Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

There's little argument whenever you mention that the costs of developing a first-rate MMOG are staggering at best and unbelievable at worst. With costs being so high, investors aren't too keen on just taking your word that the new world you've just envisioned is *awesome*. So what are you (and other development companies) supposed to do? Find an intellectual property that already has an established track record. And what better place to find that than in the fantasy books of today? There are plenty of stories that have the potential to make great MMOGs, but I've hand-picked several to talk about today so without further ado, let's get to it!

Pay no heed to the puffy shirt!

Dragonlance

The Dragonlance series of books may have started out as a retelling of some phenomenal gaming sessions, but in the last 20+ years, it has grown into so much more. The Dragonlance Chronicles are a mandatory read for any lover of fantasy fiction. This was the series of books that finally opened my eyes to what a Dungeons & Dragons campaign could really be. Since its inception, over 190 Dragonlance books and gaming materials have been published.

Though The Chronicles and Legends are the most recognizable set of stories in the Dragonlance setting, there are numerous timelines spanning the entire planet of Krynn available to any development team daring enough to take the project on. I think 30 years after the end of the War of the Lance (The Chronicles) would make the perfect setting for an MMOG. The Knights of Takhisis (the bad guys) have grown into an impressive force and have taken over much of the continent of Ansalon. At the same time, the minions of Chaos are beginning to unleash their wrath upon the land. All this adds up to conflict galore and more fans than you can count. 

One of the most recognizable villains from the Dragonlance series was a death knight by the name of Lord Soth. He was an icon of power *long* before the class came to the denizens of World of Warcraft, so let's avoid any commentary about how the idea was stolen from Blizzard, shall we? Commanding thirteen skeletal warriors, Lord Soth single handedly captured Palanthas, the largest capital city on the continent. Arthas wishes he was as powerful.

Ravenloft

Though Lord Soth was a terror known throughout all of Krynn, a trip through some mysterious mists sent him to the realm of my next fantasy books choice - Ravenloft. Admittedly, the books in this series tended to be hit or miss, but the setting itself is what makes it so perfect. Vampire of the Mists, Knight of the Black Rose, and I, Strahd are three must-reads from the series. So what makes the Ravenloft setting such a great thing?

Horror, baby, horror. In every other game you have played (other iterations of Dungeons & Dragons included), the measly goblin you saw lumbering towards you in the dead of night was nothing but a speed bump on your way to glory and riches. In Ravenloft though, that goblin would scare the bejeezus out of you. Why? Because everything, and I do mean *everything*, in Ravenloft was never what it seemed and there was always a disturbing chance that goblin was going to beat the ever-loving snot out of you and your party. The rules were different, and most of the time, you never knew exactly what was going to happen. On the surface, it may sound annoying, but it was one of the main things that made playing a game in that setting such a thrill.

With the gamers of today (myself included) always on the lookout for their next fix in the "something new" department, what better way to keep your player base than keeping them continually on their toes? Even if they've already explored zone X they could be there the very next day and be completely surprised when the monsters of the zone are suddenly carrying better loot and are far more powerful. One day, I have faith the vision and technology for just such a game will come around.