Lack of imagination?

recsa

Was wondering ... why the hell 99% of MMORPG titles fall into one of two categories? aka Fantasy or Sci-fi.

IMHO, MMORPGs are the paradigm of freedom for players (yes i'm a sandbox games fan) but this freedom is boxed and given to us in just two flavours, .... why?, i would love to see a well developed Far West MMORPG, would be nice to buy a pair of colts crafted by a player, ride my horse to any of the border famous towns and duel infamous characters like Billy the kid, or take part in the gold rush or .... many many posibilities that doesnt need to be writen from scratch or to pay for an IP.

There are tons of historical/mythological settings that would make for good MMORPGs, old Greece, old Egypt, Roman Empire, the mentioned Far West, .... but every single launch is Orcs&Elves fantasy or Sci-Fi.

Just .. Why?

Ihmotepp

Catering to the market place. Why are there so many fast food restaurants that offer either burgers or fried chicken? Why don't they open more fast food restaurants that sell fried beetles or cow intestines?

 

recsa

 mmm maybe, but how they know masses would not play any other setting if it has never been tested? maybe i'm wrong, but i'm pretty sure a poll here would clearly state that people would at least try a non elves fantasy or sci-fi game.

Kyleran

Because fantasy and sci fi are proven winners while games that have strayed too far from them have pretty much tanked.

(i.e. SIMS Online, Roma Victor etc)

A wild west MMO has been proposed many times, but so far no company has had the guts to give it a go.  Not saying its a bad idea, but its a huge risk considering how much these games cost these days to make so unless an indy dev picks it up, won't be happening)

Besides, when is the last time you saw a new movie or TV show based that was a Western?  Contrast that with Fantasy (Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood, Star Trek, The Lightning Thief etc) and you can see which way popular culture is currently leaning. (not even many decent Sci FI movies on the horizon)

 

 

 

Ihmotepp

Originally posted by recsa


 mmm maybe, but how they know masses would not play any other setting if it has never been tested? maybe i'm wrong, but i'm pretty sure a poll here would clearly state that people would at least try a non elves fantasy or sci-fi game.

 

Poll after poll indicates the top preference is still fantasy. Even if you are sick of it.

recsa

Originally posted by Ihmotepp


 
Poll after poll indicates the top preference is still fantasy. Even if you are sick of it.

 

Yes i am ... and soon i will be of ligt sabers, space ships and lasser guns. Nvm, just wanted to think out loud.

uquipu

 Take the wild west MMO.

You go out and shoot an Indian or a pale face.  You shoot a bear.  Then what?

In a fantasy MMO there are lots more mob possibilities, werewolves, dragons, centaurs, kobolds, orcs, goblins, etc  And in a fantasy MMO you still can go after bandits and bears.

The fantasy genre lends itself well to MMOs.

obii

Originally posted by uquipu


 Take the wild west MMO.
You go out and shoot an Indian or a pale face.  You shoot a bear.  Then what?
In a fantasy MMO there are lots more mob possibilities, werewolves, dragons, centaurs, kobolds, orcs, goblins, etc  And in a fantasy MMO you still can go after bandits and bears.
The fantasy genre lends itself well to MMOs.

 

Hey the wild West has Zombies (looks at Jonah Hex) and Robots like in Wild Wild West and even Kung Fu!

But yes fantasy would probably give my Wild West MMo more structure :P

Ihmotepp

Originally posted by uquipu


 Take the wild west MMO.
You go out and shoot an Indian or a pale face.  You shoot a bear.  Then what?
In a fantasy MMO there are lots more mob possibilities, werewolves, dragons, centaurs, kobolds, orcs, goblins, etc  And in a fantasy MMO you still can go after bandits and bears.
The fantasy genre lends itself well to MMOs.

 

It's a valid point, but take your basic first person shooter. If it's set in WWII for example, the "mobs" are all the same. Either Russians, Japanese, Germans, or Americans, depending on which side you're playing. Basically humans in different uniforms. No real diversity in the look of the opponents, but people enjoy playing them.

 

 

Codenak

Studio's are betting on what will be popular in x years down the road, films take a year to make for the most part and can react quickly to market moods so surprise hits are quickly followed up with a rash of emulators, games take (or should take) about 4 years to make and therefore cannot rely on changing fads, but have to aim at core markets which always sell.

How popular would a "american western" style MMO be to the world as a whole?