Some questions

BlitzKrieg

Could someone help me with some questions about MMO's please.


Q1. In the monthly fee's what is the most demanding cost that leads to such fees. I thought at first it was the cost of developers staying with the one project constantly and then the cost of keeping servers running (and manned in case of cheating etc) But Guild Wars updates etc and it doesnt have a monthly fee. So is server maintenance etc the most demanding cost?

Q2. Apart from planeterion etc is there any turn based MMO's ones that actually have their own graphic interface etc but use a turn base system.

Q3. In some MMOs like EVE you can build up bases etc? How does the game deal with overpopulating the game with your bases and forces, is it simply too difficult to achieve such a force. Or is there something in place like WW2 online for when such an occurances happens (in ww2 online when one side clearly dominates, the game restarts the war but keeps stats)


Q4 The mobile mmo Pocet Kingdoms, has anyone played it? and could they tell me what works and doesnt work with it.


Q5. If you had a turnbased MMO game that worked on the expanded play by email system, could it work? All the players make their moves and changes for one turn in their own time and before the set time for that days *turn* they click a commit button and a information packet is sent to a single server and at the time of the click it is calculated up and sent back to all the players to show how the board has changed? Could this work or is it technically impossible or unpractical.


Q6. Finally if there was a turnbased strategy/rpg game that used the above system and played in a mixture between Dragon Force and Civilisation would you play it? If it means because of its system there is less server load that it might be cheaper IF not with no monthly fee at all?


not a game designer or anything. Just milling ideas over my head (which happens when i cant sleep or have had lack of sleep. [see nintendo forum for proof]) And I was trying to think of a MMO that i engrossing but can be fully enjoyed without taking over your life (keeping up with other players etc) and also express both an engrossing graphical display and community intergration.

Would you play if it was only 1 turn a day, or would you need more like 3 or 12?

would it help if you can set build queues and plans for when your unable to make it to the game for that day, and these plans would be implemented automatically without you.

Drakar

Monthly fees allow companies to both recoup the investment in developing the product, and justify further investment (eg developers working on patches), and of course pay for the ongoing running of the games (paying for bandwidth, supporting the servers, paying GMs etc). Some games like GuildWars are based on a different revenue model. They are expecting that by issuing expansions every 6/12 months, the revenue they gather will be sufficient to fulfill the above needs too.

There are a few turn based MMOs that play by email. If you search for "play by email" games you'll find them I'd imagine. These started as "Play by mail" games, where people mailed in a turn (between a few days or upto every 21 days in what I've seen). So you'd be sent an initial turn showing the stats of your starting character, a bit of a map of the local area, and any interesting features (eg mobs or other players). Youd spend a few days planning your moves (or talking by email with other players), then send through your orders. Everyones orders are then evaluated by the server and the next turn results are sent out. http://www.kjcgames.com are an example of a UK company that produces games on this model. I understand they are finding it harder these days though as players have so many more alternatives, and new players want the quick fix of gaming rather than the intricate planning and political jiggery pokery that you'd see in a game like BSE for example.