[Editor's Note: Don't listen to the above video with the volume turned up at work. Get out your headphones.]
I've had enough MMOs to last me until the end of my days, and if another one never made it to the PR announcement stage, I'd be perfectly fine with that. I realize this is an insensitive statement to MMO fans everywhere, but I've never been renowned for my vast sense of tact, so there you have it.
Aussie developer Nnooo, who are responsible for the recent WiiWare game Pop, disagree with me. They are pitching two MMO concepts per their Licenses page, one for an X-Men-themed title and the second for a Pokémon title. As much as I try to avoid the timesink that all MMOs inevitably come with, some old part of me that was once addicted to them stirs: could I exchange Pokémon with my online friends? Engage in epic battles? Destroy someone's Charmander with my Squirtle? (Ahem.)
Of course, it's a pitch, not a reality, but the interesting thing here is more the gamer reaction to it than the reality of whether or not it gets made. What do you guys think? Do you vote it a 'do want', or do you share my grumbly sense of discontent with the overflooded MMO universe?
[Via mmorpg.qj.net -- Thanks, Jonathan]
Contest:
12:39 PM on 05.19.2008
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and no, those duds of a games on the Gamecube don't count.
im good on MMOs for awhile
Haven't seen that video in years, awesome!
I've been talking about wanting this for years. A Pokemon MMO would be so fucking awesome. SQUEEEE
Of course, if they just follow the formula along that of the main games and not those that have been on consoles to date, it should be fairly good and I'll probably have to splurge some wii points into it.
And wow, that video brings back memories. Like, of the early days of the internet. I think I still have the original WMV of that AMV somewhere on the hard drive of my dad's obsolete Gateway computer from the late 90s, stored away in the attic.
It all depends on how it's set up, really.
I mean, this is like my dreamed game.
Imagine you and your firends trying to beat Lugia, one has a Machoke and is tanking him with Karate Chops. The other guy is healing Machoke and you are trying to make as much damage as posible with your Squirtle.
Oh god, i need to change my pants.
But Lugia is psychic/flying. Machoke would get rocked.
Wow I've played pokemon way too much
But the problem: on wiiware? Even if its 2D sprite/hand drawn style, an MMO's got to take up a massive amount of space . . .
and from the guys that expected us to pay 700 points for Pop? I just don't know . . .
It's a good idea and I'd actually be interested in it, but please god don't let the makers of "Pop" be involved.
The major issue is that any battle system would be completely unbalanced unless there was a point system as for total base stats of your pokemon or something, and your pokemon can't go over that total limit.
If you can't tell I'd be all over this like white on our unhealthy rice.
I hate MMOs.
But a Pokémon MMO is the probably the most perfect mesh of concepts ever. I wouldn't play it, but the way Pokémon functions is absolutely perfect for the MMO genre.
Ninty is too conservative for it.
Also awesome mindless self indulgence song is awesome.
But not by Nnooo. No, not by them.
Effin' Pop.
PKMNMMO = my dream since online on consoles emerged.
wouldn't it be awesome if, depending on where you logged in from (ie/ where you live) you would get different pokemon and would therefor have to seek out people from around the world to trade with at like 'trade markets' or something. Also, in game tournaments and wild Pokemon I can see/ real trainers I can CHOOSE to fight = yum!
MMO marketing is always bullshit, just tell me when the damn game is released already!
*scoots off to play Age of Conan*
It would be keen to go to a virtual marketplace and look for trades that's more user friendly than the World Trade Zone. Even with buds in the same room it seems the game goes out of it way to make connecting complicated.
But I could see it, that's what I wished Colosseum would be. An open world with all the regions would be way cool. Having to accomplish certain tasks to get to other regions, good old MMO standard questing stuff. It would be sweet to encounter other (human) trainers in the wild to challenge. There could even be crazy team-ups with 6-on-6 battles against bosses and stuff.
Also, if it came to light, I'm sure the player battles would be well regulated because Nintendo wouldn't want it's younger players picked on.
And finally, it won't happen because as everyone else has said, Nintendo is too backwards to do it.
If it was done properly, my life would on launch day.