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Summer update adds Merchant class to Dream of Mirror Online
Gametribe, the European carrier of Dream of Mirror Online (run in North America by Aeria Games), announced a new game update this weekend. The update will go live on the 25th, and it will add a new class to DoMO -- the Merchant. The Merchant "uses money to fight and create powerful attacks." Sounds cool, but expensive!The update will also feature a handful of new quests, including a couple new steps to the main quest. The item mall will see the addition of greedy inventory bags. Unsurprisingly, those will increase a character's maximum inventory. Some new visual character customization options will be added as well.We've given kudos to DoMO for its art style in the past. Brenda Holloway (one of the staff bloggers here at Massively) even wrote that it's better than World of Warcraft. Don't scoff until you've tried it! If you have an aversion to microtransactions, though, maybe you should just take our word for it and move on.
The Social Gaming Summit: Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds
Friday the 13th: An inauspicious day for the superstitious crowd, but a great day for attendees of the Social Gaming Summit, held in San Francisco. The day saw a schedule full of great panels, populated by some of the industry's finest movers and shakers, among them representatives from Gaia Online, Nexon, Three Rings, and Gamasutra, among others too numerous to list here.A particular highlight of the conference for this blogger was the panel entitled "Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds", which provided a lively discussion on what it means to create a virtual social space, how to monetize free-to-play content, and what exactly is a casual MMO? Trying to divide attention between listening raptly and taking notes is difficult; here is the result, along with the panelists, after the jump.
The Daily Grind: What's the best way to keep players?
Let's say you're responsible for an MMO that's steadily losing players. Without being able to pinpoint why, you head to the forums and listen in: "PvP sucks!" "Classes under/overpowered!" "Not enough kittens!" Making the tough choices is your job, and you realize you can't address all of these concerns in time to keep a huge number of paying players from quitting forever. What do you do?Do you offer to make the game free? If your model depends on monthly fee revenue, switching to an ad-supported model or microtransactions is no trivial matter and won't happen quickly enough. Do you grant 5x experience for a month? People won't want to level up more quickly in a game they don't like enough to keep around. What's a good solution? If your favorite MMO were to make you angry enough to leave, what would keep you?
PC Gamer offers exclusive Age of Conan item
Readers of PC Gamer get a special gift in the July issue (currently on the stands): an exclusive Age of Conan item called the Totem of Origins, which lets the player teleport back to their home city once every 24 hours. This will probably make the July 2008 issue the best-selling issue of the year.How do you feel about in-game items being distributed this way? Isn't it just a form of microtransactions? Would you like to see Age of Conan adopt an item mall scheme?[Thanks, Yaisha!]
Virtual items trader receives Red Herring award
Red Herring has named Live Gamer, a virtual items trading company, as one of the top 100 privately held companies in North America in 2008. The annual Red Herring 100 North America Awards are given to companies identified as the most promising tech startups. Love it or hate it, RMT is not going away. The virtual trading economy, which includes avatars, items and in-game currencies, is estimated to be a market worth more than USD 1.8 billion. Much of this trading takes place on the black market, exposing buyers and sellers alike to potential fraud. Live Gamer aims to remove the sketchiness from virtual item trades, enabling secure player-to-player trading while taking business away from some of the banes of the MMO world: virtual item thieves.
ION 08: A five year forecast for MMOs
There's always a lot of discussion about what's going to be the next big thing in the MMOs industry. We all love to talk about the future and that's largely because it's a very interesting topic. So we just had to attend the "Online Games in 2013" panel at ION 08. This panel was actually introduced by Peter Freese, the ION Conference Director. It was easily one of the most packed panels I've been to thus far which is saying a lot since all the panels have been pretty well populated already.The panel consisted of Erik Bethke (GoPets Ltd), Scott Jennings (NCsoft), Bridiget Agabra (Metaverse Roadmap) and Damion Schubert (BioWare). With a group of people like this I was expecting some varied and compelling conversation on the topic of MMOs in 2013. In the end we got just that and a quite a bit more.%Gallery-22888%
The Agency to let players buy-a-spy [update]
Update: Added source -- this press release, which vaguely implies that Live Gamer's RMT service, called Live Gamer Exchange, will allow players to "customize their characters through attire, weaponry, gadgets, vehicles, gear and aliases that tailor their game play." However, Massively's Kyle Horner spoke last night with The Agency lead designer Hal Milton who said that no weapons will be sold. The team is currently discussing the sale of low-level operatives (analogues to low-level equipment), but currently, everything planned to be sold will be purely cosmetic and not gameplay affecting.Original: Remember all the hoopla over virtual arms dealing in Battlefield: Bad Company? Sony Online Entertainment's not hearing it. In fact, it announced today that its upcoming espionage MMO FPS, The Agency, will feature real money trading (RMT) of everything from clothing and gear to vehicles and weapons. SOE has yet to declassify its business model for The Agency, so this could go in one of two directions. If it's free-to-play (a la Battlefield: Heroes) the cash-for-guns program would be (slightly) easier to swallow. Since The Agency is a PC and PS3 title, we're laying a bet on a free model given the latter platform's already free online gaming service and today's announcement, which provides a means for SOE to subsidize free play with a cut of player trades. If it's subscription-based? Someone best send some fire-retardant undergarments to SOE brass.FPS players -- console ones specifically -- are used to earning their way to the top and into better weapons and gear, as seen in Call of Duty 4. The idea of playing a game where they're at an immediate disadvantage based on cash money is unlikely to sit well. At least trade works both ways; those who take the route of being skilled players -- and not payers -- can profit from their homegrown skills by selling stuff to noobs (and people with dead presidents lighting fires in their trousers).%Gallery-3830%
SOE's The Agency and Free Realms will offer RMT services
Gamasutra carries word that Sony Online Entertainment has announced their intentions to offer RMT services for both Free Realms and The Agency when they're released. These services will be offered through the third party company Live Gamer, likely in a similar arrangement to the company's current model on the EverQuest 2 title. This news comes just a day after the announcement that Live Gamer will be working with Petrogryph Games on their upcoming free to play MMO. Both The Agency and Free Realms have been recognized as possible RMT/Free to play titles since they were announced by SOE last year. The Agency will feature a card-based system which puts human assets at the players fingertips. Called Operatives, this living loot will most likely be tradeable via Live Gamer's managed RMT service. Similarly, Free Realms will offer purchasing options to players in the form of outfits, pets, and special items. Tradeable items might include collection compontents. Tentative plans also call for Free Realms to offer 'event tickets' to free players that would allow them to participate in subscriber-only services. The full release is after the break. Stay with us for future coverage of this announcement, as we've contacted both SOE and Live Gamer for comment.
Rumor: Samba de Amigo for Wii getting downloadables
Since revealing intentions to charge money for some measure of online content in February, Nintendo has kept its future plans for our wallets quietly under wraps. However, new box art found on GameStop's online store seems to indicate that Sega's upcoming maraca-deficient revival of office favorite Samba De Amigo may have us praying to the microtransaction gods when the game ships for the Wii this August.While nothing has been announced by either Sega or Nintendo, the new box art, uncovered by the sleuths at NeoGAF, carries the red "Pay to Play" program logo first shown at GDC by Nintendo to identify games that carry some sort of online fee. As our our friends at Wii Fanboy theorize, it seems likely that the game could finally introduce downloadable songs to Wii, which if true will just make the Wii versions of Guitar Hero III and Rock Band feel that much more feature bankrupt.[Via Wii Fanboy]
Acclaim finds another way to sell gold
Acclaim Games, producers of 2Moons, have announced their new partnership with TrialPay, a service that offers people something they really want in exchange for buying a different item. Here's how it works: Companies will make money from TrialPay by offering their customers something for free -- in this case, Acclaim Coins, which can be used to purchase items in-game. If the customers purchase goods or services from TrialPay's advertisers -- for instance, a delivery of FTD flowers, or a Blockbuster membership -- the advertiser then pays the full value of what the original company is offering its customers.It seems a little convoluted, and somewhat sketchy -- wouldn't it just be easier to stick with the pay-for-money option, which is already in place? Either way, money is leaving the hands of the consumer, so it isn't clear what benefit is obtained. If you must buy something, go straight to the source, we always say!
InterPlay conference coming May 22nd
theMIX agency and RoomFullofPeople just recently announced plans to host InterPlay, a one-day event that will explore the overlap of online games and social networks that has nothing to do with that other Interplay. The conference is planned for May 22nd and will take place at the Kabuki Hotel in San Francisco.If you happen to attend you can expect to see speakers from companies such as Bebo, DoubleFusion and Electronic Arts. Their will also be a strong showing of venture capitalists to offer their own perspectives on several subjects. The panels being offered seem like they'll vary, some of the included examples are "Micro-Transactions and Virtual Goods", "Funding the Social Gaming Sphere "and "Advertising and Marketing on Social Games".Sounds like a fairly well-rounded event and being that it's only one day it should be full of interesting discussions for those interested in either social networks or virtual worlds.
First Impressions: Albatross 18
Have you been pining away for a great golf MMO? We have, too! Look, even if you haven't, let's just go along with this, okay? Albatross 18 is an engaging, colorful, whimsical game that doesn't disappoint. When one considers golf, there really isn't too much to it -- hit the ball into the hole, rinse, repeat. The beauty of its simplicity is that a developer can go crazy with that concept and add all sorts of madness to it, and it can only improve the game.And that's exactly what's going on with Albatross 18: beautiful environments, useful power-ups, crazy caddies, mascots, costumes -- this game is hilarious. Will you like it? Let's find out. As always, we remind you that this is not meant to be a full review of everything in the game; these are the first impressions we got after spending an hour or so playing. Excelsior!%Gallery-21821%
Bounty Bay opens a free-to-play server
High seas sailing Bounty Bay Online just recently began releasing their client free of charge, and dropped a brand new island into the Atlantic. Developer Frogster is still changing things up, with the announcement that they're opening a brand new free-to-play server for the game. Despite the free client, the older servers require a subscription fee, and have no microtransaction component. This new game shard, named the "Mary Read", will require no regular fee and offers players several unique items via an in-game item store.The store charges 3 cents and upwards for a variety of items, including potions, figureheads, and treasure maps. Players can buy points, which they can then exchange for in-game items. They are also selling items that will boost your level and character power, allowing you to purchase your way to a level of power comparable with your friends. BBO players on the older "William Blight" server should remain unaffected by this new game addition; items bought in the store are only available on Mary Read.
The Digital Continuum: Macrotransactions
The subject of microtransactions tends to bring out a lot of different opinions in people and sometimes harsh words are exchanged. I've never really taken a stance on the matter, as I've always been a bit unsure of which side of the argument I fell on. I recently had an epiphany on my stance. Everyone that is talking about microtranasctions seems to be missing something important. They're all a little bit wrong. Michael Zenke (one of our intrepid leads here at Massively) recently brought up the subject in a different light and in doing so made me come to this realization that we'd all been missing an important factor in this discussion.I think we need to stop looking at microtransactions with a black or white lens. Monthly subscriptions and single-dollar purchases aren't the only options available to us. For the sake of argument, let's call what I'm about to discuss something different.Let's call them Macrotransactions.
Tokyo content developer offers a mobile future for MMOs
Gamasutra just recently put up notes from a unique lecture given at this year's Game Developer's Conference. David Collier, president of the Japanese group Pikkle KK, offered up a Tokyo-focused vision of the future of MMOs. For millions of players in Asia, a series of casual flash games played mutliplayer via cellphones are all the MMO they need or want. Collier explained the sheer appeal of these titles, which cross age- and gender-boundaries; some 40% of male teens are playing one of these titles, called Mobile Game Town.The Flash Lite format is part of the reason behind these services' success. Quick, simple downloads allow for instant action, and the portability of the Flash experience ensures there is minimal need to tweak titles for specific platforms. These games are also very lucrative, offering easy access to customers for advertisers. Collier's comments on the future of the medium are fascinating, as bigger players and high-profile developers step into the ring.
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Taxing your virtual economy
Logging into World of Warcraft to check the mailbox for a new treasure trove of gold is pretty normal. Logging into WoW and seeing Taxman102 spamming the trade channel about new tax laws is not very normal. In fact, some people find that more frightening than an angry raid leader deprived of sleep. The real scary thing is, two governments are actually talking about it. The US Congress sat down on the 1st of April and, despite the nature of the day, had a serious discussion on turning copper, isk, lindens, and doubloons into cold, hard, cash. Sweden also had some interesting things to say on taxing virtual transactions. What the heck is going on? Are W-4s going to start arriving from Blizzard addressed to Sirtradesalot of Destromath?Luckily, the issue is not a problem for the players who deal solely in virtual property. For example, buying x item on the auction house for x gold. The issue affects those MMOs that utilize microtransactions as a part of their content or subscription methods. For each silver bought, there might be a small sales tax attached if the talk ever becomes reality. Make sure to keep those sales receipts next year or you could get an unpleasant knock on your door!
Nexon coils up the Long Tail at VIDFEST 2008
The Vancouver International Digital Festival, or VIDFEST, is an event for digital media professionals. This covers all aspects of media, including animation, Web 2.0, and gaming. Nexon, makers of Maple Story and Mabinogi, among others, will have a presence there, and in fact have managed to get Chris Anderson, Wired magazine editor -in-chief, and author of The Long Tail and the upcoming Free: Why $0.00 is the Future of Business to speak at the keynote address on the 23rd of May.It's easy to see the connection; Nexon has proved that the free-to-play/microtransactions model can be a successful one. American MMOs are still reluctant to try this out, preferring the standard subscription model instead. Perhaps Anderson can sway the hearts and minds of the captains of the digital industry?[Thanks, Robert!]
Nexon's Min Kim on the importance of Target to free to play gaming
Today Gamasutra has up a massive interview with Min Kim, public face for the Korean gaming powerhouse Nexon. Kim has spoken on numerous occasions at various industry events on overcoming challenges for free to play gaming. Those challenges have translated into huge opportunities, with games like MapleStory, Kart Rider, Mabinogi, and Audition earning Nexon big money. According to Kim, the microtransaction business model the company uses across its titles is responsible for that success. Many other MMO developers have attempted to emulate that success, but their entrenched position 'since the late 90s', has made that difficult.Some of Kim's most interesting statements surround their interactions with brick-and-mortar retail outlets. "We didn't really take off until we got the cards into Target and Best Buy and 7-Eleven. Over 50 percent of our player base doesn't have access to plastic, between 13 and 17. They just couldn't pay, so we'd effectively lose more than half our business. So that payment side is, I think, one of the biggest battles that people will fight." He goes on to discuss the possibility of Nexon games on the Xbox 360, the role of games in South Korea, and the misconceptions Western developers have when entering the free-to-play marketplace.
Lonpos hates your wallet
While you already know our stance on Lonpos's downloadable content, you probably didn't realize how much wallet maiming would actually be going on. In Japan, nine puzzle packs were released this week. While that might seem like good news at first for the puzzle lovers in us all, it's not. Each puzzle pack costs 500 Wii Points (or $5, if you will), meaning that all nine packs come to a total of $45. Let's not forget the $10 to download the starter pack of Lonpos to begin with.A puzzle pack includes twenty-five puzzles, which means that all nine packs would admittedly be a lot of content, but this still doesn't sit right with us. At the very least, the initial gimped version should be cheaper to download off of WiiWare. With this much DLC at these prices, we'd have preferred that Genki released a disc-based game instead. Think about it: if you don't think you'd like Lonpos, you won't want to download it in the first place. If Lonpos interests you, though, you're going to want as many puzzle packs as possible, and feel completely deflated by the money Genki is asking for. It seems that Genki has gotten the concept of nickel-and-diming down to a T. Gallery: Lonpos
Interview with Flagship's Max Schaefer
On their latest video podcast, the folks at 1UP had a chat with Flagship Studios' COO and executive producer of Mythos, Max Schaefer. He talks a little about Mythos' raison d'être as a sort of technology demo for last year's action MMO, Hellgate: London. It's taken on a life of its own since then to become the kinder, lighter action MMO, brighter and more just plain fun. In keeping with their more social goal for Mythos, there is full guild support, and they'll be adding in email, minigames, group-oriented content and, yes, an item mall. Following the lead of the Asian casual game market, Mythos is free to download, free to play, and though you may want to buy certain things to help you along the way at their item mall (though nothing overpowering -- you won't find the best swords or armor at the item mall), you will be able to see and do everything without paying a penny.Schaefer calls this new philosophy "Triple-A casual" -- top flight production values using the latest tech, but keeping development time short and focusing on the fun. We've been hearing a lot about Mythos lately; here's hoping they start their open beta soon so that we can all play.
