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A growing trend in the videogame industry seems to be Western developers with little to no MMO experience suddenly deciding, “Hey, let’s make an MMO!” Another trend? Those MMOs being based on a free-to-play, microtransaction model.
Perhaps no example tops that of Petroglyph, a developer with plenty of experience in the industry thanks to their hit RTS titles, but with no experience developing an MMO title; until now.
Late last year, the studio announced that they were working on an upcoming microtransaction-based MMO, titled “Mytheon.” During this year’s GDC, I sat down with Petroglyph’s President, Michael Legg, and Petroglyph’s CEO, Chuck Kroegel, to talk about “Mytheon,” and learn just what, exactly, the title will be all about.
“Mytheon” flirts with several genres and sub-genres, and its total combination has yet to be done. Michael described the game as their version of “’Magic the Gathering’ meets ‘Diablo,’” and from hearing them talk about it, there are a half dozen other games you can toss in there.
As the name implies, “Mytheon” is going to be a game rooted in a mythological setting; it will launch with areas inspired by Greek mythology, with Egyptian coming soon thereafter. (Or possibly even at launch.)
The core gameplay of the title revolves around the idea of players collecting and using “stones,” which are essentially like your “MtG” cards. “Mytheon” will feature three classes, and each class will have some stones that are specifically for its use, and others that they’ll get added benefits by using. For example, one class might do more damage using one stone than another would. (Of course, there’s always the general stones that can be used by anyone to the same effect.)
Stones come in two varieties: spells and summons. The usage of the summons in combat is where Petgroglyph’s experience in the RTS genre shines through; unlike other similar games on the market, battles will occur in realtime with RTS-styled micromanagement, rather than be turn-based. Say you summon a Cyclops. That Cyclops will appear beside you, and you’ll be able to control it as an additional unit, until a summoning timer runs out, at which time it goes poof. Summoning creatures, then, is not only a way to inflict damage, but a way to expand the number of your combatants.
Enemies will also be using this stone/summoning-based combat system. While generic baddies will have a fairly limited set (so that you can grow familiar with their tactics), bosses and other harder fights will have larger “decks” of stones to pull from, making each battle a unique experience. Just like “Magic,” you – and they – will have no control over which stones fall from your deck into your rack, so any number of beginning hands and battle outcomes is available depending on the luck of the draw.
Not only will you be able to fight using summons and special stone-based attacks, but your character can also jump into the fray. Each of the classes will be unique; so while one might be right at home running up to melee range and bashing on things with a sword, another will prefer to sit back and pew-pew with fireballs.
Like “Guild Wars,” “Mytheon” is based on a hub/instanced system. Players will travel to central hubs throughout the world, and from there can enter a number of instanced maps. The starting point on each map is always randomized, as is the content on it. One steadfast feature, though, will be the way the maps are set up; no matter what the shuffler gives you, the outer edges will always be easier, while the inner portion will be the true challenge.
Players will be able to take a party of three others into any given instance, giving a total player count of four. (Of course, you can also solo – but where’s the fun in that?)
Sounds fun, right? There’s more good news: Petroglyph is damn serious about making sure “free-to-play” means that it’s free for everyone to play, and not a bait and switch tactic, or a trial being marketed as a full free game. So while players will be able to purchase aesthetic costumes, or maybe a rare stone, everything that can be purchased can, over time, be earned by playing.
Sure, people can buy things like rarer stones that will help them in combat, but those can be crafted by throwing certain common (and uncommon, and rare) stones into a “forge,” where you can combine them and construct a better one, if you have the recipe.
As Michael put it, spending money is more of a convenience factor than something that will give players with money significant benefits, or access to “premium” areas and features. He used an example of a flying mount in “World of Warcraft.” Rather than waste his time earning gold to buy a flying mount which will only once again deplete his gold, it would be much easier (and a better move) for him to just pay $10, $20 bucks to unlock a mount for use. “Some people don’t have the time to grind, and the time they do have is too valuable to not be having fun,” as he put it.
Paying players will also help out non-paying ones, as they’ll be able to buy items and skills that will give buffs to the entire party they’re with. So, if your friend is playing and pays for a certain party buff/item, every time you’re ever in his group – paying or not – and he activates it, you’ll also get the benefit. This is also beneficial to paying players, as the non-paying ones will be of more value in instances, and won’t hold them back should they decide to spend money on certain features.
Not only is Petroglyph excited about entering the MMO genre for the abilities it gives them as developers (“We can update the game in days!”), but they’re also excited at the prospect of having a dedicated, multiplayer userbase. Events, new quests, limited edition stone drops, and other things are all on the docket.
At the moment, there’s no set release date for the game. But with a battle tested Western studio putting this much focus into making a new, unique MMO experience – and with the parallels to “Magic the Gathering” and “Diablo,” realtime RTS/CCG combat, a mythological setting spanning several cultures with more to come, and the “Pokemon”-like draw of “collecting it all” – it’s definitely a title to keep an eye out for.
Hear that sound? It’s all those Eastern free-to-play MMO developers that clone “Lineage 2” time and time again crying out at the imminent threat of the Western free-to-play explosion. If things go their way, Petroglyph will be right on the frontline, knocking quite a few of them on their backsides.
Source, MMOHub
Perhaps no example tops that of Petroglyph, a developer with plenty of experience in the industry thanks to their hit RTS titles, but with no experience developing an MMO title; until now.
Late last year, the studio announced that they were working on an upcoming microtransaction-based MMO, titled “Mytheon.” During this year’s GDC, I sat down with Petroglyph’s President, Michael Legg, and Petroglyph’s CEO, Chuck Kroegel, to talk about “Mytheon,” and learn just what, exactly, the title will be all about.
“Mytheon” flirts with several genres and sub-genres, and its total combination has yet to be done. Michael described the game as their version of “’Magic the Gathering’ meets ‘Diablo,’” and from hearing them talk about it, there are a half dozen other games you can toss in there.
As the name implies, “Mytheon” is going to be a game rooted in a mythological setting; it will launch with areas inspired by Greek mythology, with Egyptian coming soon thereafter. (Or possibly even at launch.)
The core gameplay of the title revolves around the idea of players collecting and using “stones,” which are essentially like your “MtG” cards. “Mytheon” will feature three classes, and each class will have some stones that are specifically for its use, and others that they’ll get added benefits by using. For example, one class might do more damage using one stone than another would. (Of course, there’s always the general stones that can be used by anyone to the same effect.)
Stones come in two varieties: spells and summons. The usage of the summons in combat is where Petgroglyph’s experience in the RTS genre shines through; unlike other similar games on the market, battles will occur in realtime with RTS-styled micromanagement, rather than be turn-based. Say you summon a Cyclops. That Cyclops will appear beside you, and you’ll be able to control it as an additional unit, until a summoning timer runs out, at which time it goes poof. Summoning creatures, then, is not only a way to inflict damage, but a way to expand the number of your combatants.
Enemies will also be using this stone/summoning-based combat system. While generic baddies will have a fairly limited set (so that you can grow familiar with their tactics), bosses and other harder fights will have larger “decks” of stones to pull from, making each battle a unique experience. Just like “Magic,” you – and they – will have no control over which stones fall from your deck into your rack, so any number of beginning hands and battle outcomes is available depending on the luck of the draw.
Not only will you be able to fight using summons and special stone-based attacks, but your character can also jump into the fray. Each of the classes will be unique; so while one might be right at home running up to melee range and bashing on things with a sword, another will prefer to sit back and pew-pew with fireballs.
Like “Guild Wars,” “Mytheon” is based on a hub/instanced system. Players will travel to central hubs throughout the world, and from there can enter a number of instanced maps. The starting point on each map is always randomized, as is the content on it. One steadfast feature, though, will be the way the maps are set up; no matter what the shuffler gives you, the outer edges will always be easier, while the inner portion will be the true challenge.
Players will be able to take a party of three others into any given instance, giving a total player count of four. (Of course, you can also solo – but where’s the fun in that?)
Sounds fun, right? There’s more good news: Petroglyph is damn serious about making sure “free-to-play” means that it’s free for everyone to play, and not a bait and switch tactic, or a trial being marketed as a full free game. So while players will be able to purchase aesthetic costumes, or maybe a rare stone, everything that can be purchased can, over time, be earned by playing.
Sure, people can buy things like rarer stones that will help them in combat, but those can be crafted by throwing certain common (and uncommon, and rare) stones into a “forge,” where you can combine them and construct a better one, if you have the recipe.
As Michael put it, spending money is more of a convenience factor than something that will give players with money significant benefits, or access to “premium” areas and features. He used an example of a flying mount in “World of Warcraft.” Rather than waste his time earning gold to buy a flying mount which will only once again deplete his gold, it would be much easier (and a better move) for him to just pay $10, $20 bucks to unlock a mount for use. “Some people don’t have the time to grind, and the time they do have is too valuable to not be having fun,” as he put it.
Paying players will also help out non-paying ones, as they’ll be able to buy items and skills that will give buffs to the entire party they’re with. So, if your friend is playing and pays for a certain party buff/item, every time you’re ever in his group – paying or not – and he activates it, you’ll also get the benefit. This is also beneficial to paying players, as the non-paying ones will be of more value in instances, and won’t hold them back should they decide to spend money on certain features.
Not only is Petroglyph excited about entering the MMO genre for the abilities it gives them as developers (“We can update the game in days!”), but they’re also excited at the prospect of having a dedicated, multiplayer userbase. Events, new quests, limited edition stone drops, and other things are all on the docket.
At the moment, there’s no set release date for the game. But with a battle tested Western studio putting this much focus into making a new, unique MMO experience – and with the parallels to “Magic the Gathering” and “Diablo,” realtime RTS/CCG combat, a mythological setting spanning several cultures with more to come, and the “Pokemon”-like draw of “collecting it all” – it’s definitely a title to keep an eye out for.
Hear that sound? It’s all those Eastern free-to-play MMO developers that clone “Lineage 2” time and time again crying out at the imminent threat of the Western free-to-play explosion. If things go their way, Petroglyph will be right on the frontline, knocking quite a few of them on their backsides.
Source, MMOHub
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