The "massive" in MMORPG just got a whole lot more massive
by Eric Vice 
Sep 10th 2007 at 8:00PM
I'm always amused by those tips that display on the startup screen. I'm so amused that I can't find the willpower to turn them off. Blizzard changes them from time to time to keep folks like me entertained, so I guess that's why I leave them on. I don't want to miss new installments. Among them is one that encourages you to not only spend time with your friends in Azeroth, but in the "real world" as well.
Separation is good. It's important to have a life outside of the visual range of your computer monitor. But for some folks, the hours they spend in-game aren't enough. Like the Borg, they want to stay permanently hard-wired to the collective consciousness. In the hours of the day when they can't be in the game, they want the game to reach out to them.
Tuebit over at WorldIV.com has published an article about the directions this might take. He talks about ways that your game-of-choice could keep you informed by SMS or perhaps an interface with one of your "real world" instant messengers. In the present tense, Wowecon.com already lets you setup email or SMS alerts to notify you of changes in the auction house market. Tuebit also talks about crafting over a cell phone. To me, that's an exciting idea!
As we sit in a period of anticipation about the new in-game features coming in the next expansion, how do you see the evolution of the MMORPG genre – and World of Warcraft in particular – reaching to players beyond the in-game universe and the in-game interface?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Features
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Melenor Sep 10th 2007 8:44PM
And people thought I was weird because I use WIM (WoW Instant Messenger) to reroute my IMs ingame.
Merus Sep 10th 2007 9:56PM
I'm interested in seeing how this goes. I suspect that part of the reason MMOs can become addictive is because they change rapidly, and if you're not logged in you miss those changes. I wonder if text alerts or other out-of-game alerts help people to disengage, so they don't have to log in to see what the game world's like, or if it drags people in more, because it's even more a part of their existence.
Rich Sep 10th 2007 10:18PM
That was one of the things I liked about Matrix Online before Sony took over. One of the features was you could communicate with people in game via AIM. People you added to your friend's list added in game appeared on the buddy list for IM.
When they did live events, it allowed those of who were at work to participate. I spent many a hour at work talking to Faction-mates and Live Events characters.
I miss that kind of immersion in WoW.
Areis Sep 10th 2007 10:57PM
from the WIM http://www.wimaddon.com/wiki/WIM:Frequently_Asked_Questions site:
Can I use WIM to talk to people on AOL, Yahoo and MSN?
No. However great an idea that is, Blizzard does not give developers the tools to create such an interface. Aside from that, doing so in any other way would violate the game's End User License Agreement.
Ben Sep 11th 2007 6:01AM
This has already been done, though not exactly as an MMO. The title escapes me, but the game in question was a cyber-thriller adventure game (grand conspiracy, etc) with a subscription plan. The game interfaced *everything*: your cell phone, email, telephone, home PC, etc. You'd get random calls or voice mails simulating in-game events. You'd get emails from characters in the game (and sometimes from your fellow players). At one point, players who opted-in received "ransom notes" (based on a game event)in their home mail. This game spanned all known forms of telecommunication. It was also an instant flop. This isn't to say that it's a bad idea: more that I find it irritating when a pundit proposes a "really neat idea" that was a commercial product 5 years ago.
st0rmy1 Sep 11th 2007 2:33AM
I wouldn't mind seeing a "specialist" pvp bracket added, where the whole point would be to evenly match twink vs twink and remove them from the casual X-Y bracket. Much how like the arena gear matching works. Granted, it doesn't take a genious to spot a twink these days.
I mean, if I go into 10-19, chances are it's full of twinks. It's the whole reason casual players don't queue up for it, no one in their right mind would.
Separate the heavily geared, allowing them access to their own "specialized" WSG or whatever and then increase the rewards to provide incentive for the non-twinked people to actually run it (e.g. weapon/armor rewards).
I'd sure pvp more during the leveling process if I actually got something useful out of it, like leveling gear/exp.
The traditional BG system and the way it functions is archaic and needs revamping. Badly. It's not v1.0 anymore.
brett Sep 11th 2007 2:38AM
One of the very few cool features of The Matrix Online was AOL-IM bridging into the game. You could send IMs from the game to normal AIM users and visa versa. It was a nice way to pull someone into the game when they are needed.
emoser Sep 11th 2007 2:42AM
The real trick is adding interactivity while away from the game... like buying/selling on the AH from your cellphone, or sending stuff through in-game mail with attachments for your bank from a browser. Create the APIs and let people build their own apps like on facebook. That would be cool =D
Daneder Sep 11th 2007 4:35AM
I'm completely against the mere idea of being involved in WoW when you're away from the computer. We, the players, spend dozens of hours a week on this game as it is - do we really need to keep playing it even when we're finally taking a break from it? I think people need to know when enough is enough.
Rutan Sep 11th 2007 6:40AM
@9
Majestic
There are others around at this point which do this in more limited ways.
Justgiz Sep 11th 2007 7:21AM
i remember back with EQ that they had a program that would allow you to login to your account pass whispers with other people, i think it would awesome if blizzard came out with a lil program to do that, and maybe a lil. Whispers, Guild, and Custom channels.
Sakesaru Sep 11th 2007 10:34AM
@11 I'd really really love that, seriously it would be awesome.
@The Blog Poster
'The "massive" in MMORPG just got a whole lot more massive'
No it didn't. You just made some bullshit title to get people to click your link. Fastclick.net anyone?
Krishan Sep 11th 2007 11:31AM
I want a WoW-Lite type of thing where I can log on, message people, trade in channel chat and actually mail items to people, and even craft items or go on the AH. Basically all the things I do when I idle about in a major city :)
THAT would be cool :P And then I would constantly be online ;) I know that our guild members use X-Fire as a way of communicating whilst on other characters/not on WoW to chat and maybe tell them to get on for a raid ;) This is the next step to MASSIVE :>