http://www.mmognation.com/2007/12/24/drawing-mmo-design-from-pinatas/ Wed, 25 May 2011 02:52:43 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 http://www.mmognation.com/2007/12/24/drawing-mmo-design-from-pinatas/comment-page-1/#comment-21190 The Best of MMOG Nation, 2007 at MMOG Nation Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:56:18 +0000 http://www.mmognation.com/2007/12/24/drawing-mmo-design-from-pinatas/#comment-21190 [...] podcast, and won an award. I got cranky over the definition of cheating, and finally hammered out that MMO/Viva Pinata post I’ve had in the back of my mind forever. And, of course, I put forward my Christmas Wish [...] [...] podcast, and won an award. I got cranky over the definition of cheating, and finally hammered out that MMO/Viva Pinata post I’ve had in the back of my mind forever. And, of course, I put forward my Christmas Wish [...]

]]> http://www.mmognation.com/2007/12/24/drawing-mmo-design-from-pinatas/comment-page-1/#comment-20983 arne Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:37:39 +0000 http://www.mmognation.com/2007/12/24/drawing-mmo-design-from-pinatas/#comment-20983 Great observations and conclusions about massive games and VP in particular. I think part of why MMOs remain "stabbery-pokery", as you put it, is that a plot and story are driven by conflict and the overcoming of that conflict. While it's true that VP has some of that in its story, I would dare say that storyline is a bit pedestrian to base a massive game on. However, I still think stripped of the larger storyline, VP has (or should that be had) the trappings to become an almost-MMO and I think it's shortcoming at the marketplace precluded any such expansions. There is far more which could have been done even with the game itself to add to the online experience -- visiting friends gardens a la Animal Crossing, gardening together, etc. I think that VP has even better potential to be a massive game than Animal Crossing, just a shame it does not share in the same type of success and we'll likely never see it come to fruition. Great observations and conclusions about massive games and VP in particular. I think part of why MMOs remain “stabbery-pokery”, as you put it, is that a plot and story are driven by conflict and the overcoming of that conflict. While it’s true that VP has some of that in its story, I would dare say that storyline is a bit pedestrian to base a massive game on. However, I still think stripped of the larger storyline, VP has (or should that be had) the trappings to become an almost-MMO and I think it’s shortcoming at the marketplace precluded any such expansions. There is far more which could have been done even with the game itself to add to the online experience — visiting friends gardens a la Animal Crossing, gardening together, etc. I think that VP has even better potential to be a massive game than Animal Crossing, just a shame it does not share in the same type of success and we’ll likely never see it come to fruition.

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