What makes an MMO worth playing? w/Raph Koster

Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, and now Stars Reach. Raph Koster has certainly made his mark on MMOs that are designed as systems-led experiences that feel like breathing worlds. This interview goes over Raph's history of game development, and why Stars Reach is the culmination of decades of experience, new exciting technology, and an organic sandbox players can deeply enjoy with each other.

If that sounds exciting, consider checking out the Stars Reach Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starsreach/stars-reach

DL Gaming: A PC Gamecast adds games both new and old to your Steam backlog one slightly inappropriate episode at a time. 🤘

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

2:10 - Why make sandbox games?

5:54 - How did tabletop games effect Ultima Online?

10:45 - Sandbox games and PvP, griefing, and assholes

16:16 - What is the legacy of Star Wars Galaxies?

19:50 - What features were cut from Star Wars Galaxies?

24:20 - What mechanic is Raph's favourite from Star Wars Galaxies?

29:26 - How was working with George Lucas?

39:55 - What is Stars Reach a blend of?

51:08 - Sharding vs Shared Universe

57:27 - Guardrails vs Sandbox

1:01:39 - Exciting mechanics in Stars Reach

1:08:52 - How to support/play Stars Reach

1:12:35 - Raph's legacy and games based on peak emotional moments

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