[MUD-Dev] Re: The Future of MMOGs... what\'s next?

[Frank Crowell]

From: "Valerio Santinelli" <tanis at mediacom.it>
> From: "Koster, Raph" <rkoster at soe.sony.com>

>> Rewind back to early 1998:

>>   I wanted to release a suite of tools for UO. Specifically,
>>   release a standalone Windows server (unencumbered by all the
>>   multiserver cluster stuff--we had one for internal
>>   development),

> And we would not have had to build an UO server emulator in order
> to bring up our own worlds. That would have been a hit on the UO
> community. I wonder why the execs at Origin/EA didn't want to go
> for

Or have released a lightweight multiuser server and the tool for
world building.  The majority of the people involved with emulator
projects are not really interested in creating emulators -- they
just want to have their version of worlds.  I believe that even the
Unreal emulation project is more about porting to Linux than just to
have an emulator.  Unreal is very good about having an open system
as it is.

The big disappointment was when Microsoft brought out Xbox and
continued to support the concept of closed, proprietary systems and
compete in the same same as the console.  Nothing new there.  I
thought that by now the PC model would have served as a successful
model of how to create an open system and yet create lots of
opportunities for companies to make money. If the PCs had stayed
close, we would still be dealing with some mutant versions of the
Atari ST and Amiga.  Even Apple, a very closed system, has survived
by niche marketing.

With hindsight, UO had the chance to be the PC equivalent for
virtual worlds. The other candidates could have been Quake or
Unreal, but both continue to focus on a more limited approach to
their worlds -- more niche marketing.

Indrema was almost the right box for bringing out a virtual worlds,
but unfortunately that project folded.  Going into fantasy mode for
a minute, imagine what it would have been like to bring out the
Indrema box that on bootup takes you immediately into your personal
shard, allows your friends to connect to you, and gives you a set of
tools to develop your worlds or a link to a world store where you
can buy and sell world objects.  Although a PS2 version would
definitely be hot.

frank

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