Steps to making an MMORPG? Theoretically : )

[EMidget]

Hello, I was wondering how you would go by creating an MMORPG, by no means can I make one myself I just wonder how.

What are the costs if you have all your developer tools for servers or what you need to complete the client uploads and things?

If you could give me like a detailed process or if it's possible for like a limited financially company to make one, I'd be most greatful.

Thanks

[Dan MacDonald]

Before I answer your question, how about you take a stab at it first. There really isn't a wrong answer to this question. If a small, financially limilted studio wants to make an MMORPG, the correct answer to "How?" is "Any way they can". In that spirit, how do you think a small studio would go about it?

[Raptisoft]

How about:

1) Make an "unlimited" chat program that just allows people to come and go as they please. This will set up your user system. Everyone who signs in can hear everyone else in the world. Just an onscreen chat MMORPG, no avatars, no characters, just "Raptisoft: Hi everyone, I managed to log in!"

2) Now add avatars to the chat system. Handle proximity, distance to other players, and make sure you can only "hear" someone if they're nearby. This will be difficult: you will need some pretty weird systems to handle it efficiently-- grids of player areas that allow overlap, etc. At this point, just have the avatars be controlled by the user's computer, don't worry about server security.

3) Okay, now add server security. All the user is is an interface. They tell the server "I said" or "I walked north" or whatnot. Server handles where everyone is. This is security so hackers can't go in and make themselves uber characters. At this point, your user's computer should be a dumb terminal, interfacing with your server program.

If you get that far, you're probably halfway there on the tech end. Of course, your real battle in an MMORPG will be against the users, not technology. :)

[RedKnight]

How about:

1) Make an "unlimited" chat program that just allows people to come and go as they please. This will set up your user system. Everyone who signs in can hear everyone else in the world. Just an onscreen chat MMORPG, no avatars, no characters, just "Raptisoft: Hi everyone, I managed to log in!"

2) Now add avatars to the chat system. Handle proximity, distance to other players, and make sure you can only "hear" someone if they're nearby. This will be difficult: you will need some pretty weird systems to handle it efficiently-- grids of player areas that allow overlap, etc. At this point, just have the avatars be controlled by the user's computer, don't worry about server security.

3) Okay, now add server security. All the user is is an interface. They tell the server "I said" or "I walked north" or whatnot. Server handles where everyone is. This is security so hackers can't go in and make themselves uber characters. At this point, your user's computer should be a dumb terminal, interfacing with your server program.

If you get that far, you're probably halfway there on the tech end. Of course, your real battle in an MMORPG will be against the users, not technology. :)

But first you have to teach yourself C/C++
:D

[tolik]

BlitzBasic, yay!

[EMidget]

Hmmmm Ok thanks everyone, I guess my next question is, do most programmers know how to the steps to making an MMORPG work? The core system of it, not the game. I mean the client on the server, and the streaming content and stuff like that. How difficult is that or expensive?

[Aldacron]

Hmmmm Ok thanks everyone, I guess my next question is, do most programmers know how to the steps to making an MMORPG work?

The number of programmers who have actually developed an MMO is relatively small in the grand scheme of things. It's not exactly common knowledge. Multiplayer game programming is a challenge, but not so difficult that anyone worth his salt can't overcome. When you throw in the 'Massive' bit (1000s of users) you run into issues that require a great deal of knowledge/experience/research to solve. Clustering, load balancing, security, memory management, bandwidth reduction, data management... things that you see on a lesser scale (if at all) in a multiplayer game like Age of Empires or Quake. The quality of implementation of each one of these areas can mean the difference between success and failure.

So while there are a number of talented individuals who frequent these forums, the odds of finding someone intimately familiar with the inner workings of a successful MMO are rather slim. I'm sure we all have ideas on how to go about it, some of us may have researched the topic quite a bit, and one or two may have worked on an Open Source MMO at one time or another. I think the best you'll be able to get from us is conjecture, theory, and perhaps useful links. If anyone can prove me wrong, please stand up :)

The MUDDEV (https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev/) mailing list is frequented by MMO developers from several projects (Everquest, DAOC, UO, SWG and so on) as well as MUD and hobby developers. If you browse the arhives there you will find a great deal of valuable information covering all aspects of virtual world design, development and management. If you subscribe to the list, I strongly discourage you from asking this same question. The list is moderated anyway I believe, so the members would likely never see it. Questions regarding specific MMO-related topics are more likely to be allowed through and answered.

[vjvj]

To be honest, development won't be your main concern (even though that was your original question). The cost of your live team (post-release development team) and customer service are going to be what hold you back.

Remember that content is the most expensive part of making a game, and that's probably what mmorpg players bitch about most. Just look at how many expansions Everquest has released/sold.

There are a few guys from muddev that come from small shops. You may want to get in contact with the Meridian 59 guys (www.meridian59.com), they are a very small indie company that has been running a mmorpg for a few years now. The two cofounders were some of the original developers and have been around for a while now.

Best of luck.

[Sunshine]

Well, as far as the answer of how to make an online game of this sort... My answer was to eliminate all graphics and sounds and make it a MUD. Pretty cool experiance so far, but I doubt I can get rich off of it.

That being said...I don't really like threads like this one, maybe someone could pass a law? :p

[Dan MacDonald]

I'm with you sunshine, I think this thread has had it's 5 min of fame. I'm going to close it on account of it being off topic, see my post in the other MMORPG thread for an elaboration of my decision.