Just wondering, has Ambrosia Software ever considered the concept of making Escape Velocity into a MMOLG (Massively Multi-player Online Game)?

I remember in days of old they decreed from upon mountain high:

"A multi-player version of EV would be to difficult and time consuming to make."

Well it seems to me that that selling a persistant EV universe with a monthly fee (customary in all MMOLGs) would be well worth the toil.

At a standard pricing scenario of say $20 for the title, and $9.95 a month, even if they only got 3000 subscibers (wouldn't be too hard for such a great game), that would net $29,970 a month is subscription fees (plus the initial purchases of the new title, which would represent $60,000 but only once). Seems like a rather profitable idea to me.

Well, either way, the gross income still equals out to selling 1200 copies of EV Overide a month.

- Ed

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It may happen, but Ambrosia isn't going to do it. There have been some third party attempts, and one that shows decent promise is getting under way now, which has it's own topic on EV Developers corner, with the same title as your topic, incidentally, just without the question mark. I suggest you go look over there. Additionally, if you have Ares, I understand there's an Override plugin for that.

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- Macavenger | e-mail: (url="http://"mailto:e-gamerguy1@home.com")mailto:e-gamerguy1@home.com(/url)e-gamerguy1@home.com

Cool, thanks for the info. If such a game does come out I will have to buy a mac again to play it but it would be worth it (601 96mhz ouch!).

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I think a lot of players would want an online EV, but there are a number of diffuculties with it:

1. The code would have to be completely re-written. Matt Burch is the only one who really knows the code well enough to do anything with it, and even then it would be very difficult and time consuming. Besides, he has said that Nova will be his last EV/

2. It would require an enormous ammount of bandwidth that Ambrosia simply does not have.

3. There would be continuity problems. In EV/O, one hyperjump takes 1-3 days. How would that work in an online EV? What about timed missions?

4. There would be problems with speed - laggy computers would mess the entire network up, not to mention the problems that would happen from having upwards of 50 people in a system at one time.

There are, I'm sure, many more problems.

Ares is basically the closest you are ever going to get to a multiplayer EV - so enjoy it!

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We make no destinction between terrorists and those who harbor them. - President George W. Bush, 9/11/01
(url="http://"http://www.escapevelocity.f2s.com")EV Upcoming Plug-Ins Directory(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.nohate.f2s.com")Don't Hate Me(/url) | (url="http://"http://yoshi.zzux.com/spaceport/")The Spaceport Bar(/url)

EV Online has been discussed to death. You're lucky you didn't immediately flamed for there mere mention of it. You probably confused some of the members with the big numbers.

I'll also say this. I would never ever pay a monthly fee to play an online computer game. In my opinion, any company that would consider charging you to play doesn't deserve my money.

And welcome to the boards.

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Every (url="http://"http://www.dropbear.trav.net")drop bear(/url) I see drives me closer to the edge

Quote

Originally posted by Myriad:
**EV Online has been discussed to death. You're lucky you didn't immediately flamed for there mere mention of it. You probably confused some of the members with the big numbers.

**

Why flame someone over it? He might have thought he had a unique idea - I did, when I thought of a multiplayer EV. I do wish people would read the FAQs, but I didn't read them when I registered. Why be a jackass when you can be nice, and still get the point across?

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We make no destinction between terrorists and those who harbor them. - President George W. Bush, 9/11/01
(url="http://"http://www.escapevelocity.f2s.com")EV Upcoming Plug-Ins Directory(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.nohate.f2s.com")Don't Hate Me(/url) | (url="http://"http://yoshi.zzux.com/spaceport/")The Spaceport Bar(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Starkiller:
**Why be a jackass when you can be nice, and still get the point across?
**

Well said.

But apparently, being a jackass is easier. Or saves time. Or looks cool. Or something.

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PlanetPhil
world keeps turning

Yup, you're right, this subject has been discussed before. Three guesses what is coming up...

(hint: you won't be able to post your guesses)

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EVula
(url="http://"mailto:evula@evula.com")mailto:evula@evula.com(/url)evula@evula.com