Comments on: MMO(M)GChart Updated http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/ Game design, development, and industry commentary by MMO Game Designer Ryan Shwayder. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:29:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Genda http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74871 Genda Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:06:46 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74871 LOL that response belongs back on that Community Manager thread. I think I'll add it. LOL that response belongs back on that Community Manager thread. I think I’ll add it.

]]> By: SirBruce http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74867 SirBruce Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:20:17 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74867 You're always free to download the Excel file from the Downloads section and make your own easier-to-read charts. :) Bruce You’re always free to download the Excel file from the Downloads section and make your own easier-to-read charts. :)

Bruce

]]> By: Genda http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74866 Genda Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:14:49 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74866 That would be awesome, Bruce. I love reading the data but the current charts can be pretty hard to read. You're posting data about quite a few games that are still current, and that leads to a lot of data points in a small area. Best of luck, I hope you find an easy and free solution. That would be awesome, Bruce. I love reading the data but the current charts can be pretty hard to read. You’re posting data about quite a few games that are still current, and that leads to a lot of data points in a small area.

Best of luck, I hope you find an easy and free solution.

]]> By: SirBruce http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74863 SirBruce Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:33:07 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74863 Actually I'm looking at <a href="http://www.amcharts.com/" rel="nofollow">amcharts</a>. The solution has to be able to read the data directly from the Excel or CSV file and provide interactive charts that are linkable. And be free. :) Bruce Actually I’m looking at amcharts.

The solution has to be able to read the data directly from the Excel or CSV file and provide interactive charts that are linkable. And be free. :)

Bruce

]]> By: Eric Martindale http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74860 Eric Martindale Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:31:20 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74860 Indeed, welcome back. Another suggestion from me! May I recommend the <a href="code.google.com/apis/chart/" rel="nofollow">Google Charts API</a>? Indeed, welcome back. Another suggestion from me! May I recommend the Google Charts API?

]]> By: Ryan Shwayder http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74850 Ryan Shwayder Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:59:31 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74850 I wonder if it also has something to do with the foundational strength of a community. The big-splash games have far more people trying to form the foundations of a community, and therefore it may be less firm. The smaller games have a very dedicated group of people to create a small but strong foundation to build from. The big difference between the big-splash vs. the niche games is that the marketing blitz does get a lot of people to try a game. If they don't deliver, they purge really really quickly. And, that marketing blitz can make delivering more difficult, because expectations are also increased. We've all seen what a big-splash marketing blitz can do when the game actually delivers in the form of World of Warcraft. The polar opposite of that would probably be Vanguard, which had a pretty big splash, but did not deliver and purged very quickly. I wonder if it also has something to do with the foundational strength of a community. The big-splash games have far more people trying to form the foundations of a community, and therefore it may be less firm. The smaller games have a very dedicated group of people to create a small but strong foundation to build from.

The big difference between the big-splash vs. the niche games is that the marketing blitz does get a lot of people to try a game. If they don’t deliver, they purge really really quickly. And, that marketing blitz can make delivering more difficult, because expectations are also increased.

We’ve all seen what a big-splash marketing blitz can do when the game actually delivers in the form of World of Warcraft. The polar opposite of that would probably be Vanguard, which had a pretty big splash, but did not deliver and purged very quickly.

]]> By: SirBruce http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74849 SirBruce Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:43:37 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74849 It's a function of their distribution model. AAA titles get released at retail with lots of advertising; as a consequence they get lots of press attention and lots of consumer attention and grow quite rapidly after launch. You get what's something like a log-normal distribution. A good game can keep growing for 3-4 years whereas a bad game may reach its peak in the first few months, but then it levels off and then begins a slow decline over the remainder of its lifetime that is almost irreversible. A game like EVE Online, Second Life, RuneScape, Tibia, Dofus, etc. rely on digital distribution and world of mouth. Thus, they subscriber base grows organically over time, starting quite slow but eventually accelerating. These games, too, should eventually reach a peak and then got into decline like other MMOGs. It's just that they aren't reaching that peak subscription base quickly because they don't have a big retail presence. It’s a function of their distribution model. AAA titles get released at retail with lots of advertising; as a consequence they get lots of press attention and lots of consumer attention and grow quite rapidly after launch. You get what’s something like a log-normal distribution. A good game can keep growing for 3-4 years whereas a bad game may reach its peak in the first few months, but then it levels off and then begins a slow decline over the remainder of its lifetime that is almost irreversible.

A game like EVE Online, Second Life, RuneScape, Tibia, Dofus, etc. rely on digital distribution and world of mouth. Thus, they subscriber base grows organically over time, starting quite slow but eventually accelerating. These games, too, should eventually reach a peak and then got into decline like other MMOGs. It’s just that they aren’t reaching that peak subscription base quickly because they don’t have a big retail presence.

]]> By: VPellen http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74840 VPellen Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:05:43 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74840 I skimmed those charts, and I noticed a curious trend: Smaller indie games tend to start with fairly flat numbers which slowly but steadily rise continuously, whilst all the major ones shoot up like a rocket on release, hover for a bit, and then slowly descend. I skimmed those charts, and I noticed a curious trend: Smaller indie games tend to start with fairly flat numbers which slowly but steadily rise continuously, whilst all the major ones shoot up like a rocket on release, hover for a bit, and then slowly descend.

]]> By: SirBruce http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74835 SirBruce Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:18:37 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/02/14/mmomgchart-updated/#comment-74835 Thanks for the welcome back. :) When I started I registered mmogchart, mmorpgchart, and mogchart (for a short time there was an attempt by some to shorten the acroynm from MMOG to just MOG, but that never went anywhere). But I didn't think to register mmochart, and some other domain squatter grabbed it, and they never respond to my requests to buy it from them, so... :P I'm certainly keeping the G even if I get the domain. Of course, the site has gotten a makeover too, and I'm looking at transferring the charts to a nice interactive flash solution, but one thing at a time... Bruce PS - I fixed your name in the Blogroll. :oops: Thanks for the welcome back. :)

When I started I registered mmogchart, mmorpgchart, and mogchart (for a short time there was an attempt by some to shorten the acroynm from MMOG to just MOG, but that never went anywhere). But I didn’t think to register mmochart, and some other domain squatter grabbed it, and they never respond to my requests to buy it from them, so… :P I’m certainly keeping the G even if I get the domain.

Of course, the site has gotten a makeover too, and I’m looking at transferring the charts to a nice interactive flash solution, but one thing at a time…

Bruce

PS - I fixed your name in the Blogroll. :oops:

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