Why are there no Wild West MMOs?

Vonatar

It's a question that has always been in the back of my mind, and something often discussed among my gaming group of friends.

Playing some Red Dead Redemption again lately made me revisit the question. In some ways I can see the setting lending itself well to the MMO format. It would make sense to have lots of players around as no one needs to the be the "hero", but just another lone ranger, or posse, bandit or lawman. PVP would work in terms of bandits against lawmen, or even open world PVP with a crime system and players signing up as deputies. There's a wealth of sandbox elements that would be interesting too such as prospecting, cattle wrangling and horse taming to name a few. And it wouldn't be fantasy or sci fi, but something different entirely.

I'm not saying I want someone to make a Wild West MMO. I think the market is pretty flooded with mediocrity these days. But I have often wondered why we never saw one (or perhaps I'm wrong and there's a crappy one I overlooked).

Quesa

I think it imitates RL too much.  I'm always looking for something different that can immerse me into a different world.

Nadia

google wild west mmo and get at least 3

https://www.google.com/#q=wild+west+mmo

2 free to play and one being developed

 

The West

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/forum/1402/General-Discussion.html

Wild Wild West online

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/forum/960/General-Discussion.html

 

http://frontier1859.com/

http://frontier1859.com/frontier-1859-news/some-assembly-required-four-sandboxes-we-need-right-now.html

Hockeyisthegame

It would be too offensive in today's ridiculous "politically correct " society. You couldn't made a western mmo without somebody wanting to sue cause you used the likeness of a Native American in a way that offended them.  

 

Loktofeit

Some threads for you: 

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/109869

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/251754/page/1

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/396061

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/404/view/forums/thread/359787/Why-has-there-been-no-Wild-West-MMO.html

nariusseldon

Originally posted by Hockeyisthegame

It would be too offensive in today's ridiculous "politically correct " society. You couldn't made a western mmo without somebody wanting to sue cause you used the likeness of a Native American in a way that offended them.  

 

hmm .. there are plenty of western games with native americans in them. If they can do it in Calls of Juarez and other western games, i don't see what is the problem with doing it in a MMO.

The only reason is probably there isn't a big enough demand for it.

Furthermore, westerns are probably more suitable to be FPS just because shooting is such a large part of a game like that.

 

iixviiiix

unless you throw some alien in , there are no wild west MMOs

Loktofeit

Originally posted by nariusseldon

Originally posted by Hockeyisthegame

It would be too offensive in today's ridiculous "politically correct " society. You couldn't made a western mmo without somebody wanting to sue cause you used the likeness of a Native American in a way that offended them.  

 

hmm .. there are plenty of western games with native americans in them. If they can do it in Calls of Juarez and other western games, i don't see what is the problem with doing it in a MMO.

The only reason is probably there isn't a big enough demand for it.

Furthermore, westerns are probably more suitable to be FPS just because shooting is such a large part of a game like that.

 

There is a huge difference, though. In those games, the dialogue and even toutcome is scripted. They can tale a tale that is as sanitized or gritty as they want. In an MMO, that goes out the window and historically, given the opportunity to be racist or hateful - whether out of trolling or malice - human beings will do it. No developer wants to deal with that. 

The approach that multiplayer games usually take is more a 'frontier' approach than wild west. Salem is an example of that tangent. BANG! Howdy would be another direction devs have tread along the outskirts of wild west multiplayer gaming.

SEANMCAD

Why are there no Wild West MMOs?

exactly! good question.

Imagine if movies where MMOs and you could easily bet a paycheck that any random movie startup would be fantasy based

Foobarx

LOL, Kool Moe Dee's "Wild Wild West" just popped into my head...

 

 

Kyleran

Why are there no longer many (if any) movies made about the Wild West, at time they were all the rage in Hollywood?

My guess is the topic matter is of little interest by modern audiences coupled around the fact it really wasn't a very heroic time period in US history.  No matter how you look at it, what happened to the the native Americans was a shameful part of the American past and not something that works well in a "game" as I see it.

Unless of course all we're going to do is create a game of Ranchers vs Outlaws vs Lawmen, that might have some possibilities. 

 

 

laserit

Lets have a chat with Rockstar and talk them into making a Red Dead Redemption MMO

Nadia

Originally posted by iixviiiix
unless you throw some alien in , there are no wild west MMOs

loose association

this boardgame is being released this fall - cannot wait for it

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1034852783/shadows-of-brimstone

 

SEANMCAD

Originally posted by Nadia

Originally posted by iixviiiix
unless you throw some alien in , there are no wild west MMOs

loose association

this boardgame is being released this fall - cannot wait for it

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1034852783/shadows-of-brimstone

 

Which brings me to a side question to the OPs topic.

why are there not more turn based video games.

I know its getting better but still

Joseph_Kerr

Ive wondered the same thing for years and who says it has to be historical, are any of the other mmos we play historically accurate? It could be on a different planet for all I care or an alternate reality but it could still be wild west in flavor. 

rlhegira

So Darth-Batman, are you suggesting something like the Trigun anime?

SEANMCAD

Originally posted by Darth-Batman
Ive wondered the same thing for years and who says it has to be historical, are any of the other mmos we play historically accurate? It could be on a different planet for all I care or an alternate reality but it could still be wild west in flavor. 

so many possibilities. Wild West, Private Detective, Vampires, the list goes on and on.

But in the famous words of James T Kirk the industry 'Keeps missing the target'

ropenice

A sandbox wild west game would work well. Have settlers creating new towns with crafting, agriculture, law enforcement for FFA pvp protection, etc. More danger as you expand the frontier. Not really my kind of game but could be fun and longterm rewarding.

Also you could have player run Native American communities to oppose the settlement attempts and give more diversity.

nariusseldon

Originally posted by Kyleran

Why are there no longer many (if any) movies made about the Wild West, at time they were all the rage in Hollywood?

 

Because the recent ones all flopped? Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens ....

In the old days, gun fights with western costumes are exciting. Now in the era of CGI spaceships, super heroes, giant robots, and godzilla, it is meh.

 

nariusseldon

Originally posted by SEANMCAD

Originally posted by Darth-Batman
Ive wondered the same thing for years and who says it has to be historical, are any of the other mmos we play historically accurate? It could be on a different planet for all I care or an alternate reality but it could still be wild west in flavor. 

so many possibilities. Wild West, Private Detective, Vampires, the list goes on and on.

But in the famous words of James T Kirk the industry 'Keeps missing the target'

private detective MMO? really?

An adventure (like the sherlock holmes games from frogware) game .. yes .. MMO .. no.

 

SEANMCAD

Originally posted by nariusseldon

Originally posted by Kyleran

Why are there no longer many (if any) movies made about the Wild West, at time they were all the rage in Hollywood?

 

Because the recent ones all flopped? Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens ....

In the old days, gun fights with western costumes are exciting. Now in the era of CGI spaceships, super heroes, giant robots, and godzilla, it is meh.

 

so you think people prefer shotting zombies instead of cowboys because of some games that you think flopped.

 

really?

BurntCabbage

too much racism back then with not only Indians but afro-americans....not to mention the huge territory wars between the crips n bloods

SEANMCAD

Originally posted by nariusseldon

Originally posted by SEANMCAD

Originally posted by Darth-Batman
Ive wondered the same thing for years and who says it has to be historical, are any of the other mmos we play historically accurate? It could be on a different planet for all I care or an alternate reality but it could still be wild west in flavor. 

so many possibilities. Wild West, Private Detective, Vampires, the list goes on and on.

But in the famous words of James T Kirk the industry 'Keeps missing the target'

private detective MMO? really?

An adventure (like the sherlock holmes games from frogware) game .. yes .. MMO .. no.

 

cops and robbers and 1940s private dics....yup win

Soandsoso

Originally posted by ropenice

A sandbox wild west game would work well. Have settlers creating new towns with crafting, agriculture, law enforcement for FFA pvp protection, etc. More danger as you expand the frontier. Not really my kind of game but could be fun and longterm rewarding.

Also you could have player run Native American communities to oppose the settlement attempts and give more diversity.

Sounds like Eve......next question....why isn't Eve more popular than it is.

 

Because it requires the player to create their own content and for most gamers they need someone else to do it for them.

 

Enter the "Theme park" mmo.

Jemcrystal

It's not just "Wild West."  It is anything not Fantasy or Sci-Fi.  Take Steam Punk, which I love, but I'm not playing in an mmo where there are no other players.  Devs have to capitalize on what is popular with the major majority.  Massive Multiplayer means you need a shit load of people on board.  So you have to find a theme that appeals to all not a few.

nariusseldon

Originally posted by Jemcrystal
It's not just "Wild West."  It is anything not Fantasy or Sci-Fi.  Take Steam Punk, which I love, but I'm not playing in an mmo where there are no other players.  Devs have to capitalize on what is popular with the major majority.  Massive Multiplayer means you need a shit load of people on board.  So you have to find a theme that appeals to all not a few.

Why does it have to be a MMO?

Incredible Adv of Van Helsing is a great steam punk ARPG with character. I doubt a MMO will make something like that better.