MMO Diversity
Nerfbat’s posted “MMO Development Lesson #16” and while I agree with the overall message, I don’t like the way the introduction feels. “Don’t be different for the sake of being different. Be different for the sake of being better.”
It is a good cautionary message- too many new developers want to come in, challenge all conventions, assume that everything in the past was somehow flawed or lacking vision and run headlong into the same obstacles that the MMO pioneers met. Still, as I peek into the betas of more MMO’s, I wonder if perhaps some developers aren’t clinging a bit too tighly to that philosophy to avoid any substantial change. “Different” is the “better” that we’re desperately missing.
From Monopoly…
The classic board game Monopoly has spawned hundreds, if not thousands of variants. You’ll see novelty ones for NFL, colleges, cities across the globe, and even franchises like Star Wars. In most instances, only the names change. The values of the cards and mechanics vary only a little. In some, (like, IIRC, Star Wars) a little twist to the rules may be added to spice things up a little bit. It doesn’t matter, though: while these might sell as novelties, few people tired of the Monopoly game are going to find the new variant any more refreshing. They’re too alike at the core.
It isn’t just Monopoly that’s taken that direction. I’ve played Risk, Castle Risk, and Risk:2210. I’ve seen Lord of the Rings Risk and Star Wars Risk (2 versions now). This summer, there’s a “Transformers: Risk” in the works. Each has different rules that makes gameplay vary but in the end if I’m a little tired of Risk, I’m tired of them all.I don’t care if you just made a better “Trivial Pursuit” game. I’ve read umpteen bajillion cards for this and all its copycats. I’m tired of it. Give me Axis and Allies. Give me Clue. Give me Button Men.
Give me something different.
…To MMO
I laughed when so many people called Lord of the Rings Online a “WoW clone.” They usually cited examples of features nothing more than re-skinned Monopoly games or Risk variants.
As wrong as they may be in attribution, these “clone” observations have a few important messages:
- Many of these characteristics have been used, reused, and refined for quite some time (because they work.)
- These common elements are easily recognizable to the players and often eclipse the true differences in the games.
- People are growing tired of them.
Sometimes the public’s not ready for a change. Sometimes they just want that comfortably familiar formula. Sometimes that formula hasn’t reached its full maturity and could use a few more iterations.
Sometimes it’s best to chuck out what you can and make something really new.
I don’t know if that time is now, but it will be here- or long past- well before any MMO started today reaches market.
Does that mean I disagree with Ryan’s lesson #16?
No. Just remember that making a “better MMO” doesn’t mean improving on the one you played last year. It means on making the game that you want to play 3 years from now.
They may be the same thing for you. Me? I’m growing tired of all the variations of Monopoly. I’m holding out for something different.
May 14th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Agreed. Though I’m not completely holding out, I’m just sticking with WoW for the moment since I already have so much investment in it and we have a tightknit guild going strong.
I tried both Vanguard and LotR while they were in beta, and while both had some interesting ideas they werent different or developed enough to catch my attention. And since the rest of the game was pretty much rote, I just passed on them entirely.