Shawn Fanning's Rupture: social software meets WoW
by Barb Dybwad 
Dec 5th 2006 at 12:55PM
Shawn Fanning's second post-Napster startup will be far more L2P than P2P -- set to launch sometime next month, Rupture is a virtual social community for World of Warcraft. The details regarding the functionality of the site are a bit slim, but it's clear the project will go beyond something like Warcraft Social, which is a completely external social network to WoW, as well as beyond the data extraction functionality provided by Allakhazam via WowReader and Thottbot via Cosmos plugin. Rupture will reportedly pull in-game data and publish it to a personalized site guilds can use to track stats and better manage their playing. Rupture's investors include Ron Conway and Joi Ito, venture capitalist and level 60 mage of We Know fame. Considering Ito's investment history in social software and stated interest in developing guild management tools, my hunch is that Rupture will look a lot like groupware for guilds. As an officer in my main guild, I'd agree that current in-game management tools are lacking. Tools like GEM are a start, but the idea of a one-stop shop for guild management is appealing. A web-based tool would also be ideal for officers and players who can't fire up the WoW client at work but might have time to log in to the website during the day. Of course, many guilds (including my own) already have their own websites with forums and DKP tracking, so the question will be whether this tool will be compelling enough to replace or augment home-grown systems already in place. A hosted solution like Rupture might be a great solution for a new or smaller guild to access a central management space without requiring someone to have the tech-fu (and the time) to hack something together via PHP Nuke and EQ DKP, etc.
What do you guys think -- does your guild get along just fine with your current management systems? Is there a market for this kind of tool?
[Thanks, Undying]
Filed under: Fan stuff, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MR Dec 6th 2006 4:29PM
When the game first came out, we were told that web-based stats and player info were just around the corner. I suppose with thottbot and such, Blizz feels like there's no hurry, and now it appears they will outsource this service.
I find this disappointing. I should be able to get online from say, the office computer, and look at my WoW inventory, talents, skills, participate in auctions, etc. This should be a service provided by Blizzard. They have the technology and the money to do this. Just get it done. Stop whining and do it.
Beth Dec 5th 2006 3:01PM
I'm personally tired of social networking and myspace clones.
slybri Dec 5th 2006 1:54PM
Will it supplant the current Guild mods and help management of guilds in the...blah blah blah.
If this lets me meet chicks while playing WoW, I'm all over it.
barb dybwad Dec 5th 2006 2:23PM
my understanding is it will be less like a myspace clone, and more like Basecamp for guilds -- less meet and greet, more raid and gank. ;)
Wartoad Dec 5th 2006 2:27PM
Great. Adult Friend Finder for WoW.
Bunkai Dec 5th 2006 5:36PM
My guild uses and has used a phpBB forum with WoWRoster(wowroster.net), CharacterProfiler(rpgoutfitter.com), phpRaid(http://www.phpraider.com/) and/or Raid Space(raidspace.com) for all of our guild management needs. These are great, FREE(as in beer), and easy to use/install/admin tools to build an entire guild webspace with.
We have a great graphic designer that loves to tinker in webpages in our guild that does most of our site graphics and skinning, and our GM and myself do all the admin work to keep things up and running.
Feel free to check out our site and look around at functioning examples of these tools.
www.ugotgankd.com
Ngnsewa Dec 5th 2006 7:29PM
as our guilds resitent 'tech-fu' guy, I find this very interesting. At least thier site isnt promising too much ;)
paul Dec 5th 2006 6:48PM
talking to guildies on vent isn't enough? now i have to talk to those retards on another web site?
Chantal Dec 18th 2006 6:18PM
Personally, i'm more interested in this for the social aspect...so Warcraft Social.com is more up my alley. I'm excited that a lot of new wow stuff is coming out