By Kevin A. "Silverwolf" McKee.
As a developer, I sometimes wonder my role is. I look around at the big companies and I see very little developer presence there. There's maybe a hint here or there, a nudge or a whisper. Our PR person tells me (in no uncertain terms) that one of the things I'm supposed to do is blog, so I blog. As a developer, I also develop. I put in long hours writing until my wrist hurts and I'm ready to break my keyboard. I have to make sure everyone's work matches with my vision, while avoiding creating hard feelings amongst my friends and teammates. And above all, I increasingly see, I must become a symbol, a meeting of developers and players.
I still remember the wonder I always felt when I saw a developer write something, before I began developing myself. It was always special, like I had been gifted by their almighty presence. The other day, somebody told me that developers are like rock stars in the eyes of the public, and I think that's the case. You speak, and people will listen. But it's a "cool" kind of speaking, not dry, boring, and generally insincere - ala most politicians. That said, as with rock stars, a certain frequency is required. Some rock stars only need release updates every few years, whereas others need to update far more frequently. Those that keep their fans posted often have more loyal followings.
Depite this, the same does not appear to be true of game companies. Although our PR constantly assures me that blogging is a good thing, and having a visible presence in the community is important, I look at big companies and I don't see it. Their games still sell millions, hundreds of thousands of people still play them. And so I wonder, how do they do it? I don't think they're right, in any way shape or form. A game is a pact between the developer and the player to create the most enjoyable experience for all. This view is impossible to maintain without a strong, visible position by the developer. Games such as World of Warcraft (a favorite example of mine due to its success) are wildly popular, but could be so much better with a constant interplay between the developer and the public.
If we developers are to be "rock stars of gaming," then accessibility must be the first priority, before new content or even revising old content. The players shouldn't feel that it is some special privilege to be heard or to converse with a developer. The "rock star status" is not something I desire. I'm a gamer myself, so I know how it feels. A more perfect synergy of developer and gamer needs to happen before any game can be truly "next-gen." Developers are increasingly spending more and more of their time behind closed doors - releasing products, saying a few meaningful nothings about them, and then retreating to their caverns and closets to produce something new, before repeating the entire process all over again. I argue that it should be the other way around, and I intend to be an example of a present and visible developer.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Developer Blog: What Is A Hybrid?
By Kevin A. "Silverwolf" McKee.
So you may ask, what is a "Massively Multiplayer Online Hybrid Game," as Sacred Chronicle is described as. An MMOHG is to my knowledge a new style or subgenre of MMO. But before we get to what's new or different about it, let's talk for a moment about traditional MMOs before getting to that point.
MMOs have to this point been primarily various forms of role-playing game (MMORPG), such as Everquest or World of Warcraft. There have been a few odd first-person-shooters (MMOFPS) here and there - Planetside pops to mind. Admittedly there have been numerous subgenres and variations on the MMORPG theme - there exist MMORPGs in a range from classic-fantasy (Lord of the Rings Online) to modern-fantasy (such as Hellmouth: London) to science fiction universes including Stargate and Star Wars. MMOFPS games are a bit more limited; and rightly so. Shooter implies guns, and obviously the newer, bigger, and flashier guns have more appeal than an ancient Colt from the Civil War, however badass it may be to charge up Gettysburg in a game.
Developers of these various games also tend to have their own style. So-called "Korean MMOs" infamously have many of the same features and visual styles, feeling much like clones of each other. This clone effect can even be continued through to the more mainstream MMOs. Games such as Everquest, World of Warcraft, Lineage, and Age of Conan all have a lot of bleed-through. There are still quests tell you to go kill X numbers of fish-like creatures because some magician or scientist or hunter somewhere wants you to, and being the cold-blooded mercenary you are you'll do it for a few gold coins and a chunk of a mystical quantity known as "experience."
These games are all wildly popular, drawing in hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not more) for their developers and publishers. People complain less about the homogeneity of the games they play and more about what developers do or don't do to their favorite class or playstyle. There are Player vs. Environment experiences, which usually take on the form of both leveling/questing content and instance runs which allow everyone the ability to kill the dragon without needing a line you stand in until it's your turn. They also have a crafting minigame whereby everyone can feel useful by contributing to the phantom in-game economy, and a Player vs. Player function to let gamers feel competitive and flex their e-peens.
A few games mix it up from time to time. A notable example I can think of quite easily is the Opening of the Gates of Ahn Qiraj, of World of Warcraft fame. This massive server-wide event allows everyone the opportunity to contribute directly to a war event, to open the Gates of Ahn Qiraj and kill the Old God, C'thun. The epic quality and cooperation inspired among the player body is marred only by the failure of any consequences if the player body does NOT complete the event. It just sits there. There's no consequence to leaving C'thun to stew amongst his insect worshippers, despite assurances by the Bronze Dragonflight that the world is in peril.
So, to bring back to the point of the post, what IS an MMOHG? I define a hybrid game as utilizing aspects of numerous genres of games, and blending them all into a cohesive whole which tells a story. I have seen a number of hybrid games for singleplayer, or limited multiplayer, but never a massively multiplayer version. Although I am reticent to reveal too many details this early in the game's life, with almost a year and a half until the beta is scheduled for release, Sacred Chronicle will involve elements of a FPS, an RPG, a real-time strategy game, a "Myst"ery game, and several other gameplay elements from yet other genres. Player consequences are also introduced into the mix, giving the world of Sacred Chronicle a serious feel. To my knowledge, Sacred Chronicle is the first such game to be developed, although I may well be wrong on that. Regardless of whether it iss the first or the last, me and my team intend to mix things up with this game, and create an enjoyable experience for all. I'll leave it to you, the readers and fans, to determine if we're successful or not, and to the game reviewers and pontificates to figure out who was first.
So you may ask, what is a "Massively Multiplayer Online Hybrid Game," as Sacred Chronicle is described as. An MMOHG is to my knowledge a new style or subgenre of MMO. But before we get to what's new or different about it, let's talk for a moment about traditional MMOs before getting to that point.
MMOs have to this point been primarily various forms of role-playing game (MMORPG), such as Everquest or World of Warcraft. There have been a few odd first-person-shooters (MMOFPS) here and there - Planetside pops to mind. Admittedly there have been numerous subgenres and variations on the MMORPG theme - there exist MMORPGs in a range from classic-fantasy (Lord of the Rings Online) to modern-fantasy (such as Hellmouth: London) to science fiction universes including Stargate and Star Wars. MMOFPS games are a bit more limited; and rightly so. Shooter implies guns, and obviously the newer, bigger, and flashier guns have more appeal than an ancient Colt from the Civil War, however badass it may be to charge up Gettysburg in a game.
Developers of these various games also tend to have their own style. So-called "Korean MMOs" infamously have many of the same features and visual styles, feeling much like clones of each other. This clone effect can even be continued through to the more mainstream MMOs. Games such as Everquest, World of Warcraft, Lineage, and Age of Conan all have a lot of bleed-through. There are still quests tell you to go kill X numbers of fish-like creatures because some magician or scientist or hunter somewhere wants you to, and being the cold-blooded mercenary you are you'll do it for a few gold coins and a chunk of a mystical quantity known as "experience."
These games are all wildly popular, drawing in hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not more) for their developers and publishers. People complain less about the homogeneity of the games they play and more about what developers do or don't do to their favorite class or playstyle. There are Player vs. Environment experiences, which usually take on the form of both leveling/questing content and instance runs which allow everyone the ability to kill the dragon without needing a line you stand in until it's your turn. They also have a crafting minigame whereby everyone can feel useful by contributing to the phantom in-game economy, and a Player vs. Player function to let gamers feel competitive and flex their e-peens.
A few games mix it up from time to time. A notable example I can think of quite easily is the Opening of the Gates of Ahn Qiraj, of World of Warcraft fame. This massive server-wide event allows everyone the opportunity to contribute directly to a war event, to open the Gates of Ahn Qiraj and kill the Old God, C'thun. The epic quality and cooperation inspired among the player body is marred only by the failure of any consequences if the player body does NOT complete the event. It just sits there. There's no consequence to leaving C'thun to stew amongst his insect worshippers, despite assurances by the Bronze Dragonflight that the world is in peril.
So, to bring back to the point of the post, what IS an MMOHG? I define a hybrid game as utilizing aspects of numerous genres of games, and blending them all into a cohesive whole which tells a story. I have seen a number of hybrid games for singleplayer, or limited multiplayer, but never a massively multiplayer version. Although I am reticent to reveal too many details this early in the game's life, with almost a year and a half until the beta is scheduled for release, Sacred Chronicle will involve elements of a FPS, an RPG, a real-time strategy game, a "Myst"ery game, and several other gameplay elements from yet other genres. Player consequences are also introduced into the mix, giving the world of Sacred Chronicle a serious feel. To my knowledge, Sacred Chronicle is the first such game to be developed, although I may well be wrong on that. Regardless of whether it iss the first or the last, me and my team intend to mix things up with this game, and create an enjoyable experience for all. I'll leave it to you, the readers and fans, to determine if we're successful or not, and to the game reviewers and pontificates to figure out who was first.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Welcome
This is for Sacred specific information such as screenshots and download links. While our Blood on Binary spot will occasionally feature parts from this area, you will find the main source right here!
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