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Chaos Theory: Advantages of The Secret World's contemporary setting
One of the greatest aspects of The Secret World that I love is the fact that it's set in today's world. Well, OK, it's some parallel universe version of Earth where every conspiracy, cryptozoological creature, and bizarre myth is able to simultaneously exist without a majority of the population knowing, but it's still home. Contemporary settings in MMOs are few and very far between. Fantasy takes the top spot, of course, followed by science fiction, historical (think pirates and period pieces), and geek genre settings like steampunk and post-apocalyptic. But to play a game set in today's world? It's just not done, not really. Except in The Secret World. From where I'm sitting, this gives TSW several major advantages that it can and does wield over the competition. Just because the game world resembles our own (with a few more zombies and werewolves, natch) doesn't mean it is stripped of fascinating allure. Actually, it opens doors that just aren't present in your typical fantasy game and paves the way for pop culture references that -- for once -- aren't anachronistic.
The Daily Grind: Is space the "final frontier" for MMOs?
"Space: the final frontier." Sounds a bit short-sighted, doesn't it? I mean, no offense to the ghost of Gene Roddenberry, but we've barely scratched the surface of what's out there beyond our atmosphere. To claim that it is the "final frontier" to be explored, charted, and colonized may not be entirely accurate. But, it does make for a catchy slogan and a great series of TV shows, movies, and games (ok, games... historically, not so much).Thus far, "space" may appear to be the final frontier in MMOs as well, but to claim it as such is also short-sighted. The creativity of the human mind is a great thing. I'm sure we'll conjure up some novel concepts or twists on old themes or settings and make them work. The two biggest MMO sub-genres so far are undoubtedly Fantasy and Science Fiction (often space-oriented). Superhero MMOs are making a run for it and so are MMOs in post-apocalytic settings. There are even a plethora of oddly-themed kids games too. Are there any genres we haven't thoroughly tapped yet? What about Horror? Mystery? Crime? Modern warfare? As for settings, what about Earth present? Earth historic? Alternate dimensions? Fairly tales? What genres and settings are you itching to explore?
