MMO Evolution [Paperback]

Robert Rice (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2006

MMO EVOLUTION is about the online games industry and analyzes current trends and problems behind the decline of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Role-Playing Games (RPG). A vision for the future and an overview of emerging trends, as well as design challenges faced by developers, issues in Cybersociology, Community Management, Social Gaming, and the management of newly launched MMORPGs are discussed in detail. MMO EVOLUTION is the perfect guidebook for travelers, adventurers, innovators, and designers to the true next generation of immersive worlds and MMORPGs online.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Lulu.com (September 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847286798
• ISBN-13: 978-1847286796
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,930,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Blog postings?, December 21, 2007

By 

S. Cline (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MMO Evolution (Paperback)

As I read the book I began to make mental notes for an intended review. When I came to the site to write, I found the first review had exactly the same opinion as myself. The book reads like a compilation of blogs (or one very long-winded blog) ranting on the current state and potential of MMO game development.

As the first review explains, this publication contains many unsubstantiated and often conflicting opinions about the current state of this part of the game development industry. There are very few examples given.

There are plenty more (and better) blogs that will give much more insightful and substantial opinions of the industry. You can spend time and money reading this book, or simply browse any of the gaming web forums on the internet for the same level of understanding.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a Blog Post, April 26, 2007

By 

Chris Evans (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MMO Evolution (Paperback)

There's some interesting nuggets, but unfortunately for the most part MMO Evolution reads like an extensive blog post instead of a well-researched fact-supported book.

Rice makes numerous assertions and observations, especially regarding the MMO industry, that he never really backs up with tangible figures or evidence. Though most of the observations are fairly accurate from what I could gather, there's just very little weight behind them since he rarely supports them with facts and figures.

At best, he overly generalizes. At worst, he makes blanket opinionated statements sometimes passed off as facts with little to no qualifiers. He states PCs are a superior game platform to consoles, yet that's very subjective and depends entirely on what type of games you play. Other times he comes off as jaded and inconsistent. On one hand he'll complain the industry isn't doing enough to appeal to the mass market and younger players, but then just a couple of pages later he'll complain that "Basically, games are being created for 6th graders" and that many gamers "long for the golden age of games that required a notepad or journal".

There some nuggets particularly in the latter part of the book where he offers a few interesting ideas to designing MMO games. But even then, it's odd how in the early part of the book he's complaining that the MMO industry is too focused on the same tired fantasy setting, yet many of his ideas in the latter part of the book revolve around that same tired fantasy framework he riled against earlier.

I support self-publishing, but this book is really better fit for a blog and just isn't researched or objective enough to justify a +$20 price tag. However if you can find this book used at a cheap price, it may be worth picking up.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good entry level primer..., August 20, 2008

By 

Marcus D Riedner - See all my reviews

This review is from: MMO Evolution (Paperback)

MMO Evolution is a good entry level primer to the growing resistance to big box mainline MMO games in the North American market space. It is written in a style very blog like, making it a fast and easy read. At times it is highly editorial, but underneath that there is a strong understanding of a number of critical aspects of the MMO games industry. You do have to read a bit between the lines to get the full gist of what is being said in this book, and for some it may come as a bit too opinionated.

Particularly interesting are the discussions on thematic and content stagnation and the under laying investment risk vs. reward/quick cash mentality that is so heavily present the risk adverse/high stakes MMO gaming industry.

I recommend this book for people who are looking for a place to start understanding the growing 'in crowd' of dissatisfied gamers, developers, and visionaries in the MMOG field. This book will give you a good solid understanding of what they are thinking, feeling, and the changes they want to make.

I recommend World of Warcraft fanatics and Big Box MMOG Gamers avoid, unless you want to write bad reviews on Amazon in your spare time. You'll be frustrated and angry that the titles you hold dear to your hearts are being used as examples of stagnation and avoidance of change.