a look over the shoulders of the gods

[micrix]

I found some time to read this whitepaper (PDF) : http://www.igda.org/online/IGDA_PSW_Whitepaper_2004.pdf

It is very interessting although 80+pages and sometimes quite dry.

Found the link at nel-engine, so be sure some ppl at Nevrax have read this.
Could make some things clear why some things are like they are and why some things are going the way like they do...

[sprite]

It is very interessting although 80+pages and sometimes quite dry.

I read it when it came out; pretty interesting in some places, but hella boring in others

[rushin]

[snip]Could make some things clear why some things are like they are and why some things are going the way like they do...

Don't suppose u want to give a summary? the 'quite dry' and 'hella boring' comments have kinda put me off reading it

[kaetemi]

hehe, i've read it once, very interesting stuff in it

[micrix]

Don't suppose u want to give a summary? the 'quite dry' and 'hella boring' comments have kinda put me off reading it

To give a summary might be as boring as the paper itself

Ok, its in abstaction about MMORPGs and Persistant game worlds.

Its about design, grief, features, events, player build content, cheating, billing, custumer support and all that jazz we sometimes talk and/or complain about here.

It shows a little the differences (advantages/ dissatvantages) of mainstream and niche games.

It says something about initial design and how later expansions can be success or ruin a game. Even how a niche-designed game can get ruined if it gets too successful...

Hard to tell all in some sentences, you should take some time and read it. Some topics one can skip (About testing, open beta, server backups..)

And at least its about how to make muuuch dappers with selling games

[mrozzy]

Well, Nevrax isn't making the big amounts just yet. Development did cost about €8 million, obtaining the hardware and funding the 9.5 month closed & open beta did cost another €4 million. So, according to the article, Ryzom is one of the games with pretty high development costs compared to most of the games.

Another thing I noticed is that the Themis group, one of the co-auters of the article, is one of the partners involved with Ryzom (from one of the press releases: Nevrax announces a strong partnership with the Themis Group to provide community services in the US and a global communication strategy for The Saga of Ryzom. (January 26, 2004) )

[micrix]

Well, Nevrax isn't making the big amounts just yet. Development did cost about €8 million, obtaining the hardware and funding the 9.5 month closed & open beta did cost another €4 million. So, according to the article, Ryzom is one of the games with pretty high development costs compared to most of the games.

Take my last sentence not too serious. There already is a smiley.

I dont care how much Nevrax earns with Ryzom. They worked for it, so they should get payed for it.

[rushin]

well I'm half way through. Makes interesting reading, and sure beats actually doing some work at work my fav bit so far is this:

...For example, if the game developers determine that a wizard spell is too powerful, and decrease its effectiveness, chances are that the entire wizard's guild will buzz with anger that they have been unfairly targeted for "nerfing" (decreasing of their abilities). Savvy customer relations personnel will anticipate which groups that an upcoming change will most affect, and work with the appropriate organizations in order to set expectations. Representatives from the community, appointed or self-selected, provide an interface layer between the general customer and the game developer. If community relations can work with the wizard guild leaders, to persuade them why an upcoming change is good for the game as a whole, those guild leaders can be very useful in talking to other members of their guild and passing the word along, to prevent player dissatisfaction. In other words, the in-game political power that those leaders have acquired, can be useful to the game developers when controversial changes are needed.

it's all about the communication =) and with Xavier now hanging out with us it looks like things are moving in the right direction

[mostevil]

Well, Nevrax isn't making the big amounts just yet. Development did cost about €8 million, obtaining the hardware and funding the 9.5 month closed & open beta did cost another €4 million. So, according to the article, Ryzom is one of the games with pretty high development costs compared to most of the games.

I think when you consider how much SoE spent on EQ2 and Blizzard pulling all its teams togeather just to make WoW, €8 million isnt really that higher development costs i think they've done an amzeing job with the money they've had and they're improving the game with Every patch. Go Nevrax

[hans1976]

8M. Hmmmmm

I pay 12,50 to play per month. I dont have a multi month thingy.

I guess upkeep for the game as a whole is about 400K per year (no, more) 1.000K per year. An avarage games lifecycle is suppost to be 4 years, but I am nit sure what the plans and expectations with NEL are.

The total costs are now about 12.5M, which means one million months in four years, which means 250K months per year, which means 40K users avg over 4 years.
Nope, dont think Ryzom will get there...

So either: get lower upkeep, get more players or stretch the games lifetime.