by admin on Jul 19, 2007
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Daily Column New MMOG Articles at TenTonHammer Today Hot Content Real World News - You Can't Make This UpAnother day down, only one more until you get the beloved John âBoomjackâ Hoskin to write his masterful monologues in Loading⦠again. His replacement for the last few days, Cody âMicajahâ Bye (aka Me), is back for round three and this timeâ¦.
Hereâs a rhetorical question for you. If World of Warcraft closed its door today, what would you do? If youâre a player of World of Warcraft, where would you go? Would you turn tail and run away from the MMOG industry altogether, or would you seek out another pasture to graze upon?
For those of you that donât play World of Warcraft would you be happy that the 800 lb. gorilla was finally gone? Or would you fear the masses that might come knocking at your gameâs door?
I pose this question in response to a Gamesblog interview that I had sent to me in which Dr. Richard Bartle (creator of the Multi-User Dungeon [MUD] and general MMO visionary) was asked a particularly interesting question:
Gamesblog: If you could take over control of one major MMORPG - which would you choose and what would you do with it?
Dr. Bartle: I'd take over World of Warcraft and I'd close it. I just want better virtual worlds. Sacrificing one of the best so its players have to seek out alternatives would be a sure-fire way to ensure that unknown gems got the chance they deserved, and that new games were developed to push back the boundaries.
Er, I would get to do this anonymously, wouldn't I?
The comments that emerged after Dr. Bartleâs comment were both intriguing and disheartening. Some users took the statement as a direct attack against their favorite MMOG, one that they have played for years and contend is the MMOG to end all MMOGs. However, others were equally as aggressive for the closing of WoW and hoping that players would go find other games to play.
Personally, I believe Dr. Bartle was merely trying to provoke the minds of gamers into considering that there might be life outside of Azeroth. In one of his replies, Dr. Bartle states that he has three level 70s himself and plays WoW with some degree of regularity, yet he would merely like players to move past the bright lights and solo-friendly content of World of Warcraft and explore games that may not be the most popular places to explore.
And Iâd have to agree with his strategy. Last month, I drafted a list of all the MMORPGs (and some MMOGs) that are out on the market and playable. As part of this creative process, I was astounded at the sheer number of MMOs that I had no idea even existed. It was overwhelming. Since that time Iâve been fervently playing every game I could get my hands on, trying out the free-to-play and pay-to-play MMOGs simply so I could examine what gamers enjoyed. With the number of options that are available, everyone should find a game that specifically fits their needs.
Yet players donât explore. They congregate where they have friends or in a world that is familiar to them. The gravity of WoW continues to propel it forward in popularity. I go to my local gaming shop and everyone talks WoW. Itâs an absurd level of viral marketing, and it has certainly paid off for the developers at Blizzard.
But Dr. Bartle can see past all that. He sees WoW for what it is, a game like any other game. He knows that there are better games out there, titles that allow players to explore a world in unrestrained freedom. But players often see the smoke and mirrors, rather than what the game actually is. This is from Dr. Bartle's comments on the post:
I'm in the position of a magician who is watching another magician's performance. I'll appreciate the presentation and the technique and the imagination, but I'll also know exactly how every trick is done (and if I don't know, I'll obsess about it until I work it out). Most of the audience will be there to delight in the show. They'll see as magic what I see as mundane.
That's where the difference is between designers and players: players still see the magic.
Will Bartleâs comments make a difference in whether gamers explore other venues? If he continues to make WoW closing comments, he just might. And if, in doing so, he propels the MMOG market to a higher level of entertainment, I say more power to him.
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What are your thoughts on Dr. Bartle's comments about WoW? Should he be lauded or laughed at? Comment in the blog (now with direct link goodness) or email me directly.
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Cody "Micajah" Bye