Green Monster Games (Curt Schilling)

[Eduardo]

Surely with the right talent hired in, the team at GMG will produce something spectacular. From what I have read of Ngruk's posts, I can extrapolate that most aspects of production and release are being considered deeply. The hardest part for a startup company is getting money, and since that is not an issue, GMG has vast potential for building a great mmorpg. And Curt, it is ok if your wife calls you a nerd. Being a nerd in disguise is awesome, we are part of an elite club, and we get the smartest women (who generally have higher paying jobs.)

rant on engine choice: The benefit to licensing an engine is saving a bit of time. The benefit of building your own engine is being able to license it to others for extra cash, and being able to fully implement design decisions without too much 'rework', since the programmers have access to the game design docs and leads and can keep the big picture in their mind as the engine gets built. Producing your own high quality engine that is modular enough to license to others is definitely worth the extra work, if you have the talent capable of building it. Also have to keep DirectX 10 in mind, which will soon be upon us.

[Lenardo]

omg a guy in charge of an mmo company gets it...

faints...

[Blackulaa]

Also, on a side note. I would hope that you scour every message board you can find related to MMO's and come up with the Nirvana of "End Game". I don't know it can be done. But anything, please anything, except a grind for faction or raids that require 100.

Do this and I'll buy mustard to go with that ketchup

[Abalieno]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

Emergents Gamebryo is certainly a candidate.

Let's hope not. I suffered enough of DAoC and Oblivion's terrible clients.

While it may look pretty, their engines are terribly optimized, have always had memory leaks since the engine was known as Netimmerse and are still carrying over a bunch of problems (hello mouse lag!) and bugs that are never addressed.

In particular the clients just don't work well in windowed mode. And windowed mode is ESSENTIAL for a mmorpg.

[Ngruk]

Doesn't that fall more on the client side programming lead, and team, than the engine though?

USing a game engine as an excuse for game problems is like me blaming a HR on the wind. If you don't do your due diligence in pre-production and choose an engine and game that fits that engine perfectly, or have the tech people onboard to make that perfect fit, you have no one to blame but yourself.

I know it's not that simple, but it really is when you boil it down to the basics.

[Abalieno]

I don't think so as the problems carried over from rather different games like DAoC, Oblivion and even Civilization 4.

All of them had problems with memory management and not so great performance overall, it also looks like SpeedTree makes these problems even more critical.

I'm all for companies that build their own technology as I continue to think it's a part that should be involved directly with game design (while others think the exact opposite). But sometimes I understand it's not a choice.

It's also worth considering that WoW is also great because Blizzard developed with the time really good tools. The consistence of the graphic style isn't all due to the art, but also to the technology and tools they use (like the unique way the outdoor areas look).

[Bankok]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

Quality at launch is all of them

You're fooling yourself if you don't think that first 30 minutes, from purchase to account creation, character creation, opening cinematic, actual in game log in and playing 10-15 minutes isn't just about the most crucial time in a games life.

The market is so incredibly saturated right now, and that won't change imo, that if you don't put a product out now that's polished, front to back, on day one, you are costing yourself hundreds of thousands, to millions of customers.

I'd think approaching it any other way would be just piss poor management.

This is so true. Look at the first 30 minutes of WoW compared to pretty much every other MMORPG. First thing you see upon install is the amazing cinematic, you make your character, get another nice cinematic and brief story on your race. Most of us at some point probably created a character of each race, just to see the cinematic of each of them.

After the cinematic, you start out right next to a guy with a big ! over his head. Even someone who had never played an MMORPG before sees that ! and clicks on the person. Compare to EQ2 where you are on a boat, killing a rat or something, then get ported off to the island, oh boy, this will be exciting to do again.

[Ngruk]

This conversation is heading back around to something I stated earlier that people aren't going to want to hear for the most part, because I think it gives us a tad more credit than alot would like to give us.

Todd can draw the most epic art we've ever seen. R.A. can create something so brainbursting with content, so enthralling, so incredible.... But if we don't have the engineers to back it all up with a fantastic game it will ultimately be what so many out there hope it is, 3 rich guys screwing up an MMO so horribly bad people will sign up just to see how bad it sucks.

It's another perk of being who I am, and we are. I bet you there isn't another company that's ever started like we have, that's had so many people PRAYING we crash and burn, or predicting we crash and burn like we have.

Hell I've heard it firsthand already. It such a great dynamic for me, for the simple fact that when it happens I won't have to say "I told you so", we'll be able to sit back and let the company and the game say it for us.

[Pasteton]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

This conversation is heading back around to something I stated earlier that people aren't going to want to hear for the most part, because I think it gives us a tad more credit than alot would like to give us.

Todd can draw the most epic art we've ever seen. R.A. can create something so brainbursting with content, so enthralling, so incredible.... But if we don't have the engineers to back it all up with a fantastic game it will ultimately be what so many out there hope it is, 3 rich guys screwing up an MMO so horribly bad people will sign up just to see how bad it sucks.

It's another perk of being who I am, and we are. I bet you there isn't another company that's ever started like we have, that's had so many people PRAYING we crash and burn, or predicting we crash and burn like we have.
Hell I've heard it firsthand already. It such a great dynamic for me, for the simple fact that when it happens I won't have to say "I told you so", we'll be able to sit back and let the company and the game say it for us.

think you meant "when it doesnt happen" =p

what routes are you pursuing to sign up programmers/engineers/artists etc to your company? apologies if this was discussed earlier

[Gellor]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

It's another perk of being who I am, and we are. I bet you there isn't another company that's ever started like we have, that's had so many people PRAYING we crash and burn, or predicting we crash and burn like we have.

Well being a game designer I know first hand what you mean, but personally I never want to see any company or game crash and burn (although voodoo dolls of the competition can make me sleep better at night sometimes ) But in the long run the greater the number of good companies out there producing great games only makes it better for my future career and for me as a game player.

I wish you guys the best at your endeavor, your starting with a great foundation and im looking forward to see what you and your company turn out

Erik

[Faille]

Has it been mentioned yet if GMG has made a stance for or against Instancing? Seems like wether to have it or not is something that needs to be decided earlier rather then later.

And how will GMG act towards the secondary market? Actively against it, ignore it, work with it, or implement your own.

[Ngruk]

Originally Posted by Faille

Has it been mentioned yet if GMG has made a stance for or against Instancing? Seems like wether to have it or not is something that needs to be decided earlier rather then later..

Why would you make a stand, even later in production, for or against something like that? If it works within the framwork of what you are creating then you use it, if it doesn't, then don't. Instancing, and the arguments for/against, is something that doesn't need a hardcore line in the sand approach to imo, if it works good, if it doesn't fine. Maybe it works within a component of your world, if so cool, maybe it doesn't.

Originally Posted by Faille

And how will GMG act towards the secondary market? Actively against it, ignore it, work with it, or implement your own.

What do you mean by secondary market? That encompasses a ton of potential things, so I am not sure what specifically you are referring to.

[Duppin]

All I ask is that you please reconsider making Yet Another High Fantasy Game.

I know you've accumulated all of this talent you have a lot of faith in, but the genre is so, so, so played out. All the talent in the world can't save it.

[Cadrid]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

Why would you make a stand, even later in production, for or against something like that? If it works within the framwork of what you are creating then you use it, if it doesn't, then don't. Instancing, and the arguments for/against, is something that doesn't need a hardcore line in the sand approach to imo, if it works good, if it doesn't fine. Maybe it works within a component of your world, if so cool, maybe it doesn't.

Well, companies haven't been able to introduce a balance of instanced content vs. non-instanced content so far. It seems like it's either a game well-designed to accommodate one or the other. Like you've said time and time again, though, GMG is looking to shake things up a bit in the MMO genre. A fluid mesh of instanced and non-instanced content would go a long way in accomplishing that goal.

Originally Posted by Ngruk

What do you mean by secondary market? That encompasses a ton of potential things, so I am not sure what specifically you are referring to.

I believe Faille is referring to players selling in-game money, accounts, and items to other people or companies (e.g. eBay, IGE) for real cash. Some games (WoW) take a "kick ass and take names" approach, while others (EQ2) provide a legit alternative to third-party salesfolk. What will you do about this market in regards to GMG's title?

[Ngruk]

Getting into details would be pointless at this stage, but needless to say your real world income should not allow you an edge or a better experience in an online fantasy gaming world imo.