It is doable if you start to use engines right from the start.

Basically the current MMO engines to look out are:
BigWorld
Esenthel Engine
Hero Engine(the current heavy lifter - check out HeroCloud: It's a free tool and also free server hosting by them, all they want is 30% of future net revenue. You will want to start using it if you realistically want to create this MMO)

They do a lot of work for you and you could probably create a working demo fast but it is still a lot of work even with any of these. Doing everything yourself in C++(or any other language) with few people? Extremely hard, probably impossible.

Basically the current MMO engines to look out are:
[s]BigWorld[/s]

Scratch BigWorld -- it's written by burnt-out minimum wage graduates, so everyone who's bought it has then had to hire network programmers and re-write it themselves... but by that point they've already signed the license agreement that says they've got to put the BigWorld logo on their product, and on the cycle goes...

Don't forget Realm Crafter -- from what I've seen and heard it's not really suitable for larger scale projects, but by all accounts it's a great way to quickly and easily get a reasonably impressive multi-player RPG online.


You would need one or more skilled programmers and/or people able to use your engine of choice -- for a smaller scale project using a product such as Realm Crafter you may be able to get away with learning this yourself as you go along -- otherwise this is probably not suitable as a beginner project. Even taking the simplified option expect to have to put a lot of time and work in.

Unless you're happy to just use the art that comes with any of the above listed packages, you would also need to either learn how to create 3d artwork, purchase your artwork, or work with one or more other people who are already able to create it.


My suggestions:

• Aim small. Even smaller than your original idea to begin with, although with some effort and the right choices along the way there's no reason you shouldn't be able to scale up to your original idea. You want to start out with a single small map in which multiple players can interact, and build from there.
  
• Take advantage of existing technology. If you want to do this, you'll either have to put it aside for at least a year (probably longer) while you learn the basics, or you'll have to choose the simplest engine you're able to find and learn how to use it.
  
• IF you decide to work with others:
  
  
  
  • Make sure you've spent the time to learn enough to contribute yourself first. There's nothing worse than working on someone else's idea only to realise they aren't doing any real work themselves or don't really know what they're doing.
    
  • Work with the smallest group of people possible to get the job done. If you need extra help, then find one more person to fill that role, but don't grow a massive team. All too often we see enthusiastic beginners form huge teams, only to make a small amount of progress (if any) before the project goes down in flames. A larger team introduces more problems, and it takes a lot of experience and motivation to overcome those difficulties and make such a team productive.
    

Hope that helps!