Online World Atlas: ForumWarz / Worlds In Motion
“In ForumWarz, players choose one of three classes and begin a largely single player adventure to gain levels, earn Flezz (the world’s currency) and “pwn forums”. Each player is allowed a limited number of forum visits per day. Players who choose to can take part in multiplayer aspects, including clans, “Forumwarz Domination” (a player vs. player challenge), building new forums or Incit, a mini game about creating amusing text to accompany images.”ForumWarz is absolutely great – and produced in Toronto, too, apparently, though I’ve never met the fine folks at Crotch Zombie Productions personally. It’s one of the few browser-based RPGs that I enjoyed almost unreservedly, and I await the second episode with more anticipation than I’ve ever had for any other kind of episodic content (including the Half Life 2 episodes.)
Also! Some interviews I did for Worlds In Motion that I have forgotten to link:
Q&A: Eric Hayashi And Steve Hoffman Talk Rocketon
Q&A: Vivaty’s McCurdy On Being More Social Than Social Networks
“In Barbie Girls, players create an avatar, design their room and can then explore a virtual world where they can earn ‘B Bucks’ play games, watch videos and chat with other girls in a safe environment.”
“Kingdom of Loathing probably isn’t the kind of game you’d plan to look at if you were trying to work out how to build a community in your MMO, but it only take a short time playing to realize such an assumption is dead wrong. Kingdom of Loathing might be more of a ‘game’ than an ‘MMO’ but as either, it easily outclasses many of the competition.”
“Build-A-Bearville offers a customizable avatar, home and spaces for players to interact with each other. Only players who designate each others as friends can chat freely, with all other discussion keyword based ‘safe chat’. Players can play games and embark on quests to earn “Bear Bills” which can be used to purchase clothes and furniture in in-world stores.”
“Fresbo World is a socially orientated online world like most others, offering a customizable avatar, a home to decorate and areas in which players can meet and socialize. Players can also arrange events and auction unwanted items, and games are available to play. The world has also been designed to allow users the ability to embed the client on social network pages.”
“Gaia Online’s community originally solidified around its forums, and the majority of Gaia Online users still spend most of their time there. However, the site has a massive range of other community options, with customizable avatars and home pages, an online world with towns full of user-owned homes that are just as customizable as the avatars, and games to play (with or against other members of the community).”
“WeeWorld has elements of both social worlds and social networks, with the player’s homepage similar to MySpace or Facebook, but also featuring a room for the player’s avatar, which the player can decorate with objects. Players can take their WeeMee into the WeeWorld and visit locations (largely to chat with other users) or can interact with other users socially via other methods (forums, messaging, etc.) and can also play a variety of games — most of which star the player’s WeeMee.”
“Mabinogi is (for the most part) a classic MMORPG, with players exploring dungeons, defeating monsters and purchasing weapons and armor. However, the title is also advertised as a way to ‘live your fantasy life’ and diverges from many other MMORPGs by not featuring a class system. Players can level up in any skills, which include ‘life skills’ such as fishing, cooking and playing instruments, and also age. Players are encouraged to go to school/take jobs, and to socialize by hanging out with other players around campfires.”
“In Dizzywood, players can create, customize and name a character to explore an enchanted wood.