I'd only be interested in steampunk if the setting was Arcanum, and cyberpunk if it was Shadowrun. The two genres generally annoy me in various ways, but Arcanum and Shadowrun have special places in my heart for nostalgic reasons.
The Secret World and World of Darkness are textbook alternate realities, aren't they?
Anyway, the only thing I didn't see on the list which I've been interested in seeing for a long time is Abrahamic mythology. There are very few mythological settings to begin with, and whenever we do see them, they tend to use Greek mythology, Norse mythology, or Chinese mythology. RPGs have seen success with Abrahamic mythology, such as games like In Nomine, more loosely in the old World of Darkness, and much more loosely in games like Diablo. MMOs, though, seem to avoid it altogether—presumably because, unlike Zeus, Yahweh still has fans so hardcore that they might be called religious. Yet still....
Would be cool, but as you mentioned, unlikely to happen due to its sensitive nature and the politically correct world we live in today.
Important facts: 1. Free to Play games are poorly made. 2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals. 3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE. 4. Community is more important than you think.
Steampunk/cyberpunk would be cool or a well done scifi MMO, wild west sounds interesting as well.
Well Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online is going to have that Steampunk/Cyberpunk type of feel, that's one reason I bookmarked it as a potential.
I think you guys are posting a lot of epic, character driven settings when people throw out names like Krynn, WoT, bladerunner.. There are fun to read, but ultimately boring to play in.
I'm glad you mentioned Naomi Novik Tremere books because that's an AWESOME alternate reality book. One I'd whole heartedly like to see done. (Mostly as a single player game but an MMO world could be interesting. )
Other than that I pretty much agree with the entire list. Esepcially Steampunk.
Current Game: Asssasins Creed 2(PS3, Gamer Tag: Happy_Hubby) Current MMO: World of Warcraft and World of Tanks Former Subscribed MMO: Star Trek Online, Aion, WoW, Guild Wars, Eve Online, DAoC, City of Heroes, Shattered Galaxy, 10six. Tried: Too many to list
first is a totally unknown unexplored planet that the players start out knowing effectivly nothing about they have to learn discover everything but keep it real stay away from the "mmo" feel go for idealized reality colinizing a planet a game called SEED had a great concept but but the game was trash they started out on a crashed coliny ship but you knew nothing of the worled even if it had a breathable atmosphere initial goals were to repair the ship lifesupport food water ect make it liveable see what resources were on hand or what could be crafted,, after all that then find out what kind of planet you landed on and make the best of it there could be aliens or other colinizers
an EVE like theme that is casual player friendly that you can trade and explore mine and yes there are places to fight im thinking star ship troopers like assaults where players can run fighters bombers haulers even carriers but its more about the dramatics of the fight not ganking kills (this means more wounded ships not dead ships and supplys like AB fuel and air food water this game is at the top of my list as i was hoping star trek online would be the game for EVE REFUGEES to call home but they gimped it to yet another lame franchinse leach game.
another one is spies and agents where you are in different factons and can do spy or espionage or assisnation or even combat raids on other factons with normal and exotic weapons hacking lock picking pickpocketing bombs and an orginazitation doesnt have to be defined by a country boarders it could be terrorists/freedom fighters using gurella warfare tactics against a major super power that way even small orgainzations have a nitch.
aftermaths post nuke ,, or or WW3+5 is fun also the tail end of a world war where you are still at war but have to rely on your skills and scrounging ability to continue the struggle TWILIGHT 2000 type world
moden military war that is long and persistant with different theaters desert arctic temperate and but the game isnt narrowed to just a squad but includes many areas of support transports artillery medical supply dont just make it another BANG YOUR DEAD game in joint operations (modern combat jungle islands) one of the funest things I liked to do was transport troops to an LZ via helo 3 second touch down, players jump off and away I went
make a world, not a game, we dont want another game.
I'd throw in my vote for the steampunk or cyberpunk settings. Although, now that someone mentioned the Dresden files, I have to agree that would be fantastic.
I agree with the Dresden Files theme (the world itself, not the series). I guess I should mention, I'm not very critical with games, or anything, really. Easily entertained I am... But, I've read the Dresden Files, and could see that being a nice MMO. Starting out as just a normal vanilla mortal, and then weird things start happening. You eventually find out that the world's not as it seems, and that there are ancient supernatural civilizations vying for power. You learn to adapt and protect yourself, and eventually, get caught up in it. Whether taking up the mantle of a knight for one of the Fae courts, joining one of the three courts of vampires, becoming a werewolf, or, anything, really. Hell, even maybe you took a walk down an alley, and ended up in the "wrong fuckin' alley" (I thought of the Boondock Saints... >_>), and became something against your will, and now you've gone rogue. So now you have whatever you became coming after you and watching your back for those werewolves who just naturally hate you, or that combat wizard who caught wind of someone, or hell, maybe it was you (if you decided you hated life, and are now partaking in spiting the world), causing urban terror. And then there's the whole subject of weaponry (whether it be your trusty staff and combat wizardry training from your uncle who you found out was a Warden for the White Council of Wizards, or just running around in a forest at night in the form of a grey wolf, etc.) and survival, and just, yeah...
I don't know. It may or may not work. Or it may just not appeal to a lot of people. But I think, if done right (if I had a nickel for every time I heard that...), it could be a fun game.
I am your enemy, the first one you've ever had who was smarter than you. There is no teacher but the enemy. No one but the enemy will ever tell you what the enemy is going to do. No one but the enemy will ever teach you how to destroy and conquer. Only the enemy shows you where you are weak. Only the enemy tells you where he is strong. And the rules of the game are what you can do to him and what you can stop him from doing to you. I am your enemy from now on. From now on, I am your teacher.
Personally, I long for a well-developed game with a setting in Asia before any semblance of an industrial revolution came to be. A game world of soldiers, samurai, ninja, mercenaries, farmers, thugs, monks, priests, and any number of possible archetypes could easily be applied. I'd love to play in a game world like that with elemental or spiritual powers related to chi / ki, etc. I may be the only one, though.
Of the style listed, Steampunk would be my choice.
What about a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" MMO. Or where you play as a minaturized person or even an insect. Living in a a contemporary property setting. Survive against other insects, giant sized objects like vaccuums, brooms, pets, etc. raid for resourch rich areas, etc.
Lots of book based big name realms with no current games behind them:
SpellJammer
Shadowrun
Dark Sun
Wheel of Time
DeathGate
Xanth
Krynn
Ringworld
Foundation
No, no, no!
As great as these are, this is one of the problems. Game developers need to start thinking originally and stop basing their games off someone elses IP.
I cant think of 1 MMO created from a pre-existing IP that has been any good.
Using a pre-existing IP just limits the flexability and creativity of what can be done.
As for the OP, I would love to see a Steampunk or Wild West MMO.
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT Playing: Skyrim Following: The Repopulation I want a Virtual World, not just a Game. ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
Totally agree we need some well done AAA titles that go away from the norm. Myself I would like to see a CIA, KGB, Military Ranks ect... game come out.
Wild West would be amazing...so many options, please get away from DPS/Healer/Tank tho, im getting sick of them roles in a game. Lets just make combat fun and challenging.
While I do love my Fantasy, there is a huge glut of Fantasy MMOs, and frankly it's getting pretty boring.
I've always been a fan of the multi-universe idea (multiple genres). So I'm happy to see Rift: Planes of Telara coming out, though I'm not sure it will go quite far enough to satisfy my idea of multi-universe. Think more along the lines of Palladium's Rifts or the book Time Storm by Gordon R. Dickson. I'd like to see the rifts/portals actually change the landscape.
I've also been a big fan of the Western theme, but I'd rather see a SteamPunk/Western fusion (like the awesome TV series Wild Wild West). Maybe even a Fantasy/Western fusion, with Dwarven Prospectors, Paladin Posses, and so much more!
Finallyl, I have to agree that Dresden is a great setting, but I really think that Dresden setting is more of a subtle variation on the World of Darkness. I am excited by the prospects of and can't wait to see how WoD and Secret World are going to work out.
Shadowrun. Just need to get microsoft to give up the IP. They've gang raped it for long enough
Shadowrun's video game liscense is owned by Smith & Tinker, a company owned by Jordan Weisman, one of the original creators of Shadowrun. (Has been the case since 2008 I believe. After M$ 360 flop.) They've also made a sort of MMO already that you may have seen.
So.. It's possible.
I like how Shadowrun and MechWarrior still get a ton of mentions WEEKLY.
It's insane nothing more comes out of it tho'.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
What about a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" MMO. Or where you play as a minaturized person or even an insect. Living in a a contemporary property setting. Survive against other insects, giant sized objects like vaccuums, brooms, pets, etc. raid for resourch rich areas, etc.
Shadowrun. Just need to get microsoft to give up the IP. They've gang raped it for long enough
Shadowrun's video game liscense is owned by Smith & Tinker, a company owned by Jordan Weisman, one of the original creators of Shadowrun. (Has been the case since 2008 I believe. After M$ 360 flop.) They've also made a sort of MMO already that you may have seen.
So.. It's possible.
I like how Shadowrun and MechWarrior still get a ton of mentions WEEKLY.
It's insane nothing more comes out of it tho'.
I know smith and tinker bought the BT license back. Didn't know they bought the Shadowrun license. There was a company that had a Shadowrun MMO half made. I no longer remember the companies name but it looked really good. Unfortunately microsuck had a tantrum and their lawyers made the company shelve the project.
Comments
Would be cool, but as you mentioned, unlikely to happen due to its sensitive nature and the politically correct world we live in today.
Cyberpunk?
Important facts:
1. Free to Play games are poorly made.
2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals.
3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE.
4. Community is more important than you think.
Prehistoric,1910 to 1940 Gangsters, or Old West settings would be great, but i like Alternative history setting.
i may be a little biased though because i been reading 2 series of books released by Bean publisheing 1632 and 1812
Cyberpunk is a pen and paper RPG where people can be a Cyburg ie; part machine and part human
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk
Gaming since Avalon Hill was making board games.
Played SWG, EVE, Fallen Earth, LOTRO, Rift, Vanguard, WoW, SWTOR, TSW, Tera
Tried Aoc, Aion, EQII, RoM, Vindictus, Darkfail, DDO, GW, PotBS
How about a world where the US stayed "neutral" during WW2 ? If Japan had not attacked Pearl Harbor would the US be a super power today.
Well Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online is going to have that Steampunk/Cyberpunk type of feel, that's one reason I bookmarked it as a potential.
http://www.darkmillenniumonline.com/
I think you guys are posting a lot of epic, character driven settings when people throw out names like Krynn, WoT, bladerunner.. There are fun to read, but ultimately boring to play in.
Bladerunner would be cool. A real star trek game would be cool. Stargate would be nice if they could find somebody who' snot firesky to work on it.
I'm glad you mentioned Naomi Novik Tremere books because that's an AWESOME alternate reality book. One I'd whole heartedly like to see done. (Mostly as a single player game but an MMO world could be interesting.
)
Other than that I pretty much agree with the entire list. Esepcially Steampunk.
Current Game: Asssasins Creed 2(PS3, Gamer Tag: Happy_Hubby)
Current MMO: World of Warcraft and World of Tanks
Former Subscribed MMO: Star Trek Online, Aion, WoW, Guild Wars, Eve Online, DAoC, City of Heroes, Shattered Galaxy, 10six.
Tried: Too many to list
there are several i would really like explored
first is a totally unknown unexplored planet that the players start out knowing effectivly nothing about they have to learn discover everything but keep it real stay away from the "mmo" feel go for idealized reality colinizing a planet a game called SEED had a great concept but but the game was trash they started out on a crashed coliny ship but you knew nothing of the worled even if it had a breathable atmosphere initial goals were to repair the ship lifesupport food water ect make it liveable see what resources were on hand or what could be crafted,, after all that then find out what kind of planet you landed on and make the best of it there could be aliens or other colinizers
an EVE like theme that is casual player friendly that you can trade and explore mine and yes there are places to fight im thinking star ship troopers like assaults where players can run fighters bombers haulers even carriers but its more about the dramatics of the fight not ganking kills (this means more wounded ships not dead ships and supplys like AB fuel and air food water this game is at the top of my list as i was hoping star trek online would be the game for EVE REFUGEES to call home but they gimped it to yet another lame franchinse leach game.
another one is spies and agents where you are in different factons and can do spy or espionage or assisnation or even combat raids on other factons with normal and exotic weapons hacking lock picking pickpocketing bombs and an orginazitation doesnt have to be defined by a country boarders it could be terrorists/freedom fighters using gurella warfare tactics against a major super power that way even small orgainzations have a nitch.
aftermaths post nuke ,, or or WW3+5 is fun also the tail end of a world war where you are still at war but have to rely on your skills and scrounging ability to continue the struggle TWILIGHT 2000 type world
moden military war that is long and persistant with different theaters desert arctic temperate and but the game isnt narrowed to just a squad but includes many areas of support transports artillery medical supply dont just make it another BANG YOUR DEAD game in joint operations (modern combat jungle islands) one of the funest things I liked to do was transport troops to an LZ via helo 3 second touch down, players jump off and away I went
make a world, not a game, we dont want another game.
Shadowrun. Just need to get microsoft to give up the IP. They've gang raped it for long enough
I'd throw in my vote for the steampunk or cyberpunk settings. Although, now that someone mentioned the Dresden files, I have to agree that would be fantastic.
I agree with the Dresden Files theme (the world itself, not the series). I guess I should mention, I'm not very critical with games, or anything, really. Easily entertained I am... But, I've read the Dresden Files, and could see that being a nice MMO. Starting out as just a normal vanilla mortal, and then weird things start happening. You eventually find out that the world's not as it seems, and that there are ancient supernatural civilizations vying for power. You learn to adapt and protect yourself, and eventually, get caught up in it. Whether taking up the mantle of a knight for one of the Fae courts, joining one of the three courts of vampires, becoming a werewolf, or, anything, really. Hell, even maybe you took a walk down an alley, and ended up in the "wrong fuckin' alley" (I thought of the Boondock Saints... >_>), and became something against your will, and now you've gone rogue. So now you have whatever you became coming after you and watching your back for those werewolves who just naturally hate you, or that combat wizard who caught wind of someone, or hell, maybe it was you (if you decided you hated life, and are now partaking in spiting the world), causing urban terror. And then there's the whole subject of weaponry (whether it be your trusty staff and combat wizardry training from your uncle who you found out was a Warden for the White Council of Wizards, or just running around in a forest at night in the form of a grey wolf, etc.) and survival, and just, yeah...
I don't know. It may or may not work. Or it may just not appeal to a lot of people. But I think, if done right (if I had a nickel for every time I heard that...), it could be a fun game.
I am your enemy, the first one you've ever had who was smarter than you. There is no teacher but the enemy. No one but the enemy will ever tell you what the enemy is going to do. No one but the enemy will ever teach you how to destroy and conquer. Only the enemy shows you where you are weak. Only the enemy tells you where he is strong. And the rules of the game are what you can do to him and what you can stop him from doing to you. I am your enemy from now on. From now on, I am your teacher.
Whoa! Excellent article Will!
MMOs definatly need to branch out and diversify.
I think I would be interested in MMOs set in any of these genres.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
what about fedual japan without the over the top korean animie shit
Personally, I long for a well-developed game with a setting in Asia before any semblance of an industrial revolution came to be. A game world of soldiers, samurai, ninja, mercenaries, farmers, thugs, monks, priests, and any number of possible archetypes could easily be applied. I'd love to play in a game world like that with elemental or spiritual powers related to chi / ki, etc. I may be the only one, though.
Of the style listed, Steampunk would be my choice.
What about a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" MMO. Or where you play as a minaturized person or even an insect. Living in a a contemporary property setting. Survive against other insects, giant sized objects like vaccuums, brooms, pets, etc. raid for resourch rich areas, etc.
Another could be an undersea world -
Steampuke would be really cool.
No, no, no!
As great as these are, this is one of the problems. Game developers need to start thinking originally and stop basing their games off someone elses IP.
I cant think of 1 MMO created from a pre-existing IP that has been any good.
Using a pre-existing IP just limits the flexability and creativity of what can be done.
As for the OP, I would love to see a Steampunk or Wild West MMO.
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
Playing: Skyrim
Following: The Repopulation
I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
Totally agree we need some well done AAA titles that go away from the norm. Myself I would like to see a CIA, KGB, Military Ranks ect... game come out.
Wild West would be amazing...so many options, please get away from DPS/Healer/Tank tho, im getting sick of them roles in a game. Lets just make combat fun and challenging.
While I do love my Fantasy, there is a huge glut of Fantasy MMOs, and frankly it's getting pretty boring.
I've always been a fan of the multi-universe idea (multiple genres). So I'm happy to see Rift: Planes of Telara coming out, though I'm not sure it will go quite far enough to satisfy my idea of multi-universe. Think more along the lines of Palladium's Rifts or the book Time Storm by Gordon R. Dickson. I'd like to see the rifts/portals actually change the landscape.
I've also been a big fan of the Western theme, but I'd rather see a SteamPunk/Western fusion (like the awesome TV series Wild Wild West). Maybe even a Fantasy/Western fusion, with Dwarven Prospectors, Paladin Posses, and so much more!
Finallyl, I have to agree that Dresden is a great setting, but I really think that Dresden setting is more of a subtle variation on the World of Darkness. I am excited by the prospects of and can't wait to see how WoD and Secret World are going to work out.
Shadowrun's video game liscense is owned by Smith & Tinker, a company owned by Jordan Weisman, one of the original creators of Shadowrun. (Has been the case since 2008 I believe. After M$ 360 flop.) They've also made a sort of MMO already that you may have seen.
So.. It's possible.
I like how Shadowrun and MechWarrior still get a ton of mentions WEEKLY.
It's insane nothing more comes out of it tho'.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
Creative. I'd give it a go.
I know smith and tinker bought the BT license back. Didn't know they bought the Shadowrun license. There was a company that had a Shadowrun MMO half made. I no longer remember the companies name but it looked really good. Unfortunately microsuck had a tantrum and their lawyers made the company shelve the project.