What makes a game MMORPG?

[Scorpion]

I'd like to hear everyone's definition of an RPG and what kinds of games classify and some examples of them. I'll give my thoughts later in the thread.

[AirFoam]

being able to play it for 4 years without getting bored.

[Princess]

Good call AirFoam!! Yeah, replayability is a definite plus when getting into an MMORPG. Not totally necessary for console RPGs, but if we're strictly talking MMORPGs, I have some opinions.

Character Customization: Before and in-game (i.e. SWG character modification, DAOC's dying of clothes).
Graphics: I want to play a game where if I get bored of killing the same monsters at least I can look around and think I'm in a wonderland. Spells also must be super awsm.
Guild capabilities: Must be able to form a guild --guildhouses/cities are fun, but not necessary.
Class variety: I don't mind the typical races of "elves & crap," but at least have a variety of classes.
Chat: Okay, SWG chat SUCKED. I would like one like DAOC --much more smooth.
Level Difficulty: I like games where I can be independent. I really don't like depending on other people to level. It doesn't have to be super easy, but it shouldn't be super hard either.

I've got other opinions, but yeah....

[babyseal]

DAoC could never come close to UO in any of those departments, except in the graphics department. Then again, I never found UO so horribly broken that I would never want to go back again.

DAoC was fun because of the simple macro support for spells/styles, 8man pvp, and new content every once in a while.
The downsides were: new and horribly overpowered realm abilities and items with every new expansion, lack of character customization (imo), the game on release being effectively an open beta, the heralds stat-board, radar users, and soooo many bugs.
If they would have stopped just before they put in realm abilities, I would probably still be playing the game.
I'll admit that the chat interface on DAoC was nice however.

[Princess]

DAoC could never come close to UO in any of those departments, except in the graphics department. Then again, I never found UO so horribly broken that I would never want to go back again.

DAoC was fun because of the simple macro support for spells/styles, 8man pvp, and new content every once in a while.
The downsides were: new and horribly overpowered realm abilities and items with every new expansion, lack of character customization (imo), the game on release being effectively an open beta, the heralds stat-board, radar users, and soooo many bugs.
If they would have stopped just before they put in realm abilities, I would probably still be playing the game.
I'll admit that the chat interface on DAoC was nice however.

I'm only comparing DAOC's dying of clothes for character customization. I liked having that ability.

[Scorpion]

Those are all great things to have in a game, but how do they make it Massively Multiplayer though?

That's the thing I'm really trying to determine. When does a game become Massively multiplayer instead of just a game lots of people play?

[Scurvey Dog]

if you can host a server yourself, like NWN. then its not MMO. if you have to log on to THEIR servers then it is MMO

and the difference between multiplayer and massivly multiplayer is like 1000's of people.

[ds91]

Massive(ly) multiplayer online role-playing games or MMORPGs are virtual persistent worlds located on the Internet. They are a specific subset of Massive(ly) multiplayer online games in which players interact with each other through avatars, that is, graphical representations of the characters they play.

http://www.wordiq.com/cgi-bin/knowledge/lookup.cgi?title=MMORPG

[Scorpion]

Do they have to be graphical though ds? And I didn't want someone else's definition, I wanted yours.

[Dark Knight Zer0]

MMO=pay to play with fees on servers hosted by the company to hold 1000s of players. Non-redudent graphics, such and player modles, monsters, and areas such and towns and dungons. Also, player classes that are not lop-sided (one set is stronger then the other).

a kewl looking MMo for Xbox is comeing out sometime this year (hopefully) I have it posted lower down somewhere.

DK0

[Low-Light]

hehe I'm also working on Concepts using this MMORPG....... But It will be totally different. If you look at every MMORPG or ones like it.. They are all the same.. With different colors, names, and places. They are all fantasy and dungeons and dragons..... Why... Why.. Are they all like that?

Because it works. And no one seems daring enough to try something new.. Well The Matrix people are i guess moving things up a notch on MMORPGs...... But I'm thining bigger. MMORPGs is such a great thing. There are sooooooooooooooo Many things and possibilities that can be done with this.

You just need an open mind...... And some money!
Ughhhhhhhhh I SOO WISH i could just walk up to a game companies door And be LIKE LOOK I have the Next Best Greatest thing HERE!

Make it and you will Be in Awee :shock:

But alas..... it is not soo easy :'( and by the time i can get close.. the shites already figured it out or came up with something CLOSE! *booo Hooo hooo*

Its a bloody world out there. Oh yea MMORPG... the only way to define it... is It is a Concept for players to play Among the Masses.. It is supposed to be A Huge Giant Interactive PLayground. People should have lots to do and lots of way to interact with one another. Servers should always be running, the game shall be Day and night. The thing is.. To make the game FUN for everyone there! That is what MMORPG means..... A role Playing game that can work with A billion people.. and not just you.

The rest is up to you.

[Princess]

I dunno LL, I thought SWG and CoH did a good job of switching up the norm.

[Low-Light]

Maybe it did maybe it didnt.. still we need MORE! :P

[Scorpion]

So for a game to be an MMORPG it has to have graphics? What about Gemstone? It meets all your reqs so far except for having graphics, it has 5k players on at primetime and over a 30k customer base.

Does it qualify? If no, Why not?

[Fist]

Even if people constantly bitched about it and it was sooo bugged, the best MMORPG i played was Everquest, period.

There's no game i played / hated as much.

[Zantas]

EQ i don't consider an MMORPG..... it isn't really userfriendly and the graphics are low. and the fact that they charge for a game like that boggles my mind...

[ferret]

EQ i don't consider an MMORPG..... it isn't really userfriendly and the graphics are low. and the fact that they charge for a game like that boggles my mind...

It probably has something to do with it being one of the oldest in the genre and still one of the most popular and most heavily played. You all (Or a good number of you) still play Half-life based games too.. Should they not be considered FPS because the graphics are sub-par to more modern games and in some instances aren't user-friendly?

Moot point. You might argue its a bad game for these reasons, but not that its a different genre due to them.

A MMORPG has nothing to do with graphics or user friendly. It has TWO characteristics.

#1) Its an RPG. This neither requires or necessarily even needs graphics. Being a text-based gamer for some 11+ years, I know this quite well.

#2) Massive amounts of players. This is the key differences between a MMO-RPG and just an 'RPG' .. The amount of players. The game doesn't have to be pay-per-play, it doesn't even really have to be "hosted by the company" .. Any kid could technically make a MMO, granted it would suck without some money for decent bandwidth. My current text-based game runs an average of 40-50 players. Its not MMO, but its still RPG. Gemstone is a great example of an RPG that became MMO. The principal is no different than the game I run, but merely a much larger scale.

PS: I remember Gemstone, ahh the good ol' days, because it became a pay to play. Damn you AOL. ;p

[Scorpion]

hehe, I still play Gemstone Ferret, and I'm an AGM for Dragonrealms :D


And that's pretty much how I feel about the genre as well Ferret. My goal in life is to get the EQ type gamers to admit that gemstone and dragon realms are MMORGPs, Dragon's Gate and Moongate online were also MMORPGs during their prime.

[Princess]

hehe, I still play Gemstone Ferret, and I'm an AGM for Dragonrealms :D


And that's pretty much how I feel about the genre as well Ferret. My goal in life is to get the EQ type gamers to admit that gemstone and dragon realms are MMORGPs, Dragon's Gate and Moongate online were also MMORPGs during their prime.

And why do you have this goal if I might ask?

[Scorpion]

Because I hate the fact that gamers are blinded by graphics. Most gamers feel if a game doesn't have graphics its not worth playing.

However I garuntee you that Dragonrealms is more complex and has a better leveling system then any graphic rpg out there.