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Redefining MMOs: Terminology
As we look back at the past several years of the MMO scene, we see a genre that has gone through significant evolutionary leaps. With those pioneering days of text MUDs and blocky graphics behind us, today we enjoy professionally developed games with impressive development teams and massive budgets behind them. The genre's depths have been thoroughly explored and we've even categorised the features we've come to love and expect from our favourite online retreats. Every part of the genre, from the types of gameplay available to the terminology we use, has been routinely evolving and redefining itself over time.With professional MMO development soaring and a whole new generation of promising titles on the way, we stand on the cusp of what could be the next big evolutionary leap for online gaming. In the coming weeks and months, Massively will be examining how the MMO genre has been redefined during the current generation of games and where it's headed in the next. If you have something important to say on the topic, feel free to post a comment on page 2 or even write your own "Redefining MMOs" blog post and leave a comment with the URL.In this introductory article, I ask why we use the terminology we do when talking about MMOs and if perhaps it's starting to change.
The Daily Grind: How did you discover MMOs?
MMOs are a strange kind of genre to get into. With console games like BioShock or Gears of War, it's usually the hype or the fact everybody on the entire planet is playing which persuades me to buy/rent a game. MMOs however require a little more patience and have a steeper learning curve. You need to be in it for the longish haul and most aren't exactly pick up and play. Not if you're me anyway. In my case I got into MMOs because of friends and then because of my job. I started off not knowing a thing about this strange online genre and suddenly three years later they make up a good fifty percent of my income as a freelance journalist. But at the same time titles like EverQuest, WoW and more recently AoC and LotRO lingered in my peripheral radar for months before they were released, only getting my full attention once the shiny collector's editions were all sold out.So, constant readers, how did you discover the strange new world of the MMO? Do you just play one or do you now find yourself torn between many different words and cultures. Were you initially sceptical about this MMO lark, or did you embrace online gaming with enthusiasm and have not looked back since?
Ten things WoW players should know from E3
Blizzard, as you probably already know, was not at E3 this year (officially, anyway -- they did have at least a few folks wandering the exhibit halls). But that doesn't mean there wasn't anything for you WoW fans: both Elizabeth Harper and I were there from WoW.com working with our sister sites Joystiq and Massively, and as WoW fans, we saw plenty of awesome games and demos that you should know about.So even if you haven't been paying attention to E3 information on other sites, here's a quick wrapup of ten different things you should know from last week's big convention if you're a WoW player. There were no big expansion announcements or hints at future Blizzard releases -- they're saving all of that for BlizzCon this year. But there were a few games to watch, a few booths to marvel at, and a few trends to notice that you'll want to be aware of even if you're spending most or all of your gaming time in Azeroth. Hit the break for the first four.
Radiopaq launches custom tuned earphones to single our your audio
There's a big difference between giving people choices and giving people a choice, and while Sleek Audio did the smart thing by doing the former, Radiopaq is carelessly banking on the latter to still go over well. Rather than producing a set of earbuds with customizable acoustics to fit whatever genre you find yourself into, Radiopaq's custom tuned earphones take that personalization away from the end-user. Oh sure, you could plop down for four different sets to handle your classical, jazz, pop and rock records, but that would easily go down as one of the most absurd decisions you've ever made. The company proclaims that each set actually can be used to enjoy other genres, noting that each pair is simply optimized for one specific style. Each package will go for £59 ($86), so make sure you choose carefully -- does your allegiance lie with The Cranberries or Taylor Swift?[Via Pocket-lint]
"My Life as a Night Elf Priest"
A University of California Irvine anthropologist named Bonnie Nardi has been studying one of the strangest cultures known to man lately, and she's going to be presenting her findings in a book called "My life as a Night Elf Priest" -- that's right, she's been taking notes on the weird sociological experiment known as Azeroth. It sounds pretty interesting -- she's been examining the way Chinese and American players play the game (and of course the differences between them), and she's also looking into how games like WoW can bring us closer together rather than isolating us socially. It's funny -- as a genre and a technology, MMO games are actually in the absolute earliest phases of their history. Socoiologists and psychologists have been studying real humans for thousands of years, and yet it's only in the past few decades that they've gotten access to MMO games, like little petri dishes of condensed human behavior. Nardi may be one of the first to try and scientifically examine how players use (and are affected by) this technology, but she'll definitely be far from the last.
Study: MMOs bringing in $1.4 billion a year
If America's bankers want to get back into Moneytown, apparently they could do a lot worse than designing a hit MMO -- a study by a group named Screen Digest says that the MMO market is hotter than ever. After dropping down to a total of $701 million in 2008, games like World of Warcraft are seeing their revenues rise again, up to a total of $1.4 billion. And not surprisingly, WoW is still leading the charge -- while their overall market share is dropping very slightly, from 60% of the market down to around 58%, they're still making more money than ever. And while other games are picking up some numbers, according to Screen Digest, they're not really stealing players from Azeroth -- they're actually pulling new MMO players in.Which is understandable -- during times of economic downturn, online games like MMOs are actually positioned to do very well. Why spend $15 on one night at the movies when you can spend it on a whole month of entertainment? World of Warcraft may have brought the MMO monster to the surface, but according to numbers like these, this is a game genre that's going to be extremely popular (and profitable) for a long time to come.
The Daily Grind: Is it IP or people?
Yesterday after the announcement of the new Marvel MMO, a bit of lively discussion sparked up on Twitter between Shuttler from Limited Edition, Brenda "Tipa" Holloway, West Karana blogmistress and Massively alumni, and me. There was of course, the discussion of Marvel's MMO re-entering the scene, but also the question came up of whether the IP is what draws people in to a particular MMO, or if it's the people? Tipa and I generally felt that, much like World of Warcraft's success, pulling new people in has a lot to do with people suggesting the game to their friends, who then jump in and start playing it. Shuttler suggested that for those who aren't getting in via friends, IP may be the most important thing that brings new players to the table. After all, how likely are you to walk into a store and pick up an MMO in a genre you don't particularly care about - even if it has millions of players - when a genre you like (superheroes, in the original discussion) has an MMO? So this morning I wanted to open this discussion up to you all, as it was an interesting topic. What do you think pulls in new people to MMOs? For new players, do you think it's more important to have a recognizeable IP like Star Trek, Marvel, DC, Star Wars - or is it more important to have good word of mouth from people you know? When you started out, what got you into the genre? Was it friends telling you about a great MMO they were playing, or did you decide to check out a particular game because of the story/genre behind it? How important do you think IP is in the initial hook? Are there other factors that you feel are more important to bringing new players to the MMO genre? Or is it a combination of all of them, really?
Five big failings of the MMO genre (and a rebuttal to same)
Tom Chick is a well known and (generally) respected games journalist probably best known for his contentious reviews and championing of the New Games Journalism movement. He also isn't a big fan of the MMO genre. At least he isn't today, in a writeup on his Sci-Fi Channel co-branded site Fidget. The article is entitled Five Reasons MMOs Are Broken, and follows up that contentious beginning with a breakdown of the MMO genre. His primary issues seem to revolve around the established contrivances of the genre itself, such as the concept of aggro or respawning enemies. He's also very frustrated by the innumerable barriers put up between players, the levels/classes/dungeons/servers/gear restrictions that stop us from playing with our friends.As blogger Scott Jennings points out, more than the genre he's specifically breaking down World of Warcraft. He's effectively using WoW as a synonym for MMO, and as a result Jennings (and us) can point out that some of his failings have already been addressed. Read into Scott's dissection of Chick's writing for more analysis and insight on this issue and the supposed failings of the genre. Then, let us know what you think below. Is the MMO genre really that flawed ... or is it just the standard Diku-style successor that's old hat?
Richard Garriott wants to get back into fantasy gaming
The impending closure and lack of expected success from Tabula Rasa is not going to deter Richard Garriott from giving the online gaming business another shot. In a recent interview with the BBC, Garriott expressed his intentions to get back into MMO business. "After 25 years at Origin, the last thing I wanted to make was yet another medieval fantasy game," he said. "Now, after a very interesting break, I'm keen to get back into the fray and work on a new game. Probably medieval fantasy and probably online; there's something very powerful about getting people together."Also in this interview is a bit of insight from Warhammer Online's Paul Barnett into what 2009 may bring. "I expect to see some large studios go under and some big name titles fail," Barnett predicts. Whether this next year will see a fantasy MMO announcement from Garriott or Barnett's prediction of failure come true, you can't deny that it's an exciting time in the world of MMOs.[Via Wired]
DS Daily: Style over sense
I mentioned in the Dark Spire post that I don't usually play dungeon RPGs. I have no aptitude for strategy, little patience for grinding, and, uh, I actually tend to get lost in first-person maze-type environments. So that is just not the genre for me. But I will play The Dark Spire, even if my experience only lasts a searingly frustrating ten minutes, because both of its visual styles appeal to me. Have you picked up something you knew was outside of your usual area of expertise based solely on the style? Are you planning to? Or are you smarter than me?%Gallery-21932%
DS Daily: Evaluation
Now that the DSi is moving us into a newish era of Nintendo handheld gaming, it's a good time to look back on the DS library so far. Most of us seem pretty happy with the selection that's build up over the year, but do you feel there's been a good distribution of genres and plenty of replayable games? Great concepts? Too much of anything, or too little of another?
Blizzard's Kaplan drops hints about next-gen MMO's genre and platforms
Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, World of Warcraft game director Jeffrey Kaplan dropped several vague hints about Blizzard's "next-gen MMO," which is called that because so far the only info we've seen has been in job postings carrying that label. The hints don't count for much, but they're the most we've heard about the game so far.Kaplan, who revealed he is involved in the project, was asked if the game's genre would be science fiction, post-apocalyptic, or historical, and while laughing he responded: "all of those combined!" We're not sure what to make of that. Citing the console experience of the development team, he also hinted at what we already suspected: Blizzard is at least considering releasing its next MMO on consoles. However, the game is "early in development," which makes us wonder if it might not be for today's consoles, but rather the next generation.
Newest Daedalus Project research highlights genre appeal
The Daedalus project is the most important research project into MMO player demographics in the world. Run by the unflappable Nick Yee, it's a fantastic look into the minds of MMO guild leaders, female players, old players, young players, and everyone in between. Past Daedalus articles have tackled issues like playing with romantic partners, the willingness of players to buy gold online, and the importance of achieving goals in a virtual setting.The newest round of research delves into some fascinating stuff. Probably this round's most interesting data surrounds genre preferences. Have you ever wondered how much people want to play super-hero games vs. sci-fi titles? Whether guys want to play vampires, or whether girls want to play vampire hunters online? All of these questions and more are addressed in the Game Choices article in this round of the Project. Plus! Find out how the demographics of guilds pan out, what the thought process is behind character creation, preferences in class role, and the logic behind choosing a 'main character'. Check it out!
DS Daily: Underrepresented
The DS is really starting to load up on certain kinds of games, like strategy and puzzle titles. We're even starting to see a glut of all kinds of RPGs, a genre that was once thin on the handheld. But what's missing? Is there a particular genre you feel is underrepresented on the system? Or perhaps there's just something you enjoy and would like to see more of, like text adventures. What do you want to see more of?
The Daily Grind: Is the genre too commercial?
Every industry has its Wild West period. Seemingly crazy folks move forward with what turn out to be not-so-crazy ideas. They work together (or in competition) to usher in something totally fresh and new. Some of them stumble. Okay, most of them stumble. But some of them create something so inspiring it births a whole new industry.If you played the early MMOs, you know that it was an exciting frontier. But in recent years the industry has settled into a groove. Yes, it's been a turbulent groove, but it's impossible to deny that in terms of design, most games these days are following a similar formula. This formula -- introduced by EverQuest (well, Dikus, actually!) and refined by World of Warcraft -- is used now because it works. It makes money most of the time -- more often than the other formulas or the wild-eyed ideas, anyway.But since the genre has settled on this formula, has it lost something? Has the massive success of World of Warcraft replaced the exciting frontier with a commercial empire that's short on inspiration and character? Put another way: do you feel like the new games are so focused on commercial appeal that there's no trace of love or passion for the endless as-yet-unimagined possibilities of virtual worlds left over?
DS Daily: The strongest genre
The DS boasts a pretty respectable library by now, with many genres represented by some very excellent titles. But what does the DS do best? Some find the touchscreen strategy most addictive, while others spend their time hunting down new adventure games. Of course, there's always the very excellent rhythm game contingent, as well, and some will certainly argue that those games make best use of the touchscreen. But what genre has been your favorite on the DS?
Joystiq impressions: Battle of the Bands (Wii)
THQ's under-the-radar Wii game, Battle of the Bands is coming out this month. I recently saw the game in action, and I finally have a grasp on its concept. Thankfully renamed from Band Mashups, Battle of the Bands pits two gamers against each other in a Wiimote-only rhythm competition. As Guitar Hero-style commands float by, players flick the controller down, left, right, or shake it with the beat.A successful string of hits activates the "battle," firing shots at the enemy band. An aptly timed B-button blocks those volleys. This attack-and-defend mechanic controls the tug-of-war between the two players; when one is leading, the shared song plays in their chosen genre, flipping between hip-hop/funk, rock, country, marching band, and latin. The game's 30 different songs all have these versions, so you could hear "Whoomp! (There it is)" as country or "Man of Constant Sorrow" in hip-hop.The game is heavily tuned for two players, although single-player options are included. I think it'll make a good party game in limited doses, and unfortunately, it's another Wii game that should be online but isn't.%Gallery-15552%
The Daily Grind: Your favorite genre
There's a pretty even split here on the team when you ask everyone what their favorite genre is. A goodly portion of us really love paladins, shamans, thieves, and shadow knights. The worlds of fantasy are their stomping ground and they absolutely love nothing more than questing, raiding, and adventuring along in a more mystical world. The other chunk of the team seems to love the cold hard clank of metal on metal, dogfights in space, alien menace, cybernetics and laser beams. The sci-fi world of mankind is their home, lands that span galaxies, in worlds we can only dream of traveling to. Of course, there are also those who love other genres, which are equally as interesting, if a little less widely-written for, like games based on historical lands, or the occasional zombie horror MMO.This morning we thought we'd ask you which genre really appeals to you. Are there any particular genres that you'll follow more closely than others just to see the new titles coming out for it? Or do you tend to genre hop, enjoying them all pretty equally?
My 2008 MMO hopes and wishes
2007 was an incredible year for MMOs, with tons of updates to existing games and a benign rash of new titles as well. I'm not much for predictions, but I'll tell you what I'm hoping for in 2008, since you all asked so nicely:Blizzard to out-Diablo Mythos with their new MMO -- Let's face it, playing Mythos is ten kinds of fun, and most of that fun revolves around the type of gameplay that the original Diablo invented, and Diablo II refined. Mythos currently fills the gaping void left behind by Blizzard's continuing not to update the Diablo universe with a new game, but wouldn't you like to see it done up properly?Google to provide some real competition for Linden Lab -- Right now, Second Life is the only cat of its breed, and it's snoozing in the sun. The ability for users to create their own content is arguably SL's biggest draw, and it's fueled many careers, but the interface issues, rolling restarts, updates that fix things only to break other things, and age verification problems leave me wanting someone to learn from these mistakes and bring us something better. We know Google's working on something ... here's hoping it's a Third Life.A new genre -- So far, we've had Fantasy MMOs rule the day, with Science Fiction a close second, and a hodgepodge of other titles kind of experimenting with concepts a little bit. And pirates. But I'm looking for something new. Something that combines my love of cryptography with Cthulhu, perhaps. Or something that lets me relive my days playing cops and robbers. Whatever it is, this is the year to strike!Resolutions? Hmm. I guess I resolve to keep playing those smaller MMOs and telling you what I think of them, and trying not to be too dismissive of those I find lacking. Ooh, that's gonna be difficult -- I'm quite fond of the snark, I am. What are your New Year's MMO hopes and wishes?
Wii Warm Up: Genre hunting
Now that the Wii is one year old, it's time for us to start getting greedy. It is the holiday season, after all!* So, what genre would you like to see beefed up on the Wii? First person shooters, sports games, RPGs, what have you, we'd just like to know. And why that particular genre? Is it because those in that genre are your favorite types of games, or just because you think the Wii doesn't have enough of them right now?*Note: You really shouldn't be greedy during the holidays, Scrooge.
