Interviews

Making a successful MMO: Perspective of a Developer
by Matt Eberle

 

Find out what it takes to make it in the world of MMO’s from the perspective of Funcom, developers of the reknowned title Anarchy Online.

 

For years the MMO industry has been growing into its own. Massively multiplayer games were rare in years past, or were limited to text-based and turn-based games. Those times have passed and now online gaming is becoming a heavy hitter in the video game industry. Successes of games like Anarchy Online, Ultima Online, EverQuest, and Asheron’s Call have helped the genre grow from its infancy into adulthood. Now that the MMO industry is hitting its stride many games are being produced and released each year. Even more are ending before they’ve begun, terminated during their development. As the industry becomes more competitive developers are looking back and asking themselves what does it take to succeed in the online world?

 

I had the chance to interview Terri Perkins, Online Product Manager-Funcom, to find out what the people behind the popular Anarchy Online think about what it takes to create a game that will succeed, entertain its players, and survive the rough-and-ready competition of the online world. Here is what she had to say:

 

Question: In general, what do you feel it take to make a successful MMO?

 

Terri: Very good question. The first ingredient is a great game. While this alone won’t sustain you, without it there is no hope. Second, you need to add in a healthy dose of community care. You have got to keep the game dynamic and alive by constantly adding content and bringing in new players. Mix all of these things together with beautiful art and music, fold in determination, good management, good business leaders and hard work. Sprinkle the creation with good timing and a pinch of luck. Test the creation for “stickiness” and don’t be afraid to add in new ingredients. Make versions that appeal to people on varying diets and serve it up with love, honesty and fairness.

 

Q: There have been a lot of new games released in the last year. Even more games have been scrapped before they made it to the stores' shelves. With competition on the rise what does it take for an established MMO to maintain its fan base?

 

Terri: A great game, great community, a lot of tender love and care and a willingness to listen to the players and adapt as needed.

 

Q: With so many games appearing on the market and then failing the impulse of many gamers is to buy a new game hoping that it will be "the next big one." What are existing MMO's doing to cope with this attitude?

 

Terri: Well I think that your hard core gamers are going to try most every game that comes out, myself included. I don’t think this will change and that most games will be the “BIG” one for someone. An MMO isn’t just a game, it’s a place to call home and it takes a bit of looking around to find the home that’s right for you. I think existing MMOs will continue to strive to be the best they can be and try to make their communities ones that people wish to be a part of.

 

Q: Specifically looking at Funcom's classic Anarchy Online, what do you attribute its longevity to?

 

Terri: See above..the ingredients were all there. Anarchy Online is a great game. The community around the game is amazing and as people find they enjoy the world, they tell a friend and it keeps the world renewed with new members joining on a constant basis. The ongoing content additions keep it all fresh and the very hard working crews behind the scenes have a fiery determination to keep our customers happy.

 

 

 

Q: Now that online games are becoming more mainstream the MMO industry is starting to attract new gamers in large numbers. What is Funcom doing to try and take advantage of this trend?

 

Terri: We have contributed to this trend! (Or so I hope!). We have definitely seen tremendous numbers of new players in the past several months and have put a lot of energy into creating a new player experience to accommodate these players and ease their transition into the world. Our community has truly helped with this and it’s been very rewarding to see veteran players assisting all of the newcomers and our greeters going overboard to make new players feel welcome. We will continue to listen to our players and find out how we can make the game more newbie friendly, without losing sight of meeting the needs of our long term players.

 

Q: Given the number of games that have been canceled before they hit the shelves in the last year do you feel that the MMO industry is becoming more cautious? And is that a bad thing for online gaming?

 

Terri: I think the MMO industry is maturing and this is a good thing for the industry. It’s a more competitive world and you have to have your game in order or you’ll be laughed off the court so to speak. I think that this makes it much more difficult for newcomers to get a game to market, but I think the quality of what does make it to the shelves makes for a more enjoyable experience for the players. Yes, we’re all more cautious but it’s because the players demand it and deserve a more polished product and the technologies have improved. It’s sad to me to see a game cancelled as I know the work that has went into it, but it happens for good reasons most of the time and is a necessity in the business world.

 

Q: Many gamers hop from game to game instead of staying with a single game. Reasons for this range from unhappiness with their current game to a new game coming out that they want to try. What do you think about this trend? Again, is it good or bad for online gaming?

 

Terri: I’m one of these people and really don’t think I know many that don’t at least try any new game. I think it’s a positive. It keeps game developers on their toes to constantly improve and educates players about what’s possible. If your game is really good, you have no worries as people will find their way home. We’ve experienced this with the release of several new games and it makes it that much more rewarding when the players do return. I believe it’s a good thing.

 

Again, thanks very much for your time!