MMORPGs… Why? An Exploratory Presentation By Ross

What is an MMORPG? http://www.tv-links.co.uk/link.do/2/157/422/5709/9897 Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game Take place in a large, persistent, virtual world with hundreds of other players Generally revolve around advancement through levels, gear, reputation, etc.

http://www.tv-links.co.uk/link.do/2/157/422/5709/9897

Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

Take place in a large, persistent, virtual world with hundreds of other players

Generally revolve around advancement through levels, gear, reputation, etc.

Brief History Review

MUD The first really successful multi-user world Created in 1978 by Roy Trubshaw and Richard Bartle at Essex University on a DEC PDP-10 Text-Based Connected to ARPANet in 1980 so people in the US could play Richard Bartle left Essex in 1985 to work on MUD2 http:// www.mudii.co.uk /

The first really successful multi-user world

Created in 1978 by Roy Trubshaw and Richard Bartle at Essex University on a DEC PDP-10

Text-Based

Connected to ARPANet in 1980 so people in the US could play

Richard Bartle left Essex in 1985 to work on MUD2

http:// www.mudii.co.uk /

Other Notable Games Drygulch – 1980 – 3D line graphics, western game, no orcs or magic Dungeons/Islands of Kesmai – 1980 – ASCII graphics, up to six players, more combat oriented than MUD, Zork, or Adventure, costs $12/hour to play Habitat – 1985 – 2D graphics, 3 rd person view AberMUD – 1987 – first popular INTERNET based game, Freely available Monster – 1988 – Supported online creation; players were allowed to create the environment Legend of the Red Dragon – 1989 – Only allowed 10-20 minutes of play per day TinyMUD – 1989 – Stripped down version of Monster, quickly became popular because it was much more streamlined

Drygulch – 1980 – 3D line graphics, western game, no orcs or magic

Dungeons/Islands of Kesmai – 1980 – ASCII graphics, up to six players, more combat oriented than MUD, Zork, or Adventure, costs $12/hour to play

Habitat – 1985 – 2D graphics, 3 rd person view

AberMUD – 1987 – first popular INTERNET based game, Freely available

Monster – 1988 – Supported online creation; players were allowed to create the environment

Legend of the Red Dragon – 1989 – Only allowed 10-20 minutes of play per day

TinyMUD – 1989 – Stripped down version of Monster, quickly became popular because it was much more streamlined

Into the 90s and Beyond The Realm Online – 1996 – Longest running graphical MUD Meridian 59 – 1996 – First 3d MMORPG; focuses mainly on PvP combat Ultima Online – 1997 – Massively popular by previous standards 1999 Everquest & Asheron’s Call released… and the rest is history

The Realm Online – 1996 – Longest running graphical MUD

Meridian 59 – 1996 – First 3d MMORPG; focuses mainly on PvP combat

Ultima Online – 1997 – Massively popular by previous standards

1999

Everquest & Asheron’s Call released… and the rest is history

History by Chart

What makes MMOs so popular?

Richard Bartle & Who Plays MMOs After working on MUD I and II, Bartle started doing research and writing papers about this genre he had created. Determined that there are four types of players: Achievers Socializers Killers Explorers Different games appeal to different groups of players – the more successful games appeal to all the groups.

After working on MUD I and II, Bartle started doing research and writing papers about this genre he had created.

Determined that there are four types of players:

Achievers

Socializers

Killers

Explorers

Different games appeal to different groups of players – the more successful games appeal to all the groups.

Asheron’s Call Microsoft’s entry into the MMO genre Released in 1999 Almost 100 content patches and 2 expansion packs Development company Turbine bought the game from Microsoft in 2004

Microsoft’s entry into the MMO genre

Released in 1999

Almost 100 content patches and 2 expansion packs

Development company Turbine bought the game from Microsoft in 2004

Asheron’s Call Pros: Completely original content Huge world to explore Lots of skill customization available Monthly patches add lots of new content and story elements that follow larger story arcs that last for long periods of time. Lots of advancement available – hundreds of quests and a level cap of 275 Cons: Fairly hard to get into – advancement takes a long time and is very hard when you are just starting out. Also a steep learning curve. “Gimped characters.” Much of the new content released is geared toward higher level characters, so newbies can’t take advantage of it Death system is very unforgiving World is so large, a lot goes unused Lots of money- and time-sinks

Pros:

Completely original content

Huge world to explore

Lots of skill customization available

Monthly patches add lots of new content and story elements that follow larger story arcs that last for long periods of time.

Lots of advancement available – hundreds of quests and a level cap of 275

Cons:

Fairly hard to get into – advancement takes a long time and is very hard when you are just starting out. Also a steep learning curve. “Gimped characters.”

Much of the new content released is geared toward higher level characters, so newbies can’t take advantage of it

Death system is very unforgiving

World is so large, a lot goes unused

Lots of money- and time-sinks

Asheron’s Call Appeals most heavily to achievers and explorers Monthly updates allow people to explore new content almost constantly Lots of opportunities to be the “first” to complete new stuff Moderate amount of appeal to socializers Player housing and large meeting spots allow socializers to congregate and hang out Even popular dungeons are fun places to hang out Not so much appeal to killers PK system is totally optional except on the PK server Really hard to get started on PK server

Appeals most heavily to achievers and explorers

Monthly updates allow people to explore new content almost constantly

Lots of opportunities to be the “first” to complete new stuff

Moderate amount of appeal to socializers

Player housing and large meeting spots allow socializers to congregate and hang out

Even popular dungeons are fun places to hang out

Not so much appeal to killers

PK system is totally optional except on the PK server

Really hard to get started on PK server

Asheron’s Call II Released November, 2002 First “Next-Gen” MMO Sequel in name only – totally different gameplay

Released November, 2002

First “Next-Gen” MMO

Sequel in name only – totally different gameplay

Asheron’s Call II Had a lot of bugs and problems at release. Though these were fixed later, it couldn’t save the game Servers were shut down December 30, 2005

Had a lot of bugs and problems at release. Though these were fixed later, it couldn’t save the game

Servers were shut down December 30, 2005

Why Did AC2 Fail? Designers wanted a purely player-driven economy – there was an extensive crafting system that allowed players to make most of the items in the economy In the beginning there were almost no NPCs in the game Despite great story-driven dungeons, great PvP balance, and completely original class specializations, the combat system was lacking Didn’t appeal to many player types

Designers wanted a purely player-driven economy – there was an extensive crafting system that allowed players to make most of the items in the economy

In the beginning there were almost no NPCs in the game

Despite great story-driven dungeons, great PvP balance, and completely original class specializations, the combat system was lacking

Didn’t appeal to many player types

Guild Wars Released by ArenaNet in April, 2007 “ Cooperative/competitive online role-playing game” Episodic – Three episodes, called campaigns, have been released; each episode released has new content. It is not essential for players to purchase all of the campaigns ArenaNet makes regular patches to fix gameplay issues

Released by ArenaNet in April, 2007

“ Cooperative/competitive online role-playing game”

Episodic – Three episodes, called campaigns, have been released; each episode released has new content. It is not essential for players to purchase all of the campaigns

ArenaNet makes regular patches to fix gameplay issues

Guild Wars Pros: No subscription fee! No grind Strong PvP Really focused on completion of scripted, story-driven missions that take place in instanced areas Cons: Not much advancement available Fairly steep learning curve Skill selection system doesn’t appeal to everyone

Pros:

No subscription fee!

No grind

Strong PvP

Really focused on completion of scripted, story-driven missions that take place in instanced areas

Cons:

Not much advancement available

Fairly steep learning curve

Skill selection system doesn’t appeal to everyone

Guild Wars Appeals to Killers Game allows players to create maximum level characters just for PvP play without a grind Appeals to Explorers Story-driven missions allow a lot of immersion in the game world Appeals to Socializers Cooperative and competitive play allow great group dynamics that are harder to find for the casual player in other games Not as much appeal to Achievers Not enough opportunities for advancement and colossal, hard-to-get achievements (Not enough grinds that the average player doesn’t have to do, and probably won’t do).

Appeals to Killers

Game allows players to create maximum level characters just for PvP play without a grind

Appeals to Explorers

Story-driven missions allow a lot of immersion in the game world

Appeals to Socializers

Cooperative and competitive play allow great group dynamics that are harder to find for the casual player in other games

Not as much appeal to Achievers

Not enough opportunities for advancement and colossal, hard-to-get achievements (Not enough grinds that the average player doesn’t have to do, and probably won’t do).

World of Warcraft Blizzard’s entry into the world of MMOs Takes place in their very popular Warcraft Universe, a few years after the events of their previous RTS game, Warcraft III Most popular MMO to date with over 8.5 million subscribers worldwide Released November, 2004 One expansion pack was released in January, 2007

Blizzard’s entry into the world of MMOs

Takes place in their very popular Warcraft Universe, a few years after the events of their previous RTS game, Warcraft III

Most popular MMO to date with over 8.5 million subscribers worldwide

Released November, 2004

One expansion pack was released in January, 2007

World of Warcraft Pros: Huge amount of content available to players Lots of advancement through levels and gear Many different playstyles supported Good ramping in dungeons Really nice learning curve Lots of fun scripted events that really immerse the player in the world Cons: Lack of original content Several long grinds that don’t seem very fun Lots of criticism about game-addiction Server instability “ Dead Realms”

Pros:

Huge amount of content available to players

Lots of advancement through levels and gear

Many different playstyles supported

Good ramping in dungeons

Really nice learning curve

Lots of fun scripted events that really immerse the player in the world

Cons:

Lack of original content

Several long grinds that don’t seem very fun

Lots of criticism about game-addiction

Server instability

“ Dead Realms”

Why is WoW so God Damn successful?!?!!!11!!one!!!

World of Warcraft Appeals to EVERYONE!! Killers - PvP system has several fun, objective-based Battlegrounds, world PvP objectives, and lots of PvP-centric rewards for participating. Also, plenty of places that are great for “ganking” Explorers - Huge, very fleshed out, detailed world for people to explore. Dozens of zones and large instanced dungeons, each with a different theme. Quests, towns, monsters etc. match the themes very well and help with the immersion of the player, ie Hellfire Peninsula. Socializers – Large cities serve as gathering points for players. Guilds are a great way to make friends in-game. Lots of chat options available. Looking for group tool. Achievers – HUGE amount of content for all levels of achievers. Lots of stuff that’s really hard to get for players to “Pimp their epeen”

Appeals to EVERYONE!!

Killers - PvP system has several fun, objective-based Battlegrounds, world PvP objectives, and lots of PvP-centric rewards for participating. Also, plenty of places that are great for “ganking”

Explorers - Huge, very fleshed out, detailed world for people to explore. Dozens of zones and large instanced dungeons, each with a different theme. Quests, towns, monsters etc. match the themes very well and help with the immersion of the player, ie Hellfire Peninsula.

Socializers – Large cities serve as gathering points for players. Guilds are a great way to make friends in-game. Lots of chat options available. Looking for group tool.

Achievers – HUGE amount of content for all levels of achievers. Lots of stuff that’s really hard to get for players to “Pimp their epeen”

The End