Tiane
06-28-2004, 02:18 AM
Someone mentioned a book over in a thread at Graffe's, so I decided to take a look. It's called Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1592730000/qid=1088201324/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-6152112-4847915?v=glance&s=books) by Jessica Mulligan and Bridgette Patrovsky. It is available at many libraries, and if you are resourceful, you can find an electronic version. Either way, there's a lot of interesting info, and some first hand accounts from people in the industry. Came out in early 2003 so the info's about a year old or so, but still good.
Anyway, there's a section with a "post-mortem" on Anarchy Online (imho still the best MMORPG to date) from Gaute Godager, AO's Game Director. It's not really a post mortem since the game is doing quite well for itself these days, but anyway. He has a list of Lessons Learned, and I found it amusing that it seems like the people at Sony still havent gotten these. I'll quote some here:
-------------
Mistake: Inadequate Customer Service
CS was completely understaffed. Also, the poor people there had terrible tools at launch. The result was several days turnaround per petition. The first thing we did post-launch was try to improve those tools and staff up.
What We Learned from This
Yes, you need CS. You need them more than you think. Also, it is wise to moderate official boards heavily. One "grief" community member does more damage than you can imagine.
Mistake: Underestimating the Power of Pre-Launch Promises
Speaking with the media and fan sites covering MMORPGs is actually quite different from the ones covering non-online games. First, the player community is totally different. They track you, store your words, and try to hold you to the things you said. It feels very much like being "in office," I have realized. If two years before launch you admit to a journalist, "I am thinking about doing this or that," it is like President Bush saying, "I am thinking of attacking Iraq." You can bet the world will not forget him saying that. You have to have a different mindset to make, and communicate about, an online game. You have to weigh your words all the time. That was never easy to understand for an organization that has always had to hype what it wanted to sell!
What We Learned from This
You are a politician! Yep, you are. You are running for office, and there is no filter between you and the world. Stick to the party program! Don't enter into a "design session" with a reporter, even though you can make his/her eyes glow and make headlines.
Mistake: Overestimating the Community's Ability to Forgive and Forget
At the time of the launch we rationalized, "We have been players during the launch of other online games. It was terrible, but we still played on. So will our players!"
Of course, that was true of the previous generation of such games, but not the current generation. There were no alternatives back then. Players suffered, but forgave; the world was wonderful.
In June 2001, people who are used to the stability of a 2-year-old EQ, 1.5-year-old AC, or 3–4-year-old UO will not easily forgive having to go through birth pains again. People forgive childhood diseases the first time a new technology comes to market, but the second or third time around—no way!
If you, the esteemed reader, are planning to launch something similar to AO, you should have something you are 110% sure of! Otherwise, test until you are. The entry barrier in this market is becoming more and more terrible. It makes me kind of proud to think that a small company like Funcom can compete with the likes of EA, Sony, and Microsoft.
What We Learned from This
Things change, the world changes; what was true will not necessarily be so again. The consumer is not a forgiving fool; he carries spears and phazers. When there is monopoly, anything goes. When there is competition, nothing but the best will survive (or sometimes, the mediocre with the biggest marketing budget.
Mistake: Not Enough Unique Content
We should have had more designer content resources added to the game. Too much became too generic. It is like we offered people dinner at McDonalds, or simply the bread and butter of online life, every day. They quickly wanted more, and we should have had it there. Especially for the high-level players, special content is vital.
What We Learned from This
Handcraft and mass-produce. As a designer catering for a world, you need both. If you only handcraft, there will be "camping," waiting, and irritation. If you only mass-produce, there will be nothing to want, only grayness, drabness, and repetition. We luckily have both now, but it takes time!
--------------
That all sounds terribly familiar I'm sure, even if you've never even heard of Anarchy Online before.. 8) There's also sections on DAoC, Meridian 59, and other games. And our own (well, EQ's!) Scott Hartsman did a technical review of the book.
Anyway, lots of food for thought. Worth looking for.
Anyway, there's a section with a "post-mortem" on Anarchy Online (imho still the best MMORPG to date) from Gaute Godager, AO's Game Director. It's not really a post mortem since the game is doing quite well for itself these days, but anyway. He has a list of Lessons Learned, and I found it amusing that it seems like the people at Sony still havent gotten these. I'll quote some here:
-------------
Mistake: Inadequate Customer Service
CS was completely understaffed. Also, the poor people there had terrible tools at launch. The result was several days turnaround per petition. The first thing we did post-launch was try to improve those tools and staff up.
What We Learned from This
Yes, you need CS. You need them more than you think. Also, it is wise to moderate official boards heavily. One "grief" community member does more damage than you can imagine.
Mistake: Underestimating the Power of Pre-Launch Promises
Speaking with the media and fan sites covering MMORPGs is actually quite different from the ones covering non-online games. First, the player community is totally different. They track you, store your words, and try to hold you to the things you said. It feels very much like being "in office," I have realized. If two years before launch you admit to a journalist, "I am thinking about doing this or that," it is like President Bush saying, "I am thinking of attacking Iraq." You can bet the world will not forget him saying that. You have to have a different mindset to make, and communicate about, an online game. You have to weigh your words all the time. That was never easy to understand for an organization that has always had to hype what it wanted to sell!
What We Learned from This
You are a politician! Yep, you are. You are running for office, and there is no filter between you and the world. Stick to the party program! Don't enter into a "design session" with a reporter, even though you can make his/her eyes glow and make headlines.
Mistake: Overestimating the Community's Ability to Forgive and Forget
At the time of the launch we rationalized, "We have been players during the launch of other online games. It was terrible, but we still played on. So will our players!"
Of course, that was true of the previous generation of such games, but not the current generation. There were no alternatives back then. Players suffered, but forgave; the world was wonderful.
In June 2001, people who are used to the stability of a 2-year-old EQ, 1.5-year-old AC, or 3–4-year-old UO will not easily forgive having to go through birth pains again. People forgive childhood diseases the first time a new technology comes to market, but the second or third time around—no way!
If you, the esteemed reader, are planning to launch something similar to AO, you should have something you are 110% sure of! Otherwise, test until you are. The entry barrier in this market is becoming more and more terrible. It makes me kind of proud to think that a small company like Funcom can compete with the likes of EA, Sony, and Microsoft.
What We Learned from This
Things change, the world changes; what was true will not necessarily be so again. The consumer is not a forgiving fool; he carries spears and phazers. When there is monopoly, anything goes. When there is competition, nothing but the best will survive (or sometimes, the mediocre with the biggest marketing budget.
Mistake: Not Enough Unique Content
We should have had more designer content resources added to the game. Too much became too generic. It is like we offered people dinner at McDonalds, or simply the bread and butter of online life, every day. They quickly wanted more, and we should have had it there. Especially for the high-level players, special content is vital.
What We Learned from This
Handcraft and mass-produce. As a designer catering for a world, you need both. If you only handcraft, there will be "camping," waiting, and irritation. If you only mass-produce, there will be nothing to want, only grayness, drabness, and repetition. We luckily have both now, but it takes time!
--------------
That all sounds terribly familiar I'm sure, even if you've never even heard of Anarchy Online before.. 8) There's also sections on DAoC, Meridian 59, and other games. And our own (well, EQ's!) Scott Hartsman did a technical review of the book.
Anyway, lots of food for thought. Worth looking for.