Do MMO developers keep making the same mistake when designing new games by omitting the option to create varied races? IncGamers' Jeff Hollis thinks so...
"If you're publishing an MMO in which players can only play as humans, you are alienating a significant portion of your potential customers. There is a large number of players that want to play gnomes, trolls, or other equally exotic characters. If you, as a developer, don't extend that option to them, they simply won't play your game."
Global Agenda review with screenshots, videos, and music.
Are you looking for a job in the industry? Hi-Rez Studios might make you an offer you can't refuse.
Lore Hound writes: "The business of a gaming website, hobby, professional, whatever, is fairly straightforward. First you get the hits, then you get the ads, then you get the money. For most gaming studios we’re left with a rather vague rendition of have an idea -> ??? -> $$$! During this weekend’s SMITE NA Championship we hoodwinked Todd Harris, the COO of Hi-Rez Studios, to address some burning questions that has led to the rise of SMITE as one of the first MOBAs featuring a championship with a purse over $1 million and counting."
I'm making an MMO, it's going to be exclusively populated with Tiger Woods. You can play as many games of golf with as many Tigers as you like, and then sleep with as many women as you feel necessary. It's going to be the Tiger MMO model which will go down in history as the best MMO ever.
I'm not sure I agree. It's possible that it's a factor, in that it adds variety - even if it's largely superficial variety - but I'd argue it's more a coincidence that a big reason for failure.
I mainly play humans in MMOs, so it really doesn't effect me personally. Games like Aion, which seem to be doing quite well, don't offer race choices either, so I don't think it's essential.
However, if you look at games like WoW and WAR, the proportion of players that opt for non-human is quite large, so there is something in it.
I think you can use *roles* to make come humans be more like "trolls" etc. Basically having more or less physically attractive characters, having weird cultures etc. There are ways to emulate "races" by just being flexible with what you consider "human" :)
I hate playing Humans. The reason we play MMOs is to get a bit of escapism, take on the role of someone else. I like to get the feeling I'm someone/thing totally different. Sometimes it's cool to be an elf, other times I want to play a monster.