What is an MMO?

[Faille]

Seems like a straight forward question, but I've discovered its a little trickier to put into words let alone into design.

What really makes features, quests, lore, etc particularly MMO as opposed to normal single player game, or even small multiplayer games.

How do we design things so that they show off the MM aspect, rather then just being online? What things should we be considering when we're planning on a piece of art, a feature, a quest, a piece of lore, etc?

[Vatoreus]

The only thing that will ever bring the MM to MMOG is putting a lot of the power into the players' hands. Force people to interact with one another, not go down the roads most common day MMORPGs have. Right now, the only game that truly follows this design that I have seen is EVE-Online. The whole game is based around player driven ideas and goals. Developers generate some content, but for the most part it is about control of areas and the economy.

If you are going to have a good MMOG, you are going to need to step away from common day molds and think outside of the box. Bring the people back into the game.

[Linbog]

I think being an MMOG is alot less than that actually, being an MMOG is about interaction even if its at a superficial level. If WoW was entirly single player except for the Auction House it would still be an MMOG.

But to enhance that interaction one of the biggest things to consider is different points of view; physically, mentally and philosophically.

[Quineloe]

I'd say 1k people on a single realm makes it massive.