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On MMORPG Franchise Fundamentals
Thanks to MMORPGDot for its editorial discussing some of the most interesting franchises which are yet to be turned into MMO games. The author mentions: "Personally, I think a franchise game can be just as good as a game with an original world, if not better. It's all a question of what you do with the IP and if you make a fundamentally fun game out of what you've been given", before suggesting MMOs based on Star Trek ("The other great science fiction franchise is easily as deserving as Star Wars of it's own graphical massive game"), James Bond ("More of a realization that I'd like to play in a spy MMOG than anything else, I think a spy MMOG branded as a Bond game would get really good traction"), and Oz ("I think Oz would be an amazing vehicle for a MMOG centered on younger gamers.") Other suggestions?
A MMOG based on Oz, targetted at younger people? I hope that they leave out the shanking and anal sex.
The authow mentions Shadowrun, too. That's about the only one
I'd be interested in. Star Trek could potentially be as messed up as SWG.
I dunno about a spygame - doesn't Bond work alone most of the time?
Oz as an MMO setting!? I'm not sure I could stomach the prison rape scenes necessary for levelling up... ;)
Franchised MMORPGs are a risky venture. Get it right, and you can draw on an audience for your game which goes beyond the normal MMORPG-playing market, circumventing the argument that there are too many developers competing for too few customers. Get it wrong and you have an expensive mess on your hands which you then have to support for the next few years, while it damages the reputation of your franchise in the meantime.
Success or failure depends on a large number of factors. Obviously, the biggest of these is how good the game mechanics are. A MMORPG lives or dies by these; players spend a lot of time in a MMORPG and a crummy interface, boring combat or a crippled economy will have them leaving in droves. However, the mechanics of a good MMORPG are a discussion for another comments thread. How a franchise can help a MMORPG succeed or fail is what's relevant here.
To a large extent, I think the nature of the franchise is important. In particular, being tied too closely to a specific book or film is dangerous. I'll illustrate this by pointing out two recent franchised MMORPGs and how the franchises have hindered them.
Final Fantasy XI (if you've read my posts elsewhere, you'll already know I love this game) has exactly the right kind of franchise. "Final Fantasy" is difficult to pin down; each of the games has its own characters, worlds, plot and game mechanics. The only commonalities between the games are a few core gameplay concepts, the names of a couple of characters and a few world-elements, such as airships and chocobos. Within those very, very few constraints, the developers were free to create whatever world they wanted. The result was a world which looked and felt like a Final Fantasy world, but which had been carefully balanced to work as a MMORPG. Sure, a lot of newbies wanted to be a summoner, because summons have been one of the cooler things about recent FF games, but there's no fundamental requirement of the game universe that Summoners be uber-characters (in fact, unless the player is willing to put a *lot* of time and effort into developing it, the Summoner's generally felt to be a weak class in most areas). For the most part, people accept this.
By contrast, Star Wars Galaxies had a more unsuitable franchise and used it in a way that added further constraints. By setting the game during the time of the movies, when the Jedi were apparently nearly extinct and forced into hiding, the developers allowed the universe to constrain the game in a lot of ways. Let's face it, most of the players who tried out Galaxies wanted to be a Jedi. In the films, Jedi are uber-warriors, capable of all kinds of neat tricks. This already gave the devs a major problem, in that allowing a class like that, particularly in a game with PvP, is just not feasible in a MMORPG. So, the devs were forced to put Jedi in the world (upsetting those die-hard fans who dislike any deviation from the cannonical universe), make it extremely hard to become a Jedi (which upsets a lot of those who wanted to become a Jedi), and ensuring that the class wasn't actually all that powerful (upsetting those who put the time and effort into unlocking it). The result is pretty much the worst possible scenario. I think it would have been more sensible to set the game in an era more removed from the movies, as they did with KOTOR, to allow for a little more creative control, although it still wouldn't have solved some of the underlying problems.
The Star Wars license also accentuated what was missing from the game when it released. Space combat is such a huge part of the Star Wars universe that it's understandable that people were so upset it wasn't there from release. Had the airships been missing from Final Fantasy XI when it was released, it wouldn't have been anything like such a big deal.
Ultimately, Galaxies hasn't failed miserably and still has a respectable player-base. However, the damage that has been done to the franchise's reputation is not trivial and will be hard to undo.
(Even though it's a D&D setting, a properly done FR MMORPG would be much different from D&D Online.)
The Realms is the most detailed, largest fantasy setting there is. It has an insane variety to it-games ranging from Chondathan caravan runs to Tuigan hunting excursions to searching for Netherese artifacts in Anauroch would all be possible. It lends itself equally to instanced events and random encounters. It would already have a large promised user base. User guilds are encouraged by the setting, and already have many existing parallels. It comes with an established rules system already in place. In short, it has endless possiblities as an MMORPG-if done properly, by a group paying attention to the 2e design philosophy and hopefully with a designer watching them carefully. There is a problem, however:
Due to the layout of Faerun, a team would either have to cover a huge area or create arbitrary barriers to movement.
The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin
Disney have entered the mmorpg market with their cartoony game aimed at children, its a pretty simple game
http://www.toontown.com/
(doesnt support other browsers than IE)
*resistance is futile, or fuzzy, i dunno*
coughs when checking for Flash. Then it told me I should let it run ActiveX code. In short, avoid if CommonSense>1.
The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin
Even in the Oz they're refering to, The Wizard of Oz, according to a friend who read Frank Baum's books the Wicked Witch is green because her mother was raped by a munchkin.
By and large the franchised single-player game stinks. And always has done, going back to ET on the Atari 2600 and the numerous 1980s 8-bit attempts from Ocean and the like.
Franchises are worse news still for MMORPG.
When we see a film or read a book, by and large we want to read about exceptional people who are (in scifi & fantasy anyway) usually heroic. A world of heroes just doesn't work. We can't ALL be off killing Darth Vader. We can't ALL be "the one" spoken of in prophesy. The scifi/fantasy genres don't lend themselves to being about the average man in the street (and lets face it, thats who we play every hour of every day in real life anyway).
Some argue that existing in the universe of X is fun enough. But if we look at SWG as a testcase, many said they were happy to be a humble citizen (say, a crafter or small time hunter, what have you) but it hasn't worked out that way ultimately. Every other person (before I left) was a level-grinding Jedi wannabe. And from what I've seen since, every other person just about is now actually a Jedi. Good intentions came to nought as SOE pushed the Jedi class in order to ramp up interested in putative subscribers (never mind alienating their existing player base, but thats another rant).
In the end the best MMORPGs will not be based on franchises. In a genre supposely all about imagination and open horizons we don't need or want a roadmap.
Plays violent online games as: Nerfherder76
Pong MMORPG. Be the ball. Be the paddle. Be the line in the middle of the screen!
stuff
In my opinion would be a translation of the 80s table top RPG "Rifts". I still GM a game myself, and it's quite fun. Some years back me and some friends begun drafting an engine that could support a universe of unlimited size (macro infinite), with a real sense of scale on individual planets, particually earth. We even came up with a way to effectively simulate other "dimensions" - populated by tons of unique and varied AI that reminds you of KOTOR or GTA at first glance. The idea was to space out players and their respective parties enough to make PvP ok, even likely. (BTW, this is an engine meant for hardcore players with organized parties.)
We had grand ideas for playing out the "magic versus technology" theme, technowizards, men of arms, magic users, "Megadamage"...even psionics were planned for inclusion in the engine.
We started developing some 3D models using the books, I still have my glitterboy "blueprint" where a friend and I managed to draft a sideview and create a nice textured 3D model.
I failed to contact Palladium books however, so the project has since been scrapped. We've taken many of the themes and have since started a much different RPG that offers more creative control than we would have to accept from Palladium and their lawyers. If I were to ever be contacted by one of them, I'd surely strike up a dialog. But until then I'm going to sit back and work on the engine with my buddies. The alternate game won't be done (done = mmog ready) for some time anyway - after the MMO craze has subsided a bit. Until then I'll try my hand at and rpg or two, possibly an RTS also. I'd write an FPS, but god knows there are too many of those for PC also.
Why can't all fpga/microcontroller manufacturers just release free optimizing compilers???
I think Xanth would make a great "magic MMORPG". Everyone could choose to have a unique magical talent that would be weak to begin with, but unlike the books, with experience you could "level up", and make your talent stronger or different. The game software could keep track of assigned talents and make sure no two are exactly the same (one of the base assumptions of Xanth). :-)
Imagine- fighting the Gap Dragon or dueling with another player who can create holes under your feet. Way cool
I learn from all my mistakes, I intend to be a genius at the end of my life.
Deliver pizza, be a Kourier, practice your sword fighting, stake your claim in the Metaverse, buy your own Rat-thing, live in Mr Lee's Greater Hong Kong, work for the Feds, tool up with goo guns, ride your bike, design an avatar, be a rock star.
Or declare yourself a nuclear state and hi-jack a submarine.
I was actually thinking about this the other day, and realized that Stargate would make a very interesting MMORPG. Lots of different worlds and races, and a lot of conflict to induce fights. The biggest disadvantage is that there aren't a lot of classes (fighter, medic, scientist, anything else?) and no real magic system (though varying levels of technology could be considered magic).
"Save the whales, feed the hungry, free the mallocs" -- author unknown
What about Alice in Wonderland?
Wouldn't it be interesting to have an MMORPG where there isn't a focus on leveling or combat, but to see just how weird the place can be?
Thats why it works and really it illustrates my point.
Imagine if it was Marvel Superheroes. Half a dozen spidermen and a twenty Captain Americas all of whom have killed their ninth Dr Doom of the day. Bit silly.
Plays violent online games as: Nerfherder76
I can already hear it now, "damnit, my level 15 cowboy neal was slain by a level 13 Commander Taco, now I gotta get enough karma to revive him!"
Personally, I think Babylon 5 would make for a far more compelling MMOG than Star Trek would. Star Trek's sense of conflict was always generated by large-scale disagreements which disturbed a utopian balance - in essence, there were a few major characters (Federation, Romulans, Cardassians...) duking it out. But B5 brought that sense of conflict down to a personal level, where individuals had conflict with one another because they lived in an imperfect society - one wrapped up in a spinning tin can, to boot.
You could *have* space combat, if you wanted. But you wouldn't *need* space combat in B5 - there's enough potential for plot material right there on the station. Star Trek would be hard-pressed to do the same, since generally everybody on board any ship or space station was already on the same side.
How about one based off of the Road Warrior movies.... search for gas, parts to fix up your car while trying to lose npc or pc gangs of thugs.
....And a way to afford playing multiple MMOG's at once. Too many of those damn things.
But then again what the whole entertainment industry needs is something NEW not the same rehashed stuff we've been fed for the last 30 years.
mmmmmmmmmm Shai-Hulud!!
And if they did want the other Oz, they could always hang out in the Azkaban section of the game.
I can't believe that Mechwarrior or Battletech isn't on this list. Engines alerady exist for online Mech Combat (instanced battles). All that is needed is to fill in the details of FASA's gritty "outside the mech" world. I would love to build a full Mercenary company and fight bad ass coordinated Mech Battles. The only problem I would see is lag, lag, lag.
"There is no teacher but the enemy."-Mazer Rackham
Young un's forced to play 1 hour/day will be so averse to prison that they'll be good IRL.
Also can you imagine the avatar names: Chuckles Manson, Mr. Goatse...
My father is a blogger.
who thought "gee, prison rape doesn't sound like a good MMORPG to me" before I remembered the Wizard and the Flying Monkey thing. Of course, I also thought Australia before I thought L. Frank Baum, so that shows you how long it's been since I read the books.
...
Australia would make kind of a cool MMORPG for those of us who haven't been there. Being a 10th level croc-botherer ("OY! I'm gonna move this here croc from this bit'o mud to that bit'o mud") or a barbie-wrangler ("Ay! Lemme go get some shrimps, mate!") has it's attractions when you're only half-awake. Plus there's that bit about gravity reversal since they're on the bottom of the world.
Man, I really need to start drinking coffee instead of gin when I wake up
To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
...it's the players. Or rather, the general vacuum of etiquette, intelligence and propriety.
That's the problem with pay-to-play... anyone who can pay, can play, regardless of their social deficiencies. For a game genre whose major component is social this is a quite an oversight... but the alternative - turning away money - is worse than having a festering, rotten community to every MMO publisher.
I'm sick of the "Bob's Dance Club" MMOGs, regardless of what license-of-the-month they're bearing. Where are the "Studio 54" MMOGs who'll separate the wheat from the chaff to cultivate atmosphere at the possible expense of income?
There are LOTS of franchises out there that could be used.
The Matrix (set before the movies). You could play a human or an AI.
Zelazny's Amber books would be very cool, but hard to get right. Items that are powerful in one universe could be useless in another, etc.
Lovecraft. "Hey, let's go raid R'Lyeh and gank Cthulhu!"
Niven's Known Space. Lots of interesting races to play. As a subset, it could be limited to Ringworld.
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, but it'd have to be set before the books.
The Thomas Covenant books.
Brin's Uplift books. Instead of a single character, you could take charge of an entire species and try to increase your influence.
Iain Banks' Culture universe. This could be very very cool.
Gor. Adult only.
Planet of the Apes. Play a human, or a damned dirty ape.
The one game universe that could make it so easily, it's also been the most neglected in terms of ANY type of gaming release since the genesis / snes days.
WRU Shadowrun games?!
To me, the obvious next MMO is based on either the Fallout series of single player RPGs, or the Mad Max movies: either way, a post apocalyptic desert-world where inhabitants must scrounge weapons and resources and survive in a harsh environment.
Closely related would be a massively multiplayer version of Car Wars/AutoDuel, in which the scenario is the same, but the gameplay focuses on your vehicle. Sort of like Eve Online translated to the wasteland.
Finally, Frank Herbert's Dune novels present a rich world of possibilities to draw on: players could be Fremen, Harkonen, or any of the other major houses, Bene Gesserit, Ixians, Bene Tleilax, or members of the Navigators Guild. Build a trading empire, or fight for control of the Spice. Preferably, the game creators would pretend that the Brian H./Kevin J. Anderson novels never existed. Ugh.
Live simply, that others may simply live. -Gandhi
Why a 2e design philosophy?
Granted, there was a lot more Realms material released under 2e, much of it good, but in terms of the rules themselves... ugh... why would you want to go back to that kind of retarded brokenness? Or am I just misunderstanding what you mean?
Or War World. Or the Sopranos. *heh* Or Shannara. World of Tiers. Well World. Retief. There's tons of good worlds to exploit.
Brian
There are a couple of problems with certain types of franchises. Several have been mentioned previously, but I noticed that the James Bond MMOG franchise idea wasn't brought up much. Creating an MMOG based on a franchise that is character based (which is true to the extreme in the case of James Bond), is a very bad game design decision. With an MMOG, you have to consider the number of players involved. A James Bond MMOG simply wouldn't work because you can't have 10,000 James Bonds. And someone who's playing a James Bond game, because they're a fan of James Bond, is not going to want to play Joe Bond, James' unknown-spy brother. If you don't allow people to play James Bond, a massive amount of the audience will leave, or perhaps never even pick up the game. If you let everyone be James Bond, no one will feel like an individual. One must also factor in the content of that franchise. James Bond style gameplay really won't benefit from having other players around. Obviously you wouldn't want to be doing a mission and have 20 other James Bonds already in there doing that mission. Instead the game would use Instancing to create a new mission context for every player, but then you're just going to spend 99% of your time in a mission alone. Why not have a single player game, where you possibly pay to download new content once in a while? Concerning items and economy, James Bond doesn't normally buy his own items for the missions, so I'm not entirely sure if there would be any benefit to having an economy where you could trade with other players. Lastly, MMOGs based on James Bond and Oz are simply too niche, in my view, to work out. There just won't be enough people willing to pay 10 or 15 dollars a month to play James Bond, or to have thier children play around in the world of Oz once or twice a month.
Hell, I wouldn't mind seeing a Rifts game period.
I always thought the world and story to Rifts was cool. However, although I tried playing in a few different campaigns of it, I ultimately decided I couldn't stand it -- the game mechanics in general and the combat in specific just bogged down WAY too slow for me. It wasn't unusual for a decent sized combat to suck up an entire night by itself.
A computer, on the other hand, could crunch those numbers and make all of those parry/dodge/roll/etc. rolls instantly, taking out the part of the game that I hated and leaving most of what I thought was cool.
I recommend Oz.
Harry Potter's got to be the most obvious one, overlooked by EA in their lust for shitty game design.
;)), learn magical powers, etc. Carving one's own story is always more interesting than rehashing an oft-retold one.
:)
Seriously, with the books and movies being so good, why would you want to rehash the action again in a game? Wouldn't it be more fun to make your own character's story in the HP universe? I'd love to see a virtual hogwarts, filled with thousands of other subscribers who are enjoying making their own way in the magical world. They could have their own groups and alliances, explore different sections of the grounds (perhaps using something like instancing so that more people can go in the same areas without choking them
Whenever a book comes out, EA wouldn't have to wai for the movie to come out, too. They could just add the characters and areas as a small expansion. There's plenty of source material already, and I know a lot of people (such as people who also frequent HOL) would love to be involved in that kind of fun game.
I hope someone ballsy enough to do this gets the licence at some point. It's so great an idea for an MMO
--
Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
I don't mean the rules at all. Rather, I was referring to the switch of the content in Realms sourcebooks(amongst other problems due to the almost-script k1dd13 group WotC is currently trying to appeal to) from usable content detailing the Realms to rules that lazy DMs can rip off(as they think their market share is people wanting to rip the Realms off for their homebrewed groups). In short, compare the 3e version of Lords of Darkness and Cloak and Dagger-which one's a better product? I could write an essay about this, but there's no point here.
The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin
Harry Potter Online has been worked on by EA for years. The first one was cancelled at the same time they cancelled UO2 (OWO:O) and Privateer Online. I've heard the second attempt was cancelled, too. The current version under development is called "Hogwarts Online" which gives you an idea of where they are headed with it. Battletech 3025 was also developed previously by EA, and cancelled. The Matrix Online is coming out this fall. There are several other IP franchises that are worth considering: Traveller, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Mad Max, Terminator, etc. Bruce
shadowru@microsoft.com - is where to send the mail asking for something to come of all this!
Do we really need more MMOGs targeted for younger demographics?
We've already seen how an MMOG can ruin the lives of fully-grown, critically-thinking adults. Setting up an addictive game targeted to those who haven't yet developed the responsibility structure and critical thinking skills necessary to protect themselves from addiction can't be a good idea.
I think the best mmorpg would be based on real life.
No weird ass magic, no weird ass weapons.
set in some realistic looking city.
just you, weapons that really exist and your wits, and societies lack of morals,
Wanna be a crime boss. go for it.
Wanna fight crime. go for it.
Wanna be a corporate bigwig go for it.
there would be lots more.
psycho killer, grifter, medical, shop keeper, maufacture of needed items.
Real Life was released ages ago.
Check out GameSpot's review of the RealLife(TM) MMORPG.
Live simply, that others may simply live. -Gandhi
Stargate would be interesting, and the instancing issues would work with the gate/dialing genre. New worlds are easily added also, withough needing to add backstory or continuity; you really only need the primary backstory.
People. Longest running sci-fi series EVER! Dr. Who. While you might not get to be a Time Lord, you could be a Dalek (Nations estate willing), Cyberman, Auton, hell, there's too many to consider here... But yeah, being a Time Lord would kick a$$.
BBC? You listening?
How about Hitchhiker's Guide?
There's a gazillion comic book franchises... But those are truly character-driven and yes, I know it's being done already...
Seems like all the old school RPG's would be ripe as well. I've always wondered why Steve Jackson doesn't get into it. Illuminati would be scads of fun, and GURPS would be great as a framework for creating your own MMORPG.
And what about Ghostbusters? Animal House?
Since some people would like to filter wheat from chaff (in the players), how about "Flatland"? Heck, you could even play it on a cell phone!
did you win a free ipod? build a case for it here
Personally, if I had to pick a franchise, it might be the World of Darkness. PLENTY of customization options, and whole different realms of gameplay as often times vampires, werewolves, mages, etc don't interact with each other as much as they interact with members within their "game". The potential for that world is huge, and already translates somewhat well into videogame form.
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
Think about it. What current, wildly popular game series has a huge young fanbase, and is based on the idea of striking out on your own to seek fame, fortune, and power?
Pokemon. You know... "I want to be the very best, like no one ever was"?
Actually, the Pokemon series is fairly deep, and was fairly innovative the first time around. Given that the gameplay already revolves around PvM (fighting and capturing wild Pokemon) and the occasional PvP (fighting other trainers), it'd be way too easy. Plus... I for one would actually play a 3D Pokemon MMORPG.
This is my sig. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
that lets you play as the score board.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Just look at what MUDs and MUSHes are most popular:
Dragonball Z
LotR
Discworld
Pokemon
Harry Potter
To a certain extent, I'm inclined to agree with you. I go back to the release of the original 1st edition boxed set with the campaign, and there was a lot of great FR stuff put out in 2nd edition.
There was a lot of bad or weak stuff put out in that era, too, though. And the concept of tacking rules material onto story material to sell the latter certainly didn't start in 3e, though it seems to have become more the rule. In 2e, it was things like new spells, specialty priest types, kits, and magic items. In 3e, it's spells, domains, prestige classes, feats, and magic items. God knows I knew enough 2e powergamers who would only buy the supplements that included new rules information -- those people really haven't gone away.
What's different, if anything, is that TSR was sold to WotC and in turn to Hasbro. I gather that Hasbro bought WotC because of the likes of the Pokemon card game and couldn't give a rat's ass about D&D. To be able to keep putting out Realms stuff with a corporate parent like that, I imagine WotC needs to be able to show a certain profit margin on it, and the books without rules material don't do it. Silver Marches was heavy on background and light on rules, and I'm told it sold abysmally. That was probably the death knell for a book of that type.
Aside: What I miss the most is the publishing of Realms adventures. As far as I know City of the Spider Queen is the only they've put out for FR in 3e, and I can't help but think of it as a poor man's Night Below.
I don't think rules information in the books is a purely bad thing. In an awful lot of the Realms campaigns I've played in over the years, the DM had a great grasp of the Realms and the imagination to take it further story-wise, but fell down badly whenever they needed extend or modify the rules -- in the sense that midway through the campaign it becomes apparent that they've inadvertantly overpowered one or more of the PCs in a way not easily correctable. These are people I wouldn't consider bad DMs, but probably people that could use help on the rules end. It's not a terrible thing that there are books that provide them assistance on that end as well as assistance to DMs who need help with story ideas.
All that said, I think the 3e FRCS is a pretty great book, and I'm getting an enormous amount of use out of Unapproachable East for the campaign I'm running right now. Granted, I still supplement it with 2e material about the region as necessary, but it's a pretty good book.
anyone who can pay, can play, regardless of their social deficiencies
I have another way to describe your sentiment:
The problem with online games is that you, and everybody else online, are a jerk.
I can complain about how bad everyone online is, but then I realize that honestly, I'm doing the same stuff. I slowly started to realize that it's the games, it's not just me. The games require just enough twitch to make socializing difficult. You have to type the key to swing your axe at the spider at the same time that you're trying to type "Help! A spider is attacking me!" So, everyone macros the things that they need most often like "Help!" and "Incoming!" and "Add!" and "RUN!" Well a single-player game could easily emulate that kind of behavior.
I keep thinking that the games need to have a queue for commands, much like The Sims. I can tell the program, "attack, parry, dodge, thrust, heal self," and then I can type "Aaah! I'm getting attacked over here!"
I guess fundamentally, roleplaying, graphics, and typing don't mix very well.
Education is the silver bullet.
Arguably his best work, Lord of Light postulates human refugees who fled from a devasted Earth to land on a planet dominated by beings who gave up their physical forms to become energy, based on "Universal Fire". Once the humans land, they realize they want bodies - human bodies.
Using high-tech cloning and other methods, the colonists begin to develop strange talents and powers (Attributes and Aspects) based on the deep mythological patterns of their past plus cold-blooded calculation. They battle against the demons to carve a place for themselves. The mightiest minds become avatars of the ancient Hindu deities.
I can't think of a setting with more potential for an MMPORG than Lord of Light. It already has most of the cliches built right in: reincarnation, magic and technology, random combat with an infinite supply of enemies, leveling to godhood, PvP, and all of human mythology to choose from. Zelanzy focused on the Hindu ship, but I think he hints there were others - it's a big planet.
Leisure Suit Larry
'Nuff said.
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
Part of the thing with the Attributes/Aspects is that they were so rare. Maybe if you set it earlier in the timeline, when there were fewer people and so more of them had powers, but it still seems clumsy to me. Plus, I don't think you could safely run a MMORPG where the subject matter was so closely tied to real-world religion. (Particularly given how badly Christianity fared in that world.) Can't you just imagine the hate tells?
Now that you mention it though, I think Lord of Light would make a really good turn-based strategy game--kind of a cross between Alpha Centauri and Dominions.
I think a better Zelazny world would be the one in Jack of Shadows. It's got a generic-ish fantasy setup which allows for a wide variety of characters and powers, but with a cool twist (the light side/dark side split), reincarnation (with a set respawn point, even), and you could even probably do something cool with the required service you have to do on the satellites. And I think its Zelazny's 2nd most popular book, after the Amber stuff, so it's got more of a fanbase. Much better for a MMORPG, I would think.
I also think the Dilvish the Damned/Changing Land world would work perfectly well, but to be honest, I don't remember anything that would particularly distinguish it from a generic world.
He decided to just watch the government, and kind of scale it down to size, and run his life that way. --Laurie Anderson
Only problem I can see is that you'd end up with too many Jhereg, Dragons, and Easterners, and not nearly enough Teckla, but that's going to be a problem with any world. Not sure how popular Brust is still, though--ten years ago this would have been a no-brainer.
He decided to just watch the government, and kind of scale it down to size, and run his life that way. --Laurie Anderson
Seriously. I remember some people on a gaming forum talking about what it would be like if there were a Pokemon MMORPG. It definitely has the potential for being one at least..
Personally i distest the entire street racing idea myself, but with games like NFS: Underground and the like i really think a MMO that allowed 16 year old white skinny losers to put decals on civic's and drive them around would go over incredibily well. Make a giant virtual city and allow them to drive around and pretend to speed. Obviously it would need more work then just added decals to civic's but i think it was designed well it could work.
...are probably the best candidates for transition to MMOs. But for some reason, developers avoid them like the plague.
Anyone else find it bizarre that MMO development was entirely separate from tabletop development until WotC started planning for Ebberon?