would you play a browser game if it looked like wow

Thupli

So I was thinking lately that wows graphics and low tech art is catchy enough and low resource enough, that wouldn't it be pretty easy to make a game like wow that was run on a web browser?

And then if you add to that some of Camelot unchained's tech of physics being done server side, seems like you could get a good game both visually and with gameplay across a browser.

some of this goes back a game called Earth Eternal that I played via web browser years ago. It was actually quite good despite some of its issues.

anyway, just thinking. I hate re-downloading games all the time...and I want to use my Chromebook more!

sunandshadow

I played Earth Eternal, and yeah it seemed to work fine as a browser-based MMO.  I was never in an area with several players though, that might result in lag.

I've also played several unity plugin browser webgames that had a 3D world with noticeably better graphics than WoW, but again, I was never in an area with several players.

Thupli

True, but they dont have to be cash grabs.  I guess my question is why not push browsers instead of clients if you could get them to look as good as WoW, which it seems like you could?

VestigeGamer

I have tried a few browser games and just can't find them grabbing my interest.  So, no.  Not for me.

VestigeGamer

Robokapp said:

if it has a fullscreen option, whats the difference?

I think I'm strange in this.  Seeing that "menu" up top bugs me.  This is purely psychological, but browser games just do not "feel" like MMOs.  They feel like Facebook games to me.  I know they are not.  They just feel that way to me.

FrodoFragins

browser based MMOs are pointless to me.  They could get better graphics and performance with a normal app.

Ridelynn

I'd play a browser game if it were fun

Loke666

Vardahoth said:

Browser games are f2p cash grabs, so I stay away from them.

To be fair can you say that about more than a few regular F2P MMOs as well. It isn't the browsers fault.

Still, I prefer regular games. Graphics don't need to be top but Wow is from 2004 and that might be a little over the top,

SpottyGekko

As long as I couldn't tell that I was playing a browser-based game, I would have no issues with playing them.

How the game is made is of no consequence to me. But I'm not prepared to sacrifice the quality and features of a game just because it's a "browser game" and therefore has to be judged differently.

Thupli

I guess what drives this is that it seems that there should be SOME decent mmo developed for.a web.browser with at least passable graphics.

It just seems like with hardware these days, there should be one out there worth playing.

And i am surprised there isn't.

cameltosis

I can't ever see myself playing a browser-based MMO really, not dedicated / willing to spend money anyway. 

Reason: if I'm at home, I have access to my gaming rig and thus would prefer a better quality game than one that was browser based. If I'm not at home, chances are I have limited timescale to play or limited connectivity, also making browser-based mmos a problem. 


What I wouldn't mind is browser-based supporting features for an MMO. For example, when SW:TOR was in development, the devs made a big thing about being able to manage your companions whilst you were offline (i.e. not logged in to main game). This turned out to be a massive lie, but I like the idea of being able to log in to a website and manage my companions and their crafting. 

Supporting MMO features I'd like to see accessible when not logged in to the game:

• Crafting
• Guild management
• Chat
• Calendar / Raid signup
• DKP / SK lists
• Auction House
• Home / house management
• World information (e.g. pvp zone control)
• Spectator mode
• Character builder / templates / specs

In addition, if your game is voxel based or whatever (thinking eqn), I'd also like a browser-based "designer" or something similar, where I could design a building or whatever and save it as a template so that when I got in game, I could collect the mats and build the item without having to design as I go. 

GrumpyHobbit

Are we talking a browser game so it can be played on mobile devices?

If so I have my PC for gaming so I would not play it.

If it is to play the game on a browser on my PC then I still would probably not play it as I have my PC for games.

I find games on browsers just not good games. They seem to be developed for the 'short on time' and 'I don't care about games' types and that seems to lead to poor design everywhere else except the cash shop and to gameplay designed to only get you to part with your money.

Bottom line, I don't see a reason to play a browser game but if a good one came out (so that there was no difference playing it on my PC to any other game) then sure I would play.

Dibdabs

There isn't a browser game I'd play.

deniter

I say 'no' to browser games, no matter what they look like.

Flyte27

What APIs are available for browser games?  It always seems you have to install something to get browser games to work and many times it's something that makes your browser vulnerable.

In my experience it's usually easier just to create a native app.  Especially with stores like Steam, Apple Store, Google Play Store, Origin, etc that install the game fairly seamlessly.

esc-joconnor

I'm surprised no one mentioned Order and Chaos, or Order and Chaos 2 yet
You can play it in Chrome, so that counts!

Phry

The problem with browser based games, is that they tend to be based on java or flash etc. If they are html 5 based it might be less of an issue, but i certainly wouldn't trust a game based on java or flash, particularly as support for either can be removed by browsers without much notice, as was recently shown by Firefox etc. Flash is already becoming obsolete anyway, when i rebuilt my system i never bothered installing it again, and tbh, nothing of any consequence uses it.
Web browsers just aren't a good platform for MMO's, there are a whole raft of security issues for instance that would need to be addressed, and hacking would probably be far too easy to make it worthwhile.

Quizzical

Posting on forums is a browser game and you're playing it right now.  With the ads, it can sometimes look kind of like WoW, too.

Thupli

Quizzical said:

Posting on forums is a browser game and you're playing it right now.  With the ads, it can sometimes look kind of like WoW, too.

LOL!

Sovrath

No, I can't stand WoW's art design or graphics. One of the reasons I never was able to play it for long at any one time.

Thupli

Flyte27 said:

What APIs are available for browser games?  It always seems you have to install something to get browser games to work and many times it's something that makes your browser vulnerable.

In my experience it's usually easier just to create a native app.  Especially with stores like Steam, Apple Store, Google Play Store, Origin, etc that install the game fairly seamlessly.

so I see your point here, and it does make sense. It's just that most Mobile games are touch controls, not mouse and keyboard which IMO is part of the dumbed Dow gameplay problem that mobile games have.

Jakobmiller

I don't play games through the web due to the technology. It just isn't there currently.. Ye, html5 is on it's way to establish for real, but javascript or flash is just not good enough.. 

Flyte27

Thupli said:

Flyte27 said:

What APIs are available for browser games?  It always seems you have to install something to get browser games to work and many times it's something that makes your browser vulnerable.

In my experience it's usually easier just to create a native app.  Especially with stores like Steam, Apple Store, Google Play Store, Origin, etc that install the game fairly seamlessly.

so I see your point here, and it does make sense. It's just that most Mobile games are touch controls, not mouse and keyboard which IMO is part of the dumbed Dow gameplay problem that mobile games have.

True, but as I mentioned there are stores for PC that offer a seamless experience.  Off the top of my head Steam, Origin, Uplay, Apple Store, and Microsoft Store.

Thupli

I've looked through the google play store and it is slim pickings! But maybe we will see some more good ones on the future.

and Jakob, I do agree with you on html5... That will be good.

VestigeGamer

I guess I wonder why?  Browsers are very limiting when compared to full processor and OS capabilities.  This tells me right off of the bat, "Maximum simplification."

Ridelynn

There was a game called Glitch a few years ago I played quite a bit. It was Flash in a browser.

It didn't have deep mechanics, but it was quirky, original, and entertaining.

and no cash shop that I can recall