Once, long ago, I used to be quite an eager fanboy. Not for any MMORPG in particular mind - more a non-specific general enthusiasm toward whatever was coming out whenever. It would be new! It would be different! It would change everything! I'm not sure what went wrong, or when - MMORPGs became more formulaic, when at the same time, I became more cynical.
I still play them obsessively of course, but am far less choosy about what they actually are, and have difficulty stating a preference for one over another. (And am probably clinically addicted at this point, which is another rant altogether.) But I don't really look forward anymore, in the same way. I somehow fail to keenly yearn for the Next Big Thing. Mostly this is me, of course, but I think in part it really does seem to be a bit of a lull coming up.
Certainly titles are going to be released, but none of the names are especially inspirational, and with each new title, the need to familiarise with another system, another world and another community increases. In turn, with every new world we visit, the impact and disctintiveness, and value, of any individual world is eroded, until we're left with a jaded, hazy impression of one vast 'meta-world' with no real distingushing features at all. Or something.
At any rate, here's a <ul> tag with some upcoming online games in, with heckling:
- Guild Wars
This sword-fest promises less treadmill, less camping, less kill-stealing, unique skill system, dynamic quest system, more PvP and more, well, guild wars. And boobies. I think the phrase 'next generation' was probably in there too. Interestingly, it also charges no monthly fee at all, apparently. Good god, that can't possibly work! This one is probably the current 'Next Big Thing', hoping to fill up with dissaffected WoW and EQ2 people. However, it will live or die on implementation alone, as it's firmly in 'Orcs n Dorks' country, a genre we've seen a lot of already.
- Auto Assault
This one does look novel - essentially 'Max Max Online', it centres around a post apocalyptic future, leather jackets and gasoline shortages tackled by driving lots and very fast. The genre is fairly fresh, with only Anarchy Online and Neocron really doing anything very Fallout-ey. While I'm personally not a fan of driving games in general, I think this one will be one to watch for the sheer variety of the experience. And boobies. I can't for the life of me figure out a way to deal with high speed auto-wrecks via dice-rolls, so expect a significant 'Skill-Based' element, and associated PvP here too. Trade Skills Surrender! (NetDevil did Jumpgate, a fps-twitch space combat MMORPG which I liked, but bombed terribly due to the Interweb not quite being up to the job at the time.)
- Dungeons & Dragons Online
Relying very heavily on being 'the one that started it all', this promises to be an unashamed elf-fest hack-n-slash, but then if anyone can be allowed to get away with that, it's this title. Features boasted include a more adventure-centric aproach to the traditional group-based grind-camping, less treadmill, more treasure, more dungeons, and probably more dragons too. And boobies. This one sounds full of promise, Turbine being quite respected MMO developers, but this critic feels that without 'Dungeon Master' as a playable class, the unique feel of six nerds sat round a table with dice, books and /pizza with give way to a pick-up group oriented grind much like the others; 1500 strangers labouring in obscurity. Time will tell. (Go here for a Dev Q&A chat. Interestingly, 'Sporkfire' only recently left Planetside as Community Relations Bod. I expect there's a good joke in there somewhere, but suffice to say i doubt he'll find his new boards any less harsh.)
- Dark and Light
I was going to do some proper research on this one, but their website seem broken. And largely in French. Stratics seems to have some more complete information though. Dark and Light promises; less treadmill, less grind, more variety, lots more PvP, more social gameplay, so many viallges the devs have lost count, more elfs, less abiguity in moral choices. And boobies. To be frank, I can't find a lot there that isn't effectively 'UltimaQuest Online', but bigger and of course, better, but it's early days yet.
(I know i've missed some, but those seemed the most noticable.)
Further ahead into the future, big names include 'Middle Earth Online', the rampaging Tolkien-fest Tie-in game, by Turbine, and 'Vanguard: Saga of Heroes' by Sigil Games - again, elf-fest sword-a-thon. Solid Details still to follow. Personally, I couldn't honestly say I'm 'looking forward' to any of ythem, but I'll most likely have a look as and when each comes through.
Mostly though, I suspect 2005/6 will be the year of The Expansion, as the behemoths of the last two years desparately scrabble for the attention of the 1.5 MILLION new people World of Warcraft managed to pull out of thin air. More on that another time.