A TALK AND Q&A SESSION FROM ALAN O’DEA AND PAUL MAYZE © MONUMENTAL GAMES 2007 An MMO is a service, not a game.

A Bit About Monumental Formed in 2005 Monumental Technology Suite in development since 2000. Current Projects: Football Superstars (Sports MMO) in conjunction with CyberSports. Enters Beta next month. Production has started on a 2 nd (undisclosed) game. Presently hiring!

Formed in 2005

Monumental Technology Suite in development since 2000.

Current Projects:

Football Superstars (Sports MMO) in conjunction with CyberSports. Enters Beta next month.

Production has started on a 2 nd (undisclosed) game.

Presently hiring!

The State of Development Number of Independent Developers: 160 45% fall since 2000 Only 11 have over 100 staff 46 universities now offer a total of 81 games-specific courses… … only 4 of which have been accredited by SkillSet. Source: UKTI Games Report 2007

Number of Independent Developers:

160 45% fall since 2000

Only 11 have over 100 staff

46 universities now offer a total of 81 games-specific courses…

… only 4 of which have been accredited by SkillSet.

The State of Development There will be 1400 game course graduates in 2007 alone. Only 25-30% of these will find work in games companies. There are only 8000 games industry jobs in the country.

There will be 1400 game course graduates in 2007 alone.

Only 25-30% of these will find work in games companies.

There are only 8000 games industry jobs in the country.

So… … why is an MMO a service, and not a game?

A Quick Comparison A ‘Typical’ Game Developed behind closed doors Big marketing launch Basic support/servers Typically serves a single client/publisher END OF STORY An MMOG Developed in constant communication with the community Continuous marketing Constant in-depth support, incl. billing, in-game, technical, account, network, etc., etc… Serves many masters JUST THE START

A ‘Typical’ Game

Developed behind closed doors

Big marketing launch

Basic support/servers

Typically serves a single client/publisher

END OF STORY

An MMOG

Developed in constant communication with the community

Continuous marketing

Constant in-depth support, incl. billing, in-game, technical, account, network, etc., etc…

Serves many masters

JUST THE START

A Comparison over Time

What gets added for an MMO? Customer Support Technical Support Billing Games Mastering/In-Game Support Community/Events/Web /Dev Diaries Real World Events/Expos Advertising Content Development

Customer Support

Technical Support

Billing

Games Mastering/In-Game Support

Community/Events/Web /Dev Diaries

Real World Events/Expos

Advertising

Content Development

A Comparison over Time

Typical Game – TCQ Trade-off =

MMO – TCQ Trade-off =

MMOs - Virtual Worlds, Real Careers Employee numbers grow over time MMOs, if they last, last a loooong time Ultima Online – 10 years old, and with 25% of their original audience Investment continually accumulates Going beyond just ‘games’ 80% of Fortune 500 companies will have a virtual world presence by 2011 (Source: Gartner Group) Even Google… Will people in this room be setting up the next Facebook?

Employee numbers grow over time

MMOs, if they last, last a loooong time

Ultima Online – 10 years old, and with 25% of their original audience

Investment continually accumulates

Going beyond just ‘games’

80% of Fortune 500 companies will have a virtual world presence by 2011 (Source: Gartner Group)

Even Google…

Will people in this room be setting up the next Facebook?

Where are you coming from? You don’t have to have a background in games… Transferable Skills Marketing Customer Service Project Management General Management Web Development Etc. Virtual Skills (!) Guild leadership (IBM – Virtual Worlds, Real Leaders) Blogs, Forums, Communities – get your name out there

You don’t have to have a background in games…

Transferable Skills

Marketing

Customer Service

Project Management

General Management

Web Development

Etc.

Virtual Skills (!)

Guild leadership (IBM – Virtual Worlds, Real Leaders)

Blogs, Forums, Communities – get your name out there

Where are you coming from? So is my Games Degree worthless? Clearly not, but… Consider your strengths in the market Supplementing your degree could be a good move MBA Project Management Certification CIM (Marketing) Etc. Sharpen the Axe!

So is my Games Degree worthless?

Clearly not, but…

Consider your strengths in the market

Supplementing your degree could be a good move

MBA

Project Management Certification

CIM (Marketing)

Etc.

Sharpen the Axe!

What are ‘we’ looking for? Specialists – require outstanding skills in a specific area ‘ Artist’ is not enough – be a character artist, environmental artist, etc. ‘ Programmer’ is not enough – be a tools programmer, GUI specialist, AI expert, network programmer Generalists – Community Managers – lots of social networking experience, commentary and group-forming Web Managers – need a range of web development skills and strong awareness of what’s coming up

Specialists – require outstanding skills in a specific area

‘ Artist’ is not enough – be a character artist, environmental artist, etc.

‘ Programmer’ is not enough – be a tools programmer, GUI specialist, AI expert, network programmer

Generalists –

Community Managers – lots of social networking experience, commentary and group-forming

Web Managers – need a range of web development skills and strong awareness of what’s coming up

What are ‘we’ looking for? Cross-Over Potential – you define the offering, and sell it to the company Mobile technology, Musicians, Film/T.V., whatever! With virtual worlds (of which MMOs are just a part), we still don’t know what skills are needed Consider Football Superstars vs. World of Warcraft

Cross-Over Potential – you define the offering, and sell it to the company

Mobile technology, Musicians, Film/T.V., whatever!

With virtual worlds (of which MMOs are just a part), we still don’t know what skills are needed

Consider Football Superstars vs. World of Warcraft

A TALK AND Q&A SESSION FROM ALAN O’DEA AND PAUL MAYZE © MONUMENTAL GAMES 2007 An MMO is a service, not a game.