I'll be speaking at the upcoming GDC Europe in Cologne in August. The session, titled, 'Surviving the Jungle of MMO Eco-systems', will explore what the terms 'Themepark' and 'sandbox' really mean in terms of understanding MMO design. While to many an MMO is just an MMO, for designers and veteran players alike there is a fast growing quest for the next frontier in virtual worlds.
We will be asking some fun questions. Like how do we balance the accessibility, that has allowed the genre to grow, with the wish to create dynamic and evolving worlds where players can forge their own stories? Where do we go next? Are we doing the right things? Is it profitable?
This is a subject near and dear to my heart, so I am really looking forward to the session. It should be a fun and informative look at some of interesting dynamics, some of which we might be missing, and try to piece together how we all approach the genre, and maybe theorize a bit about what is really important to understanding designing for a community, not just a player.
If you are heading to the conference make sure you drop by and say hello!
If you are heading to the conference make sure you drop by and say hello!
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