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E3 2005 MMOG REPORT

E3 2005 MMOG Report
Updated: 6/6/2005
Bruce Sterling Woodcock

Well, another E3 has come and gone. It was a long, hot week in Los Angeles this year, and there was, as always, a lot to see at the convention. The Expo was bigger and louder than ever, with over 70,000 attendees flooding the convention halls, hallways, and parties. Much of the media attention this year was focused on the next generation consoles from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. But my focus was on MMOGs; specifically, the no less than 28 new MMOGs in development that will be coming to market over the next 2 years. In this report, I will summarize my impressions of the upcoming titles, including both gameplay and commercial expectations. It is important to note that these are not meant to be full-blown previews; many of these games I only saw briefly, others may change substantially before release, and in any case you can’t really judge a MMOG until it has been released.

Turbine
Turbine’s booth was somewhat small and in an out-of-the-way location, but they were prominently showcasing both of their eagerly anticipated MMOG titles, Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach and Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (formerly Middle Earth Online). The company recently secured $30 million of new equity funding, so they should be in good position to finish both titles in addition to maintaining their existing Asheron’s Call and Asheron’s Call 2 MMOGs. Despite its location the booth saw an almost constant supply of traffic, so I’m sure there will be a lot of buzz about their products.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach
Availability: Q4 2005
http://www.ddo.com/

I can honestly say that DDO was easily the most interesting and fun MMOG I saw at E3 this year. Players were allowed to play through their choice of two short adventures, either solo or teamed up with others. The graphics were excellent, a generation beyond those displayed in Asheron’s Call 2. The combat system is quick and action-packed; players click their mouse to attack or block as needed, and execute special attacks via the keyboard as usual. The game promises a heavy use of instancing and will be as faithful to the 3.5 Edition D&D rules as is practical for an online game, with some changes being made for the purposes of playability. While the game’s features are not to everyone’s tastes, I expect this game to be a big hit for the casual MMORPG player, as well as appealing to the many D&D players (both computer and pen & paper) who have yet to find a MMOG to their liking.

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
Availability: 2006
http://lotro.turbine.com/
LotRO gameplay was demoed by Turbine employees, so players were not able to play the game personally, but were able to see more than just a video trailer. The demo highlighted both the combat and the dynamic quest system, where changes happen in the shared areas based upon the adventures that players undertake in their instanced areas. Exactly how this is going to work on the scale of a MMOG was not made entirely clear. The graphics were okay but were not as appealing to me as DDO’s. Turbine only recently took over the rights to develop this game independently; previously they were partnered with Vivendi, and the title was called Middle Earth Online. So they are still in the process of reworking some of the initial design, which is why the title has been delayed from 2005 until 2006. Lord of the Rings remains a very hot IP and as long as the design is solid this game should see a lot of interest in 2006.

Mythic Entertainment
Mythic’s booth was located on the lower-profile Concourse Hall, so many E3 goers may have walked right past it without knowing it was there. However, prominent signs for Imperator and booth babes and beefcake in futuristic Roman armor pointed the way. Mythic was showing off their next DAoC expansion as well, but the stations for sitting down and playing Imperator were the primary attraction. Interestingly, while at E3 Mythic also announced that they have secured the exclusive rights to make an MMOG based on the fantasy Warhammer universe, after developer Climax recently abandoned a similar project of their own.

Imperator
Availability: Q4 2005
http://www.imperatoronline.com/
Imperator was probably the most polished MMOG I saw at E3 this year - this doesn’t mean it was the best; just that it was the most complete at the time. Players were able to play through the game’s introduction and starting quests in essentially the same form the game will present them at launch. The game drops you right into the middle of the action, and provides a fairly intuitive interface for selecting and following a variety of missions that lead the player through the game’s early stages. Currently, the game features a more traditional style of MMOG combat similar to that of Star Wars Galaxies or Anarchy Online; however, Mythic says that modifications will be made to make the combat more involving and interactive. I believe the game’s theme of PvE-focused, mission-based, futuristic sci-fi combat will pit it against NCSoft’s Tabula Rasa, in terms of both mindshare and marketing.

Warhammer Online
Availability: Q3 2007 - Q4 2007
http://www.warhammeronline.com/
It is still too early to say much about this game as it was only just announced at E3. Previously, UK-based Games Workshop had pulled the plug on a Warhammer MMOG being developed by Climax, but now Mythic has stepped in to provide their own vision of this unique fantasy setting. The game will be feature RvR (Realm versus Realm) combat with player-influenced content.

NCSoft
NCSoft had one of the largest, loudest, and most prominent booths at E3 this year. It featured a huge stage with a regular live band and pyrotechnic stage performances. Nearly every game in their stable was on display and playable via multiple machines, as well as three of their upcoming titles. They received a tremendous amount of traffic; I’m sure more people got a chance to play Tabula Rasa, Auto Assault, and City of Villains than played Imperator or Dungeons & Dragons Online, so I expect these titles will generate a lot of interest over the coming months.

Tabula Rasa
Availability: Q1 2006
http://www.playtr.com/
Tabula Rasa has undergone a complete makeover. The game is now more like a First-Person Shooter with RPG elements. Given its emphasis on futuristic fighting against alien invasions, it is at first glance similar to Mythic’s upcoming Imperator. However, Imperator has a more traditional combat system like Anarchy Online or Star Wars Galaxies (though this will probably change); Tabula Rasa is a step closer towards the PlanetSide end of the combat spectrum. The game also features in-game voice chat, which Imperator does not have. Still, I think timing and marketing will pit Imperator and Tabula Rasa against each other in the marketplace for subscribers. Tabula Rasa will probably emerge with a lot more talk after E3, given its high-profile place in NCSoft’s booth in the South Hall along with all of their other titles, whereas Imperator was shown in Mythic’s smaller booth on the lower-profile Concourse Hall.

Auto Assault
Availability: Q3 2005
http://www.autoassault.com/
Auto Assault looked very much like the same game shown at last years E3, only much more polished and, presumably, with much more content. Like Tabula Rasa, the game features both FPS and RPG elements, but the action is naturally more frenetic. Vehicles zoom around everywhere, and nearly every object you see on screen is destructible. The game seems like it will focus a lot of PvE instanced missions, but there will be opportunities for PvP as well. The biggest announcement was that they would be adding voice chat ala Tabula Rasa to the game, which should make coordination and tactics among party members much easier. If the game has a weakness, it is that opportunities to play “yourself” outside of your vehicle will be limited, which was a chief complaint of another now-cancelled MMOG, Earth & Beyond.

City of Villains
Availability: Q4 2005
http://www.cityofvillains.com/
In some ways, CoV is just an expansion to CoH, and will garner a lot of the same players. However, the game is being designed and marketed to stand largely on its own; CoV players will not need to purchase CoH if they only want to play a villain, and vice-versa. It’s not clear yet if each game will require its own subscription, however. The game itself features familiar CoH gameplay, but one of the new features are lairs, which villains can set up and design to store their loot and trophies and so on. But a new game mechanic forces villains to defend their lairs against both heroes and other villains. This is in addition to new, open PvP areas as well. Even if NCSoft puts both games on the same existing subscription, the release of CoV should rekindle interest in CoH and result in new subscribers for both games.

Webzen
Webzen had a very big booth on the main floor and they were promoting not only their existing MMOG, MU Online, but also no less than six new MMOGs they have in development, most prominently SUN and Huxley. Unfortunately, most of the personnel staffing the booth were not fully familiar with the games, and the developers only spoke through interpreters. Thus, I fear many people were not able to really get a chance to evaluate these titles. Webzen is going to be making a big push at the North American market, especially with SUN, so proper marketing and execution will be essential if they are to succeed.

SUN: Episode I: Soul of the Ultimate Nation
Availability: Q4 2005 - Q1 2006
http://www.webzengames.com/
SUN was honestly one of the most impressive MMOG titles I saw at E3 (along with Dungeons & Dragons Online). The graphics demonstrated were extremely high quality and the stylized artwork was very eye-catching. It is easily equal if not superior in graphics to games like Lineage II and Dungeons & Dragons Online. Webzen developers are also going for a more “action-based” combat system; this is a common trend in upcoming MMOGs who are trying to make combat more “interactive” and “fun”; another phrase you hear is more “console-style”. With SUN’s impressive graphics, a soundtrack from Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore, and a customized difficulty system where players can choose their desired challenge level, types of monsters, what map to play on, and so on, and I think SUN has a potential hit on their hands if the title is made accessible to an English-speaking audience and properly marketed in the US.

Huxley
Availability: Q2 2006 - Q4 2006
http://www.webzengames.com/
Webzen also demoed the gameplay for Huxley, a FPS-based MMORPG based in a post-apocalyptic future where two sides war for control of resources. The game also has AI opponents as well, which players from opposing factions will sometimes have to team up against in order to survive. The demo showed off the game’s large aboveground city as well as the belowground catacombs where much of the action takes place. The graphics were impressive but I have my doubts as to performance when the areas are filled with hundreds of other players at the same time. Still, the game had a very distinctive look and feel, and if Webzen can come to understand the tastes of US players, they may capture some of that market. Huxley will also be released for the Xbox 360 as well.

APB: All Points Bulletin
Availability: Q4 2006 - Q2 2007
http://www.webzengames.com/
The trailer for APB didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know - this game, from the creator of Grand Theft Auto, is supposed to be a massively multiplayer version of such a game, where some players organize gangs and others organize police forces and the two duke it out PvP-style for control of city territory. It is certainly an interesting concept, but I have my doubts that it can actually make for a compelling game.

Parfait Station
Availability: Q3 2005 - Q1 2006
http://www.webzengames.com/
Parfait Station is a quirky little MMOG featuring cutesy anime-style characters in console-style shooting combat against both computer controlled opponents and other players. I couldn’t really make heads or tales of what this game was supposed to be. Is it a console shooter? An RPG? A virtual world? I doubt it will translate to the US market.

Wiki: The Master of Tales
Availability: Q4 2005 - Q2 2006
http://www.webzengames.com/
Wiki is another whimsical, quirky MMOG featuring cutesy anime-style characters. However, unlike Parfait Station, the game is designed for the more casual player, and focuses more on group questing than fast-paced action. The game also promises to provide a changing world that responds to the actions and interactions of the players inside the game. In some ways, the game reminds me of Toontown Online, and could be appealing to younger players if marketed appropriately in the US.

Kingdom of Warriors
Availability: Unknown
http://www.webzengames.com/
I know nothing about this game other than it was listed among the other titles Webzen has in development.

Perpetual Entertainment
Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising
Availability: Q3 2005
http://www.godsandheroes.com/
Perpetual developers were demoing their upcoming MMOG behind closed doors, but they had a prominent banner and several legionnaires in full Roman armor promoting the game up and down the concourse. The game itself is improving graphically, but the real selling point will be the innovative squad-based AI system, which will allow players to hire a variety of NPCs, both human and mythological, to fight alongside them on their hunting campaigns and their extensive questing. I am a little doubtful this game will be released before Q4, but when it is it should warrant at least a look from the often-jaded MMOG hardcore.

Funcom
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
Availability: Q2 2006
http://www.ageofconan.com/
Age of Conan was being demoed in an early state, but it was clear they had already done a lot of work on the project. The engine demonstrated large-scale battles with dozens of computer-controlled opponents warring with each other over a vast, rolling landscape. Interestingly, players will initially play through the game single-player on linear style quests, only to enter “massive” online play after reaching level 20. This longish tutorial serves many purposes - to alleviate early crowded in newbie areas, to gives players a common experience from which they start, to educate the player on the story and background of the universe, and so on. Also, like many upcoming MMOGs, the game promises a more “action-oriented” combat system, with players making real time decisions on how to attack and where to swing their weapons. If Funcom can deliver on their promises, chances are their second MMOG will be a much greater success than their first attempt, Anarchy Online.

Sigil Games Online
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
Availability: 2006
http://www.vanguardsoh.com/
Also demoed at the ATI booth, V:SoH looks intriguing, but unfortunately their servers were down when I went to take a look at the title, so all they could show was a tour through some of the game world and dungeons to show off the artwork and level design. This title is highly anticipated by some of the MMOG hardcore, as it comes from ex-EverQuest developers Brad McQuaid and Jeff Butler, but aside from the graphics and the promise of a new Diplomacy/Political path of advancement (in addition to the traditional MMOG paths of combat and crafting), it does not seem to be very innovative over the original EQ1 design, but rather evolutionary. (Voice chat, originally promised as an integrated feature to the game, has since been removed.) The game is designed to be group-focused and highly challenging, which may mean it’s too much of a time investment for the more casual MMOG player. If the game were coming out this year, I would have higher hopes for it, but I feel it may get lost behind the mass of other fantasy-themed MMORPG titles.

Smiling Gator
Twilight War: After the Fall
Availability: 2007
http://www.twilightwar.com/
I got a sneak peek at this FPS-based MMOG in initial development at E3, and what I saw looked very good for a title at this early stage. The game is using a modified version of Valve’s Source engine for their graphics, so it should be quite impressive visually once all the artwork is complete. The game is a post-apocalyptic FPS in the vein of Fallout or Road War 2000, and will feature vehicles and both PvE and PvP combat. There’s certainly no other title on the horizon like it; Huxley would be its closest competition, but the two games emphasize different elements of the genre. I expect Twilight War to appeal more to the traditional FPS market than the current MMOG player. I look forward to seeing what progress they will have made on the title at the next E3.

Magic Hat Software
IirthOnline
Availabilty: Q3 2005
http://www.irthonline.com/
Irth is an interesting little MMOG from new developer Magic Hat Software. They’ve designed their own graphics engine from the ground up, and which it is not as flashy as the other big names out there, it’s still very powerful. The game itself promises an open world with few rules, featuring both PvE and PvP action - think pre-Renaissance Ultima Online, only with 3D graphics. The developers have modest expectations for the title, but it could certainly appeal to 10,000 or more hardcore MMOG players who seek a return to those early UO days.

Farlan Entertainment
Dark and Light
Availability: November 2005
http://www.darkandlight.net/
DnL is a MMOG that promises a lot, but when I saw it, I was not very impressed. The game features a huge world with no loading zones and long view distances, and while the terrain was nicely done, it was largely empty in many spots, and when the game launches, all of it will be played out on the open landscape; no underground caves or dungeons. Moreover, the game is going to be largely open PvP, with in-game content supplemented by a variety of live events. Is this kind of game really going to have wide appeal? I doubt it. Expect DnL to duke it out with games like Irth and RYL.

Planetwide Games
Risk Your Life: Path of the Emporer
Availability: June 2005
http://www.ryl.net/
Gamasoft has already released RYL in Korea, but Planetwide has exclusive rights for the North American release, with the retail version due out in stores June 21st. The game’s graphics are nice, but once again we have a game primarily focused on PvP battles for control over territory and resources, with a heavy dose of guild politics thrown in for good measure. Hampering the game is the fact that, as a Korean import, there are naturally going to be differences in terms of style. Still, the game is being marketed quite heavily, and Planetwide has recently announced they will be holding a large and extensively promoted in game tournament with $1,000,000 as the grand prize. In another interesting twist, players may opt to forgo the subscription fee and instead agree to take several online surveys every month for a global research firm. It is hard to say if these unusual marketing approaches will really bring in large numbers to the game, but so far the beta test has received a lot of attention, so I expect the game to have a moderate but consistent following after launch, even if it winds up primarily being players vying for the big prize.

Ankama Studio
Dofus
Availability: French version Q3 2004, International version Q3 2005
http://www.dofus.com/
While I was not able to play the game directly, I was given the opportunity to look at the press kit for an intriguing if quirky French MMOG called Dofus. The game has been out in France since last September and has a steadily growing base of subscribers. I cannot really describe the game other than to say it involves cute cartoon-like fantasy characters engaging in all sorts of “zany” activities to gain control over powerful dragon’s eggs called Dofus. The developers are currently working on an English version which should be out later this year, and will hopefully find a publisher to get the title on retail shelves in North America as well. They might, however, consider changing the title of the game, if only to avoid the obvious pun. If this game does come out in the US, I think it has the potential to appeal to kids and teenagers, and may become competition for Disney’s Toontown Online.

Easyfun
Holy Beast Online
Availability: Unknown
http://www.easyfun.com.tw/
HBO is another cutesy-character Asian import, this time from Taiwan. Actually I don’t know much about this game, other than the fact that players start out as cute animals, the as they progress in levels they can actually transform to a human form and then, later still, back and forth between forms. The colorful graphics certainly catch the eye, but US audiences are reluctant to accept the Asian style. The game is currently in beta test in China and Taiwan; whether or not it will every find an audience in North America or Europe remains to be seen,

Simutronics
Hero’s Journey
Availability: Q4 2005 - Q2 2006
http://www.play.net/hj/
Simutronics was showing off their upcoming fantasy MMOG in a small booth behind closed doors. Sadly, I did not get a chance to see it, so I know little about it other than it is fantasy-based and relies heavily on instancing.

Imaginary Numbers
Tactica Online
Availability: Q3 2005 - Q4 2005
http://www.tacticaonline.com/
Again, this was another MMOG being shown at E3 that I did not get a chance to see directly, but I did read their press materials and it certainly looks unique! Unlike most of their competition, Tactica features turn-based combat where players control squads of characters that explore the shared, persistent virtual world of Renaissance-era Europe. It uses the concept of building a team of characters with mix-and-match capabilities akin to building a deck in collectible card games; you see similar design ideas being used in Guild Wars and Gods & Heroes.

Bandai
Universal Century: Gundam Online
Availability: Q1 2006
http://www.universalcentury.net/
This game has apparently been being developed for years now, but I did not see the game. Bandai did however have a sign up which said the mecha-centric combat MMOG would be coming to the US in spring 2006. Will it actually appear? Your guess is as good as mine.

Flying Labs Software
Pirates of the Burning Sea
Availability: Q4 2005
http://www.piratesoftheburningsea.com/
Demoed at the ATI booth during E3, PBS is based primarily on the conflict between English, French, and Dutch sailors, as well as pirates and privateers, in the Caribbean circa 1720. The game features both PvE and PvP elements, where actions taken by players in game on both types of missions directly affecting control of the game world. The game will also feature periodic resets of territories if one country eventually “wins” and conquers all of the ports on the map. The game’s graphics are eye-catching and the ship battles are fun, but is there actually enough of a game here to keep people subscribed for long? I expect this game to compete for market share with both Uncharted Waters Online and Pirates of the Caribbean Online, but it should have the advantage of being first to market over the other two.

Koei
Uncharted Waters Online
Availability: Unknown
http://www.koei.com/
Koei was showing off their Age of Sail-themed MMOG at their booth at E3, but I did not get a chance to see it personally. I can tell you that the whole pirates/sailing theme is very hot right now, and the game is graphically quite beautiful. The game has already been released in Japan, with Korea, China, and Taiwan to follow soon. A North American / European release is also quite likely in the coming year, which would pit the game against Pirates of the Burning Sea and Pirates of the Caribbean Online.

Disney Online
Pirates of the Caribbean Online
Availability: Q2 2006
http://disney.go.com/pirates/online/
Shortly before E3, Disney announced they were developing this game based on their popular movie franchise of the same name. The game is scheduled to come out next year to coincide with the release of the next movie. It’s too early to talk about gameplay, but the pirate theme is very hot right now, and if Disney can leverage their experience from Toontown Online, they may have a sleeper hit on their hands. Expect strong competition from Pirates of the Burning Sea and Uncharted Waters Online.