to Ragnarök and beyond!
What if...? Ten canceled MMOs that could've changed history
What if...? Some of the most intriguing questions known to mankind start with those two words, as well as the most maddening. What if...? An entire genre known as "alternate history" is derived from these questions, with scholars and average blokes alike speculating on what might have happened if things went just a little differently. What if Hitler got the bomb first? What if Microsoft developed the iPod instead of Apple? What if Abraham Lincoln decided to see a different play that night? When it comes to MMORPGs, what if's can drive one up the wall. In this volatile genre, more projects have started, canceled, launched, struggled, faded and morphed into new creations than most of us know. Today, we want to look at 10 MMOs that were axed before their launch, 10 MMOs that could've changed gaming history as we know it... if only they got the chance to prove themselves. Let's take a journey, you and I, through history itself, and ponder the greatest of questions: How would the MMO industry be different if these titles had made it to release? Click the first picture on the gallery below to start. %Gallery-94702%
The saga of Mythica (and other tales of MMO death and delay)
To say that delays are common in the MMO production schedule would be a fantastic understatement. Warhammer Online and Age of Conan's now almost-comical dancing act away from a release date can probably be traced right back to last year's launch of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Rob Pardo's well-known mantra of "polish, polish, polish" finally has a sort of anti-hero poster boy; a sterling example of what not to do when making one of these games. But, of course, WAR and AoC are just the latest examples of this trend. MMOs have been delaying or dying off since the days of Ultima Online. Over at 1up they have a whole feature dedicated to notable game delays, and the Massive genre is proudly represented among those titles. At least, standing cheek-by-jowl with the likes of Daikatana and Sin Episodes, the MMOs on the list represent a lot of (wasted) potential. From the recent Gods and Heroes collapse all the way back to the on-again-off-again development of Ultima Online 2, the list takes in the long messy road of dead and dying MMOs. Probably the one I regret most is the 2004 cancellation of Microsoft's Mythica - a unique norse-themed instanced heavy fantasy title. Everyone that even knew about MMOs back then was very excited for it, as the designers and developers were very gung-ho about the creation of real storytelling experiences inside these crazy 'instance' things. Whole tiny pocket worlds! Amazing!Living the dream, of course, was not to be. At least the game's idea lives on - along with the likes of Auto Assault, Imperator, and the quirky title-that-never was: Middle Earth Online.
The Daily Grind: Will Microsoft bring another MMO to market?
Microsoft have made it big-time with what is largely a market-follower strategy. Let others take risks, open new markets, make mistakes and find solutions, and then use that experience to move in with a best-of-breed application. Granted, opinions may vary as to how successful the implementations are tactically, but it is sound business sense nonetheless. However, this doesn't seem to be working quite so well in the MMO space. Mythica was canceled, True Fantasy Live Online, and Marvel Universe Online as well. Possibly others that we haven't heard about. And that's not counting MMO properties that they've sold off. The problem with the bandwagon business strategy is that MMOs take a fearsomely long time to assemble, and markets do change. Microsoft also hates being an also-ran. At the end of the day, Microsoft could produce a very credible MMO if they're willing to take the long-view. What do you think? Can Microsoft suck it back long enough to take the long-view, or are they likely to keep canceling in the hope of hitting that one perfect product that hits the market at exactly the right moment?
