Jun 11
Another Bioware MMOG Rumour
It’s hard not to love them, even if they sound like crazy-talk. TenTonHammer is theorizing that mayhap (mayhap) the Bioware MMOG is going to be set in the Forgotten Realms, based on Dungeons and Dragons.
The Forgotten Realms is the most logical choice for an MMORPG. The flavor of the realms is familiar to gamers, and the environment has the potential to be completely immersive. The Realms already has a cast of iconic characters like Drizzt Do’Urden, Elminster the Sage, and Storm Silverhand that have made their mark on the fantasy genre.
Bioware’s greatest chance of success – in my opinion – is to create a Forgotten Realms MMORPG. This will guarantee sales, and will bring many tabletop gamers who are not in the market of MMORPG’s into its ever increasing fold. In any case one thing is for certain, no matter the license used, Bioware is going to produce a game of superb quality.
I think this is highly unlikely to be true, for a number of reasons.
- Iconic characters actually detract from the goodness of a game experience. Witness SWG. On the table, iconics are something you want to keep out of your game; they take the thunder away from the PCs.
- FR is a beautiful setting … that would be incredibly hard to capture ‘right’ in a Massive format
My money is still on KOTOR.
update: CVG says the game is due out in 2009.
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I’d just like to comment on your “Iconic characters actually detract from the goodness of a game experience.” statement.
The problem with the SWG implementation of “icons” was flawed IMHO. Icons are supposed to be “special”, or at least above the norm, but in SWG the main characters were easily accessible (you can walk straight up to them). They weren’t involved in any special events…it was like they were just pasted in as a part of the background.
Contrast this to Asheron (from Asherons Call) who was only brought out for special “live” events and wasn’t accessible normally for player interaction.
The way Asheron was implemented in the game made him a much more iconic figure than Darth Vader in SWG IMHO, and while Vader detracted from the feel of the game, Asheron made the world feel much more alive.
FR is as much a beautiful setting as, say, Middle Earth and I think Turbine has done an admirable job of recreating that. I’d expect Bioware to do no less a job on FR.
On other thing in favour of a Bioware FR MMOG is that (as far as I’m aware) Bioware still have the rights for the FR setting (one of the reasons Turbine used the Eberon setting for DDO).
I’m not saying they are actually making a MMOG based in FR (it’s still too early to call), but they do happen to be sitting on the rights of one of the most popular D&D campaign settings. Evah.
It’s be a real shame if they didn’t do something “MMOG” with it eventually…
I agree on what you say Tinman_au on the SWG note that is.
I however must say that Obi-Wan on Mustafar would feel “special” though? Since he’s actually a holograph?
But still the SWG characters are just “npc’s” they aren’t anything else. They don’t really feel alive, they do just feel like wax dummies really.
And there is already a Dungeons & Dragons MMO out so I doubt bioware will go down that road…I have a feeling it’s gonna be something sci-fi…
/William
Why would they produce an MMO based on someone else’s IP? Particularly when there are already Star Wars and D&D flavored MMOs in the market?
I’m hoping for a Jade Empire MMO myself.
I would actually play just to get the chance to pwn Drizzt where he stands. It would be sufficient payback for every Drizzzzt, Drisst, Drizzzttt, or Drizzzyt that I’ve come across in my years of gaming. The first SWG MUD I ever played on was practically owned by a bounty hunter named Drizzt and that was over 7 years ago!!!
Anyways. I wonder who’s bright idea it would be to stand up in a meeting and propose; “Hey guys let’s make a fantasy MMORPG!”. Even at Bioware, I find that hard to believe.
Even more, looking at their other projects, both in-house and partnerships, Forgotten Realms is already covered. Obsidian, with NWN2, are currently working on a FR expansion for example.
Bioware has a lot of D&D titles already. On one hand that makes sense for them to build an MMORPG out of. On the other hand, it makes more sense to strike it out on a new path applying that good ole’ Bioware shine.