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massively multiplayer
On Developing a Passively Multiplayer Online Game
Posted by Maggie Greene at 1:00 PM on March 9, 2008
Last month, we mentioned something called PMOG, a passively multiplayer online 'game' of sorts, developed by GameLayers. One of the developers of this little experiment is Merci Victoria Grace, and she's over at Terra Nova for a guest writing stint; she's put up an interesting little article explaining what's going on with PMOG: how it came to be, how it's been implemented, and the challenges that come along with the 'game' design:
We're now in the beta of our second public version. Both versions were implemented as Firefox extensions that follow players as they surf the web. The players provide the game with access to their browsers; the game provides the players with weapons, writing instruments, a gifting system, and a self-generating RPG character.We started out to make a casual, massively multiplayer online game that took place alongside the rest of a player's online life. To do that, we had to answer two questions. One: what kind of interaction that occurs alongside the Everyday can we provide to players that they'll accept? And two: how can the game provide players with a set of behavioral summations that they could reasonably attribute to their decision-making process?
It's worth a read through, even if you have no intention of throwing your hat into the PMOG ring.
Human Data as a Playfield: The Passively Multiplayer Online Game [Terra Nova]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
freespeech
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
so big brother is calling what it does gaming now, huh??????
freespeech
alaren
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I used the "sign up for Beta" field and got nothing. Then I "signed up" for the site at the top right corner, and it created a login I could use with the plugin, no invitation required. "Playing" now, seems interesting.
alaren
justanotherblue
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Any invites left? I signed up a couple of weeks ago and haven't heard anything back yet. It certainly looks interesting, especially the steampunk flavoring.
justanotherblue
nightshade71986
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I personally don't think MMO's need to be any more passive than they already are. just my $0.02.
nightshade71986
ushao
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I've tried various PMOGs over the years. I think one of my favorites still has to be Progress Quest. [www.progressquest.com]
ushao
Drakron
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@shrewd: Considering how I daily visit 4Chan for trolling ... I do not I want to play this ..
Drakron
DHeitz31
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Various PMOGs have taken years of my life. If only I was there for my firstborn's second birthday!
DHeitz31
scndmg
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Ooooh, anyone have a spare invite? This looks pretty fun.
scndmg
Arboris
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@mutedia:
My thoughts exactly
Arboris
ushao
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Can anyone toss me an invite? I'm getting tired of the waiting game myself.
mdspambox (at) gmail.com
Thanks much!
ushao
el_gordo
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Sometime in the near future...
(sigh)... off to grind Kotaku for the billionth time to complete my set.
/nerf Crecente!
el_gordo
Byakko
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
For the love of gawd please let there not be another Gaia Online >____________<
I admit that what's said in the article is new to me regarding PMOGs, but just thinking of it as a genre, I automatically associate with Gaia Online, which is just...so...AH!
Byakko
Sekhem
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
lordsekhem (at) gmail.com if you still have more
Sekhem
Revenge_of_Nekojin
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Sent invites! :3
Revenge_of_Nekojin
meandering_drivel
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Pornosaur: infantry controlled really poorly... incredibly unresponsive movement... not to mention they nerfed aircraft controls, which were perfect in bf2... =(
meandering_drivel
Pornosaur
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@meandering_drivel: And Battlefield 2042 died a slow quiet death. Shame about that game could never get into it like the first Battlefield 1942 or Battlefield 2. Then again Battlefield Vietnam sucked also, so maybe just maybe Battlefield Bad Company will be good? Ah shit forgot about Battlefield Team Fortress 2. Well going on odds and evens one of them will be good, and yes I'm not counting the first battlefield on xbox 360.
Back on topic
I don't understand this PMOG at all so I will click the linky thing. The yellow quote box part had lots of words over 7 letters and adjectives. It's too bad I can't snipe words.
Pornosaur
nzapster
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Hmm... Give us your private, personal data and we will give you a character... Seems fair to me.
Seriously though, this looks like a fun way to add to your web browsing experience. Web 2.0 here we come!!!
nzapster
daemonk
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Can I get an invite too please. E-mail: daemonkow (at) gmail.com
daemonk
Purple-Penguin
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Revenge_of_Nekojin:
My e-mail is purplepenguin04 (at) gmail.com.
Purple-Penguin
Sicrowell
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Revenge_of_Nekojin:
michaelrtruly (at) yahoo.com
Thank you so much. I even have the toolbar installed already. :-)
Sicrowell
ausylo
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
i'd surely like to try this as i signed up for beta over a month ago and still have not heard anything back yet either.
ausylo
Sicrowell
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Revenge_of_Nekojin:
michaelrtruly@yahoo.com
Thanks so much.
Sicrowell
Drei
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Oh nvm. Seems he/she already gave them out. ^^;
Drei
Drei
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
May I please have an invite, my good Kotakuian?
Drei
Revenge_of_Nekojin
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Okay, I need some way to contact you guys. >< Kotaku doesn't have PMs.
Revenge_of_Nekojin
Purple-Penguin
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
This interests me as well, I would also like an invite if you don't mind.
Purple-Penguin
bonzomadrid
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I too would like to have one of the invites.
bonzomadrid
Sicrowell
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Revenge_of_Nekojin:
May I have an invite, if you please? S'il-vous plait?
For some reason this concept intrigues the hell out of me.
Sicrowell
Revenge_of_Nekojin
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I have two invites to give out to PMOG if anyone wants them. I'll check back in 10-20 minutes and send to the first two people that ask nicely.
Revenge_of_Nekojin
dowingba
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Doesn't work on the Wii browser? Pass.
dowingba
meandering_drivel
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@mutedia: BF2142 came preloaded with this...
we're tracking your web usage, trust us, it's part of the game!
but to be reasonable, your isp has all this data too, and could easily be selling it behind your back.
meandering_drivel
Wolfers
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I'm sure it isn't spyware, but I'm still not interested.
Wolfers
markusdragon
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I'd forgotten about this.
Signed up a month ago, still no word.
markusdragon
Jypsy
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Yeah I have been patient for close to two months now for this, it seems neato, but if i knew someone that was in, I could get a beta invite from them....grr.
Jypsy
Ignatius
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@shrewd:
Been patient for a month and a half now. Patience is running thin.
Ignatius
Lixie
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Yeah, I signed up. I also signed up for a similar game called Web Wars. Still haven't heard back from either. What's up with web-based MMOs being so hard to get access to?
Lixie
shrewd
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
@Ignatius: Same here. Just have patience.
shrewd
Ignatius
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I signed up for the beta, haven't heard a damn thing back.
Ignatius
ShaggE
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
I signed up for the beta and nabbed the toolbar. This should be an interesting experience.
ShaggE
mutedia
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
spyware disguised as a game? that's nothing new
mutedia
gamadaya
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
This falls under the catagory of things I would have never thought of even if I lived for a million years. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but this game really doesn't relate/appeal to me to the point where it's general weirdness peaks my curiousity..
gamadaya
shrewd
Posted 10:34 PM 19/3/08
Interesting. I like how the sites you visit most frequently determine your character's type.
shrewd