How would i go about starting a mmo

[Frank Dodd]

Yeah right! What? Runescape is a small or easy game to make? You are kidding yourself! Yeah, Penguin Club. But Penguin Club doesn't even scroll or anything. It's just one room scenes with a few dozen characters on the screen.

While there are plenty of comments in this thread that justifiably point out the difficulties in creating an MMO and the pitfalls therein, I wanted to present another perspective.

The point I was trying to make is that it is all a matter of scale and even an MMO can be scaled down to a point where its development is achievable by a small team or even one talented person.

[Halifax]

The point I was trying to make is that it is all a matter of scale and even an MMO can be scaled down to a point where its development is achievable by a small team or even one talented person.

The point is you are trying to "scale" something down that is explicitly defined as massive.

At any rate, here's a semi-exhaustive list/questionaire that can provide you some food for thought if you're trying to make a MMO: So, you're designing an MMORPG? Have you thought it through?

[B@z]

well to tell the truth, i had already two mmo fail.
i wasnt going to make WOW 2, just a moderate one, but still failed.

but i dont mind that i started them. i learned a lot from them, even if i failed.
and so, i could completed a simple MOG, from the experience what i achieved from MMO.

i think those who stop programming because they failed on making mmo, would stop programming even if they fail with little game.
they arent stopping coz the MMOs are hard, but coz the game isnt programming it self xD no patience, no willing to learn.

btw youre saying that small MMOs are not MMOs coz they arent massive.
then what are these?

you problably say that its MOG, but reference to wikipedia:

These games(MMOG) differ from MMORPGs in that they do not create a persistent world, but create a playing arena for the purpose of a single game or round.

[MasterM]

B@z your right, if you quit programming is cause you had no patience to learn.
Thanks to patience i am still here because i know ill make it someday

[B@z]

thats the spirit!

[Ulf]

Let this be a lesson, kids.

Ok Dad.

Dad, do you think you can do my homework for me?
I'm losing patience. LOL

[grumpymonkey]

idk why people always say its really hard to make a 3D mmo.

Sure its hard, but not that hard. If you want to start small, try making a 3D MOG (3D Multiplayer Online Game) where players can walk around and see each other. Then from there you just optimize how you update positions to reduce lagg, and you start adding things to interact like chatting.

an MMO isnt hard to make, it just takes a long time to make, and requires you to be patient so you dont get bored of it.

Things you need:
1. An idea
2. Graphics/Models
3. C/C++ knowledge
4. Networking Knowledge
5. Patience

its not that hard, I've made a small one before but I gave up on it because I didnt have enough resources. You must Plan everything before you start programming otherwise you'll get confused and make a huge mess of your code

[Dorth]

...I've made a small one before but I gave up on it because I didnt have enough resources. You must Plan everything before you start programming otherwise you'll get confused and make a huge mess of your code

You what??? Made a small massive (???) multiplayer online rpg, but didn't finish it (!!!) so it's easy?

Stop being a Jack Thompson!

[grumpymonkey]

I made a small multiplayer online role-playing game.(MORPG)

[Sylence]

You do know that the second M changes everything ?

[wITTus]

I wrote a MSPOPPG* once and it wasn't difficult at all!

* Massively Solo-Player Offline Puzzle Play Game

[bitplane]

I made a small multiplayer online role-playing game.(MORPG)

Which part caused you to give up? Making assets for an RPG, which is a huge task, or the resources and time required to host and administer an Internet server?
A massive one requires much more of each and this makes up the bulk of the argument against hobbyist MMORPGs.

[grumpymonkey]

I gave up on it since I didnt have enough models, and graphics and I didnt want to waste my time making them since I know that nobodys gunna play it since the server would probably go too slow, and I dont have any money so I cant buy a server.

[Dorth]

WHAT THE F*CK!
You've just justified our position yourself!

[B@z]

wait wait.
why misunderstand him?

idk why people always say its really hard to make a 3D mmo.

Sure its hard, but not that hard. If you want to start small, try making a 3D MOG (3D Multiplayer Online Game)

You what??? Made a small massive (???) multiplayer online rpg, but didn't finish it (!!!) so it's easy?

he said, that if you want to make an mmog, first start with mog.
its like you say: if you want to make a game, first start with tetris.
and then he said:

I've made a small one before but I gave up on it because ...

its like you say: I've made a tetris before, but I gave up on it because ....

he did never say that he made an mmo!


and different topic, but you say small mmos are not mmos.
then what are they?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplayer_online_game
MOG is when ppl make room, and wait for connect, and play.
no persistent world.

These games differ from MMORPGs in that they do not create a persistent world, but create a playing arena for the purpose of a single game or round.

I think its much more far from this kind of game than mmo

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (commonly abbreviated MMORPG) is a genre of computer role-playing games in which a large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world.

MMORPG is not about the size, but the fact that players are within a virtual world, a continous, what not destroyed, or resetted when everyone leaves, no host.

and so, i dont think that number decide what the type of the game.
somebody make an mmo, but nobody plays then thats not mmo?
or COD is MMO because a lot of ppl plays that!?
i dont really believe..
the system decide the genre.

that all is my opinion though.. may be wrong