That's a Terrible Idea (My blog about game design, particularly MMOs.)

aran · 06-20-2009, 11:36 PM

There are some really smart people around here who enjoy playing MMORPGs, so I figured this new blog I'm contributing to would be worth posting about.

It's called "That's a Terrible Idea." It's focused on MMORPG design. A college friend and I are writing it. We analyze game mechanics, theorize about what makes MMORPGs fun, and suggest ways to improve on what's out there.

hxxp://thatsaterribleidea.blogspot.com/

I am known as "evizaer" on there.

It's not a news site. We don't go deep into the patch notes for specific games. It's more of an armchair game design and analysis site.

Any comments on the individual articles would be greatly appreciated (please post a comment on the blog itself).

Let me know what you think!

sabotai · 06-20-2009, 11:54 PM

Interesting. I've been rolling MMORPG ideas around in my head ever since Ultima Online came out, so I'll be reading.

SnowMan · 06-21-2009, 12:17 AM

I'll be reading, too. Been interested in MMOs for years as well.

Marc Vaughan · 06-21-2009, 11:47 AM

If you haven't read them already there are some very good MMO design books around, best bet is to do a quick amazon search and look at reviews as everyone has different tastes and interests in such things (I like the ones which break down into sociological aspects myself).

aran · 06-21-2009, 08:57 PM

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Marc: I'm focusing mainly on MMORPGs and their issue--the game mechanics moreso than the social aspects. I think that people will find a way to enjoy the social aspect of a game as long is it isn't entirely terribly designed, but the real challenge is improving on the current pretty unsustainable and mediocre core MMORPG mechanics and goals.

Thanks for the suggestion, though. I thought the field was a bit too young to have considerable literature. I guess I was wrong.

aran · 10-30-2009, 02:32 PM

Four months later, we're at 1,000+ uniques a month. We recently won a little award for MMO Design Blog of the Month from a fellow blogger who I deeply respect. Things are going well.

People who checked this out originally should go back--there are 90+ articles now, many of which are worth reading (I hope).

Peregrine · 10-30-2009, 02:41 PM

Cool stuff. I find this design stuff a bit dry at times but I like to read it occasionally.

SportsDino · 10-30-2009, 02:44 PM

Not making an MMORPG, but I'll give it a read and apply some thought to my current space station project.

Calis · 10-30-2009, 03:44 PM

I've been having a renewed interest in game design/theory and have been working on a few ideas of my own and trying to get my old programming skills back(been too long, and I'm finding coding isn't exactly like riding a bike!)

I find MMO's to be about the least interestingly designed games around. That's the main reason I've stopped playing and have no interest in continuing until something changes. Any game can be fun with a group of friends.

I will give the blog a look though, but I'm pretty pessimistic about seeing much change in the genre anytime soon. People are going to be chasing the WoW-style for a while still.

Odd that this gets brought up also because I was just thinking about making a post on Game Design with regards to designs or concepts you loved in bad games. I've been playing this oddball Russian Adventure/RPG/FPS/Survival Horror game called Pathologic which does some amazing things design-wise, and things I would love to see in a big budget game, but the game itself is such a mess I wouldn't recommend it to almost everyone. It really touches thing I've never seen a game do though, but I won't threadjack here.

Congrats on the award.

06-21-2009, 11:47 AM	#4
Marc Vaughan SI Games Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Melbourne, FL	If you haven't read them already there are some very good MMO design books around, best bet is to do a quick amazon search and look at reviews as everyone has different tastes and interests in such things (I like the ones which break down into sociological aspects myself). Last edited by Marc Vaughan : 06-21-2009 at 11:48 AM.

10-30-2009, 02:32 PM	#6
aran High School Varsity Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA	Four months later, we're at 1,000+ uniques a month. We recently won a little award for MMO Design Blog of the Month from a fellow blogger who I deeply respect. Things are going well. People who checked this out originally should go back--there are 90+ articles now, many of which are worth reading (I hope). Last edited by aran : 10-30-2009 at 02:52 PM.

06-20-2009, 11:54 PM	#2
sabotai General Manager Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Satellite of Love	Interesting. I've been rolling MMORPG ideas around in my head ever since Ultima Online came out, so I'll be reading.

06-21-2009, 12:17 AM	#3
SnowMan High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Georgia via Alaska via Washington	I'll be reading, too. Been interested in MMOs for years as well.

06-21-2009, 08:57 PM	#5
aran High School Varsity Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA	Thanks for the responses, guys. Marc: I'm focusing mainly on MMORPGs and their issue--the game mechanics moreso than the social aspects. I think that people will find a way to enjoy the social aspect of a game as long is it isn't entirely terribly designed, but the real challenge is improving on the current pretty unsustainable and mediocre core MMORPG mechanics and goals. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I thought the field was a bit too young to have considerable literature. I guess I was wrong.

10-30-2009, 02:41 PM	#7
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Cool stuff. I find this design stuff a bit dry at times but I like to read it occasionally.

10-30-2009, 02:44 PM	#8
SportsDino College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2001	Not making an MMORPG, but I'll give it a read and apply some thought to my current space station project.

10-30-2009, 03:44 PM	#9
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	I've been having a renewed interest in game design/theory and have been working on a few ideas of my own and trying to get my old programming skills back(been too long, and I'm finding coding isn't exactly like riding a bike!) I find MMO's to be about the least interestingly designed games around. That's the main reason I've stopped playing and have no interest in continuing until something changes. Any game can be fun with a group of friends. I will give the blog a look though, but I'm pretty pessimistic about seeing much change in the genre anytime soon. People are going to be chasing the WoW-style for a while still. Odd that this gets brought up also because I was just thinking about making a post on Game Design with regards to designs or concepts you loved in bad games. I've been playing this oddball Russian Adventure/RPG/FPS/Survival Horror game called Pathologic which does some amazing things design-wise, and things I would love to see in a big budget game, but the game itself is such a mess I wouldn't recommend it to almost everyone. It really touches thing I've never seen a game do though, but I won't threadjack here. Congrats on the award.

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