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MMO generations
Goronian
Member Posts: 724
Well, we all know and use the term "console generation", which roughly underlines the eras videogame technology have been in. MMOs, however, came a little while after the start, and probably no other gene could be so easily separated. So let my try and organize this.
I'll list the ones, that instantly come to mind, when thinking of particular gen. No hard feelings.
1st gen - Early MUDs, AOL NWN (80's - early 90's)
2nd gen - Meridian 59, Ultima Online (mid 90's - 2000)
3rd gen - EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot (2000 - 2005)
4th gen - World of Warcraft, EverQuest II, multitude of WoW-inspired games (2005 - now)
I'm not that big of an egotrip, to think, this system would get adopted, but it's easy enough to use sometimes, I suppose.
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
Comments
You forgot the wave of MMOFPSRPG games that think they're new xD
Check out the MUD I'm making!
Looks pretty accurate.
I have to mention that the dates are a little off on when the game came out but it's really not that important, more of a warning others will point that out.
But I do like to think Star Wars Galaxies has their own little place between DAoC and WoW. But that's mainly because I'm one of the bitter ones that got fudged over on that investment. Oh well.
Forgot to mention, first gen ftw.
Check out the MUD I'm making!
SWG PreCU is a pretty weird case. You could say it's a mix between second and third gen - Ultima-like gameplay, with post-EQ graphics.
As far as the dates, those were mainly to keep it straight. Sure, both WoW and EQII launched in 2004 but WoW got the bulk of it's popularity in 2005, since it was launched at the end of the year.
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
SWG PreCU is a pretty weird case. You could say it's a mix between second and third gen - Ultima-like gameplay, with post-EQ graphics.
As far as the dates, those were mainly to keep it straight. Sure, both WoW and EQII launched in 2004 but WoW got the bulk of it's popularity in 2005, since it was launched at the end of the year.
Absolutely agree.
When do 5th generation MMOs come out?
I'm an old man in this list (still in my 20's), I'm a 1st gen who balks at the now 4th gen! I spent so much time on MUDs...
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
-cough- Heroes of Telara -cough-
Sorry, got this blasted piece of blintz in my throat, just can't get it out...
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
i would say the major upcoming games are doing it right, so in about a year or two we should be officially in a next gen.
i would say the major upcoming games are doing it right, so in about a year or two we should be officially in a next gen.
And it's about the bloody time. My "gens" have a cycle of around 5 years, so that sounds about right.
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
-cough- Heroes of Telara -cough-
Sorry, got this blasted piece of blintz in my throat, just can't get it out...
You and me both, <sigh> Jessica is not allowed to say anything, not a word. I swear if HoT ends up vaporware...
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
-cough- Heroes of Telara -cough-
Sorry, got this blasted piece of blintz in my throat, just can't get it out...
You and me both, <sigh> Jessica is not allowed to say anything, not a word. I swear if HoT ends up vaporware...
Well, it's got Jon Van Canaghem in the lead, who aside from being an extremely handsome man is also my all-time favorite game-designer. I trust his judgement, why shouldn't you?
And the feature list got me hooked before I even knew of his involvement. I swear, I hate being hyped, but man...
-Ahem-. Back to the topic at hand...
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
Actually that wouldn't be right according to how we are deciding when it is a new generation.
If you look at how the generations progress and change with relation to the games in them, it is all by graphics. And I know we don't rate our MMOs fun factors by graphics now do we?
I can see a "New Generation" of developers coming out what will create new gen mmos.
If you think internally of the companies that create these current gen MMOs, mainly just thinking about money and to drag people in for a quick buck - the top jobs will eventually retire, opening new, more inspired generation of business men to start taking more risks.
This comes down to Generation Y what gets branded the risk takers and so worth (i know not everyone is what they are branded). But when the current generation of what are now "students" or "new" to the industry, start to gain experience and get further up the tree in development and spread to bigger and more financially based companies, we will see more inspired better games coming out.
I know some of this dosnt make sense (just woke up) - in short, new generation of people coming into the industry of game design will bring the next gen of games (mmo or alike).
What do you think?
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
Actually that wouldn't be right according to how we are deciding when it is a new generation.
If you look at how the generations progress and change with relation to the games in them, it is all by graphics. And I know we don't rate our MMOs fun factors by graphics now do we?
Well, we're doing the same thing with console gens, but I would disagree. Each and every one of the games I've listed brought to the table something largely unsees before, both gameplay- and graphics-wise. Whether or not those changes were good or bad is up to debate, though. So yeah...
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
I'm guessing when something out-weights mindless grinding / gearing up in easy mode for a huge, articulate world that is story based on the players of the world and has more real time modifications. That's just a broad guess anyway. They're coming soon, we'll see them.
Actually that wouldn't be right according to how we are deciding when it is a new generation.
If you look at how the generations progress and change with relation to the games in them, it is all by graphics. And I know we don't rate our MMOs fun factors by graphics now do we?
Well, we're doing the same thing with console gens, but I would disagree. Each and every one of the games I've listed brought to the table something largely unsees before, both gameplay- and graphics-wise. Whether or not those changes were good or bad is up to debate, though. So yeah...
Ok I see what you're saying now and I retract my original statement.
I can't help thinking that EQ and UO should be in the same generation as they were competitors for quite a while but represented completely different styles of gameplay. EQ was really an evolution of MUDs and bore no relation to UO. For me they both stand out as the first major attempts to shape what MMORPGs should look like.
I guess I see the list as follows:
1st Gen - MUDs
2nd Gen - EQ and UO
3rd Gen - WoW and EVE
The problem, is as someone said above, that not everything is what they are branded as. It's so easy for a marketing guy to just sell a new MMO as next-gen... We see it everyday in console game
True... I guess it was just me being retarded and too lazy to say "3rd gen", instead of "pre-WoW", which is kinda broad...
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
What are the determinants for the mmos involved? In other words is age the only factor in what generation the mmo is in?
I suppose so. Generations themselves start and end, with some major shifts to the genre, however to "be" in a generation, MMO has simply to be published during it. It kind of makes sense, when you think about it.
I hate WoW because it made my plush hamster kill himself, created twin clones of Hitler, punched Superboy Prime in reality, stared my dog down, spoiled my grandmother, assimilated me into the Borg, then made me into a real boy, just to make me a woman again.
I definitely fall into the first gen category and still think that for some things, they were vastly superior than anything that's come since. Today, all MMOs are about eye-candy and grinding to max-cap as fast as you can, that's no fun at all. I want something deep and fascinating with an excellent, mature community and people I actually want to spend time with. Instead, I get a bunch of assholes who can't spell, don't give a damn about anyone else and just want to use everyone around them to get to the top faster.
Where's the fun in any of that?
Played: UO, EQ, WoW, DDO, SWG, AO, CoH, EvE, TR, AoC, GW, GA, Aion, Allods, lots more
Relatively Recently (Re)Played: HL2 (all), Halo (PC, all), Batman:AA; AC, ME, BS, DA, FO3, DS, Doom (all), LFD1&2, KOTOR, Portal 1&2, Blink, Elder Scrolls (all), lots more
Now Playing: None
Hope: None
I'm actually guessing around 2011-2012 is when a big crop of the new generation MMOs are going to come out. These MMOs are more action-oriented (twitch based) play, but seem to focus a bit less on the social aspect (more solo play /sigh) and are going to appeal as much to casual players (if not more) as the 4th generation MMOs. Games like SW:TOR and FFXIV are probably the last few 4th generation MMOs that will be released.
I'm a first generation MMOer starting on MUDs with AOL 3.0 on a 14.4kbps modem. I did play UO when it released, but couldn't get into it - so I pretty much skipped by most of the second generation MMOs. My favorite generation of MMOs has to be third generation though, those were some really enjoyable and unique games.