As much as I love Transformers, I think it would be too hard in a technical sense to create a proper MMO. The different transforming styles alone would require Crisis level computers. As for GIJoe, I think that has potential. There was a PnP game called ACE Agents that was a bit tongue and cheek that could be used as a reference since it justifies some of GIJoe's style. For instance ACE Agents were encouraged to create creative code-names, uniforms, and weapons because the military sold the rights to toy, game, and comic companies. The revenue from that made ACE Agents the most profitable branch of government. They fight PYTHON. PYTHON is an acronym but no one knows what it stands for. Even the leaders. PYTHON's founders thought it sounded scarier if people thought the name had a hidden meaning. PYTHON has a contest to determine what the letters stand for. (The sidebar quotes an ACE Agent complaining that the contest was for PYTHON members only and how his "really good idea" was mailed back unopened.) Seriously though, if you keep the violence down to the cartoon level (no one gets killed or permenantly injured), it can work as a mission based MMO. If you create a squad (team), a mission can be custom created so each member would have a moment to shine.
There were never any transforming 'styles' in the cartoon. Unnecessary for the game. You're a car ~transforming sound, anywhere from slow to fast depending on the Transformer~ then you're in robot mode. If you want different transforming styles, buy the toy. I know somebody said earlier that if the transforming was just a blur it would suck, but that's all it ever was, more or less, in the original cartoon. I think that in a technical sense, it would be very easy. Very, very easy. Besides, you could really only be so many things anyway. A vehicle, gun, aircraft, tape deck. . .those could be like character classes.
There's no way I'm going to read all 11 pages to see if someone already posted this, but it's "Masters of the Universe" not He Man / She-Ra!
I can't believe you forgot the name!
Got caught up in the moment. Was too focused on Transformers. Of the five cartoons listed, though, Masters of the Universe would be right on par with Transformers as a MMO idea. I could get just as excited about that if it weren't for my brain brimming with ideas about The Transformers. I have He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on my computer right now. I watch it from time to time, slowly making my way through episodes. But the official name is He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but Masters of the Universe would be better for a game, that way you could easily bring in the She-ra thing under that. I don't know what her show's full title is. . .I'll go look. . .She-ra, Princess of Power, lol! You could even have bad guy camps against each other, like Hordak and his Evil Horde vs Skeletor and his minions. They could team up, betray each other, ects. . .
Great list Jon, I am so glad to see transformers there. Actually some buddies and I were talking about how it would be cool do design and play as a transformer. I guess with the new movie coming out soon it is getting some creativity going.
It would be either 2, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (Black and chrome) called Kraller that turned into a giant spider-like robot that could klimb practically ANYTHING. Even sheer buildings becuase it would have stickypads as an option. Unfortunaly, he would have to be a decepticon.
On the other hand, how about a Hummer H2 (Black and Yellow!) called Thud that turned into a massive rocket launcher armed with with a variety of AV missles. He would be an autobot, so he could shoot down almost anything out of the air.
Im thinking Smurfs Vs Snorks... Snorks leave the underwater world of Snorkland and attack the Smurf Village and burn it to the ground. Smurfs flee the village and live in small mushroom towns around the forest.. Snorks live in towns in the rivers.. guilds can build their own towns ... mutli classes for both snorks and smurfs... mix of pvp and Pve.. lol
Like quite a few posters here,any list of 80's cartoons to be made into a mmo would be incomplete without....
THUNDERCATS!!
Strange was just talking about this the other day as I seen play.com had the entire series for sale,still thinking of buying it and re-living my youth
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
Jace and the wheeled warriors, that would be awsome, and please don't say I'm the only one that remembers it.
Btw transformers wasn't set in the 80's, I think it was ment to be set in the late 90's, the orginal cartoon film was based in 2005, which is also the year they re-released it I do believe.
I can't believe someone else remember Jace and the wheeled warriors....I totally forgot the name until you said it, I have even tried to explain the cartoon to others and they think i make it up...you rock.
As for the list....Thundarr the barbarian and Pirates of dark water...those cartoons captured my imagination more than any other cartoon.
I haven't read the discussion thread, so this isn't responding to anyone, but transformers would rock. I would suggest having the player select the basic powers and role, then having the game autocreate the bot, or at least give a few optional suggestions.
TMNT could work out amazingly, except in making it an mmorpg, the crowding might make it not feel the same, like the freaks felt like the norm instead of ...the genetically modified freaks that they were.
GIJoe as more skill based but with intense combat would be amazing, if done right.
Ghostbusters has some amazing potential for games, but I can't really see making it work as an mmorpg.
Heman, with, as pointed out, it's unexplored magical land of...Eternia, was it? could be nifty, too.
I can't really think of a lot of other cartoons that would work as well as what has already been mentioned, so I'll shush now.
A Transformer's MMO centered around the war before the comics would be incredible. A mass Transformer PVP game. Transformers on Earth would just be an awkward MMO...
Hell, yes. I remember the toys. I also threatened a few friends with converting the carebears to D&D Visionaries style as villains...that's a lot of villains when you're making evil magickal knights pulled from both shows.
How about a phenom that should have been an 80's cartoon, and therefore included in your list??? (I'm cheating, I know).... Namely,..
The Micronauts!
Cool vehicles, quite a bit of player agency...that would be a darn fun MMO I think.
_____________________________ Currently Playing: LOTRO; DDO Played: AC2, AO, Auto Assault, CoX, DAoC, DDO, Earth&Beyond, EQ1, EQ2, EVE, Fallen Earth, Jumpgate, Roma Victor, Second Life, SWG, V:SoH, WoW, World War II Online.
Games I'm watching: Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Force of Arms.
They have to make a Smurf MMO. 1. The curse word filter would just substitute the word "Smurf", no matter what was typed: "You smurfing piece of smurf! I'm going to smurfing pwn your smurf and feed your smurfs to the smurfing smurf-smurfs!" 2. Only one smurfette per server limits the whole males-playing-females debate. Cyber-smurfing would be limited. Well... probably.
Like quite a few posters here,any list of 80's cartoons to be made into a mmo would be incomplete without.... THUNDERCATS!! Strange was just talking about this the other day as I seen play.com had the entire series for sale,still thinking of buying it and re-living my youth
I hated Thundercats when it came on when I was 8. Don't go back and watch it. An old roommate bought two of the sets, and they're horrible, even for nostalgia. I don't see how they could possibly make a decent MMO, and so far everyone here that's said 'But what about THUNDERCATS?' hasn't even remotely suggested how this furry's wet dream could be any good....wait, I just said it. It could only exist as a furry's wet dream game.
Jace and the wheeled warriors, that would be awsome, and please don't say I'm the only one that remembers it.
Btw transformers wasn't set in the 80's, I think it was ment to be set in the late 90's, the orginal cartoon film was based in 2005, which is also the year they re-released it I do believe.
I can't believe someone else remember Jace and the wheeled warriors....I totally forgot the name until you said it, I have even tried to explain the cartoon to others and they think i make it up...you rock.
As for the list....Thundarr the barbarian and Pirates of dark water...those cartoons captured my imagination more than any other cartoon.
Imo the best part of the show was the glam metal theme tune lol
Thundarr the Barbarian. Like so many have said before, its all there. Lore and all..perfect for MMORPG conversion. Post-apocalyptic land filled with sorcery, technology, mutants and monsters...And one Sunsword to destroy them all. DEMON DOGS! Someone should make this.
________________________________
Everything born must die. All that is, will come to ruin. This is the essence of Doom. So sayeth the Doomsayer.
Managing Editor Jon Wood is back with another countdown. This week, Wood looks at five 80s cartoons that he believes would make great MMOs. Click on to read his list, then let us know what else should have made the cut on our forums. Anyone who grew up in the 1980s grew up watching many of the same, 30 minute toy commercials known as Saturday morning cartoons. Those same children, in all likelihood, grew up in households where video games had become more a part of daily life. Consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis together with the emergence of more games for the personal computer which was becoming more and more popular in homes made gamers of many of them. It seems only natural then that these two childhood memories, cartoons and video games, come together in this list of 80s cartoon IPs that, should a development studio CEO get nostalgic, would make for interesting MMORPGs.
Dinoriders and Thundercats were my favourites as a kid! DR would make an excelent RvR MMO.... Imgaigne making a raid to capture a T-Rex and then use it to destory the opposing side I actually found a single player DR game here http://www.dinoriders.com/ (check the dowload section) The graphics, sounds, combat system and enemy AI is EXACTLY like Darkfall (and its pretty hardcore aswell)
I was just about to say DR! One of my greatest cartoons ever.
Also you can really tell that quite a few posting here were not even born in the 80's let alone grew up in it.
Comments
1. GI Joe
Loved this show when I was a kid, and there are not nearly enough gun-esque MMO's out there of quality.
2. Thundercats
Would be hard to do well, but like the show and would be interesting to try.
3. Smurfs
This has good MMO potential all over it, could be a lot of group work.
4. Gummi Bears
I mean come on, how could it be bad...ok it probably would be.
5. Duck Tales
NES game was amazing, MMO well maybe, but not likely
Transformers and GI Joe probably have the best potential.
EDIT: Roger Rabbit would be a pretty amazing concept as well. Humans vs Cartoons or Humans helping Cartoons. Could have a good and evil to both.
There were never any transforming 'styles' in the cartoon. Unnecessary for the game. You're a car ~transforming sound, anywhere from slow to fast depending on the Transformer~ then you're in robot mode. If you want different transforming styles, buy the toy.
I know somebody said earlier that if the transforming was just a blur it would suck, but that's all it ever was, more or less, in the original cartoon. I think that in a technical sense, it would be very easy. Very, very easy. Besides, you could really only be so many things anyway. A vehicle, gun, aircraft, tape deck. . .those could be like character classes. 
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Bleakmage
Got caught up in the moment. Was too focused on Transformers. Of the five cartoons listed, though, Masters of the Universe would be right on par with Transformers as a MMO idea. I could get just as excited about that if it weren't for my brain brimming with ideas about The Transformers.
I have He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on my computer right now. I watch it from time to time, slowly making my way through episodes. 
But the official name is He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but Masters of the Universe would be better for a game, that way you could easily bring in the She-ra thing under that. I don't know what her show's full title is. . .I'll go look. . .She-ra, Princess of Power, lol! You could even have bad guy camps against each other, like Hordak and his Evil Horde vs Skeletor and his minions. They could team up, betray each other, ects. . .
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Bleakmage
Sectaurs, Tigersharks, Knights of the Zodiac, Vizionaries & maybe some cavemen cartoon I can't recall.
Great list Jon, I am so glad to see transformers there. Actually some buddies and I were talking about how it would be cool do design and play as a transformer. I guess with the new movie coming out soon it is getting some creativity going.
It would be either 2, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (Black and chrome) called Kraller that turned into a giant spider-like robot that could klimb practically ANYTHING. Even sheer buildings becuase it would have stickypads as an option. Unfortunaly, he would have to be a decepticon.
On the other hand, how about a Hummer H2 (Black and Yellow!) called Thud that turned into a massive rocket launcher armed with with a variety of AV missles. He would be an autobot, so he could shoot down almost anything out of the air.
Pretty cool list again jon.
Have fun,
Ink
Im thinking Smurfs Vs Snorks... Snorks leave the underwater world of Snorkland and attack the Smurf Village and burn it to the ground. Smurfs flee the village and live in small mushroom towns around the forest.. Snorks live in towns in the rivers.. guilds can build their own towns ... mutli classes for both snorks and smurfs... mix of pvp and Pve.. lol
Like quite a few posters here,any list of 80's cartoons to be made into a mmo would be incomplete without....
THUNDERCATS!!
Strange was just talking about this the other day as I seen play.com had the entire series for sale,still thinking of buying it and re-living my youth
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
I can't believe someone else remember Jace and the wheeled warriors....I totally forgot the name until you said it, I have even tried to explain the cartoon to others and they think i make it up...you rock.
As for the list....Thundarr the barbarian and Pirates of dark water...those cartoons captured my imagination more than any other cartoon.
I haven't read the discussion thread, so this isn't responding to anyone, but transformers would rock. I would suggest having the player select the basic powers and role, then having the game autocreate the bot, or at least give a few optional suggestions.
TMNT could work out amazingly, except in making it an mmorpg, the crowding might make it not feel the same, like the freaks felt like the norm instead of ...the genetically modified freaks that they were.
GIJoe as more skill based but with intense combat would be amazing, if done right.
Ghostbusters has some amazing potential for games, but I can't really see making it work as an mmorpg.
Heman, with, as pointed out, it's unexplored magical land of...Eternia, was it? could be nifty, too.
I can't really think of a lot of other cartoons that would work as well as what has already been mentioned, so I'll shush now.
Yes!
Hell, yes. I remember the toys. I also threatened a few friends with converting the carebears to D&D Visionaries style as villains...that's a lot of villains when you're making evil magickal knights pulled from both shows.
How about a phenom that should have been an 80's cartoon, and therefore included in your list??? (I'm cheating, I know).... Namely,..
The Micronauts!
Cool vehicles, quite a bit of player agency...that would be a darn fun MMO I think.
_____________________________
Currently Playing: LOTRO; DDO
Played: AC2, AO, Auto Assault, CoX, DAoC, DDO, Earth&Beyond, EQ1, EQ2, EVE, Fallen Earth, Jumpgate, Roma Victor, Second Life, SWG, V:SoH, WoW, World War II Online.
Games I'm watching: Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Force of Arms.
Find the Truth: http://www.factcheck.org/
Knowing MMO players....this is what I imagine it would be like.
"If we don't attack them, they will attack us first. So we'd better retaliate before they have a chance to strike"
He-Man and Transofrmers are awesome!!!
I hated Thundercats when it came on when I was 8. Don't go back and watch it. An old roommate bought two of the sets, and they're horrible, even for nostalgia. I don't see how they could possibly make a decent MMO, and so far everyone here that's said 'But what about THUNDERCATS?' hasn't even remotely suggested how this furry's wet dream could be any good....wait, I just said it. It could only exist as a furry's wet dream game.
I can't believe someone else remember Jace and the wheeled warriors....I totally forgot the name until you said it, I have even tried to explain the cartoon to others and they think i make it up...you rock.
As for the list....Thundarr the barbarian and Pirates of dark water...those cartoons captured my imagination more than any other cartoon.
Imo the best part of the show was the glam metal theme tune lol
www.youtube.com/watch
Good read...
I'm all for a G.I. Joe MMO, I prefer G.I. Joe to a Transformers MMO, but I'm sure if either was made it should be fun to get involved in.
Thunder Cats is totally missing off your list! Not that I was a big fan of the cartoon, but it was a definte miss on your list.
I Reject your Reality and Substitute it with My Own!
Thundarr the Barbarian. Like so many have said before, its all there. Lore and all..perfect for MMORPG conversion. Post-apocalyptic land filled with sorcery, technology, mutants and monsters...And one Sunsword to destroy them all. DEMON DOGS! Someone should make this.
________________________________
Everything born must die. All that is, will come to ruin. This is the essence of Doom. So sayeth the Doomsayer.
Don’t forget Thunder Cats! At the end of ever quest we can do our ‘Thigh slap and hearty laugh’ emote
What about a mech game where your guild can run a giant mech? Each member has his part to play – ‘no right foot forward, I said right foot!’
Read the whole article here.
lol, whatever.
Dinoriders and Thundercats were my favourites as a kid!
DR would make an excelent RvR MMO.... Imgaigne making a raid to capture a T-Rex and then use it to destory the opposing side
I actually found a single player DR game here http://www.dinoriders.com/ (check the dowload section)
The graphics, sounds, combat system and enemy AI is EXACTLY like Darkfall
(and its pretty hardcore aswell)
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
I was just about to say DR! One of my greatest cartoons ever.
Also you can really tell that quite a few posting here were not even born in the 80's let alone grew up in it.
My vote is for GI JOE. Does anyone remember Dinosaucers...it seems like im the only one.. but anywho that might be fun too
OhmyGOD inspector gadget!!!
Too bad the Samurai Pizza Cats only started in '91...
Its not a cartoon but that 80's show V