[MUD-Dev2] [Design] Dinosaurs evolve to chickens, MMOs evolve to massively single-player games

[cruise]

Vincent Archer wrote:
> According to Damion Schubert:
>> ... But where WoW
>> differs from those other games is that they have plenty to do if you're
>> alone - including taking your character from level 1 to the cap.  This
>> idea would have seemed heretical in 1998, but is actually grounded
>> on a handful of simple facts.
>>
>> * Sometimes your friends aren't online.
>> * Pick up groups often suck.
>> * A lot of gaming geeks aren't exactly social butterflies.
>> my opinion, this is a big one - and may well have been the force
>> multiplier that took the classic MMO formula from six figures to seven.
> 
> And the first one:
> * What do I do if I have 30mn before it's time for dinner

Before anyone gets too far along the road of "this is why WoW got so
big", I'd like to point out City of Heroes did all of these things way
before. Solo-play is perfectly possible, quick five-to-ten minute play
sessions, etc.

So I suspect the reason for WoW success isn't anything to do with the
"heretical" idea of solo play and quick missions.