Jul 23
Five People
My List: (keeping in mind that Raph, Jessica Mulligan, and Rob Pardo are ‘taken’.)
- Richard Garriot – Cuz that Ultima Online thing was kinda important. All respect to Meridian 59 and Brian Green, but UO caused something of a stir with the massive and the multiplayer and the whatnot and the hey. A bunch of the crankiest of current Massive commentators are still quietly talking about the days pre-Trammel under their breath, in one way or another. If nothing else, the Ultima series got a lot of other people into the business in the first place. Heck, he was even the victim of one of the earliest well-documented griefings.
- Nick Yee – Nick has overcome personal hardship, sweated, toiled, and cried … all to tell us which age group is most likely to participate in gender play. Nick’s research is not only fascinating and well done, it’s compelling stuff. Via the player essays he takes in, it’s also deeply personal and always worth reading.
- Richard Bartle – Hah! Easy one. I suppose he sort of ‘goes without saying’, which is why he’s not on Matt’s list, but I very much think he’s worth mentioning. Above and beyond his work with Roy Trubshaw, he kind of wrote the book on the subject of making massives. He’s an engaging speaker, a funny guy and intelligent guy, and a personal inspiration. Well deserving of ‘most important’ status.
- Hiromichi Tanaka – One of the driving forces behind Final Fantasy XI, that ‘other’ really popular subscription-based Massively Multiplayer game. FFXI is incredibly important and (I feel) too often overlooked by western gamers. They have top-notch customer service, an amazing events team, the game is now on (PS2/360/PC) three separate platforms … and we owe a lot of thanks to Tanaka for all of that.
- John Smedley – So he’s done some unpopular stuff. Some gamers think he’s the closest thing Massive games have to a great Satan. And yet … SOE is profitable, pulling in more games via Platform Publishing and Station Access, and is branching out into F2P titles. I’d say that’s pretty important.
So … who is on your list?
6 comments6 Comments so far
Please keep in mind that Richard’s list and my list are not aiming at the same thing. His list is historical. Mine was intended not to compete with Richard’s (as I have no quibbles with his list) but as a different take on the same idea, with the focus on right now.
–matt
Heh, and mine was meant as my own two cents. :)
I hope you took no offense, sir, as none was intended. Thanks for clarifying the purpose of your list here!
>Richard Garriot – Cuz that Ultima Online thing was kinda important.
It was, which is one of the reasons Raph is on my list.
Richard
All respect to Meridian 59 and Brian Green,
As I’ve said before, and I’ll say a million more times before I die I’m sure, I wasn’t one of the original developers of Meridian 59. I fully recognize that 3DO screwed the pooch and had no clue what they had. I think that if it weren’t for the terrible marketing, M59 could have been something much more influential. Then again, I might not have gotten my start in the industry without them desperately needing someone to work on their floundering title to keep it pulling in money for another year or so.
My work to preserve M59 is motivated by the love of the game and to save it from oblivion, a fate that has befallen too many other games, unfortunately. As long as I have a say, people will be able to go play a classic game that, while not a trendsetter, was a large influence on developers nonetheless.
Richard – Fixed! Thanks for commenting. You’d already taken Raph, so I needed someone to pin a gold star on for UO.
/shrug
Psychochild – Exactly! Which is why I mentioned you along with M59. Your work to keep it running is a testament to its place in Massive history. I respect you a great deal, and I wanted to make it clear that I think you’re doing something awesome with Meridian. You’re like, #6 on ‘my list’. :)
So all the good people are taken! I would like to add Rusty Williams to that list for bring us a game that looks to be great and by adding a non fantasy/sci-fi MMO to the genre!