Could a Console-based MMO work?

[the protaginist]

So as I'm sitting here waiting for LOTRO to download, I got to thinking about MMO's on consoles. Note i'm not talking a game like M.A.G., which just has a lot of players, I'm talking about a WoW type game, with Persistent Open Overworld, a market system, instances, ETC.

There are problems with this, and I'm not a computer guy so i dunno if there would be technical issues, but here are the ones i can see:

1. Payment: I really wouldn't want to pay a monthly subscription in Microsoft Points.

2. Control Scheme: you really just couldn't map abilites to a controller the same way you could to a keyboard. The game would probably be adjusted to avoid this, but i couldn't see it working that well.

3. Memory: Looking at the Downloader, LOTRO is about 7gb big. This is much more then my Xbox has available, but looking at something like the PS3, wherein the model i have has about 60gb, 7GB is a small sacrifice i'd be willing to pay for a MMO i could play on a console.


So, could a console-based MMO work, would you play it, and what are any issues you think it might have?

EDIT: Also, ARE there any Console based MMO's people are aware of?

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

Something like PlanetSide might be good on a console, but getting it to run so much stuff would call for a brilliant engine.

Prsonally I would love to see a WW2 MMOFPS which would probably work well on a console, with different stuff to customise your character, the two sides and the various armies on each.

 

[ryai458]

So as I'm sitting here waiting for LOTRO to download, I got to thinking about MMO's on consoles. Note i'm not talking a game like M.A.G., which just has a lot of players, I'm talking about a WoW type game, with Persistent Open Overworld, a market system, instances, ETC.

There are problems with this, and I'm not a computer guy so i dunno if there would be technical issues, but here are the ones i can see:

1. Payment: I really wouldn't want to pay a monthly subscription in Microsoft Points.

2. Control Scheme: you really just couldn't map abilites to a controller the same way you could to a keyboard. The game would probably be adjusted to avoid this, but i couldn't see it working that well.

3. Memory: Looking at the Downloader, LOTRO is about 7gb big. This is much more then my Xbox has available, but looking at something like the PS3, wherein the model i have has about 60gb, 7GB is a small sacrifice i'd be willing to pay for a MMO i could play on a console.


So, could a console-based MMO work, would you play it, and what are any issues you think it might have?

The memory thing made me laugh the new xbox360 has a 250gb hard drive I think that will do the trick.

 

[Hateren47]

Warning: This post can contain traces of nuts and generalisations.

MMOs wouldn't work without dumbing either the controls or the whole game down which would take a lot out of WoW-esque games. Another thing to consider is a lot of console gamers don't stick with the same game for long enough for most MMO(RPG)s to reveal the full game. Endgaming in MMOs are usually where the meaty part of the game is. Console gamers don't want MMOs, they want to shoot people in the face.

It could work but it won't be pretty.

 

[Korten12]

Phantasy Star Worked.

 

[Lightslei]

Didn't Square Enix try this with one of the Final Fantasies? :/.

 

[Deshin]

You just described Final Fantasy XI...

And fun fact, it's available on PS2, Xbox 360 and PC and they all play on the SAME SERVER.

 

[hypercube]

Final Fantasy XIV? That's being released on PC in about 2 week, and on PS3 in March 2011.

 

[Keava]

Erm. It's called Final Fantasy XI / XIV, they are made with console controls in mind. They even have a crappy chat system that let's you type without use of keyboard.
As for console MMOs in general, any of the supposed korean next-gen could be portable to work with gamepads as they are more action/twitch combat oriented rather than action bar, but how much would they differ from a normal tpp action game i'm not really sure.

 

[Deshin]

Didn't Square Enix try this with one of the Final Fantasies? :/.

What do ya mean try? The game has been out for a good 8 or so years and has 4 expansion packs and 5 addon packs and another 1 is to be released soon. It received a global release and is universally available on PC and 360 with PS2 support for Japan and North America. It currently has half a million active subscriptions and has had 2 million in the past.

I'd say they succeeded instead of tried.

 

[Something Amyss]

1. Payment: I'm sure they wouldn't be in MSP.

2. Control Scheme: So it wouldn't be identical to WoW. To some, that wouldn't be bad. This wouldn't infringe on a persistent open world or the other requirements.

3. Memory: Do they make the 20 GB model anymore? Pretty sure they only sell like the 4GB model for casuals and the 250 GB models now. Pretty simple. Plus, you can download a 7 GB game to a thumb drive.

 

[Lightslei]

Didn't Square Enix try this with one of the Final Fantasies? :/.

What do ya mean try? The game has been out for a good 8 or so years and has 4 expansion packs and 5 addon packs and another 1 is to be released soon. It received a global release and is universally available on PC and 360 with PS2 support for Japan and North America. It currently has half a million active subscriptions and has had 2 million in the past.

I'd say they succeeded instead of tried.

I didn't/don't really have any interest in it, so wouldn't know. Guess that seals it then, though.

 

[MikailCaboose]

Depending on how it is handled, it's a possibility. Plus, Monster Hunter is technically an MMO and it works quite well.

 

[Yostbeef]

Of course it could work,consoles have such a small amount of RAM though if you port something it's not gonna come out pretty which sucks I was playing Champions with a 360 controller it was really smooth and intuitive.I think Sony's The Agency was modeled from the ground up for the ps3's architecture it'll be interesting to see how thats turns out,I think it might take one more console generation to get a worthy mmo experience.

 

[Woodsey]

So as I'm sitting here waiting for LOTRO to download, I got to thinking about MMO's on consoles. Note i'm not talking a game like M.A.G., which just has a lot of players, I'm talking about a WoW type game, with Persistent Open Overworld, a market system, instances, ETC.

There are problems with this, and I'm not a computer guy so i dunno if there would be technical issues, but here are the ones i can see:

1. Payment: I really wouldn't want to pay a monthly subscription in Microsoft Points.

2. Control Scheme: you really just couldn't map abilites to a controller the same way you could to a keyboard. The game would probably be adjusted to avoid this, but i couldn't see it working that well.

3. Memory: Looking at the Downloader, LOTRO is about 7gb big. This is much more then my Xbox has available, but looking at something like the PS3, wherein the model i have has about 60gb, 7GB is a small sacrifice i'd be willing to pay for a MMO i could play on a console.


So, could a console-based MMO work, would you play it, and what are any issues you think it might have?

EDIT: Also, ARE there any Console based MMO's people are aware of?

So as I'm sitting here waiting for LOTRO to download, I got to thinking about MMO's on consoles. Note i'm not talking a game like M.A.G., which just has a lot of players, I'm talking about a WoW type game, with Persistent Open Overworld, a market system, instances, ETC.

There are problems with this, and I'm not a computer guy so i dunno if there would be technical issues, but here are the ones i can see:

1. Payment: I really wouldn't want to pay a monthly subscription in Microsoft Points.

2. Control Scheme: you really just couldn't map abilites to a controller the same way you could to a keyboard. The game would probably be adjusted to avoid this, but i couldn't see it working that well.

3. Memory: Looking at the Downloader, LOTRO is about 7gb big. This is much more then my Xbox has available, but looking at something like the PS3, wherein the model i have has about 60gb, 7GB is a small sacrifice i'd be willing to pay for a MMO i could play on a console.


So, could a console-based MMO work, would you play it, and what are any issues you think it might have?

The memory thing made me laugh the new xbox360 has a 250gb hard drive I think that will do the trick.

Memory is not Hard Disk space people!

OT: Not really. They could give it a go though. I still don't think it'd work, nor would I want to play it.

 

[PureChaos]

of course, there have been some already

 

[Judgement101]

Nope, they are always bad, reviews say so, not opinions.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

Short answer: no
Long answer: noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Mainly because the console market has new releases almost every week, and since an mmo requires commitment, it would soon forgotten after call of duty bang bang warfare is released.

 

[soulasylum85]

as far as the control scheme goes sacred 2 does a really good job of solving that problem. you set the 4 face buttons as 4 moves then pull in the left stick for a set of 4 more and the right stick for 4 more. it works really well.

 

[soulasylum85]

Nope, they are always bad, reviews say so, not opinions.

reviews are opinions