[MUD-Dev] When will new MMORPGs that are coming out get original with the gameplay?

[Daniel James]

On Sat, 5 Jul 2003, Martin Bassie wrote:

> Of course, there will always be similarities. People almost demand
> slick 3D graphics, realistic worlds and the most impressive effects
> in a hi-tech engine, and it'll be hard for a game to launch
> successfully without using one of those.

I'm afraid I have to disagree -- perhaps because I've bet the farm on it
(Moo!) Hardcore gamers may demand these things, but they are also the
audience keen on Elves and Swords of Orc-reavery, and very well catered
for already.

The vast majority of the *existing* (let alone potential) gaming audience
doesn't care much about engines, realism or effects. They want *fun*.

Deliver fun to these people and you can launch successfully. Fail to
deliver fun and it doesn't matter how much you spend on realistic 3D
effects -- as a number of recent MMO launches have shown. I agree that
in order to reach people it helps to present fun in an attractive package,
but again, that has nothing to do with 3D and realism.

ahem </rant>

p.s. I wrote and cancelled a 'hear hear' to Randy's Java praise; our
servers haven't crashed once in eight months of alpha testing. They did
get pretty confused once, but they stubbornly refused to keel over.

- Daniel
  www.puzzlepirates.com


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