About All This Openness

Royalkin

About All This Openness

 

Decades previously, and even up to recent times the idea of an open world in the single player was still somewhat rare. However, due to the popularity of recently published open world titles such as Skyrim, and the Assassin’s Creed series, are we on the verge of witnessing a rebirth of the sandbox?

 

In light of this, it seems somewhat dichotomic considering how single player games and MMO(RPG)s have reversed themselves in the last decade. It was a common occurrence in the past to see single player games created with heavily directed and scripted gameplay, whereas MMO(RPG)s presented the open ended world. Today however, the exact opposite is true in each genre; they’ve reversed themselves. It is not stated that remnants of the past don’t exist in each case, but rather this is referencing the most popular instances in each genre. Considering the popularity of these open world single player games, is it beyond doubt that a developer will take on the challenge of bringing a similar open ended world to world class MMO(RPG) development and give rise to more sandbox titles? Perhaps we might see someone take it to the next step and create a virtual world, with a highly evolved ecology?

 

Therefore it is contented that eventually, due to the popularity of the open ended world in single player environments that a developer will step out and introduce these open ended elements into a world class MMO(RPG). Just as companies catered to the heavily directed and scripted single player games of the past thus creating the themepark, it could just as easily happen again. Only this time developers will cater to the open ended nature of current single player games, and give rise to more sandbox titles.

 

It is not suggested though, that sandboxes will overtake themeparks, it is believed that there is room for both to co-exist in the same genre. The main problem is that there is a lack of investment for a world class sandbox, and when that changes we'll see this happen.

AdamTM

Originally posted by Royalkin

About All This Openness

 

Decades previously, and even up to recent times the idea of an open world in the single player was still somewhat rare. However, due to the popularity of recently published open world titles such as Skyrim, and the Assassin’s Creed series, are we on the verge of witnessing a rebirth of the sandbox?

 

In light of this, it seems somewhat dichotomic considering how single player games and MMO(RPG)s have reversed themselves in the last decade. It was a common occurrence in the past to see single player games created with heavily directed and scripted gameplay, whereas MMO(RPG)s presented the open ended world. Today however, the exact opposite is true in each genre; they’ve reversed themselves. It is not stated that remnants of the past don’t exist in each case, but rather this is referencing the most popular instances in each genre. Considering the popularity of these open world single player games, is it beyond doubt that a developer will take on the challenge of bringing a similar open ended world to world class MMO(RPG) development and give rise to more sandbox titles? Perhaps we might see someone take it to the next step and create a virtual world, with a highly evolved ecology?

 

Therefore it is contented that eventually, due to the popularity of the open ended world in single player environments that a developer will step out and introduce these open ended elements into a world class MMO(RPG). Just as companies catered to the heavily directed and scripted single player games of the past thus creating the themepark, it could just as easily happen again. Only this time developers will cater to the open ended nature of current single player games, and give rise to more sandbox titles.

 

It is not suggested though, that sandboxes will overtake themeparks, it is believed that there is room for both to co-exist in the same genre. The main problem is that there is a lack of investment for a world class sandbox, and when that changes we'll see this happen.

Quite simple.

Themeparks are easy to produce.

"Easy" here means the effort of treading on familiar ground. They have proven and tested designs at the ready that -work- or at least seem to in the linear themepark scenario (i distinguish between linear themepark and open themepark).

A sandbox MMO requires a lot more effort, a lot more "thinking" past the modification or improvement of certain tried out design elements.

A AAA sandbox MMO would need actual thought from the game developer, an actual -design- that needs to be prototyped, tested and implemented.

Companies that are about making the big $$$ are not interested in putting effort into their products. They want the most efficient, the shortest and least painful way to make money.

The problem with this is that we will for a long time not get the AAA sandbox, because only semi-professional indies would be bothered to invest that effort, but MMOs are financially out of the league of indies, not to mention AAA ones that run on current graphics engines and require VO and a well-polished release.

 

While AAA single-player indie-games can exist because our technology is now advanced enough and game-engines like Unreal 3/ UDK are available for cheap, the clout you need behind MMOs is impossible to shoulder as an Indie.

Behind the MMO needs to stand an MMO engine, free ones usually suck big time or are 2D engines with sprite-graphics (something that is not considered tripple-A), add to this server and bandwidth upkeep, content-creation for a -sandbox- environment (large worlds can't feel empty), and you are presented with an obstacle that is not possible to be overcome as an upstart/indie.

 

The only thing indies can do is release small multiplayer games that -prototype- certain aspects and design-mechanics for future MMOs.

Warmaker

Which pretty much means the MMORPG genre is screwed