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[Column] General: The Beginning and Present of MMORPG.com
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Earlier this week, Nilden had an awesome idea and one that we honestly should have been doing sooner. Basically, we’re going to start using my column space here as a “Letter to the Editor” sort of piece. For this week, we’re going back to 2001 and the beginning of MMORPG.com. Read on to learn some history of our site and some perspective on its future as well.
Read more of Bill Murphy's The Beginning & Present of MMORPG.com.
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The site in June of 2002.
Comments
No signature, I don't have a pen
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
EQ2 fan sites
I had fun once, it was terrible.
One thing I would like to hear more about..
Can we get a sneak peek of the new site? And can you tell us what the process is like for you and your staff?
Even screenshots or stills of the new design would be awesome!
As a contributor to the site (The guy from the Philippines), I concur. Tease me some MMORPG.com 2015 site design goodness.
A writer and gamer from the Philippines. Loves his mom dearly.
Can also be found on http://www.gamesandgeekery.com
I would imagine that after looking at more of the same old same old..... But it's not P2W.... There was no top tier armor and weapons available for purchase.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Like Bill, I was in the doldrums coming off of disappointing experiences with Vanguard and LOTRO as I recall and looking for something new, and this site lead me to try EVE, my all time favorite MMORPG to date.
Anyways, this is still really the only gaming site I regularly frequent, and I'm looking forward to the new design and many more forum posts to come. (Well, if they quit chat banning me)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
Yo Bill!
I have been here on the homepage MMORPG waaaay before 2009 (thats when i got an account)...I fell in love with mmos when i played legend of mir and then UO..and then EQ. I think i was like 13-15 years old that time...This homepage has been feeding my hobby and information regarding it as long as i can remember.
I thank you for creating this homepage..and portal..you made a difference to me and my youngster years
Once a mmorpg gamer always a mmorpg gamer!
Bless you my friend!
mmorpg junkie since 1999
Great article.
What about some anecdotes, highlights or other things that made history along the way?
Bill's just being modest, his comics were awesome.
I can't wait for the new forums. Some fun times ahead!
"I began working voluntarily at IGN’s Vault on games like LotRO, Auto Assault"
back then I was following both, great games and great times indeed...
As far as I remember, somewhere around that time was when I started to read mmorpg.com as well (though I only registered a few years later for a LotRO screenshot contest / giveaway
what can I say, I like freebies)
It's a nice column, can't wait the next one a decade later in 2024.
And, if looking not that far ahead, curious about the new site layout, maybe you could write a summary about that next time (upgraded / new features, etc.).
I lurked a few years before making an account. Can you believe me lurking and NOT making posts?
One thing I'd like to mention is that one complaint many posters here have is one fo the reasons I like this site: the freedom to be negative. Not that I "like" negativity, but that we can say what we want and usually fellow posters are free to "correct" us if we are too far off base
PS: Possible future topic:
How many of the 750+ MMOs have the staffers here played?
(with appropriate elaborations.)
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Well, congratulations on this historical article. I say historical because it's the first one of its kind kind of this site---one that wasn't ripped directly from the discussion on the forums.
Congrats on finally breaking a story on your own, mmorpg.com.
Good stuff!
I got some more ideas.
How about a "blast from the past" where you take a look at some of the older articles vs today. The Why Not column by Dana Massey was one of my favorites.
Also a "behind the scenes" of the review process, making videos, running the site, attending conferences and panels, etc.
Totally looking forward to the new stuff you guys have in store for the site!
Great article! More history and knowledge, please!
"classification of games into MMOs is not by rational reasoning" - nariusseldon
Love Minecraft. And check out my Youtube channel OhCanadaGamer
Try a MUD today at http://www.mudconnect.com/Never heard of Ben and Craig -- I guess they're silent owners? I miss the hell out of Jon and Dana's articles. Always good stuff. I wish you guys would leave off the RPGs and stay with the MMOs because your coverage of them was so much better. But that might have been due to departed writers rather than the loss of focus.
Bill, since you've done some time as a cartoonist you might want to revisit some of the ones this site pops up. For example, City of Zeroes still shows occasionally... I think it lasted only a year or two past the CoH launch and CoH has been gone for a few years. Most of the comics I've clicked on haven't been worth the 2 second download so maybe just ditch them all. I'm sure there's some indy stuff out there way better than what I've seen here. Try that instead, maybe? (I've put in comic feedback into these forums before so I fully expect the same lack of response)
To piggy back off of this idea I think Bill should give us at least one featured comic a month that should take a front page spot! Even if it's just one panel.
EDIT: Ooooh, and at the end of the year you could sell the comics as a physical calendar for the next upcoming year. Or give some away "signed" for an annual drawing or something.
"If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor