The Power to Build Big
Worlds
The technical side of massively multiplayer online games is
ridiculously complex. For the average gamer, hearing about middleware
solutions and the licensing of graphics engines really doesn't get the
adrenaline pumping. Yet it's a crucial part of the MMOG industry and
should not be ignored, especially by the gamers. With that in mind, Ten
Ton Hammer's Cody "Micajah" Bye asked a series of gamer-related
questions to BigWorld's Gavin Longhurst and Simon Hayes at the ION
Games Conference. Their answers were articulate and really help
simplify the reasons why gamers should be interested in the technical
processes of these MMOGs.
style="font-weight: bold;">Ten Ton Hammer:
What's the next big venue for MMOG gaming? Is their any region that
remains untouched?
Gavin: Japan
has really been the sleeping giant in the MMOG universe for the last
five years. They haven't really done anything. PC games just aren't as
big; it's Planet Sony in Japan. The console history and implementation
in that nation has been quite prevalent. Although it seems like the
Japanese gamers fall into the socializer-acquirer model of gaming, they
also don't seem to enjoy PvP as much as Korean or American gamers.
What's the next big venue for MMOG gaming? Is their any region that
remains untouched?
Gavin: Japan
has really been the sleeping giant in the MMOG universe for the last
five years. They haven't really done anything. PC games just aren't as
big; it's Planet Sony in Japan. The console history and implementation
in that nation has been quite prevalent. Although it seems like the
Japanese gamers fall into the socializer-acquirer model of gaming, they
also don't seem to enjoy PvP as much as Korean or American gamers.
