Beckett's Most Influential People in the MMO Industry

[IainC]

Some ... surprising names as well as some curious omissions.

1. Rob Pardo
2. Hilmar Pétursson
3. John Smedley
4. Jack Emmert
5. Mark Jacobs
6. Todd Coleman
7. Jim Crowley
8. Andrew Gower
9. Chris Cheung
10. Michael Capps
11. Raph Koster
12. Rob Seaver
13. Jeffrey Steefel
14. Russell Williams
15. Gaute Godager
16. Richard Garriott
17. Min Kim
18. Gordon Walton
19. David Perry
20. Jeff Hickman & Paul Barnett

Source

[Rendakor]

I bet schild will be happy about a certain omssion.

[Goreschach]

From a strictly objective standpoint, you can't argue that a good portion of the people on the list haven't influenced the MMO industry, but this really does point out just what a gigantic failboat the entire industry is.

And does this mean Paul Barnett is only half a man?

[Modern Angel]

Unemployed Gaute Godager on the list, Tigole not on list. Beckett confirms irrelevancy once more.

[Xanthippe]

This is like those "Top 10 places to live" articles, isn't it?  One guy's opinion - and that guy is too chicken to put his name on it, or to justify his list in any way.

Meaningless fluff.

Well, at least now I know who Beckett is. 

[Venkman]

What the heck's a Beckett and why am I supposed to care?

[gryeyes]

[Falwell]

What the heck's a Beckett and why am I supposed to care?

The only reason I know the name is that they, WAY back in the day, were the big baseball card price guide. What the fuck they're about now with ranking video game gents is beyond me.

[Koyasha]

You'd think they'd have included Brad McQuaid; whatever one thinks of him or his games, I'd say 'influential' definitely applies, since we're still primarily playing games descended almost directly from EQ.

[tmp]

You'd think they'd have included Brad McQuaid; whatever one thinks of him or his games, I'd say 'influential' definitely applies, since we're still primarily playing games descended almost directly from EQ.

It's a list "for year 2008" so i'm guessing these names were picked based on last year achievements/activity or at least something relatively recent, rather than everything they did no matter how long time ago..?

[Lantyssa]

Interesting way to sell copies.  "Hey, let's pick some names that make everyone go 'Huh?' so they buy our issue to see why we made that decision!"\

[Numtini]

1-999 -- 999 people from Blizzard you've never heard of.

[Sheepherder]

The word was "influential", which means arrogant prick who draws a hundred enamoured starfuckers ever time they visit a forum.

[Venkman]

Speaking of forums, I think most threads around here get more posts than Beckett's entire forum. Seriously, what is up with that place? I only because this list was brought here presumably because the source matters in some form. I feel like any one of us coulda made that list. IainC, there something about that place that matters? I'm genuinely curious.

[Draegan]

You'd think they'd have included Brad McQuaid; whatever one thinks of him or his games, I'd say 'influential' definitely applies, since we're still primarily playing games descended almost directly from EQ.

Yet he stole he whole design premise from a fucking MUD.  The. Entire. Thing.  Maybe he invented 3D games.

[IainC]

Speaking of forums, I think most threads around here get more posts than Beckett's entire forum. Seriously, what is up with that place? I only because this list was brought here presumably because the source matters in some form. I feel like any one of us coulda made that list. IainC, there something about that place that matters? I'm genuinely curious.

They're not so big in the online space but they publish a lot of print media. As Falwell said they are mainly a guide for collectible stuff however they've branched out into all kinds avenues since.

[Krakrok]

You'd think they'd have included Brad McQuaid; whatever one thinks of him or his games, I'd say 'influential' definitely applies, since we're still primarily playing games descended almost directly from EQ.

Yet he stole he whole design premise from a fucking MUD.  The. Entire. Thing.  Maybe he invented 3D games.

Vs. Blizzard which stole their whole design premise from a guy who stole his whole design premise from a MUD.

[Venkman]

Oh please not this again. Everything in life is *evolutionary*. it's extremely rare for there to be one single event that produced a quantum shift in anything. If you don't start with that understanding, you'll eventually arrive there after having unraveled the true origins of something back to it's true roots. The diku system had more ancestors than descendants.

@IainC: ok that makes sense. So a web site for a portal of strategy guides ala Prima?

[UnSub]

We did this dance last year when Beckett released the 2008 edition of the list.

[gehrig38]

You'd think they'd have included Brad McQuaid; whatever one thinks of him or his games, I'd say 'influential' definitely applies, since we're still primarily playing games descended almost directly from EQ.

Yet he stole he whole design premise from a fucking MUD.  The. Entire. Thing.  Maybe he invented 3D games.

Vs. Blizzard which stole their whole design premise from a guy who stole his whole design premise from a MUD.

Exactly. If anything it's a recognition of people that recognized the future faster than the other thieves...

Says the thief....

[schild]

Says the thief....

So this is where we should stop caring? 

[gehrig38]

Nah, there are just tried, true, and tested things that the MMO space has proven work, and that players love. Don't reinvent the wheel where you don't have to. There are core game philosophies and mechanics that work, and always will. The key is having the right people PICK the right ones, and then innovating on top of that.

I think you'll come to care when you see it, I hope anyway. If not we'll get you at some point:)

[Cyrrex]

Nah, there are just tried, true, and tested things that the MMO space has proven work
 

Judging by how often they actually seem to fail, I think our definition of "work" might differ.

[schild]

Nah, there are just tried, true, and tested things that the MMO space has proven work, and that players love. Don't reinvent the wheel where you don't have to. There are core game philosophies and mechanics that work, and always will. The key is having the right people PICK the right ones, and then innovating on top of that.

I think you'll come to care when you see it, I hope anyway. If not we'll get you at some point:)

I'm sorry. I just can't let this go.

This post is so unbelievably short-sighted and stupid that I kinda wanna smack you upside the head with a sock full of rocks.

[gehrig38]

If we ever run into each other in public make sure to introduce yourself. I always enjoy meeting folks like you publicly and ftf.

[Rasix]

I'll be sure to send him a ball for you to sign.   

[schild]

If we ever run into each other in public make sure to introduce yourself. I always enjoy meeting folks like you publicly and ftf.

I'll be at AGC.

And drunk.

Most likely, at least.

[sam, an eggplant]

You're reading a lot into that statement. He didn't come out and say he was making yet another dikuclone, or even really imply it. His core philosophies and mechanics may be, like, "avatar customization" and "rewarding exploration", two concepts I can get behind. Nobody knows anything about his game yet, so it's a bit early to demonize the guy.

[gryeyes]

A duel to the pain!

[Vash]

You're reading a lot into that statement. He didn't come out and say he was making yet another dikuclone, or even really imply it. His core philosophies and mechanics may be, like, "avatar customization" and "rewarding exploration", two concepts I can get behind. Nobody knows anything about his game yet, so it's a bit early to demonize the guy.

Except that the developers of every major "AAA" MMO since WoW have spouted some variation of those exact words while they drove their game into the ground or close to it by following that ideology blindly instead of paying more attention to player/customer feedback. 

At this point hearing a MMO developer say that may as well be the official prophecy/motto of doom and failure.

Having (somewhat) new blood break into the MMO scene and repeat those fabled words is pretty sad/frustrating if you've been around the block before.

[sam, an eggplant]

Hah. I rounded that block many times, transcended the hardened cynical phase in which you still live, broke through my crystallus, and emerged a beautiful butterfly, hoping against hope for a new dawn to dry the dew off my newly budded wings.

[schild]

Hah. I rounded that block many times, passed through and transcended the hardened cynical phase in which you still live, breaking my crystallus, and emerged a beautiful hopeful butterfly.

Have you signed up for Bat Country in Fallen Earth yet?

[Lantyssa]

Watch out for windshields, little flutterby.

Edit:

Have you signed up for Bat Country in Fallen Earth yet?

We have a sign-up?

[schild]

Watch out for windshields, little flutterby.

Edit:

Have you signed up for Bat Country in Fallen Earth yet?

We have a sign-up?

For retail. Just to gauge interest.

[sam, an eggplant]

Damn you, quoting my post before I finished editing!