On virtual worlds uberblog Terra Nova, Father Of MMOs Richard Bartle asks, "Why Fantasy"? Actually, what he asks is,
Here's a simple question for you, which I suspect does not have a simple answer: why is Fantasy the predominant genre of game-like virtual worlds?
Oh hurrah - indeed, why?
Early commentators tend towards the "Tolkien Is My God" argument, suggesting that everyone played D&D and read Lord of the Rings in their youths, and thus everyone has fairy tales in their hearts. For example,
More people seek a low barrier to entry and/or a child-like wonder and curiosity. They rule out science fiction and reality, and move to fantasy. They see what is out there in fantasy, and see Tolkien derivatives. They seem familiar so they buy and play them. Companies see these purchasing habits, and keep the pipeline full. Repeat over multiple generations.
Personally, I have a phobia of anything LOTR-related and have never rolled a dice with more than 6 sides. This orc and elf-centred online experience is enormously off-putting even to a seasoned gamer like me, and one of the reasons I still have never picked up World of Warcraft.
I know there are other MMO genres out there - notably those set in space (another final frontier I find irritating) - and there are a couple of big "realistic" online games forthcoming, like Real Time Worlds' APB and the rumoured GTA Online. So my question is thus:
If you were to design an online world and no fantasy or sci fi was allowed, where would you set it, what would you do and how would you measure progress?
If you're inspired, we'll welcome any and all art, which we'll feature over the next couple of holiday weeks. Send submissions to gamesblog +at+ gmail.com.
