So you have almost $20 million and 4 years to make a MMO...

Chieftan · February 2007

How the heck are you still not able to get the game done before it's release date? Were they sitting around the office rolling j's with hundred dollar bills?

retrospectic · February 2007

Originally posted by Chieftan

How the heck are you still not able to get the game done before it's release date? Were they sitting around the office rolling j's with hundred dollar bills?

If I had 20 million dollars and four years to make something I would probably spend at least the first 6 months swimming in gold coins like Duck Tales.

Thisgamesux · February 2007

GEE WHICH GAME DID THAT????

If you are talking about Vanguard:Saga of MMO Flop, that cost $40 million.

Astropuyo · February 2007

Originally posted by retrospectic

Originally posted by Chieftan

How the heck are you still not able to get the game done before it's release date? Were they sitting around the office rolling j's with hundred dollar bills?

If I had 20 million dollars and four years to make something I would probably spend at least the first 6 months swimming in gold coins like Duck Tales.

I'd start me a mega porn company, featuring nothing but midgets and giant russian women.

I hear there is a market niche for such things.

EyeSpEye · February 2007

If someone dumped 20-40 mil in my lap and said MMO, well lets, just say don't plan on a release and don't plan on me being an American citizen anymore

-Rodriguez- · February 2007

Originally posted by Astropuyo

I'd start me a mega porn company, featuring nothing but midgets and giant russian women.
I hear there is a market niche for such things.

You win.

Unknown · February 2007

Originally posted by Chieftan

How the heck are you still not able to get the game done before it's release date? Were they sitting around the office rolling j's with hundred dollar bills?

Actually... you need 25 million to 35 million to make a modern mmorpg. (CSWG, VG, EQ2, etc...). Though it is possible to make a mmorpg in 3 years. But yes, 4-5 years is the avarage.

BUT.... since it is game features that make a mmorpg in the long run, a minimum of 5 to 10 million is needed to make a mmorpg that could compeate vs a modern mmorpg. (EQ, AC, UO, for example...)

If one is aiming to make a nitch mmorpg, and to have some chance of making some money off it, then 100k in money can do it (Runescape, Astonia 3, are examples...).

If one is simply aiming for a mmorpg, but NOT to make money off it, 5k and most of your free time can do it. (Racewar Kingdoms, and Strive for Power, are examples.)

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Next, to directly answer your question, no mmorpg is ever 100% finnished in time for its release date. Raph Koster, the most experienced mmorpg designer on the planet, once made an extreemly famous post on the old SWG forums called " The Longest Post". In it he detailed what goes into making a mmorpg, and why they are never 100% finnished upon release. And why release dates keep getting pushed back. You should also visit his personal site, and read up on his essays. And if you have the extra money, buy his book about the theory of game designing.

ajaxx · February 2007

It sickens me to think they blew so much money on such a shoddy product. I'm being serious, a lot of talented and competent people could have built an entertaining game with that kind of money.

Nyphur · February 2007

I'd like to believe that the day of one guy making his own game is not gone but I'm seeing evidence of it every day. I like to design my own game in my spare time and I am a fairly competant programmer and moderately competant artist (enough for some concept sketches). I would like to create this game but I know that I won't be able to alone and I know that finding good volunteer programmers and modellers, even people doing it as a hobby, just isn't going to happen.

Sadly, the only way for a small group to get a game off the ground these days seems to be to seek outside investors who will have the power to completely ruin your game by interfering with development and who can at any time sue you for loss of earnings if you make a decision that causes players to quit.

Unknown · February 2007

Originally posted by ajaxx

It sickens me to think they blew so much money on such a shoddy product. I'm being serious, a lot of talented and competent people could have built an entertaining game with that kind of money.

If you and others are referring to VG aka Vanguard, no one can say anything about it until 1 year after its release.

Next, something to really make you sad - MicroCrap aka MicroSoft w-a-s-t-e-d between 50 million to 60 million on two failed mmorpgs. Litteral failures that got cancelled.

ArcheusCross · February 2007

Originally posted by retrospectic

Originally posted by Chieftan

How the heck are you still not able to get the game done before it's release date? Were they sitting around the office rolling j's with hundred dollar bills?

If I had 20 million dollars and four years to make something I would probably spend at least the first 6 months swimming in gold coins like Duck Tales.

LOL i second that.

Aeronis · February 2007

Vanguard is more "complete" than most MMORPGs at launch. It's feature rich, and packed full of content.

It's just not "complete" in relation to how much they were planning to put into the game, which was a very bold vision.

osc8r · February 2007

Well, it has it's share of bugs but it has more features than a game that cost twice as much, had more production time and more staff. And you know what, IMO it is also a hell of a lot more fun...already!

GG.

M1sf1t · February 2007

Buying out their contract from Microsoft I think did not help them at all. So there went a few million down the toilet.

M1sf1t · February 2007

Originally posted by Aeronis
Vanguard is more "complete" than most MMORPGs at launch. It's feature rich, and packed full of content.
It's just not "complete" in relation to how much they were planning to put into the game, which was a very bold vision.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Not as complete as in still in beta. Bold as in rehashed ideas with no innovation or even so much as refinement put into the "bold vision". If VG is a 3rd gen title then I am Donald Trump.

[Deleted User] · February 2007

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CleffyII · February 2007

$20 million can pay for production costs, release costs, and 300 employees for 1 year. You should be able to make a good game with that much money. However, you might have to keep your scope small considering it takes around $50-$60 million to make something on the scale and polish of WoW or Granado Espada.

Veiled_light · February 2007

Well heres why:

They tried to do too much at once :P Instead of focusing on making 20 odd classes and races they should have stuck to about 8 or so and then they would have had more time balancing and making them quality. They shoulda stuck to making one islands really detailed with content and then release the others in expansions are free content later. This way each island would have been less buggy and more polished and ALOT more content.

Less = more

you can always add to the game after launch but you only get once chance at impressing people at launch. people wont give your game a second chance lol. So basically what they've done is put this game to a early grave as it wont get enough funds for a proper development.

Chieftan · February 2007

Originally posted by osc8r

Well, it has it's share of bugs but it has more features than a game that cost twice as much, had more production time and more staff. And you know what, IMO it is also a hell of a lot more fun...already!
GG.

Which game cost twice as much?

Apocalyptica · February 2007

You do realize that they do not get the 20 Mill in one go, right? They get it monthly ^^. And its easy for a mmorpg to go over 4 years, there is untold to do. Don't underestimate it.

shae · February 2007

20 to 25 million seems just about on par to me.

I know of a Canadian company that's currently creating an MMO that's TBA. From what I know, they have a budget of about 8 million a year on none internal resource stuff and about 1.5 on internal resources for the next 3 years so long as they stay on scedule which looks like is going to happen.

Alot of angel investors now are going to the route of producers rather then just sitting back and watching the project happen, which is a good thing because the project directors really have to be on the ball when it comes to hitting milestones and projects affirmation dates.

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So you have almost $20 million and 4 years to make a MMO...

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So you have almost $20 million and 4 years to make a MMO...

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