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Sun Claims They Make Worlds Biggest MMO

Posted by Zonk on from the selling-currency-not-illegal-in-that-game dept.

Next Generation has a piece up examining Sun's claim that they develop the worlds largest Massive game: the stock market. They also go into some detail about Sun's actual MMOG middleware, Sun Gaming Server. From the article: "I argue that we've been the principle architect of the largest massively multiplayer online game in the world. It's Wall Street. If you took a look at all of the mechanics that go in to building an online trading system, they're almost one-for-one, the same functions needed to build an MMOG. Except we've done it with more redundancy, reliability and scalability than pretty much anyone else."

5 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Cool... by AlltheCoolNamesGone · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You know a stock market MMORPG might be a good idea, hell I'd welcome anything that isn't another "me too" fantasy MMOG. Think about it, no classes, no levels, just your wits and some start up money you inherited or something. I'd pay good money for that...

    More on topic: There main selling point seems to be the ability to run more than one type of game for different end user hardware. Which would lower may lower the cost to MMORPG currently available and developing in the future, so I guess we will be seeing even more MMORPG.... More is not always better......

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    M$ it's whats for diner!!!!!
  2. Scary by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 3, Interesting
    You know...there's something really scary to imagine those hardcore EQ, WOW, and w/e players getting into stocks. I seriously think they could give a lot of traders a run for their money if they got into it.

    Whats even scarier is the fact that there are Sun banner ads for this article...coincidence? I think not.

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    Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
    1. Re:Scary by servognome · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Can MMO players, used to instant gratification, understand that sometimes their investment fluctuates in value?

      Ever try camping something in EQ? People definately show a lot of patience and deal with ups and downs (eg failed raid attempts that lead to long corpse recoveries). If they think there will be a payoff.

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      D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
  3. To a point by xalres · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I agree with them to a point. MMO economies often mimic Wall Street. The big difference being: If I fail to save Princess Pretty-Pants from the evil Rat Wizard it doesn't have the potential to send a multinational corporation with thousands of employees into a tailspin from which it will never escape, effectively ruining the lives of many, many people. Considering its effect on the economy and the well-being of normal people, thinking of the stock market as a game is a dangerous thing.

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    If whales learn how to use weapons we're all screwed!
  4. EVE-Online by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    http://www.eve-online.com/

    A game that currently has a really good and detailed market system is EVE-Online. It's a space-based MMO that doesn't have server sharding. With peak concurrent connections of up to 17k and an (active) subscriber base of roughly 70k.

    The economy is primarily player controlled with blue prints, manufacturing, refining, mining, escrow player made missions, bounty hunting (yes, really), and of course...being a pirate and smuggling illegal goods. Trading is also another thing can affect the market. Players are constructing huge stations in the far reaches of the systems for trade hubs and it's pretty cool. You can track prices and volume sold/bought per region/system/station. You can also place buy and sell orders for player materials, ore, equipment, ships, trade goods, etc.

    So, if corporations instead of Guilds are your thing...check it out.

    Slightly unrelated, but if your talking about games and "market/economy" stuff, this is probably worth something to someone out there...