Interview with Terri Perkins from FunCom
How many titles does Funcom have in development right now?
We have 5 in production including expansions for Anarchy Online, a sequel to the Longest Journey and 2 new MMORPGs.
How long is the average development cycle for your games?
Development cycles - not including the web based games, I'm going to say our average is around two years for single player games and two to three years for MMO games. The development cycle varies a great deal depending on the game. For AO, it was in development nearly 6 years and continues to develop now, 3 years post-launch.
How big is your team?
We are in the 120 to 150 range employee wise. Sizes for individual teams vary and fluctuate. We also have several partners on the publishing side.
What do you feel is the greatest design challenge in developing an MMO title as opposed to a standalone games?
This is my opinion and not necessarily that of a coder or designer, but to me it has to be just that it is dynamic. You're never "done" and the variables are changing constantly. The games are very time consuming to create and technology is changing while you're creating the work. It's definitely a challenge and is not for everyone. Many newer developers seem to think they will publish a game and lay back reaping the benefits while sipping Daiquiris on the beach. I think most greatly underestimate what it takes to survive and thrive with MMOs. This past year has served as a wake up call in this regards. Everything about an MMO is a challenge.
What specific advice would you give to those newer developers looking to make it in the MMO market?
Ask yourself what makes this game fun, what is new, unique and exciting about this project and why should it be an MMO. If you don't have good answers to these questions, REALLY good answers, start over now.
What prompted the recent change of Anarchy Online from having a 4-year story arc to becoming entirely open-ended?
The players didn't want it to end and the story took longer to unfold than expected. AO evolved. I wouldn't say it's entirely open ended, there's still a story to tell and an ending, but it won't be something that will take place in the near future.
Does FunCom solicit opinions on particular issues from players or do they simply make their voices heard? What sort of external playtesting do you do before releasing a new game or game feature to the public?
We solicit opinions on particular issues and take general feedback-both are vital. Testing is done in many facets and phases and varies in time and quantity based on the game. We have a test server, core testers from the community, a great group of volunteers, internal quality assurance teams and then betas, both closed and limited -depending on the product and needs. Even with all of these measures, the unexpected will happen or things may work one way in a test environment or even a beta; and then need adjustments later. Revising and tweaking are constant and ongoing measures.
How do you produce the new story assets for each of the new events in the game?
Producing new story is a cooperation between Bacchante (our Story Goddess) and the ARK (volunteer) Events Team. Bacchante usually begins by producing some ideas or discussing ideas with the ARK, from there they take her ideas and turn them into a larger plan (including a timeline) which then goes through an approval process involving Bacchante and Marius (Game Director). During approval we try to add some extra spice as well as ensure that the plan fits in with the overall aims of the game. Once approved this is turned into a proper events plan, with more details and individual events.
How long do these cycles take?
Its hard to really say how long this process takes, it is often ongoing and changes are sometimes made after the story cycle has started. For a large storyline (ie for a new expansion) I'd estimate it takes around 2 months from the day we say "We need a storyline" to "Woot! Its ready".
We noticed that players are often quoted from news stories about in-world events. How do you manage the story in the face of the players? Have there ever been any famous "monkey wrenches" thrown in a story by the players?
I believe in one of the early events the players managed to kill off Philip Ross during, luckily he wasn't actually there but he was using a hologram to make his speech. Still it was a bit of a surprise and the players were a bit upset that he didn't drop phat lewt. We've had a really tough learning process with Events though, players are always looking for new ways to make it a bit more difficult (charming Events characters pets was an old favorite) but we keep this closely monitored.
Continuing on that line, how do you keep track of your players both in and out of the game? What kind of setup is there for in-game and out-of-game assistance?
We use GPS's... (teasing!) :P Players whereabouts in game are monitored via extensive tools created by our staff. We really don't monitor them out of game, but provide for interaction in java based chat, irc, forums, radio and of course, the numerous fan sites.
We provide assistance in-game 24/7 using a petition system and several chat channels, via email and our website. In addition to this, there are numerous guides available on our sites and fansites, FAQs and tutorials and of course our in game help system using both tools and NPCs. Our volunteers and other players really help each other a great deal and this teamwork is integral.
What do you see as your target audience?
Our audience for Anarchy Online is the medium to hard core gamer. We designed this for them specifically because it's what we know and love and because there was a need.
What will it take to expand the market for MMO games?
It's happening as we speak and has been for a few years. It wasn't so long ago that females, retirees and pre teens were just not in these games or were the exception, this has changed and with each new MMORPG that launches, more are drawn into the world and people may switch games but most don't leave the genre. Once you discover MMORPGs, I think it's very difficult to be satisfied with another type of game for many players. When I started online gaming, most players were hardcore tech geeks, because no one else knew what a modem was or how to telnet. The PC and broadband evolution has contributed most to the growth.
How has AO evolved to serve these new types of players?
It is definitely difficult to try to make the game challenging for the veteran player and yet accessible to the person connecting on a dial up modem who may not speak the language well and who is also new to the online world. Serving these new types of players has been a great challenge. In an effort to meet the needs in this regard we've upgraded our "getting started" process, added more guides and help files; created new user interfaces, implemented a program to provide assistance to the newest of players and, again, take the feedback and try to meet the needs of all of the players that we can. I think this is an area we've done very well in and that most of our players appreciate the great customization opportunities AO has to offer as they develop their skills.
People are talking about the 'next generation' of MMO games. What, if anything, do you think will mark the difference between that generation and the current one?
More intense graphics, more use of voice, streaming media content and so much more. We'll have the ability to play no matter where we are and to utilize virtual reality devices. We'll see online games take on more advertising and use more advertising. We'll see several media forms blend and the seams differentiating them will blur. This is how I see it. It's a wonderful and exciting time to be a part of the gaming world.
How about the game design? How do you think it will evolve as the technology advances?
Technology often advances in direct answer to the needs cited by gamers. PC gamers constantly drive the need for more processing power, faster connectivity, larger storage spaces, better sound, better graphics. The game industry is pivotal as both developers and implementers of new technologies and the design will continue to evolve to take advantage of the innovations and continue to be pushed to create further advances. I believe we'll continue to evolve ahead of the curve in both technology and design. For specifics, to take a guess is difficult. I think that very few 10 years ago or even 5 years ago would have accurately predicted how the games today would play, look or sound. Personally, I'm looking forward to the further development of bio-gaming and holographic technology, "smarter" polygons and increased processing power to fuel AI. These things will drastically alter game play design and experiences and I can't wait.
What aspect of Anarchy Online do you think is most attractive to your players? (Social? Mob hunting? PVP? Roleplaying?)
Anarchy Online has a wonderful mix of Explorers, Social types, Role players and PVP'ers. In AO you can ask 10 people and get 10 different answers I have found.
One last question…what games are you playing right now?
I try out just about every MMORPG but usually not for more than a day though I wish I had more time to do this. In the EXTREMELY rare event I have free time to game, I find myself playing AO though I'm not a power leveler by any means, definitely the explorer type. If not playing one of our games or checking out the competition, I prefer the classics like Toe Jam and Earl, Space Invaders and Sam and Max and visit my old haunts- DragonRealms or Realms of Despair MUDs when I'm really in the mood for a relaxing change.
About Terri Perkins
Terri Perkins has been actively involved with virtual worlds since 1994 as a volunteer, consultant and employee. Terri holds a BSE in Education and spent pre-gaming years working with the U.S Air Force. She served as a senior administrator for Realms of Despair for four years, as a volunteer at DragonRealms, and in Senior Volunteer management at EverQuest before finding her home at Funcom in 2001. She is a founder of the AO volunteer program and has published several articles on gaming as well as portions of "Secrets of the Game Development Business" and the 2003 IGDA Whitepaper on customer service in gaming. Terri is currently working as Online Product Manager for Funcom.
About Funcom
Funcom is a world leading independent developer and publisher of computer and console games with a focus on Action Adventure and Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG). Since 1993 Funcom has provided the globe with outstanding entertainment and continues to expand its track-record of 23 released games to date. Recent successes include the multi-award winning The Longest Journey, the award winning and critically acclaimed Anarchy Online - The Notum Wars and the heralded masterpiece Anarchy Online - Shadowlands. The latest expansion to the Anarchy line , Anarchy-Online Alien Invasion hit stores on 1 Sept. Funcom is currently developing four games internally, including Dreamfall - The Longest Journey , further expansions and two "not ready for announcement just yet" MMOG projects. Definitely an exciting time for us.
For more information about FunCom, go to www.funcom.com.