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Virtual Worlds are Hot right now

Ozi

Ozi

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Dave ozi Epsolon
Check this link to an article today from Tech Crunch
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/08/virtual-worlds-are-so-hot-right-now-345-million-invested-so-far-this-year/

The big question: is Mindark doing enough to establish the relationships and attract the investment to grab a frontrunning position in the space?

Seems like a hell of a lot of competition on the horizon. Mindark have a huge advantage by having years of development ahead of the likes of google. However, they have the best access to the worlds internet users. Working out how to form partnerships with the likes of these guys will be crucial to the future of EU if it indeed to take it's place as the number one platform in the world.
 
MA cant get many people involved simply because its a gambling enterprise...
Same reason Mcdonalds doesnt put ads in casino's and sex shops
 
lots of funding towards virtual worlds there, yet not one is a direct competitor. there just doesnt seem to be much interest in the RCE concept, just virtualisation of the real word and elaborate networking sites. Im not sure MA has an advantage at this point that couldnt be overcome in a year by an upstart with suitable marketing backing.
 
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Ozi said:
Check this link to an article today from Tech Crunch
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/08/virtual-worlds-are-so-hot-right-now-345-million-invested-so-far-this-year/

The big question: is Mindark doing enough to establish the relationships and attract the investment to grab a frontrunning position in the space?

Seems like a hell of a lot of competition on the horizon. Mindark have a huge advantage by having years of development ahead of the likes of google. However, they have the best access to the worlds internet users. Working out how to form partnerships with the likes of these guys will be crucial to the future of EU if it indeed to take it's place as the number one platform in the world.
Click to expand...

I like competition.

Competition makes a company get their act strait. Makes them want to make customers happier ;);)

I think some competition to the RCE model of games is good. I look forward to seeing more. I am not jumping ship if something becomes more popular I am here for another year at minimum and beyond. I like this game (universe) alot.:cool:
 
the topic is 100% right and i think
competion is the biggest issue in MA these days

to get better insight in what's going on check this out - http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/
lots of info there
 
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Hmm why wouldnt people see RCE combined with VR as an exciting consept!
Just you wait, the masses will come.
 
Pollus said:
Hmm why wouldnt people see RCE combined with VR as an exciting consept!
Just you wait, the masses will come.
Click to expand...

I agree Pollus, it seems there is a shitload of money looking for a virtual world home. Look down that list and it's a who's who of the worlds top Venture Capitalists. They are all looking for a stake in the next Google.

Despite some doom and gloom in the world economy, there is a heap of investment money available for the right companies. MindArk could grow like mad if they'd just get out and raise a few hundred million and employ an army of developers and marketers. Just raising the money acts as a massive marketing boost - as the VC's have learned, the investment into the company can become a self fullfilling prophecy, people go and join the Virtual World because it raised money, it's successful because it's successful :)

MA have a small handful of developers, how long will it take Google to catch up if they employ a few thousand?
 
Pollus said:
Hmm why wouldnt people see RCE combined with VR as an exciting consept!
Just you wait, the masses will come.
Click to expand...

acctually that is right, but don't forget about ROI
its all about that.When u will have lot of VRs with same fun but cheaper
ppl won't invest in RCE
 
ROI and gameplay are most important here and...EULA, because MANY players resign after reading Entropia Universe EULA.

If other dvelopers will make more friendly EULA...they will get more players.

Rest of factors are important too, I dont wanna post them.

I hope RCE is only possible in Science-Fiction MMOG, like Entropia.
Imagine RCE in something like wow...sick (fantasy sucks, its a fairy tale for kids and for the weak)
 
Snabble said:
MA cant get many people involved simply because its a gambling enterprise...
Same reason Mcdonalds doesnt put ads in casino's...
Click to expand...

They don't need to put McD's ads in casinos because they put the full blown restaurants inside them.
 
All these "competitors" if they even should be called like that, have one thing in common. They are just 3d versions of myspace, facebook and what else is out there on the social networking market. What they all lack is the gaming aspect and even more important that their credits system has no tie to any real world currency.

Sure it can be quite interesting to create a fancy avatar here and there, design some clothes, cupboards, houses or whatever those competitors allow you to do with your time and then show yourself, chat and do...right...nothing more.
And thats why people are leaving those sites as fast as they registered, simply because it gets boring pretty fast.

EU offers a similar way to be creative and interact with people (and it gets better with every VU) and it even gives you something to do when you are bored of that.
You just go and hunt, mine, craft, be a landowner, organize events and so on. And the best part is. You can even make money out of it, if you are persistant and clever enough.
Thats the reason why the duration the usual EU participant EU stays with the game before he/she eventually quits is one of longest among any other virtual universe or gaming platform.
Heck, I am here since 6 years now and I can´t get away :laugh: I have never played any other game for that long...

Sl for example had lots of big names opening branches in their world because it was just "in" to be there and almost every big name got in there. What happens now is that some of them already leave again because they realize its not what they got promised. The user base and the audience they can reach is just too fluctuating.
Daimler recently announced they are withdrawing and I think I have read about other companies doing that as well.

So, to cut a long story short.
Once the new planets are out it will create such a media hype that everyone wants to be part of EU. I am pretty sure many big companies will follow with their own planets, continents or whatever. Who knows maybe MA is already negotiating with more partners like CKD.
And thats when the "competitors" will realize they forgot a few important parts in their enterprises and then the real competition will start ;)
 
Pollus said:
Hmm why wouldnt people see RCE combined with VR as an exciting consept!
Just you wait, the masses will come.
Click to expand...

because its too much like work?

Without compelling gameplay people wont come. Without real added value services to generate income people wont come.

EU has created a bit of a niche but no one is following. its reasonable to argue that no one can, since any attempt to replicate it would immediatly have half of EU avatars falling over themselves to get the Hyper Heal Units and MkX Vanquishers in the hope they will be as lucrative as EU items, which would put people off from the start and it would be still born.
 
Pollus said:
Hmm why wouldnt people see RCE combined with VR as an exciting consept!
Just you wait, the masses will come.
Click to expand...

I don't think market is too big actually, sure there are many that are interested
to invest in a VRwRCE, but how many are willing to spend money in one?
You can't trick people by nice lines, that money almost jump on you, and
think that kind of customer stays, when (virtual) reality hits them. ;)

IMO, EU must be presented more as a entertainment, not only a place where
you can make a lot of money without a lot of work.
There must be a better balance, that is more equall between entertainment
and VR with RCE, in the advertising for EU. Yes, easy for me to say, but
nearly impossible to do so, I guess. It's a thing that must be done thou'.

MA has lost a lot of players that were willing to spend, but since prices
are almost pathetic on interesting items, and ROI is not the best, they
left. Not only due to the two reasons, but also due to they want to use
their money, not hand them over to others due to extreme markup, and
to fees just to be able to hunt.
Even worse, these that has left, has warned friends that might have been
potential customers. So it isn't only a big part that has left, where vast
majority did leave due to they thought EU were "easy income", there are
also people that hasn't even tried EU, that boycott EU now, sadly. :rolleyes:

We can always hope the system can handle way more players in future,
so way more can play, hopefully a better linear ROI too, and then, EUs
future is quite promising. My guess is that a lot of old players will come
back, if they see that they can play longer than just some few hours. :)
 
Snabble said:
MA cant get many people involved simply because its a gambling enterprise...
Same reason Mcdonalds doesnt put ads in casino's and sex shops
Click to expand...

you contradict yourself here... McDonalds buys ad space in entropia.
 
A thought and very open to comment and other opinion.

Ozi said:
I agree Pollus, it seems there is a shitload of money looking for a virtual world home. Look down that list and it's a who's who of the worlds top Venture Capitalists. They are all looking for a stake in the next Google.

Despite some doom and gloom in the world economy, there is a heap of investment money available for the right companies. MindArk could grow like mad if they'd just get out and raise a few hundred million and employ an army of developers and marketers. Just raising the money acts as a massive marketing boost - as the VC's have learned, the investment into the company can become a self fullfilling prophecy, people go and join the Virtual World because it raised money, it's successful because it's successful :)

MA have a small handful of developers, how long will it take Google to catch up if they employ a few thousand?
Click to expand...


Just a thought very open to comment .

At present there is a burgeoning market of free add on applications in google and whatever you see as a net based application.
There is no doom and gloom in that, and as the 3rd world catches on it seems a prospect to expand.
Microsoft and their competetitors and there like are scurrying to develop web based applications.

EU have a software based platform it is free to run as long as you agree to the Eula which is fair, it is not a web browser base application!

I see a number of these web browser applications running agreements that seem similar to a Eula.

I see a number of VR / MMPORG'S offering free participation that requires an install and not a web browser, EU does not run browser base software as I can see.

The problem is that any respectable VR or MMPORG requires a decent set of data on their users computer for that users experience, its not browser based and thus this type of usability does not appear to match Web base apps of Google of Yahoo at this stage.

Google or whatever, seem to me, cannot provide the immensity of data download, if it were to affiliate with EU or any other MMORPG in a significant campaign and effort to gain market share with them. I dont profess to be all knowing on this, but due to the sizes of the packages required it may compromise there servers, I suspect if any agreement were reached they would attempt to share this cost to the providor of the software....hence in the current we see why EU and others provide installed packages apply to a discreet market.

Yes Google can affililite with the strong in this field, but only if there is a negotiated path for profiting via web browser type applications. They may have the capacity to install MMPORG'S but I suspect the prospect of and installed package of the propensity of Crytopia/EU may be too much at this stage. Particulary if it was on offer to every man and his dog to download, its free to forget .

That being said biggest losses would be big for MA or others , if they were that inprudent to accept a Google deal (or other) to share bandwidth cost and download server capability to supply such packages.

Given that I doubt that MA of any other MMORPG would commit as they are likely to be taken over by Google (or other) with financial failure

I suspect that this will remain the issue of expansion, China remains a big possibility however the market will be choked by the financial limitation of the general public there, I supect contained capitalization for EU as China becomes wealthier, and also a continued unique experience for those in the western world who are able to download and participate in EU.
 
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Jamhot said:
Wow thats hot news, and we already know that MA are in discussions with IBM too about this very subject, so interesting times ahead indeed! :D

Jamhot
Click to expand...
Huh?
Where have they said that?
 
Zefram said:
All these "competitors" if they even should be called like that, have one thing in common. They are just 3d versions of myspace, facebook and what else is out there on the social networking market. What they all lack is the gaming aspect and even more important that their credits system has no tie to any real world currency.

Sure it can be quite interesting to create a fancy avatar here and there, design some clothes, cupboards, houses or whatever those competitors allow you to do with your time and then show yourself, chat and do...right...nothing more.
And thats why people are leaving those sites as fast as they registered, simply because it gets boring pretty fast.

EU offers a similar way to be creative and interact with people (and it gets better with every VU) and it even gives you something to do when you are bored of that.
You just go and hunt, mine, craft, be a landowner, organize events and so on. And the best part is. You can even make money out of it, if you are persistant and clever enough.
Thats the reason why the duration the usual EU participant EU stays with the game before he/she eventually quits is one of longest among any other virtual universe or gaming platform.
Heck, I am here since 6 years now and I can´t get away :laugh: I have never played any other game for that long...

Sl for example had lots of big names opening branches in their world because it was just "in" to be there and almost every big name got in there. What happens now is that some of them already leave again because they realize its not what they got promised. The user base and the audience they can reach is just too fluctuating.
Daimler recently announced they are withdrawing and I think I have read about other companies doing that as well.

So, to cut a long story short.
Once the new planets are out it will create such a media hype that everyone wants to be part of EU. I am pretty sure many big companies will follow with their own planets, continents or whatever. Who knows maybe MA is already negotiating with more partners like CKD.
And thats when the "competitors" will realize they forgot a few important parts in their enterprises and then the real competition will start ;)
Click to expand...

i like your thoughts good points made :)
 
McCormick said:
Second Life and IBM just made it possible to teleport your avatar from SL into another "game-platform" which I cant mention ;)

http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/07/08/ibm-linden-lab-interoperability-announcement/

But who cares as MA does not want that (right now) ;p
Click to expand...

unless im missing something, all they've done here is move an avatar from the main SL server to a another running on a open source version. i fail to see anything clever or significant about transfering avatar data between two servers :scratch:. Come the new planets its more or less what we will be doing in EU.
 
McCormick said:
Second Life and IBM just made it possible to teleport your avatar from SL into another "game-platform" which I cant mention ;)

http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/07/08/ibm-linden-lab-interoperability-announcement/

But who cares as MA does not want that (right now) ;p
Click to expand...

Just a desperate attempt to get SL back into discussion imho :rolleyes:

Nah just kidding.
The idea behind it is good in regard to these 3d myspaces, but it only works there because those bridges can only be installed in Universes that dont have any gaming aspects in them and therefor no skill system.
The only thing you can transfer there and back quite easily is the avatar appearance. Skills require a major resemblance of the underlying system of the parties.
Of course if could be cool to transfer your appearance to SL or other Universes, but for what...its boring there in the long term :silly2:
 
I personally feel RCE and VR are contradicting to some degree, and thats why Eu will always be a small player in the MMORPG business

Keep in mind that there's a huge difference between players valuing the VR as having a real world value against the maker of the game stating that the game has/is a RCE.

And I'm not even going into the 'is EU gambling?' aspect here.
 
Personally I am thinking that CE2 will make or break EU...after all, even large numbers here can't be sure how well it will run on our current setups, who is going to splash out on a new PC simply to test a game...amd more to the point what company is going to miss that being a barrier that potential customers would need to get past to even enter EU at all? Most laptops won't handle it, and we have no idea what lag and performance issues will come tagged to it either, can you really see that type of headache improving with CE2 when hardware at the user end will be struggling never mind the MA servers?

I think MA have a cart in front of the horse...stunning and potentially impressive as CE2 is going to be it's not needed..people are, to fill all these new planets and places. People should have been way ahead of bells and whistles until hardware to run CE is much more commonplace.

What will the punters do if they can't run it? Sod off elsewhere to another virtual world that their hardware can handle or never download it in the first place more likely.

t
 
timmmers said:
Personally I am thinking that CE2 will make or break EU...after all, even large numbers here can't be sure how well it will run on our current setups, who is going to splash out on a new PC simply to test a game...amd more to the point what company is going to miss that being a barrier that potential customers would need to get past to even enter EU at all? Most laptops won't handle it, and we have no idea what lag and performance issues will come tagged to it either, can you really see that type of headache improving with CE2 when hardware at the user end will be struggling never mind the MA servers?

I think MA have a cart in front of the horse...stunning and potentially impressive as CE2 is going to be it's not needed..people are, to fill all these new planets and places. People should have been way ahead of bells and whistles until hardware to run CE is much more commonplace.

What will the punters do if they can't run it? Sod off elsewhere to another virtual world that their hardware can handle or never download it in the first place more likely.

t
Click to expand...

I guess that those MA really want as customers, has no problems to
upgrade to a new PC, with latest technologies. They can afford it. ;)
Sadly, rest of us can have issues with it though...
 
It is my opinion that RCE orientated virtual worlds will never be truly mainstream. Most people would rather play and spend time in the real world and/or a virtual world without the hefty fun per $ and/or low ROI.

You only have to look at the number of regular MMO players versus the same in RCE orientated virual worlds...

It also doesn't help the reputation of the genre seeing the bad press about the virtual worlds...

And I won't go into the bandwidth guzzling issue...

- Nightwolf
 
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