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With so many MMORPGs coming in, do they have enough players?
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RPGDot Forums > MMORPGs General

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Xanaki
Ghost of Asheron
Ghost of Asheron




Joined: 07 May 2002
Posts: 398
Location: Helsinki, Finland
With so many MMORPGs coming in, do they have enough players?
   

Anyone who has been following the MMORPG genre has noticed the recent move. Almost every small and big gaming company wants to create their own MMORPG because of the success earned by the older mammoth MMORPGs like UO, EQ, AC and DAOC.

See this list: My list of current and future MMORPGs.

I have very big consern about the fact that WILL there be enough online players to support this huge amount of games. You know, developing a MMORPG is not very cheap. Like any modern game they take years to finish. Some games, like Horizons for example, has already been under development for years.

I believe that the most known titles, like the sequels for current succesful MMORPGs (UO, EQ, AC, AO, DAoC etc) will have succesfull time. I also think that because people know the quality in these games the players will be more trusting to try new products made by the same companies. So if for example Mythic releases a new MMORPG (like they already announced: Impreator Online) there will be enough playerbase to support them because DAoC was a success (still is).

Some games based on known genres also should strive succesfully. Like the World of Warcraft by Blizzard. And of course, games like Star Wars Galaxies, how could it not be succesfull considering the story/world it is based on, STAR WARS.

My fear is for the smaller companies. There are many great looking MMORPGs coming from small companies but what will happen to them when the big titles suck all the players. One person really can not actively participate in multiple games, and besides each game will cost money. Nobody will give us the right to play really free.

Another thing, I am interested to see how Project Entropia will work out. They have a very interesting concept for gaining money from their game. Play free, pay for items.

We will see...

What do you think?
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Post Wed Jul 24, 2002 7:44 am
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Provis
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 872
Location: Middle of the Forest
   

Regarding Project Entropia
I recently tried this game and it has promise, if and only if they fix the myriad of bugs that plague the game.

When I first logged on I appeared on top of my appartment, which, for anyone who doens't know, is suspended about a mile high in the middle of nowhere. I was unable to get inside my appartment no matter what I try so I jumped. About a minute later I was on the ground, luckally they must not have programed damage from falls because I was unhurt.

Anyways I looked at my map and found I was pretty far away from the nearest town, after about 20 minutes or so I reached a "town", ghost town is more like it. There was not another sole around, no PC's nor NPC's, in fact I don't think there are any NPC's besides MOB's. Apperently MindArk hasn't gotten to the chapter in "MMORPG for dummies" when they explain building are supposed to have interiers and doors that open.

Every building in the two towns I visited was completely sealed up, of course that doesn't mean one can't get "inside" the buildings since MindArk apperently hasn't gotten to the chapter on collision detection yet either. They even have a key that is specifically for removing oneself from the building, walls, etc.

Shopping, repairing items, resurecting one's dead ghost, etc were all done using terminals scattered around town.

MindArk also has disabled using regular fists as a weapon, so it is impossible to do anything but run around like a fool without paying $10 dollars.

Above all the game had horrible lag, though that may be due in part to the location of the server, which I'd guess is in Sweeden.

I'd say this game plays more like an alpha build than whatever it supposidly is. I would love to see this game get better and survive because of the unique ability to make money playing this game, but as it is I wouldn't recomend it to anyone.
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"Yea, so what I didn't like Planescape: Torment, what are you gonna do about it?" - Provis
Post Wed Jul 24, 2002 5:48 pm
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MoonDragon
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 25 May 2002
Posts: 1254
Location: Waterloo, Canada
   

I trully doubt that you could make money from the game. Well, you could, I guess, the same way you could from a casino. Which ever way you look at it, they must've planned the game in such a way that at the end of the month, they make $10-20 profit per player. That means that for every person that didn't spend $10, someone will have spent an extra $10. They certainly can't afford to have people earning money from them. I mean, where would the money come from? Anyways, the horror stories abound with that game. Best thing for everybody to stay clear.

Reminds me of Mimesis a bit. Game created by a graphic design house. Gotta give it to them, things look pretty. When they look. That software is the biggest PoS ever! Client would stop talking to the server for 30 seconds at the time. The game control is more horrible than Gothic. Information windows are 40% wasted "frills." In fact, your main info screen covers like 1/4 of your screen, so you need to move it to the side, but if you move it to the side, you don't get your info. A bit of a catch 22. Either you see that there is a critter in front of you, but can't see what it is, or see what is in front of you, but can't see it. Anyways, 10 minutes later I was trully regreting a 2 hour download. What a waste...
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Last edited by MoonDragon on Thu Jul 25, 2002 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
Post Wed Jul 24, 2002 11:34 pm
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Xanaki
Ghost of Asheron
Ghost of Asheron




Joined: 07 May 2002
Posts: 398
Location: Helsinki, Finland
   

I think you understood wrong. The profit comes from other players: Player built economy.

Items circulate, players sell the items and services to their fellow players. This is how I understood it.
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Post Thu Jul 25, 2002 7:12 am
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