In the future, will all games be mmo (although there are things like net speed and cost)? Since current AI is not advanced enough to immitate human behavior. Well designed mmo games are popular and populated, will this trend continue into the future and spawn into something much bigger? And the computer will not replace human players until scientists manage to download the human brain (not physically ) into a computer and machines are fast enough to think effectively like us. Thats my hypothesis of the future of games, i would like to hear what everyone thinks about this subject.

I don''t think all games will be mmo. there are many people who like single player and multiplayer games. You can''t really duplicate the story depth of a singleplayer game (if it was designed well)... I personnally like the Legacy of Kain series. (blood omen and soul reaver) Some games are easy but the story is well thought and deep. I also like just regular multiplayer games like Americas Army, Total A.

There are many people who just want to play a quick game of something against someone or to be entertained by themselves. This is not what MMO supports. Most MMO games are long in getting things done and you don''t experience a good portion of it if you don''t play a lot.

No they wont because MMO is "different" to single player not "better than". Many people like story based single player games and I don''t see any reason why this would change.

Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions
Game Development & Design consultant

The future is unseen. All we can do is speculate. I could see 10 years from now all software would allways be connected to the global network just because its so readily accessible.. but i doubt all games will be MMO, but rather they''d all have some sort of online capability.

I see games becoming more commercialized than an attempt to create new technology. A few years ago, games were just struggling to present as much as they could in a gamable fashion. Now, games can present just about anything they want, so it comes down to the content and what people are wanting to see in their games, much like what people are wanting to see on TV, in commercials, and in movies. Or rather, what the creaters think we want to see (i.e. whatever will bring you back wanting more).

No and here is why: multiplayer games aren''t always as fun as people think. Not everyone enjoys playing against other players, socialy inept or not.

I read that article and totally agree. But I won''t give up on online games. I know a few games which have good anti-moron things. AA is one of them. Admins are always waiting to hear about idiots and ban them. Players also have the option to kick them.

I have mentioned before i want to develop a MMORPG. One of the obsticles i''m trying to overcome is Lamers. People who use L33t chat while killing newbies. Those annoying people. HOw do I deal with them?

I could have the system log every conversation.
But I also thought of this.... WHen you register your account, you are also required to add your real mailing address and phone number. That way we can get a hold of the lamer and give him a few harse words. It makes it more personal than just the annoymous a-hole half way around the world.

Secondly, if someone is a repeated lamer, they will lose their account and all the time they have left on their card. It will also go to the victim. So a really picked on person could go 4 months without paying Would having the personal contact information of each person be an invasion of privacy? Would contacting the accused be going to far?

Not if you make the possibility perfectly clear. If you say up front, "Do this kind of stuff and these are the consequences," they have nothing to complain about. The problem is making sure the adress and phone number they give you is real. Maybe make a phone call part of the registration process.

That''s what I was thinking. Probably an automated phone system to confirm the phone numbers. people call in to activate their time card and the phone system will call them back.

I would say that real people are the weak factor in many MMO games. There''s always this little brad that likes to spoil it for everybody else.