As long as corporations with non-gamer investors and directors are digging their hands in the mix, the industry will continue to focus on tricks, gimmicks, or formulas that can be used to increase revenue rather than innovation, creativity, and a focus on quality over quantity.
QFT
We vote with our money, yet most of the people here do not wish to be patient with an indie developer, they want their game and they want it now. So who has the game and has it now? Mr. Corporation with his well polished MMO-machine spitting them out like cars on the assembly line. We have no one to blame except ourselves.
**edit**
"well polished" might be a bit of an exaggeration.
"They essentially want to say 'Correlation proves Causation' when it's just not true." - Sovrath
I do not thnk it is really the massive-ness nor the social aspect that makes MMO successful. Lessons learn from WOW:
1) lots of things for players to do, some grouped, some solo, so essentially they won by content. They have:
- raids (3 difficulties)
- 5 man dungeons
- dailies
- 3 forms of pvp .. large zone like BH, battleground and arena
- collectiing pets & mounts
- crafting and gathering
- achievements
2) Make stuff looks good. Not necessarily realistic or high polygon graphics, but good and cool art design trumps all. I found myself look at others' mount/weapon/gear quite frequently just because they look cool.
We vote with our money, yet most of the people here do not wish to be patient with an indie developer, they want their game and they want it now. So who has the game and has it now? Mr. Corporation with his well polished MMO-machine spitting them out like cars on the assembly line. We have no one to blame except ourselves.
I do not see anything wrong with this. After all, we are talking about entertainment products here, not supporting political parties. Of course I want a polished game that is fun. There are so many choices out there (and obviously MMOs are not the only choices) that there is no reason to settle for less.
Comments
QFT
We vote with our money, yet most of the people here do not wish to be patient with an indie developer, they want their game and they want it now. So who has the game and has it now? Mr. Corporation with his well polished MMO-machine spitting them out like cars on the assembly line. We have no one to blame except ourselves.
**edit**
"well polished" might be a bit of an exaggeration.
"They essentially want to say 'Correlation proves Causation' when it's just not true." - Sovrath
I do not thnk it is really the massive-ness nor the social aspect that makes MMO successful. Lessons learn from WOW:
1) lots of things for players to do, some grouped, some solo, so essentially they won by content. They have:
- raids (3 difficulties)
- 5 man dungeons
- dailies
- 3 forms of pvp .. large zone like BH, battleground and arena
- collectiing pets & mounts
- crafting and gathering
- achievements
2) Make stuff looks good. Not necessarily realistic or high polygon graphics, but good and cool art design trumps all. I found myself look at others' mount/weapon/gear quite frequently just because they look cool.
3) Polish, polish and polish.
I do not see anything wrong with this. After all, we are talking about entertainment products here, not supporting political parties. Of course I want a polished game that is fun. There are so many choices out there (and obviously MMOs are not the only choices) that there is no reason to settle for less.