MMOG Developers Panel Videos from NY Comic-Con

[Ethec]

We were able to capture some of the magic of the recent MMORPG Devs Panel at New York Comic-Con on video. Joining moderator Garrett Fuller as he talks with Age of Conan Game Designer Jason Stone, Warhammer Online Senior Producer Jeff Hickman, Turbine VP of Product Development Craig Alexander, 38 Studios VP of Creative Development Scott Cuthbertson, and EVE Online Game Designer Matt Woodward.

In part one, the panel discusses the increasing pace of MMORPG gameplay and the differences between F2P and subscription-based games. In part two, the panel fields a variety of suprisingly high-quality questions from the audience.

Enjoy and discuss below!

[chadrew]

Wow, so many guys who are responsible for me having no life, all in one place

[heerobya]

That was excellent.

Nothing all too revealing, but still a nice insight into the MMO space by some of the biggest players in it.

[Cody Bye]

Agreed. I also want to give kudos and Jeff and Garrett for putting together a really solid NYCC presentation.

[Grimmluk]

Thanks to TTH for hosting the event! It was refreshing to see the guys involved with games that we either play or are waiting to play act like mature and intelligent people(to bad it can't be passed on to the people in the forums ehh?), they all represented their companies well.

[Zion]

There are a lot of falsities that I saw in this interview. For one they stated that the MMO genre has not made it to the Console. Thats false. Monster Hunter is one example I can shoot right off the top of my head. I don't believe that any of those people being asked questions actually get it. They are all in it to become rich and they will try to justify it by saying things like "We have no other choice, we have to appeal to everyone." No. You don't. The closest one, that I see, to understanding the MMO audience and how to make an MMO enjoyable is Jeff Hickman who understands how to make a grind not seem like a grind. The rest don't realize that their games are grinds and they are being hypocritical about disqualifying their games as one. At least WAR embraces that MMO's must have a sort of "grind" so to speak, and are actively making their game to feel like less of a grind.

[Boomjack]

Originally Posted by Zion

There are a lot of falsities that I saw in this interview. For one they stated that the MMO genre has not made it to the Console. Thats false. Monster Hunter is one example I can shoot right off the top of my head. I don't believe that any of those people being asked questions actually get it. They are all in it to become rich and they will try to justify it by saying things like "We have no other choice, we have to appeal to everyone." No. You don't. The closest one, that I see, to understanding the MMO audience and how to make an MMO enjoyable is Jeff Hickman who understands how to make a grind not seem like a grind. The rest don't realize that their games are grinds and they are being hypocritical about disqualifying their games as one. At least WAR embraces that MMO's must have a sort of "grind" so to speak, and are actively making their game to feel like less of a grind.

Some quick comments,

1) I don't consider Monster Hunter a MMOG. It's not massively multiplayer in any way. That said, Final Fantasy XI is a MMOG that is on consoles.

2) I hope they are all in it to get rich. That hope however is irrelevant. What they need to do is create something that is profitable. Their investors demand it. They are doing a job, I assume just like you do. When you do what you like to do it's called entertainment. You don't get paid to partake in entertainment.

3) I can tell you with 100% certainty that Jeff Hickman and Jason Stone "get it". I haven't met the other guys, but their pedigrees tell me that they too have a grasp on the industry that you can't possibly acquire just by watching forum posts roll by.

As fans, and I'm one, we often fall into the "I can do it better than the pros" mindset. Those that can do it better should get up and do it. It's more difficult than you think.

Is there a solution to the grind? Is so, what is it? I have some ideas, but I've never come out with one that I felt was "the answer".

Let's hear yours!