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MMORPG settings, why fantasy?
vqly
Member UncommonPosts: 296
There was a poll on the mmorpg home page recently of which type of mmorpg race you would mostly like to play, and the only choices were that from a fantasy settings. I wanted to vote other, but couldn't.
I was curious to why there are so many mmorpgs with Fantasy settings (dragons/mage/orcs/elves/et al).
Is it because of the traditional table top pencil and paper D&D games?
How relevant is it now that the market is saturated with so many fantasy MUDs/MMORPGs?
Comments
I like diversity, but I prefer fantasy. I'd love to see plenty more MMOGs in more environments.
But all things being equal I will still choose High Fantasy over any other.
The reason is that majority of people like Fantasy settings, I am one of them.
I play also sci-fi, at the moment I am playing EvE, but having to choose I will pick Fantasy any time.
Hm wow. You got me. I'm honestly not sure why so many MMO's are the Medieval/Fantasy sort. I know that I'd probably prefer that sort of setting.
Maybe its because science-fiction worlds are dependent on too many factors and all the ones that could be made into games would have to be licensed. Anyone can make a Fantasy MMO and borrow heavily from common themes like aspects from D&D, Arthurian Legend, mythology, and real history.
Diversity is always nice to have
I personaly am not a fan of Fantasy nor Sci-fi, altough I will still play them
My preference for RPGs is a Steam-age game alas none have yet to be made, as far as I know anyways
But I guess as to why fantasy is so prevalent, is thats the way its always been and old habbits die hard
ever since D&D I believe, fantasy has been the dominant genre, of coarse there are still plenty of fans of StarWars and BattleStar Galactica to put Sci-fi on the map too
Don't you worry little buddy. You're dealing with a man of honor. However, honor requires a higher percentage of profit
Fantasy MMORPGs with swords and magic are getting monotonous..
Every friggin' developer does that..
Thank god for EVE Online
We shall all die in vain.. you decide how!
It's because fantasy is easy to do.
The writers/devs already know who/whats in it. Dragons, elves, dwarves etc.
So they have a template to work with right from the start, and build up from there.
Sci-fi or other genres actually require originality and creativity. There is no standard, there is nothing commonly understood or implied. So the devs have to start from scratch.
Well, theres that - and the fact that D&D was the start of rpgs. So the first computer rpgs were fantasy, devs played those when they were kids; and now they're all grown up and deciding what we'll play. The same games they played of course!
because game companies want to make money. They look at the "cash cow" that is EQ, WoW, etc and want a piece of the pie.
Personally, I prefer Sci-fi, but our choices for this are very limited. I would also like to see more horror, dark fantasy (Imajica anyone?) and maybe a western RPG.....but it (probably) won't happen.
Personally, if I see another elf, I'm gonna puke.
Swords. Sorcery. Good. Evil. It's a no brainer.
-In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on Aug/13/08-
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RISING DRAGOON ~AION US ONLINE LEGION for Elyos
Because as you move the timeline forward things become more complex for the developer to make the MMO world a believeable one.
For medieval MMO worlds you just copy AD&D, give it your own twist and you're done.
But for sci fi worlds you all this technology to design and explain.
In the end: a dragon is not trademarked but an X-Wing fighter is.
I like to hit people with swords or shoot them with bows. Not much of that in most sci-fi games. I loved the SWG fantasy setting, and even the combat options were good, but the game was lacking when I played it.
As for creativity, I have seen lots of it in fantasy based games. Sure, many of them are cookie cutter games, but others have lots of unique features, new races (or a different take on some races), new classes, and a good back story.
I'd agree the fantasy setting comes from the original MUD's and D&D with the dev's then building on the popularity of the large well known fantasy games.
However if you look at the list of games in development there are a number of historical and sci-fi games in there. It will only take one of those to be a big succes and people will be happy to jump on that bandwaggon.
I support Belgiums efforts to get noticed ... at all.
Fantasy mmorpg is the best
AbOO
Its generic, easy, a proven market, builds on the success of the old, original Fantasy Game.
Mostly though, as a consequence of those, its going to be easier to get investment for as fantasy is a proven genre.
*yawn*
DDO has gone for Eberron over Forgotten Realms as its fantasy setting, which is a sort of Steampunkish, more sci-fantasy, 'Heavy Metal' (The magazine, not the music) setting.
Personally I think they should have gone with FR and 'schooled' all these upstarts like EQ and WoW, but only because D&D is the OG (original game).
We need more.
What about a horror game? Something like the Silent Hill otherworld or a zombie holocaust game where you play survivors, trying to get by.
Postmortem Studios
Roleplaying games to DIE for
Shop here
Best put. . . Fantasy is an easy market. As proven by some of the posts above, the fantasy genre is an easy market share that will garuntee at least some return. For MMO's that's crucial even moreso than with tradition offline rpgs.
Making a decent non-fantasy game is harder. If you don't go with a recognised brand (SWG, STO) you have to come up with something that's original, but not too far fetched. Unfortunately this means that the horror genre will get passed over. A horror survival MMO would fail if it were strictly zombies just due to lack of variety. Unless someone comes up with a Silent Hill-ish or Lovecraftian type game there won't be any horror MMO's any time soon.
What the market needs is a game from a "left-field" genre, kind of like City of Heroes when it came out, something like steampunk or (if anyone's heard of it) like the pen and paper game Over the Edge
Hmm. . . I'm going to school for game design. . . I smell potential project ideas! lol
___________~____________
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. - Oscar Wilde
everyone luvs some magic^^
the reason why lots of games are fantasy is because alot of us oldies and people even "older the than me crowd" played dnd and tabletop shit before there were really pc games, and now these people are making games- and nows its an industry.
and some of these people nowadays developin games grew up on pc fantasy games^^
the future is going to be fun....the market demands it
The massive success of Everquest probably has a lot to do with it.
You stick with what works
Since all of us are living in a real world, most gamers would like to play an character that is different from what we are. Hence the popularity of elfs, dwarfs, gnomes and such.
The Best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.
I always try to make myself in RPGs, some games make it easier than others, call it vanity or pride, but I think I am the coolest, and the real world is awesome, thats why games should reflect more reality but maintain the fun factor
but anyways...
Just one question is there a difference between Fantasy and High Fantasy
Don't you worry little buddy. You're dealing with a man of honor. However, honor requires a higher percentage of profit
Really, I think it has to do with the target demographic, you know the typical people who have money to spend on months months of an mmorpg. Fantasy is a big thing for them (examples above), all we have to do is wait for them to curl up somewhere and die off like they had to with the baby boomers. (Checks calendar)
Ugh, people are living much longer and then there's that whole mayan end of the world thing but I'll say we none fantasy players are good to go in another 5-10 years
"Making a decent non-fantasy game is harder. If you don't go with a recognised brand (SWG, STO) you have to come up with something that's original, but not too far fetched. Unfortunately this means that the horror genre will get passed over. A horror survival MMO would fail if it were strictly zombies just due to lack of variety. Unless someone comes up with a Silent Hill-ish or Lovecraftian type game there won't be any horror MMO's any time soon.
What the market needs is a game from a "left-field" genre, kind of like City of Heroes when it came out, something like steampunk or (if anyone's heard of it) like the pen and paper game Over the Edge
Hmm. . . I'm going to school for game design. . . I smell potential project ideas! lol"
Nope!
Give me far fetched, give me strange! Have me playing a spherical alien in the atmosphere of a gas giant. Make it INTERESTING!
Zombies never get boring
All the effort that goes (usually) into making tons of different creatures could go into making very well animated, very variable and grotesquely dying zombies. And you? You fight for survival or against other survivors. When you die, perma death, and you come back as another zombie with your player model. Long term goals? Create a hideaway, get enough food to survive and strive to find the cause. Give it a plot arc 
Silent Hill, Resident Evil or Lovecraft would probably work better long term though, anything to get away from grind and level into something more about story.
Over The Edge isn't doable IMO as an mmorpg anyway.. The conspiracies are too integral, instancing would ruin the point of solving anything and the fact you can play ANYTHING just can't be replicated on a computer.
In many ways tabletop games are still lightyears ahead of computer games.
That's what I find so depressing, they have a budget many, many, many times that that we TTRPG writers have and all they churn out is stuff 30 years behind what TTRPGs have accomplished.
Its depressing
Postmortem Studios
Roleplaying games to DIE for
Shop here