Comments on: The future of content http://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/ Raph Koster's personal website: MMOs, gaming, writing, art, music, books Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:02:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Digitalia » Blog Archive » Links For Friday 6th January 2006http://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-1078 Digitalia » Blog Archive » Links For Friday 6th January 2006 Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:13:45 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-1078 [...] Raph’s Website » The future of content Nothing terribly revalatory in here, but there’s a few nice turns of phrase and a couple of interesting and new perspectives on some old stuff. [...]

[...] Raph’s Website » The future of content Nothing terribly revalatory in here, but there’s a few nice turns of phrase and a couple of interesting and new perspectives on some old stuff. [...]

]]> By: Raph’s Website » Monthly Report, December 2005http://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-943 Raph’s Website » Monthly Report, December 2005 Mon, 02 Jan 2006 05:03:02 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-943 [...] Popular Posts Do levels suck? (2734)Do levels suck? Part II (1543)Forcing interaction (1099)Where does popularity come from, or the Wisdom of Crowds revisited (852)The future of content (784)From instancing to worldy games (764)Appealing to women (753)The evil we pretend to do (586)Some games worth playing (571)The end of the world (539) [...]

[...] Popular Posts Do levels suck? (2734)Do levels suck? Part II (1543)Forcing interaction (1099)Where does popularity come from, or the Wisdom of Crowds revisited (852)The future of content (784)From instancing to worldy games (764)Appealing to women (753)The evil we pretend to do (586)Some games worth playing (571)The end of the world (539) [...]

]]> By: Raphhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-580 Raph Sat, 17 Dec 2005 17:11:03 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-580 Actually, what I hear from Korea is that a lot of those little games are failing, as it's gotten to be a very very competitive environment. That's why there are so many innovative and different games coming out there now -- people pushing away from making clones. Actually, what I hear from Korea is that a lot of those little games are failing, as it’s gotten to be a very very competitive environment. That’s why there are so many innovative and different games coming out there now — people pushing away from making clones.

]]> By: Wilfriedhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-572 Wilfried Sat, 17 Dec 2005 08:39:56 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-572 Raph, I do not doubt the rules of business. But do they apply here in that way? One could think we have a well served audience in asia for hack & slay type of MMOs. But still, there are new low budget hack & slay titles coming out nearly every day. Only very few of which are AAA titles. And they do quite well from what I can see. We have proven markets for EQ1 or Diablo II for example. Would it realy be that hard to produce a Diablo Clone that can outdo the original from the year 2000? Or another EQ1 to compete with a 7 year old game? Can Ultima Online from 1997 realy still serve the audience in a saturating way? So what I like to put into question is if looking for a niche far away from first generation MMO's is the right place to go? Raph, I do not doubt the rules of business. But do they apply here in that way?

One could think we have a well served audience in asia for hack & slay type of MMOs. But still, there are new low budget hack & slay titles coming out nearly every day. Only very few of which are AAA titles. And they do quite well from what I can see.

We have proven markets for EQ1 or Diablo II for example. Would it realy be that hard to produce a Diablo Clone that can outdo the original from the year 2000? Or another EQ1 to compete with a 7 year old game? Can Ultima Online from 1997 realy still serve the audience in a saturating way?

So what I like to put into question is if looking for a niche far away from first generation MMO’s is the right place to go?

]]> By: Raphhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-548 Raph Sat, 17 Dec 2005 01:47:57 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-548 Wilfried, it's generally considered to be a bad idea to try serving a well-served audience unless you can seriously outdo the top product on the market. For a lower-end developer, that's usually impossible. A niche might well be very similar in a lot of ways to a current product, but still have a major difference -- I think Guild Wars is a good example of that... Wilfried, it’s generally considered to be a bad idea to try serving a well-served audience unless you can seriously outdo the top product on the market. For a lower-end developer, that’s usually impossible.

A niche might well be very similar in a lot of ways to a current product, but still have a major difference — I think Guild Wars is a good example of that…

]]> By: Wilfried Henselerhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Wilfried Henseler Sat, 17 Dec 2005 01:39:24 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-545 Is it realy a good idea for the lower end developers to go for the niche market? I've heard that coming up very often, but I always wondered if they shouldn't go right the opposite direction. Looking at single player games, it's always easier to just code a Doom clone, or Command & Conquer Clone, than to try to find your own blockbuster idea like Tetris did for example. If I would be a producer willing to spend money on a MMORPG, I would head for the EverQuest 1 route. Start with a solid fantasy world. Add elves, dragons and whatever stereotype I can find in the genre. Tons of them. Make it just a solid hack & slay game (or old school Mud, if you prefere that) and get it finished. After that, you can go on to add your unique selling points, content, quests, scripted events etc. - as long as your funding lasts. But never head for a niche. Head right for the bulls eye of the market. Granted, you can never compete with a AAA title on that route. But until now, no MMORPG is realy in hard competition with another. More with themselfes. When I look at the market as a whole, it all started with games like EQ, UO, Meridean, AC1 etc. But these times are over. Today we have a lot more niche games on the market than "high fantasy" titles. And the pure fantasy games are getting older and older. Many games head for niche markets or start out with very unique (to put it mildly) ideas. Sometimes I even think there is a new law prohibiting to go for the mass market. But when it comes to games that make profit AND stayed on the route as planed, I see just very few. I think there is still - even after WoW - maybe even MORE after WoW - a broad market right in the middle even for low cost titles. I've seen players discussing that all new MMORPG have the same boring ideas, very often. But in fact, I have seen even more players staying out of MMORPGs at all because they can't find a new game they like to play after they left EverQuest or Ultima Online, because they got simply too dated for example. They are constantly looking for new games feeling like the old ones they left - but never find anything. I expect this to even grow with more players leaving World of Warcraft in the future. So I would think to head for this market might be a better way than to add another niche game nobody asked for. Of course, that is only if you are in the business for making money, and not for making your dream of a world of science fiction ducks preventing an invasion of space fly's MMORPG come true ;) -Wilfried Is it realy a good idea for the lower end developers to go for the niche market? I’ve heard that coming up very often, but I always wondered if they shouldn’t go right the opposite direction.

Looking at single player games, it’s always easier to just code a Doom clone, or Command & Conquer Clone, than to try to find your own blockbuster idea like Tetris did for example.

If I would be a producer willing to spend money on a MMORPG, I would head for the EverQuest 1 route. Start with a solid fantasy world. Add elves, dragons and whatever stereotype I can find in the genre. Tons of them. Make it just a solid hack & slay game (or old school Mud, if you prefere that) and get it finished. After that, you can go on to add your unique selling points, content, quests, scripted events etc. – as long as your funding lasts. But never head for a niche. Head right for the bulls eye of the market.

Granted, you can never compete with a AAA title on that route. But until now, no MMORPG is realy in hard competition with another. More with themselfes.

When I look at the market as a whole, it all started with games like EQ, UO, Meridean, AC1 etc. But these times are over. Today we have a lot more niche games on the market than “high fantasy” titles. And the pure fantasy games are getting older and older.

Many games head for niche markets or start out with very unique (to put it mildly) ideas. Sometimes I even think there is a new law prohibiting to go for the mass market. But when it comes to games that make profit AND stayed on the route as planed, I see just very few.

I think there is still – even after WoW – maybe even MORE after WoW – a broad market right in the middle even for low cost titles.

I’ve seen players discussing that all new MMORPG have the same boring ideas, very often. But in fact, I have seen even more players staying out of MMORPGs at all because they can’t find a new game they like to play after they left EverQuest or Ultima Online, because they got simply too dated for example. They are constantly looking for new games feeling like the old ones they left – but never find anything. I expect this to even grow with more players leaving World of Warcraft in the future.

So I would think to head for this market might be a better way than to add another niche game nobody asked for.

Of course, that is only if you are in the business for making money, and not for making your dream of a world of science fiction ducks preventing an invasion of space fly’s MMORPG come true ;)

-Wilfried

]]> By: Raphhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-539 Raph Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:58:08 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-539 Jess, I do believe you're looking for <a href="http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=155" rel="nofollow">this post</a>. ;) Jess, I do believe you’re looking for this post. ;)

]]> By: Default Aggregatorhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-537 Default Aggregator Fri, 16 Dec 2005 15:02:49 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-537 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Link · Comment? · Add to Memories Raph’s Website » The future of contentFriday, 16 December 2005 @ 07:21 amposted by crystaltipslinkhttp://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197Raph having a blog is the best thing that's happened to anyone interested in social software, games and the/any/future crossover. This man is on fire. [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%-->

[...] Link · Comment? · Add to Memories Raph’s Website » The future of contentFriday, 16 December 2005 @ 07:21 amposted by crystaltipslinkhttp://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197Raph having a blog is the best thing that’s happened to anyone interested in social software, games and the/any/future crossover. This man is on fire. [...]

]]> By: Jessica Mulliganhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-535 Jessica Mulligan Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:34:25 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-535 Isn't part of the future of MMO content to open up some version of the world-builder tools and object libraries to the players? Honest question (even if it looks like bomb-tossing, :D). -Jess Isn’t part of the future of MMO content to open up some version of the world-builder tools and object libraries to the players?

Honest question (even if it looks like bomb-tossing, :D ).

-Jess

]]> By: ...on pampers, programming & pitching manure: Addendum to last posthttp://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/12/the-future-of-content/comment-page-1/#comment-521 ...on pampers, programming & pitching manure: Addendum to last post Thu, 15 Dec 2005 19:25:01 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=197#comment-521 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Addendum to last post Someone pointed out some similarities between my last post and Raph Koster's Future of Content post. I hadn't read it until just now, but agree there's some overlap.Raph's is certainly a better and more thought-out post, but I think mine makes a nice complement to it. His is the meal, mine is the appetizer or deser, depending on your preference.Bon appetit! [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%-->

[...] Addendum to last post Someone pointed out some similarities between my last post and Raph Koster’s Future of Content post. I hadn’t read it until just now, but agree there’s some overlap.Raph’s is certainly a better and more thought-out post, but I think mine makes a nice complement to it. His is the meal, mine is the appetizer or deser, depending on your preference.Bon appetit! [...]

]]>