One thing i have always wondered with MMO's is when is it best to launch it to public.
Given you need alot of stuff to do before they get to a point that there is nothing to do, how do you work out that there is enough content for people to play allowing you time to advance the game in some way so they never reach a point of having nothing to do ?
Equally with such small teams for MMO designing how do small projects still achieve to write so many quests, I'm aware the likes of WoW have a huge staff base but indie projects do not... so was curious how people manage it.
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When to launch an MMO
Started by thefollower, Jan 16 2012 02:23 PM
7 replies to this topic
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#2 Moderators - Reputation: 4849
Posted 16 January 2012 - 02:54 PM
This isn't a Game Design question. Moving it elsewhere.
-- Tom Sloper
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Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
Sloperama Productions
Making games fun and getting them done.
www.sloperama.com
Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
#3 Moderators - Reputation: 4849
Posted 16 January 2012 - 03:06 PM
1. when is it best to launch it to public.
2...how do you work out that there is enough content for people to play allowing you time to advance the game in some way so they never reach a point of having nothing to do ?
3...how do small projects still achieve to write so many quests, I'm aware the likes of WoW have a huge staff base but indie projects do not... so was curious how people manage it.
1. When it's viable and fun. You want people to play with it and have fun and let others know.
2. By testing it. You could launch a free Beta or you can go recruit testers.
3. Small teams don't launch huge MMOs. They launch small games that are within their ability to create.
-- Tom Sloper
Sloperama Productions
Making games fun and getting them done.
www.sloperama.com
Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
Sloperama Productions
Making games fun and getting them done.
www.sloperama.com
Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
#4 Members - Reputation: 161
Posted 16 January 2012 - 04:30 PM
Hmm i was looking for more of a game design type of answers. Such as how you can calculate playable hours based on total quests and ways in which to keep the players busy with stuff to stay one step ahead. Given some designers already have gone through the process they may have some advice.
#5 Members - Reputation: 3715
Posted 16 January 2012 - 05:17 PM
Hmm i was looking for more of a game design type of answers. Such as how you can calculate playable hours based on total quests and ways in which to keep the players busy with stuff to stay one step ahead. Given some designers already have gone through the process they may have some advice.
As a rule of thumb, for MMOs you won't stay one step ahead unless you introduce some form of grinding, it will always take significantly less time to play through content than to create it, You don't really calculate playable hours, you measure them by testing the game.
I don't suffer from insanity, I'm enjoying every minute of it.
The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
#6 Moderators - Reputation: 4849
Posted 16 January 2012 - 05:19 PM
You don't really calculate playable hours, you measure them by testing the game.
I third that.
-- Tom Sloper
Sloperama Productions
Making games fun and getting them done.
www.sloperama.com
Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
Sloperama Productions
Making games fun and getting them done.
www.sloperama.com
Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.
