Video Game Archiving Thesis... Need inputs...

[DigitalHermit]

Hey guys,

 

So I started looking into my planned undergrad thesis topic: Video Game Archiving, a Case Study of MMORPGs (temp)

 

Just to begin, this is some groundbreaking work for our derpartment and I have consulted with my advisor...

 

So far, I just need a few key titles to see how much ground I need to cover...

 

Can you guys give me some key titles? The examples should be MMORPGs discontinued by the original owners of the game (i.e. the company closed down, legal cases forced the discontinuation, etc.)...

 

Thanks.

 

ps. notable inputs will appear on the dedication page and acknowledgement page of my thesis...

 

also this thread will be more or less just me asking advice/other views about the topic...

 

a white-paper version will be uploaded once the final version of the thesis is published by the university...

[DigitalHermit]

This is when Wikipedia is useful.  http://www.ubergizmo.com/2014/11/diablo-as-an-mmorpg-no-longer-in-discussions-at-blizzard/  Topics like this might help.  

 

Interesting...

 

But what I'm after are MMORPGs that have been actualized, and have a community, then discontinued...

 

or any game dependent upon a server on the developer's side...

[minibois]

Take a look here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

 

The 7th column is about when the servers shut down (if they did)

[DigitalHermit]

Alright, I can see what else I can find.  I know there's quite of few of them out there, but I have to find the chart with their names again.

 

If possible can you link me to the chart (other than the one provided by @Minibois)...

 

Take a look here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_games

 

The 7th column is about when the servers shut down (if they did)

 

^This^

 

Thanks... I might cover the most recent 5 or whichever had the largest player base... (unfortunately using Wikipedia as a source in the thesis itself is not allowed, but this is a start)...

[minibois]

If possible can you link me to the chart (other than the one provided by @Minibois)...

 

 

^This^

 

Thanks... I might cover the most recent 5 or whichever had the largest player base... (unfortunately using Wikipedia as a source in the thesis itself is not allowed, but this is a start)...

Well if you see an interesting one, just go to its Wikipedia page and read up on it and you can use its sources.

For example this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_Online:_Age_of_Reckoning

 

it was announced by Mythic that Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning would shut down on December 18, 2013, due to the licence agreement with Games Workshop coming to an end.

You can use the source to that line in your essay.

[Pesmerga]

Ultima Online?

 

 

My friend did a Video games related thesis as well, but it was about the translation errors and poor localization in plenty of titles

[slightlyjaded]

I'd suggest something like SRMUD to begin with, or any multi user dungeon. After that it gets murky, and very influenced by publishers. (I've several friends who started off as users, and fanfic characters, and wound up as canon.)

 

Your next step would obviously be various fiction titles....

 

after that it's just exposition from various titles, that are acepted as canon.

 

I'm really trying not to steer you in a direction, I just feel the easiest might be near future tech/anime.

[Naveronasis]

I think the most notable shutdowns were probably Tabula Rosa, Auto Assault. And Starwars Galaxies. Another notable development cycle was also that of "Vanguard Saga of Heroes"

I mention these 4 games because of the highly public nature of each of their development/shutdown's. All of them having ties to the internal politics of the industry and all of them are involved with notable figures in the gaming industry.

The NC disaster:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_Rasa_(video_game)Ties to drama at NC soft, and Richard Garriott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_AssaultWas involved in the same drama from the same publisher.

Sony and Lucas Arts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_GalaxiesSony has long since had issues with MMO's and sending them off cliffs. This is the poster-child example. its ties to the film industry and how licensing effects development is makes for a all round useful case study
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard:_Saga_of_Heroeswas possibly doomed from the start seeing drama unfold durring and after development Involving SOE shinanigans like firing the ENTIRE development team and replacing them. The game was designed by Brad McQuaid one of the notable designers of the original Everquest. Before SOE had this game I believe Microsoft also funded it for a while before dropping support for the title.

Finally you could also look at Warhammer Online Since its development by contrast was very standard and drama free and yet it still failed.

[DigitalHermit]

I'd suggest something like SRMUD to begin with, or any multi user dungeon. After that it gets murky, and very influenced by publishers. (I've several friends who started off as users, and fanfic characters, and wound up as canon.)

 

Your next step would obviously be various fiction titles....

 

after that it's just exposition from various titles, that are acepted as canon.

 

I'm really trying not to steer you in a direction, I just feel the easiest might be near future tech/anime.

 

The direction you're steering me into is completely off topic (with relation to my thesis topic), sorry...

 

The goal is to build a preservation plan for MMORPGs...

 

I'll just be using the dead titles (and however they were preserverd or not) as examples...

 

an example of a preservation practice is the existence of private servers, but that also raises some question (which I will explain more in the thesis itself)...

[slightlyjaded]

I think the most notable shutdowns were probably Tabula Rosa, Auto Assault. And Starwars Galaxies. Another notable development cycle was also that of "Vanguard Saga of Heroes"

I mention these 4 games because of the highly public nature of each of their development/shutdown's. All of them having ties to the internal politics of the industry and all of them are involved with notable figures in the gaming industry.

The NC disaster:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_Rasa_(video_game)Ties to drama at NC soft, and Richard Garriott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_AssaultWas involved in the same drama from the same publisher.

Sony and Lucas Arts:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_GalaxiesSony has long since had issues with MMO's and sending them off cliffs. This is the poster-child example. its ties to the film industry and how licensing effects development is makes for a all round useful case study

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard:_Saga_of_Heroeswas possibly doomed from the start seeing drama unfold durring and after development Involving SOE shinanigans like firing the ENTIRE development team and replacing them. The game was designed by Brad McQuaid one of the notable designers of the original Everquest. Before SOE had this game I believe Microsoft also funded it for a while before dropping support for the title.

Finally you could also look at Warhammer Online Since its development by contrast was very standard and drama free and yet it still failed.

A current case study, and most of this is my opinion, and only substantiated by rumors, and the occaisional promo video.

 

Destiny was not a complete game.

 

They fired the story writer a few months before release.

The video they had shown in previous press releases was not included in the game release, and while they boasted expansive storyline, and 10 year development cycle... the actual game was easily completable in a couple of hours.

[Naveronasis]

There was also the quantum fuck-storm that was 38 Studios which is the largest disaster financially and legally in all MMO development history however to be fair it was never published. But it is extremely notable and you should include it despite its failure to be published. Started by a pro baseball player the company offered extreme relocation packages and even said they would pay of people's mortgages. Never did end up paying them, took money from the state of Rhode Island (75 Million!) and Electronics Arts (like 2 mil I think was all) before completely imploding and leaving a ton of employee's with foreclosed on houses the company never filed proper paperwork on or paid. They also accumulated a total of 130mil in debt in the process as a company.

Its still in court till this day, and will probably remain in court for a long time to come.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/04/24/chasing-dragons-how-a-misunderstanding-of-video-games-led-to-the-38-studios-disaster/

[DigitalHermit]

A current case study, and most of this is my opinion, and only substantiated by rumors, and the occaisional promo video.

 

Destiny was not a complete game.

 

They fired the story writer a few months before release.

The video they had shown in previous press releases was not included in the game release, and while they boasted expansive storyline, and 10 year development cycle... the actual game was easily completable in a couple of hours.

 

I can't count Destiny since the servers are still live... Might make an interesting "further study" suggestion though since Destiny also has a following on the consoles, making the practice of preserving the game very different...

 

 

There was also the quantum fuck-storm that was 38 Studios which is the largest disaster financially and legally in all MMO development history however to be fair it was never published. But it is extremely notable and you should include it despite its failure to be published. Started by a pro baseball player the company offered extreme relocation packages and even said they would pay of people's mortgages. Never did end up paying them, took money from the state of Rhode Island and electronics arts before completely imploding and leaving a ton of employee's with foreclosed on houses the company never filed proper paperwork on or paid.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/04/24/chasing-dragons-how-a-misunderstanding-of-video-games-led-to-the-38-studios-disaster/

 

This seems like an interesting case...

 

 

 

The inputs for now should be enough... I'll update this thread when the first chapter (and maybe parts of the second and third chapters) has been written and evaluated...

 

Thank you all for your assistance...

[slightlyjaded]

The direction you're steering me into is completely off topic (with relation to my thesis topic), sorry...

 

The goal is to build a preservation plan for MMORPGs...

 

I'll just be using the dead titles (and however they were preserverd or not) as examples...

 

an example of a preservation practice is the existence of private servers, but that also raises some question (which I will explain more in the thesis itself)...

Okay. So I gotta ask. You're3 looking at dead RPG's. but you don't actually care how they got there.

I was there through MUDS, ultima online. everquest. WOW.

 

For me these were milestones.

MUDS setup a way fpr various users to play in a larger universe with asynchronus multiplayer. (sure it was adjudicated by a GM, but it took advantage of various PBEM servers that weren't reallt=y being used. let alone telnet for various in character comands

 

 

Ultima online was persistent multiplayer.

What you developed remained inn the universe, and you could help your friends,

[DigitalHermit]

Okay. So I gotta ask. You're3 looking at dead RPG's. but you don't actually care how they got there.

I was there through MUDS, ultima online. everquest. WOW.

 

For me these were milestones.

MUDS setup a way fpr various users to play in a larger universe with asynchronus multiplayer. (sure it was adjudicated by a GM, but it took advantage of various PBEM servers that weren't reallt=y being used. let alone telnet for various in character comands

 

 

Ultima online was persistent multiplayer.

What you developed remained inn the universe, and you could help your friends,

 

If anything, I care more about how they died, how they continue their existence, and how their continued existence is threatened...

 

It's not exactly about the games themselves, but the life cycle of the games... If I can find a trend in how things go, the rest would be easy... (if the method that I have in mind would be accepted as valid)