MMO's to tap

Knight Online
FlyFF
SilkRoad
WoW
FFXI
MU Online
EQ
EQII
GuildWars

Some Survey results:

Questions:
1. What attracted you to play an MMO?
2. Why did you choose FFXI/FlyFF? (I know some answers are going to be obvious, but I have to ask.)
3. Why do you STILL keep playing FFXI/FlyFF?
4. Do you play any other MMOs? (What are they?)(Skip the rest if 4 is no.)
5. Why did you choose those MMOs also?
6. If you are playing more than 1 MMO, what do you like and not like about those VS. each other and FFXI/FlyFF?
7. Why do you still play those MMOs?

---

Arcanum LS forum:
1. What attracted you to play an MMO?

The idea of being able to play a game online with RL friends even though we were at our seperate homes.


2. Why did you choose FFXI? (I know some answers are going to be obvious, but I have to ask.)

I was already a fan of FF, and had played a couple FF games in the past. Ajhev was keen on the MMO, so I came along for the ride.

3. Why do you STILL keep playing FFXI?

This is a difficult question. I would miss the friends that I have made in game, but also because this game has become a strong force of habit.

4. Do you play any other MMOs? (What are they?)(Skip the rest if 4 is no.)

Nope. Played EQ for a month or two, but that was the only other MMO I have played. Wait, Online Euchre doesn't count, does it?

5. Why did you choose those MMOs also?

EQ was strictly because AJ played and we lived seperately. It allowed me to spend more time with him in a goofy sort of way. I had a good time with it and met some fun new people.

6. If you are playing more than 1 MMO, what do you like and not like about those VS. each other and FFXI?

FFXI compared to EQ seems child proof. In EQ if you fell off the edge of a cliff or a high point in a city you took damage or died. Not only did you have to look out for scenery, but also other players. Even your own city was not always safe. This sort of thing added a different element of excitement to the gaming experience.

---

1. What attracted you to play an MMO?

Social interaction with people from differant countries (checking up on steriotypes when im bored Razz )


2. Why did you choose FFXI?

other then the fact that my brother bought it and said i should try it? Its Final Fantasy, i'd be a dork NOT to play it!




3. Why do you STILL keep playing FFXI?

im not 75, my gear is lacking in prettyness, i wanna be a pirate, and i'd go into withdrawl from not talking to people


4. Do you play any other MMOs?

nope, between my art and FFXI, it leaves no (online) time to be sent on other MMO's

---

1. What attracted you to play an MMO?

I honestly didn't know what an MMO was until my friend Brighid told me about FFXI. See answer to #2, lol.

2. Why did you choose FFXI?

My friend Brighid started playing when her now-ex-bf got it. I'd never even played FF until XI and I've played FFX for a little bit since hooking up with Aki.

3. Why do you STILL keep playing FFXI?

Not only has it become a habit (ok, maybe even an addiction, lol), it's my way of seeing friends. I'm also kind of a homebody so it's a way for me to talk to other people.

4. Do you play any other MMOs?

Nope, not really interested and don't really have the time to.

---

FlyFF LJ community journal:
1. I love video games and prior to this game had never played an MMO before. The appeal of a massive community in combination with gaming elements is what drew me in.

2. I choose Flyff first and foremost, because it was free. Being a full time student, I don't have the money to pay for a monthly MMO. Also, the artistic style of the game is highly appealing and the learning curve is gentle.

3. I continue to play because I like the people. Interestingly enough, I "play" less and socialise more. I find myself treating it a bit like a virtual dollhouse XD

4. I also play a game called Online Dance Battle Audition, which is a rhythmn based game along the lines of Dance Dance Revolution.

5. I choose that game because I like the genre and because I like to customise my avatar and interact with the community.

6. Comparing Flyff and Audition is like comparing Apples and Oranges. The former more a traditional RPG and the latter being a twitchfest.

7. For fun, why else? A good game for fun and good people to challenge me further.

---

1. What attracted you to play an MMO?

I've been playing online text-based RPGs since fall of 1994. It seemed the next step in the addiction. Unfortunately, you don't exactly get any depth of roleplay in graphical games, whereas text-based games still have the capacity to wow me.

2. Why did you choose FlyFF?

It's free. Well, that, and someone told me that the mistranslation is hilarious. It is.

3. Why do you STILL keep playing FlyFF?

Because it sure beats letting someone have part of my paycheck every month.

4. Do you play any other MMOs?

This is conditional, and therefore the only question of the next four that I'll answer: I have played them in the past. I played the original EQ "back in the day", but grew tired of the grind and never got higher than level 9. I bought FFXI when it first came out because the graphics were simply stunning, but the friends I went to play with were all tens of levels above me, and I was left in the newbie garden with the latest crop of illiterate kids. Though, it was cool to be running through town and see Japanese text on my screen.

I got tired of playing them. At some point, someone showed me Maple Story. Now, MS is cute, but it is in no way a RPG. There's no way to roleplay. It's just competitive sidescrolling. I like Flyff because when I get bored with the grind, I'll hop on my board (Rhyan's current level, 21, is the highest I have ever gotten on an MMO) and go flying around to look at stuff.

---

1. What attracted you to play an MMO?
It's more funny to play with real people then with PC.

2. Why did you choose FlyFF?
a) I'ts free
b) It's role playing
c) It's graphical

3. Why do you STILL keep playing FlyFF?
I don't play now, may be later I'll come back to it

4. Do you play any other MMOs? (What are they?)(Skip the rest if 4 is no.)
yes, Utopia Online (have played since 6 years, still keep playing), EQ, DestinySphere, some other russian MMOGs
5. Why did you choose those MMOs also?
Utopia has a good gameplay and takes not so much time, so I keep playing it, the other I've leaved, they were either boring or expensive.

6. If you are playing more than 1 MMO, what do you like and not like about those VS. each other and FlyFF?
FlyFF takes time I don't have :( So I choose games where I could log in once or twice a day for good playing.

7. Why do you still play those MMOs?
^^

Let's take a look

Comparing one game to another will contrast what makes the visual aspect of each game different from each other.

Compare FlyFF:



FLying mode



Ground mode

to FFXI:



to WoW:




We can see in terms of general coloring and aesthetic that WoW is very similar to FlyFF where FFXI has a more realistic feel to it. We also can see that FlyFF has an in game IM, while WoW and FFXI rely on /tell or /whisper.
Still FlyFF has a super cartoon/anime feel to it while WoW has a fantasy art style that would be found in tabletop player guides or monster manuals and such. FFXI relies on a more realistic feel however there are some aspects that set it apart from truly being photo real. Comparing the character look to one another FlyFF has a more "chibi" feel, where the head is somewhat disproportianate to the rest of the body. Wow has exaggerated muscles and an exaggerated body and it's ver unreal. FFXI on the otherhand tend to go for more realistic proportions for the more human characters and make the more non-human characters be proportiantate to itself.

These are just some of the things that make the games different from each other, yet women all play these games and find some aspect to them appealing.

More links

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584502398/002-5180076-6061632?n=283155
zgender Inclusive Game Design

http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.php
ESA

In the interim time....

In the interim time that I rethink my supporting thesis program, I'm going to be doing more research into the different aspects of it.

Here are some moresels:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/29946

Basically a video that shows a woman "killing" her boyfriends sex drive by buying him a video game. I find it ironic that they are still targeting the male udience, now it's through the female consumer however.

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=7642977f6e99e6e437a0e66b5bdadb09&threadid=20557

A link that discusses breifly what players get out of online games.

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=7642977f6e99e6e437a0e66b5bdadb09&threadid=19613

Another thread that talks about Women and Game Design

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?threadid=14038

Talks about making games appealing to women.

http://msn-cnet.com.com/Games+that+stick+it+to+The+Man/2116-1043_3-6035028.html?tag=st.prev

Has a link to an Anti-advergame.

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=2a4936a4b4d4451304e2b240fcfaae52&threadid=20512

Links to the link on the anti-advergame, alsto talk about who these games are aimed at.

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?threadid=18624

One that actually points out some points about what attracts female gamers. I like the points about the adreniline fueled VS alpha state fueled. It does seem that the games that they mention are more relaxed and casual than the "OMG DUDES GONNA KILL ME ALL AROUND!!"
I also like the comment of Asia VS. NA/EU, there is no stigma that girls play games, however it's a BIG stigma or at least a sticking point that I see. When in a game you say your a girl you get the
"OMFG let's cyber"
or
"WTF STFU n00b lolz no you ain't"

Both are very unattractive. Asia seems to accept the fact that the avatar is an avatar and that if one says they are a girl, they probably might be one.

I also want to point out that on those "cute-sie" games that guys play too, and that in Asia it's not a big stigma to play a "cute" game.

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1133.asp

Has some links worth investigating.

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=7642977f6e99e6e437a0e66b5bdadb09&threadid=19613
Bookmarked

Schedule #3

Week 5: Finalize the interface mock-ups, finalize the characters sketches. Create a map of the area that the game takes place in.

Week 6: Have a "working" interface with the health bar and the character image.

Week 7: Have the areas "tiled" out that are used in the "Save the Son" quest

Week 8: Start making the areas playable, talking to NPCs and/or battle scenes.

Week 9: Start to implement the combat system with attack and defend. Maybe add the heal items.

Week 10: Have a playable game.

Here is the interface for the main view of the action:



The green area is where the action takes place the 4 boxes off to the side are where the characters are going to visible with their stats and such.

Since stats and equipment are automatic they will simply be displayed in the box on the character. The heal items will be on Tracey's box since he makes the tiems. There are no stats since the weapon does a set amount of damage.

It moves!!

I got something to move, now all I need to do is get ti so it displays the sideview sprites and such: