If MMORPGs are going to gain a bigger market share then some of them have to be different. OK, so welcome the impending arrival of new kid on the block - Maestro.
Maestro is the creation of Mike Oldfield. If you’re an aging hippy / prog-rocker, then: yes _that_ Mike Oldfield. For the rest of you he’s a multi-talented muso that created a series of mainly instrumental albums in the 70s and 80s. Famously an excerpt from Tubular Bells is that beautiful yet creepy music used in the Exorcist.
Mr Oldfield’s new project certainly looks different. While I was reading the PR for it I almost ran from the keyboard screaming – the bumph actually includes the line “Maestro is not a game - it is a lifestyle”.
But I’m not posting this to mock. No, really. Different is good right, and Maestro really does look like it has a few unusual elements to it.
- The project is not for profit.
- The core of the project is based on Oldfield’s work. Tubular Bells seems to be a constant theme but new and exclusive music is also promised.
- There seems to be some kind of server licensing deal so you can set up and run your own version.
- The environment is non-violent, socilising seems to be the primary aim of the space but game play is also an option.
Now you could dismiss this as little more than a 3D fan site – though I think that would be to rush to judgment as it will be interesting to know if a 3D fan site will work, is the presence of a star and exclusive content enough to sustain any kind of virtually embodied community?
There is also the structural and commercial model. If this is a form of game / social world, do the two mix or will it end up being a themed Second Life / There? The not for profit and potential to licence a server is fascinating, but what will be the restrictions – can I run a version of the code where I stream death metal and change the colour palet to sublet shades of black.
One to watch…
'Been keeping an eye on him... Oldfield is one of my favorite musicians.
When he released a single-player thing based on the same engine with his previous album I thought it was pretty neat -and weird-... This is pretty weird too. Somehow I'm inclined to believe the technology he would like to have available for this project just isn't there even today or next year. I guess we'll see where a VW without real budgetary constraints or profit goals goes...
Posted by: DivineShadow | Mar 01, 2004 at 13:58
This does look fascinating...but it does look like it contains some form of fee to play. In order for something like this to really take off, I'd guess it'd have to be free and well hyped. I'm sure I'll download the demo and keep an eye on where this goes, but I'm guessing it doesn't go much of anywhere unless it becomes a feebee and gets some press to gain a user-base.
Posted by: Bart | Mar 02, 2004 at 14:24
The first one wasn't free, I played the demo which was entertaining for a while. The feeling I got while playing it was a mix between what I felt while playing Myst -a puzzling and very pretty landscape- and the original Magic Carpet -freedom of movement-
I guess I need to see the finished multiplayer version of this... The single-player demos left me with the feeling that Mr. Oldfield was mixing two things that don't mix in my head. Namely, puzzle challenges and relaxation. When presented with something that is an obvious puzzle, even if it's figuring out what the puzzle is, I can't relax! When relaxing, my left brain powers off and the last thing I want to do is solve a puzzle!! Paint? Sure. Write? Sure. Play music? Sure. Abstract Logic? Sorry, that part of the brian is off right now.
It would be better if it was an immense landscape (truly huge), where you could just travel by pressing the "go" button and direct the travel with tilts of the mouse, and enjoy the ride. He did capture some of that, but the landscape is really small, the features are too simple, and the puzzle elements get in the way; for example when suddenly a horse appears in the distance, instead of it being a beautiful equine, my mind sees a puzzle piece, a challenge, my curiosity peaks on what the puzzle is and -blam- there goes the relaxing moment I was having.
Posted by: DivineShadow | Mar 03, 2004 at 01:41
20Meg download over my modem (that diddnt work the first time) - ouch that hurt!
I'll load it up and let y'all know what its like.
Ah just what i need: _another_ MMO in my life :)
ren
Posted by: Ren | Mar 03, 2004 at 03:48
All hands to the pumps, we've been /.'d (again):
Mike Oldfield's Online Game Makes Like A Maestro.
Posted by: Ren | Mar 03, 2004 at 07:41