Ahh, I understand now that I read your thread on their forums.

MMORPG games are not, typically, used with a browser. In fact, they use clients that get installed onto your computer like any typical game. In fact, browser-based games are the exception when it comes to MMO games. X-Wars does allow for many people to play at once, but it isn't really an MMO in definition.

For starters: MMO's are real-time and in first or third person. You are directly controlling whatever it is you are: a ship, a medival avatar, whatever. That is something that good MMO games simply cannot do in a browser, although some have tried. You are not controlling units or buildings or whatever that's in the action; YOU are IN the action. It's much more personal.

MMO's play exactly like any other video game would play. For example, take Bridge Commander, put it in a persistent universe where tens of thousands of people can play at the same time, and you've got something that plays a lot like EVE (but with several differences of course). EVE is a full-fledged MMORPG.

This might also relate to why you don't want to pay for games. Games like X-Wars, quite literally, are not worth paying for. The gameplay is strategic in nature, but it's still rather bland and you are removed from the action. Meanwhile, EVE puts you square in the middle of the fight. You have to monitor your shields, your hull, your weapons, your armor - and you only have one ship that you can control at a time. But you are there up close and personal going toe to toe with someone else. He might be pounding your shields with heavy missiles while you fly circles around him (literally) straffing his hull plating with your rail guns, blasters, lasers, whatever.

MMO's typically add their own levels of strategic play as well. For example, combat isn't all about dealing damage. There's also ways to control the opposition to influence their decisions by removing some of their available combat options. You could simply trap them and prevent them from fleeing, you can disrupt their targeting by using electronic warfare, you could sit back and support your friends by increasing their targeting ability, replenishing their shield strength, reparing their armor plating, etc, etc.

So... I'm writing a lot, heh. To make a long story short, MMO's (note: not games like X-Wars or other browser games) are, quite literally, the most complex programs ever offered to consumers with only operating systems being more complicated. Excellent MMO's requires years of development from a team of programmers. But, they also tend to push technologies with graphics, algorithms, gameplay, content, and processing optimization as much as possible. And this is why you pay to play MMO's each month. The language used by web browsers is simply not capable of fully supporting what MMO's try to do.

Holy Cripes! thats a ton of info for sure.

got to chew over all that for a bit..

It would be more amusing if it was post number 42...unless that's what you mean, Azhdeen.

I had noticed that you and Nem had a bit of a thing for disagreeing with each other. Here's something that will really get you going: which one of you likes Trek the most?

I can only speak from actual game play of both Games (X-Wars) and (Alligence) Yes Both are MMO's.

Infinity is also an MMO, just with a huge budget and many developers etc.

Nems game is created and still under development by 1 person. X-wars was created by I think 3 devs, but am not sure.

Truth? I look forward to Infinity, to give it a try. But for real time I'll take my Alligence any time! ! !

And to speak my mind, X- Wars is crap! Also they did charge to play and you got a few extras. Bad thing was NOTHING was fixed. Now the Devs are back in control of X-Wars and it is a bit better but is still loaded with problems.

I think the game was rushed myself ( talking about this round) Not enough bugs were fixed.

Alligience is Real time. Yea I do not se 3d graphics. but I wonder if I did if it would not ruin it's total hold on me

Thats something that concerns me with Infinity. the 3D could in a way kill the RT play of it. Plus when it is released how many of us are going to be able to play it without purchasing whole new systems or components?

Also I worry about a balanced game. Alligience is Balanced! X-Wars meh!! kinda ( if your under attack protection but that just my thought)

If we think about it.. Even Strobel's game could fall into the MMO catagory in a manner of speaking.

Overall , I'm addicted to Allegience plain and simple.. And at least with Nems game There will be almost ZIP for bugs..

The testers (At last test) were slamming hard on that. I know I'm of of em! and I wager Nem's hair almost turned white when we all pointed out problems! lol

With regard to Infinity, as it is still what 2 years out? I'm going to watch for updates, but am concerned it wont even make it outside the gate.
like so many others that looked great then died on the operation table.

At least with BOTF games were here to cattle prod the Devs if need be to keep em rolling. ( That was a figure of speech by the way! No insult or bodily harm intended! lol )

Thats all I got to say.

Well, most of the nukes seem to have already been launched, but I'll ring in.

In my occasionally faulty memory, the term 'MMO' did not exist (or come in to popular use) until it started, at first, to describe Everquest, and then in a much larger way later, SWG. Browser-based games had existed for a long, long time, and MUD's since probably around the time I was born. The fact that popular culture spawned the term yet didn't attach it's use to those games such as X-Wars and Federation (MUD I played back on AOL, those were the days!) suggests to me an obvious conclusion; rightly or wrongly, the term was not meant to apply to them, for whatever reason. There also seems to be a player requirement; Freelancer multi-player servers can and often are persistent, and your character's state is preserved after you log out just like, say, EVE, but there's a solid limit on the number of players. While still fairly large (at least with somebody hosting on an uber-computer from a university connection), it's never garnered the MMO title either.

The socialists on Wiki can debate it all they want, but the masses speak fairly clearly, or seem to at least.

As an aside, I can't recall the name of the now-defunct game, but it involved establishing a base in this world where most of the world had disappeared except for some floating islands of rock. It was partly a strategy game, but persistent and real-time, almost like an a huge version of Homeworld, and it was considered an MMO. But again, the masses have determined that it's disctinctly different from browser games.

For the record, I don't always agree with the masses, but the masses determine all things by their overpowering will, so I merely submit to their oppressive rule.

Oh, and the Allegiance thing with fixing a player cap with multiple galaxies -- thats one thing I hate about several MMO's, but EVE refuses to shard (except for their China server, which is understandable). But, I've become an EVE fanboy, and it's destroying my education, so I won't rant on that.

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What he said.