MMOG's What are they?

I remember, there was a time when the common taboo term in the industry was Persistent Online World. This was back in the day when RPG's like Final Fantasy VII was ballooning into massive popularity, Meridian 59 became the first Graphical MUD, and the anticipation of another graphical mud was as sparse as a fart in the wind. 5 years ago when SOE's Everquest became Evercrack and Asheron's Call was a Garage Developer success for newly formed Turbine Games, the term, Persistent Online World was “The” catch phrase to describe this niche market that was emerging from the brilliant minds of various vets in the industry.

But what is the state of affairs now? What is a Persistent world and why do we continue to create Static copies of hard coded Environments. Developers say that to create dynamic content for 24hrs to 15 days of event gameplay would accrue very little ROI (return on investment). Game development is not trivial nor is it cheap so I completely agree with this notion. However...

One would say that building a website would have no parallel to developing a game. In my experience they are both very similar in actual fundamentals. A website is an experience. Users can book flights, read user generated content, play games, or see what's going on in the world. To view the world through a window. Features that allow new content to be updated efficiently to enhance or change that user experience in some cases is built in from the beginning. Data tables are designed so that the applications can pull the necessary data required to change the experience for the user. Someone correct me if I am wrong on this one. In any event my point is that this dynamic content creation functionality is created before the site goes live. What does that tell you? Web developers think ahead. So why doesn't the game designer let alone the online game business?

Now in an online game, what is persistent? Well traditionally it was content. Let's add new weapons for the rogue class, let’s add new stories to the story line, and let’s put a dungeon where there was no dungeon before so the player can have something new to do. Why did we feel we needed to add persistent content? Well an MMO was in theory supposed to emulate a changing world. The best way to accomplish this task at the time was to create and update the game using patches. Patches are not persistent. They are repetitive static events created by the game gods to add new stuff.

But persistence in content does not necessarily create a persistent world, it emulates the idea in a band-aid fix type fashion at best. If we are to emulate evolution in a virtual world as it happens in the real world. Things change in our world all the time. GM comes out with a new car to buy, in comparison, the hunter will have a new gun to use. The real answer to our question is another question. The answer is Why? "...but that's not really an answer," you say. Actually it is. You need to answer the, “Why does the hunter have a new gun?” in order for you to understand what is persistence. Persistence is the evolution and exchange of ideas and ideologies. Persistence requires very little encouragement, it just happens. How do you encourage the exchange of ideas and ideologies of a game? The answer is that you don't.

Let’s think like a web developer for just a moment. To create dynamic content we would take basic content requirements and design a robust data system, and application to work together. so when the exchange of ideas and ideologies turns into new information which would translate into a new experience, that dynamic content would be more efficient to develop and upload. Now we are getting somewhere.

The evolution and exchange of ideas and ideologies comes from the user who will experience what they are expecting or unexpecting in some cases. They are your target market. They are your customers. Persistent virtual worlds are created, developed, supported, and maintained by the service provide, Turbine Games, Sony Online Entertainment, Blizzard, CCP. These are service based software companies. Your business mode, product development methodology needs to cater to the needs of your customer. Great games come from great ideas, yours as a game designer is not necessarily the answer. Which is odd because that’s why they pay you and not the gamer. This is not an easy balance to figure out.

So what is an MMOG? Persistence.

Defining Roles.

So today I talk about Roles. Many people approach me and ask me about their portfolio, how to break into the industry, where should they concentrate their skills, what do studios look for, and so on. The largest common denominator in all of this is role. It actually kind of depends on a couple of things. Primarily experience is a good role defining factor.

Now you can't easily just say, "well I have good ideas and I can use Photoshop and Maya. So I am going to be a game designer." It's not quite that simple although if it were, game's would not be to the caliber they are today, nor would they look and feel half as good as they do now when you ply what could be your favorite title. "Well that's a pretty bold statement Bruno." you might say. And you're quite right. It is. I'm not trying to toot my own horn or stick "The Game Designer" up on a pedestal but they do play a major role in what makes or breaks a game just that, a AAA Title.

I recently did a presentation on a topic about Design and what it is, sponsored by Level Up Society in Calgary. My presentation primarily spoke about some of the different requirements and tasks needed to take on the role of a "designer." I must say that in all my years in the industry the design role is one of the most difficult, confusing, challenging, crazy, fun, and exciting jobs that I have ever had the pleasure of tasking. Not only is it quite the experience but you are given the chance to barf out so much of what fills your head its not even funny! Truth be told barfing is never been on my list of comical events. Aside from that, the role of design is very difficult to define.

Why? Because in our industry how can you put a cap on creativity long enough to achieve productivity and turn thought into a tangible. Well I could sit here all day and tell you how designing a game requires these skills, good communication, skill refinement, outlandish ideas like the Alien Jelly Bean Jumper Possie, and some how aliens and jelly beans associates well together, how to accurately ensure continuity in a project between the art, gameplay features, and technical features, and so on until I am blue in the face and still we would not be hitting the mark. In fact we would be so way off base that it would be a ridiculous notion to continue this route after many books have already published, methodologies created tested and implemented, and many designers including myself have and continue to prove said theories. In fact it's so blatantly obvious that our clouded brainstorming activity throws dirt in our eyes and tells us to walk the razor wire strung above a pit of snakes naked with a searing red hot iron poking us in the ass the whole way through.

Our job as a game designer is just that. To put a cap on creativity long enough to achieve productivity and turn thought into a tangible. You have the skills right? If you need to advance them you can figure out how to do that right? Now go and define your role.

We're not gods, We are just like you.

Without trying to sound high in my own right about my successes and failures I just wanted to quickly note back to the human condition. Before I continue, I would like to make reference to a show that deserves huge merit on their accurate exploration into what it means to be human. In recent years from media hype and pushing the taboo boundaries in todays pop culture, we have come to coin the term as the Human Condition. What does that mean? In my opinion it simply defines a maximum six degrees of separation between each other in relation to our emotions and our experiences. What I mean by that is even though you may have just met me, or you may iconize Wayne Gretzky, or even Madonna for our successes or failures, we go through the same trials and tribulations in our every day lives. Am I rich? It doesn't matter. Am I successful? I think so, but only because I have given way to allow myself to grow my career path where my passions cultivate. This show that I am referring to and by no means has it been the only or the last to, is broadcast around the globe and is quite unique as the setting is one such that most wouldn't imagine this type of human condition exploration.

Do you ever remember watching Star Trek one day with your boyfriend, or girlfriend, and thinking, "wow I live with the biggest nerd on the planet?" The setting is for obvious reason space. The plot is based on a dismal present, with a potentially positive outlook led by nothing more than hope. George Georgeadis said it best in one of his presentations, "The characters in fiction need a Kryptonite, so that we too may relate to them." The 200x saga of Battlestar Galactica has the perfect mix of epic tall tale adventures and halt grinding character tragedies to help pave the way for the insight into what makes humans, human. Entertainment such as this relative saga not only bring me down to earth but help me realize that the Icons in our industry that I admire, once sat in my shoes going through the same thing as I am, and funny enough still do.

In my still green Career as a video game, designer, producer, and entrepreneur I have had the privilege to meet some of the people that I one day strive to become. The one's I most not only relate to, but continue admire are the humblest of people. Even though they have been in the industry for many years, made their money, and have been and continue to be acredited for many AAA titles, they talk to you and give you their opinions and experiences in a down to earth manner. Are they gods? No they are just successful. I'm not sure the history of this phrase but we have all heard it, "Funny enough it's not made of gold and their shit stinks too." It's a brutal truth.

Busy Birthdays and Happy Feet Forwards

So, today is my birthday. Not that this affects many of you reading this today but I just thought I would let you know. Hey they should make a game about birthdays! Wouldn't that be exciting? Kind of like a Massive Multiplayer Online Birthday Card! The action adventure of a lifetime. Whao! Just imagine the headlines. MMOBC the new Genre of game for everyone. One thing that gets me is out of 365 days a year which day has the most birthdays? What a study that would be.

Well, I will post something more interesting soon. I've been busy getting ready for my first industry presentation! Level Up on June 6th. Be there or be square! Not that an MMOBC wouldn't be interesting but come on. Right? Well That was my little brain fart for the day. Ciao!


~Bruno

Captain's Log...star date 1249am

*blink* *blink*
*rub eyes*
20hrs sleep in 6 days is just,
not,
enough.

..
...

....

Back to work.

The Laugh.

Have you practiced recently? I make it a point sometimes to practice laughing. No not watching comedy. Just by myself doing whatever at that present moment, but also taking time out of my day to practice. "Practice what?" You say.

The evil diabolical laugh.

True Story.

True story. I heard it from a friend of a friends, friends, friend, which actually turned out to be me. Six Degree's of separation? Through your friend I know myself. Think about that one.

Back to the story at hand. Back in the earlier days. I used to work at a gas station. Yeah we have all done the interesting menial job. This wasn't just any gas station however. It was a gas station open 24hrs a day. Back then I suppose the job market in Alberta was more in favor of the employer rather than the employee and work ethic in general was much better. Anyway, one night in the still of approximately 2am I left my post for a minute to sit outside and enjoy what I had thought was the perfect night. Evidently, later on, I had come to realize that that particular moment on that particular night was not so perfect. It was quiet, and you could hear little bustling off in the distance somewhere else in the city. As I sat perched on the curb in front of the entrance to the gas station's mini market store, I thought about life and my place in it.

At this point I had dropped out of my first attempt to college and really didn't have much intention on going back. This dead end possibly lifer type mentality was all that I was for that summer. Funny story though, instead of attending my college classes I sat in a Starbucks on the other side of the city from where I lived, writing game scripts, stories, creating characters and anything other than engineering. My creative side was much too predominant for me to have taken college very seriously. Though sometimes looking back on it I did quite well in my classes. My grades were good, the work was easy enough, but sadly I guess I felt that I couldn't be bothered. It was on this day, as I remember thinking about my past present and future, that something terrible was about to happen.

Let me ask you a question, and be honest. This day, evening or morning, what ever you would like to call it, was quite the epiphany for me. Not only had I struck gold on my next steps towards my future role in life, but it was so profound that it had jarred some sense into me and ultimately changed to the course of my career path. Up to this point I was sure what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and it never occurred to me that perhaps it wasn't. Have you ever seen a moth the size of a sparrow stare deep into your eyes blazing a path do your soul?

Now I don't claim to have weird life changing incidences with insects but it is a valid question. There comes a time in everyone's life when something hits you so hard you don't quite realize it until many years later. But if you must know, the answer is yes. That night at approximately 2am in the morning on a calm quiet still time working at the easiest job in the world, I had one such brush with death. Though most people would be scared if death stared them in the face I looked back peacefully and had more than a dozen of my questions answered. But why death you ask? It's just a moth. I will tell divulge this to you. Be ready this is not for the faint of heart.

Death, as I describe it, is obviously metaphoric, as I wouldn't be writing to you now had I died. Or could I? Just kidding. No I mean death, as I call it an illusion of passing was a moth. Not just any moth. This moth span wing tip to wing tip more than 8 inches, Slightly larger than a sparrow I kid you not. Painted on its wings were blue circular shapes like eyes staring at you with a piercing gaze. The minute I saw it, I was baffled how anything in nature could exist. This moth was a gift. It was a gift from a soul that told me to keep going. To this day I still think that she was right there hanging on the brick wall of that gas station, staring at me with her eyes with that crazy you can't be angry at me look that she always had.

In the summer months before I left the small town life for college, Mandy was a girl that had always stuck me as the woman that got away. We dated, had a great time and really let me enjoy the smallest things. Far from the usual female kind that had ever given me the time of day in that regard, she was always somewhat different. She also helped me get over my first emotional crushing life devastating event. Again a story saved for another day perhaps. As I started college we began to separate our ways, which is an entirely different story saved for another day perhaps. We stopped seeing eye to eye, and at the time she ended up becoming more of a burden to my career path than an influence. With any regard we parted ways on one of the worst notes ever played by a tuned trumpet, and we lost touch. My best friend at the time had called me from small town home on numerous occasions to chat about the latest and greatest, meanwhile trying to patch us up. It had been 3 long months of this and eventually I gave up. 6 months later, coming home from a pretty good run around the pathways at Henderson Lake, I had looked at my phone only to see Mandy, herself had called me personally. I wasn't what about, but being pretty scarred from our last encounters I sluffed the notion for a few hours. Later that evening, I tried calling her just to say hi and perhaps mend broken wounds but received no answer. I had figured she was going to dance lessons, or one of her parties or something. She always had to be doing something. We stole her mother's car for a drive around the town one day. Tell me that wasn't a bad move.

Two weeks had passed and as I sat on the curb of that gas station watching this moth, my heart racing as it pierced my soul. She was there. Looking away I looked back to see if it was a dream but still she lay calmly on the brick face just staring at me. We connected again for the first time in months through a miracle of nature. I stood up and dusted myself off and went back to work that morning as usual.

I got home at about 7am after work, I had only lived a short ways from my comfortable basement suite, and crawled into bed. The next day was my day off and I was bound and determined to relax and do practically nothing. The phone rang. It was about 730pm. It was Chris. I was enthused though a bit groggy to hear from him. He was going to tell me the latest news about small town life, who was dating who, who went to jail because of whatever, and who was still working that same job they were when I left. No. The first words that came from his mouth, my best friend, were, "Bruno I have some bad news." The world seemed to stop. I didn't know what to think. What could be this devastating that Chris hadn't even begun our conversation with Hi how's it going buddy. We had been through a lot together and for some reason I had felt that this was in no way normal. Those four little words took the lump that hovered over my head and sunk it deep, deep into my chest. "Bruno, Mandy is dead."

It was at 2am the following day when a horrible accident changed the lives of a group of kids in an instant. Mandy had been partying that night a few of her friends. Her best friend’s brother was behind the wheel of a vehicle that should have never left its parking spot. My ex-girlfriend and a profound influence that changed my life was in the car that was about to take her life. As I look back on it, that moment as I sat on the cub, in those moments time had literally slowed down frame by frame in two places of the world at once. They had been speeding through dirt roads and streets tossing bottles at road signs, swerving back and fourth going dangerously fast. One false move could have meant disaster, and it did. The driver had lost control of the vehicle. Mandy was the only person in that car not wearing her seatbelt. As it skipped, tossed and rolled about the countryside Mandy felt the brunt of the accident and took all of the burden. As the car finally came to a halt, she was the only one not in it. So horrible that this girl with so many aspiring talents was left in a such a horrible disfigurement. The paramedics say that she died instantly and did not suffer. How do they know? Such a violent and bloody death? In video games today we are desensitized to body disfigurement, so much that when you decapitate a zombie, its honestly funny. No She died in one of the worst ways possible. But still I sat on that curb calm as ever as she pointed me in the right direction, and told me that everything would be alright.

I believed her. Since that day I was put on a path that I hope will be successful. Life is a learning process. Somewhere along the way we figure things out. No matter how brutal or subtle the signs are. I won't forget her words.

Just the other day I was thinking about that day. Though I had told many of my friends about it, and it's impact on my life and affected my decisions while under the influence, I had never really found an application.

My company focuses on serious game interactive software development. Now in games we have the ability to escape reality. What if all this were a game? What if what happened in my past was not real. Could you play a video game based on real life? Could you connect with Mandy in the same way as you had just read my story? How do you think a serious game based on events like these would play? But who would really want to. Who wants to play the guy behind the wheel. Who wants to play her best friend. Who wants to play her.

I will leave you with this note. Mandy's passing was a sad day for many. It was a life changing event for me. Have you ever connected with a video game character as you may have anyone else passing in your life? Can a video game allow you the feeling of love? Hope? Sadness? Are they just so virtual they can never emulate realism?

Is it just me?

Welcome to my new blog. I figured that this would be a good idea to post events and influences of my life. I think the term was best coined by my friend and colleague Kevin, as "Cataloging the Damage." I've always been an odd duck, but not in the traditional sense like being ugly or not very smart, even those may be highly accurate reasons as well. No, more so, simply because of the fact that my brain just does not shut off. From one task to another, one idea and out the other end, I also feel that I should voice my brains thoughts. Sometimes they come with half the story, and often too much. People are often confused by what I like to call, "Random Thoughts."

Have you ever had an experience where you were somewhere, doing something, with some people, and all of a sudden you had a brain fart. You sat churned, and weaseled but just could not contain this notion blustering around your brain cavity? Well that's me. And honestly I'm sure I'm not alone on this one. Or then again maybe I am. Here's the part where I say something silly, sad, weird, rude, and it would be totally out of context where only part of my thought actually gets out. Me sitting there thinking that I’m the shit of all Einstein's with my fancy now vocal thought, as everyone stares at me with these totally, "Like What the F***," gazes in their eyes.

Yep that's me. Anytime anywhere, don't expect it, just accept it. And hey maybe I do have too much fun in my life where I shouldn't. Stay tuned!
P.S. My thoughts and views do not reflect those of the companies I own or work for.