Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Chosen One

MMORPGs are big freaking business right now. Everybody wants to get in on it.

It's a great system for both the company and the consumer. The company gets a monthly fee per player instead of a one time purchase fee and the consumer gets a game with almost unlimited potential instead of a $60, 5 hour crapathon.

Plus, it opens an entirely new interactive world for the player to explore. With the right license, the player could become part of a world they already love.

This is the thing, though. It's hard to find the right license.

I know what you're thinking. MMORPGs are like free money, right? Any license could work.

Not really.

Building an MMORPG from scratch is very dangerous. With such a wide market right now, you really need something that's going to grab their attention.

No, not porn.

Though, a pornstar MMORPG would probably be incredibly successful.

Everyone make a note that I came up with that idea first.

I call dibs.

No, you better be bringing a big name franchise to the table if you want to set yourself apart.

This is where things get funny though. EVERYONE thinks their favorite thing would make an awesome MMORPG.

Naruto.

Pokemon.

Harry Potter.

These franchises have two things in common:

1) the are incredibly popular

2) they would make terrible MMORPGs

Yes, you read that right. Terrible, terrible MMORPGs.

Terrible.

What many people seem to forget is that an MMORPG requires players to work together. It requires them to form teams and groups where each member plays an important role.

All of these franchises revolve around a single character being special.

That kind of defeats the whole point of an MMORPG.

Here's a freaking hint: Nobody wants to be Ron Weasley.

Nobody.

Even Ron Weasley hates being Ron Weasley.

The entire idea of a Harry Potter MMORPG breaks down when you realize everyone will want to be HARRY POTTER.

With no variation and no job classes, the multiplayer group can't work. Everyone needs to have a specific, equally important job.

Well... Mostly equal.

Sometimes the only person seeking is a Thief.

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

MMORPGs are awesome. We get that.

You like a certain movie/show/comic/game. We get that, too.

It'd still make a terrible MMORPG.

Remember the Matrix Online?

Exactly.

A bunch of people who loved the movies (yes, even the third one) bought the game, went online, and immediately went to create Neo.

You know what's not fun? A world full of Neos.

See, Neo was the one.

Singular.

The movies were all about him being the one.

A game about an entire world of "ones" doesn't make a lot of freaking sense, does it?

I guess it didn't because the game crashed and burned. It was horrible. Black latex and sunglasses everywhere.

Tens of people were heartbroken.

All because they failed to understand that there's no 'I' in MMORPG.

A well known license is a great thing. It's practically the right to print your own money.

Unfortunately, it's not the ability to make a perfect game.

Not everybody gets to be the hero, the star, the chosen one. MMORPGs are all about coming together and being part of a team and working as a group.

Save that other bullshit for the movies.

27 Comments:

At 9:48 PM, Blogger Kahsha said...

I don't think Susan would approve of a porn MMORPG. With that said, I volunteer for the beta!



first bitches lol

 
At 10:56 PM, Blogger Tansunn said...

"All of these franchises revolve around a single character being special."

I'd have to disagree with this point when it comes to Pokemon. In the games, your character is just a generic nobody and is already free to interact with every other generic nobody playing the game so long as there's a way to interface them (link cable on the old Game Boys, wi-fi on the DS, etc.). Yeah, the cartoon stars Ash, but screw him, an MMORPG would be based on the games where you play as some kid who can't do anything as has to make his pets do all the work.

Making a Pokemon MMORPG would pretty much just turn the interface mechanism into an online server that updates the game world in real-time. Now instead of the other trainers being NPCs that just sit there and twiddle their thumbs, they'll be actual players that run through the fields and catch that rare shiny Tardface you've been waiting so long to catch.

 
At 11:39 PM, Blogger HeimiricIX said...

Yeah I agree with Tansunn, but still...

I don't see myself with other 17 pokemon trainers (or Hogwarts students) gathering together to defeat... I don't know in pokemon but perhaps Fluffy in Harry Potter?

 
At 11:40 PM, Blogger Shade said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:56 PM, Blogger On the Internet said...

Wow, you are funny!
I typed in 'fish bot' on accident and ended up here. I think any sort of thing with porn will make money. Good for you.

 
At 1:38 AM, Blogger Leut said...

The only franchises that look like they would have a chance are console and PC platform single players game that have been very successful in their own right.

Grand Theft Auto....maaybe. Not sure on that one.

Elder Scrolls....good possibility. With a few modifications it could work.

Xenosaga....another possibility. The game series had a decent story line and left alot of content unanswered, leaving some degree of "I wonder where that came from" in the player.

There are several existing game series out there that could work if they were produced with quality in mind. the big difference here is that these are not from already made movies and stories in film. Most Hollywood made entertainment sucks these days.

So, lets stick with what works. Gamers got the right idea. Ask the gaming communities what they want. Compare notes. Give them what they want with e dash of difficulty and an understanding that with effort and time, they'll have a great game.

 
At 4:44 AM, Blogger Ryan James said...

Yeh tbh you can just be some randomer in the game, and leave the main NPCs as the storyline characters, abit like Lotr online (shudders) lol.

Like naruto would make a good PvPMMO tbh, 5 different countrys, all agaisnt eachother, Could be fun? =P.

 
At 5:57 AM, Blogger Chewie said...

That is why I dont play MMORPG's. I want to be the biggest baddest "one" while playing a game. I just dont work well with others. I played a Star Wars MMORPG for about 1 hour. Thats all it took for the idiots running around me for it to ruin the game.

 
At 7:01 AM, Blogger Gwydion said...

Well Spoken! I agree that MMORPGs that succeed must be team based. However, on the reverse of your point, how many MMORPGs have you seen fall out and die because the players got to the point that they didn't think they needed teams/parties anymore and try to be "The One". I truly hate that.

 
At 7:56 AM, Blogger Bufuman said...

Actually, there are a few freeware Pokemon MMORPGs out there. Granted, they're not so much with the teaming up as they are with the competitive battling, but they're still kinda cool.

 
At 8:17 AM, Blogger David Allan Støen said...

Harry Potter online is just fail. Hogwarts online however, sounds a lot more interesting.

 
At 9:18 AM, Blogger LD Josh said...

I"m actually working on a Pokemon MMO....

 
At 9:40 AM, Blogger Larkin said...

MassIvely MultIplayer OnlIne Role PlayIng Game

I count 4 I's in MMORPG... but I guess that's just me.

 
At 10:13 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah, Hogwarts Online, though... Not gonna lie, thinking about the possibilities...

Think of the crafting system... Potions, Divination, Herbology...

Rather than races, you'd have Slytherin, Griffindor, etc...

Storyline is progressed like ranking in FFXI (Hufflepuff Year 1,2,3,....)

How I'd love to create a Slytherin Shapeshifter shouting for gold in the Griffindor common room....

What?

 
At 12:44 PM, Blogger Hunter said...

See I love the idea of a Pokémon MMO until you all get together with your LS and all pull out your dude to go beat up a Legendary like Mewtwo and some douche in your shell thinks its his turn and throws a ball and captures your dude. Though I guess thats a lot like any other MMO.

I guess the thing that turns me off of Pokémon as an MMO is the "Legendary" ones. They aren't really legendary if everyone in endgame has them right?

 
At 12:50 PM, Blogger AzureShadow said...

Heh, you've already been beaten to the punch on the porn star thing. I've seen MMOs where you make a porn star and go around fucking people. It's pretty... Interesting.

 
At 1:01 PM, Blogger Mali said...

You've mentioned Jormy being your pokemon before.... Were you the one trying to come up with the Pokemon MMORPG?

 
At 2:10 PM, Blogger Nyxmyst said...

There's already a kinda porn mmorpg called Sociolotron. Its fantasy based and adults only.

My favorite character? I can play a succubus that has to rape other characters to steal their sperm to cast my spells.

And yeah..the rape is nicely graphic.

And heck, doesnt second life kinda count? Okay, its not REALLY a game but... there is a red light district and you do actually pay money to get laid. Sad, really.

 
At 3:20 PM, Blogger Hylian said...

second life... yeah, i remember TRYING that game when a friend brought me into it. first place we went on the journey: the porno island. my god... that was just... horror. and the funniest part of it was that someone had to be sick and perverted enough to actually DESIGN the crap that's in there. i mean who spends all their free time drawing their favorite character: phallico mcwigglesworth?

i've played i don't know how many mmos by now, and i keep coming back to this game because the other ones, while fun, are forgetting a fundamental key to any rpg. why do you play any rpg game? the story. you mean to tell me final fantasy VII would have been more popular if there were no story and the whole game was just fighting monsters? not so much...

WoW, Lotro, AoC, EVE, Everquest... they're all based on battling. don't get me wrong, the battling and such is fun. in some cases slightly more fun than final fantasy. the problem though is that once you hit the max level... then what? dungeon runs for gear? that's nice...

ffxi has the answer: missions. ffxi has probably the best story to enjoy out of all mmorpg's. yeah, lotro has a story, but ... they just don't deliver it very well.

and yes, hogwarts, pokemon, and naruto mmo's would suck. what could they possibly do that hasn't been done before? what true attraction could they bring? sure, a change of pace, but i'm sure they'll copy other mmo's so much that you may as well just play the originals...

 
At 7:51 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

I thought the Porn MMORPG was called "Second Life"?

 
At 9:13 PM, Blogger Rabid Ferrets of DOOM!!!™ said...

Ok. We need a porn MMO. Now. Seriously. Everyone stop what you're doing and go make it.

 
At 12:12 AM, Blogger Leut said...

MMO producters have 2 giant obsticles.

1. They have to make the game fun enough in the first 15 minutes of game play to peak the interest of gamers to join.

2. They have to provide good enough content to keep those they have hooked on their line.

That's it. It's not really complicated. But they sure do know how to screw up a simple thing.

 
At 8:04 AM, Blogger MShake82 said...

Sorry Dave they already have porn mmorpg.

Leut they already have GTA mmorpg.

Sorry, but have to disagree. I hate the fact that most mmorpg's make you work with people and have to many job classes and all sorts of gear to get.

I like simple, like Urban Dead or GTA. Easy, fun, and get to blast people, rather than work with them. And no friggin need to level every single job.

I'm waiting for someone to make a Resident Evil one. That would rock. Kind of like Urban Dead, but way better.

 
At 8:36 AM, Blogger Shade said...

why would you want a MMORPG which only purpose would be to kill other players? There are more than enough online shooters out there... and i guess some of them are pretty nice if you're into shooting people's brains out.

but they're getting on my nerves -.- as an RPG gamer i prefer to nicely interact with players, working with them, achieve something together and not to slay them. some pvp is ok, but it shouldn't be the main aspect.

What is also important in my eyes, is that you still should be able to achieve something at your own if you don't have that much time or if you're not in the mood for teamwork.

i quit ffxi 2 or 3 years ago because i was getting tired of waiting hours for a party invite (i know they changed it. i'm still reading the news about ffxi from time to time)

Anyway, i can't wait for ffxiv

 
At 2:22 PM, Blogger Dxoh said...

I don't get it. Why the hell would someone want what amounts to "single-player aspects" on an online game...? Go play FFXII or something, if you want to do stuff by yourself. And... wth...? Ya hate the fact that MMORPGs make you team up and level different classes? I think your blog has been invaded by your beloved retards, Dave. Note the last three letters in MMORPG. Role-playing game. One of the major aspects of RPGs is character growth, generally via 'leveling'. Ya take that out, and it isn't an RPG. So... you don't want the interaction/teamwork, and you don't want the character growth. So now let us review. No MMO. No RPG. What do we have? Um... I think some of you need to stop wasting our oxygen. Now.

 
At 5:05 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Actually, Naruto would work as an mmorpg. In the lore, everyone is assigned teams, even up to the top level..ok no, the player will not be able to a kage lol. A Naruto MMORPG would have many parallels to FFXI: u do missions and evaluations to raise in rank and earn money (farming. the higher your rank, the more advanced missions u can do for more money), you "train" (i.e. level up), you craft new weapons and jutsu to use for your char or to teach another char for a fee, there would be 5 great nations that u can join after char creation, u can participate in campaign/beseiged like battles...

only thing is...it would be very graphic intensive with everything happening...PS3 and PC only!!!!

but, in FFXI missions and such, your char is "the One". Even if you beat it with a party, the CS shows you by yourself or with npc and you have literally either duo'd or solo'd the fight u just did with a group of 5-6. So...there is the concept of "the One" in FFXI. WoW on the other hand...I have no clue, just looking at WoW screenshots makes my eyes bleed.

Hold it! before the WoW fanboy pops in to tell me its not good resolution in those screens, you dont need resolution for me to see that the char looks like a blue frakking gumby...and no amount of resolution will change that.

 
At 10:27 PM, Blogger Salt said...

Actually it depends.

The problem with most movies is that the only interesting things about them is the lead character. The rest of the support cast is frankly totally boring.

An example would be star wars, if you are just going by the first three movies, the most interesting aspects would be the jedi and maybe Han solo (and that is only because Harrison ford makes it look good).
No one wants to be the insignificant extra rebel figthers.

That said it's not beyond repair, if you can flesh out the rest of the cast to make them interesting, again star wars seem to have done an ok job of it via novels and comic that some people are looking forward to playing a bouty hunter, although I don't see wants so interesting about it.

Another type of movie that make bad mmos are ones like star trek, let's face it the only interesting about the show is the character and personalities of the cast.
If you put randomdude789 in a star fleet captains uniform, you are not going to get captain Picard, you get boring randomdude789 in a star fleet uniform.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home