Red 5 Studios interview: How to fail-proof your MMO
by Shawn Schuster 
Dec 4th 2008 at 3:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Interviews, MMO industry, Hellgate: London, Tabula Rasa
"I think the key is that you need to marry whatever your theme is to the nature of the gameplay," Kern advised. "I think that the issue comes in when you take a theme or a genre that doesn't fit with the style of gameplay that you're making. I think that's some of what you've seen with these failed games. If you just go out and try to make a WoW-type of game with a few tweaks, then try to place the sci-fi genre on top of it, I think you've got some big issues there."
Ouch! We can only speculate as to which game he's referring, but we tend to agree with his point here. Shoot us your opinions on a topic that's probably not going to go away any time soon.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Skypp said on 7:56PM 12-04-2008
All these developers certainly have all the correct answers and the industry figured out while their game is still in development don't they?
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torak said on 12:27AM 12-05-2008
Everyone one of these games that's tried to layer a new skin on the WoW mechanic has landed on its nose. Not just TR or HG.
No revelations here.
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Terazeal said on 6:31AM 12-05-2008
Funny, I've never played a game that was just reskinned WoW. All of the MMOs I've played had at least a few new ideas/features. So which games are they talking about then?
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MadAussie said on 3:05AM 12-06-2008
I don't know about the rest of you but it's refreshing to read about a developer with the balls to point to actual games and say why they suck.
Most of the industry is full of so much crap that they're afraid to burn a bridge or two and offend a publisher with the truth.
WoW's formula wasn't Blizzard's. The game simply pulled conventions from other titles (EverQuest, UO, etc.) and tacked on a high production value.
Its success can be attributed to getting a LOT of little things right and leaving the big things to a tried and true formula.
In today's unstable economic environment, the MMO formula that gave WoW its sales is now beginning to show its obsolescence.
I have no idea what Kern's company is working on but I'm now intrigued. It sounds like this guy is about as tired of same old crap with a new coat of paint as I am.
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