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[beeglebug]

I've got an idea digging into my brain at the moment for a browser based multiplayer game which would be almost entirely text based, but I can't shake the feeling that that particular boat sailed about 10 years ago, and consequently nobody would touch it with a barge pole if I made it.

I'd like to think I could make a decent game without it ending up as just another dodgy Mafia Wars clone, and looking around it seems that games like Echo Bazaar / Fallen London are quite well regarded (although more for atmosphere and writing than gameplay), so maybe there is a valid niche there.

So what do you guys think, do you think the genre is still valid, and is it even possible to make a good game in that style?

[mono]

initially i thought you were talking about something more like a MUD which would be dope.

[Eadow]

It really depends on the game. I think it's a hit or miss market: either it will be loved or it will be forgotten.
The first wall you will hit is that the average gamer doesn't like to read and prefers pretty graphics, so you will have to go looking for a pretty niche audience.
But it's doable, it just has to be unique enough to stand out.

[Vallar]

I'd say there is a market for it. But it isn't as broad as your typical MMO.

As you mentioned Fallen London for an example... there is also Kingdom of Loathing that has been there for... what? Around 8-10 years?

However to enter that market you'd need an understanding of your competition, what they did to succeed and what you have that they don't have. Aside from that... the typical marketing, advertisment, advertisment and advertisment one more time.

I found this about a year ago... hope it helps you:
http://www.diygamer.com/2010/05/years-kingdom-loathing-interview/

[Chris Koźmik]

Yes... I kind of make a living making these. But... I'm not so sure it makes sense to enter the market now, it's in decline (introduction of Facebook which butchered the market, consoles with access to net, invention of mobile phones), it's basicly nothing near what it was before. The maximum you can realistically expect is 500 daily players each making you $1/month on average (assuming you did everything right, are dedicated & hardworking, got a unique idea, very good execution, etc).

Aside from that... the typical marketing, advertisment, advertisment and advertisment one more time.

Nope. Can't use advertising for these games, ARPAU is too low to afford it You need to relay on word to mouth.
Plus, you don't really want casuals, thay were eaten by Zynga and other monsters, so you need to go for hardcore, and advertising does not work for them.

Of course there always are exceptions, I just described how it works from the point of view of 95% indies that make these

[Vallar]

Yes... I kind of make a living making these. But... I'm not so sure it makes sense to enter the market now, it's in decline)...

Oh my, that sounds worse than I thought and expected. That makes it sound like Fallen London and the likes are all "flukes"? Is anyone trying to re-vitalize this section of the gaming industry?

Like a few years back, 2D pixel based games weren't really something to show off... then all of a sudden every game is made out of pixel art...

[Chris Koźmik]

Oh my, that sounds worse than I thought and expected. That makes it sound like Fallen London and the likes are all "flukes"? Is anyone trying to re-vitalize this section of the gaming industry?

There is no revitalizing, the old times simply will not be back ever again Like 12-15 years ago some kid (I don't remenber the name of the game) put a simple game and got 10,000 active players in a week. Similarly Kingdom of Loathing (released at the right moment). It simply is not gonna work again :D Not at this scale, not even near 1% of that scale It's natural, now players have other options to choose from (like Facebook with hundreds of games).

As for Fallen London, well, I would not go as far as calling it "Angry Birds of browser games" but it's definitely an exceptional success. No indie I know reached anything even remotely similar.

[Vallar]

It is really sad to see something like this happen. I really hate when indies have to struggle so much to do what they like.

There are lot of games (text based MUDs but with graphic maps) that I grew up playing and enjoying -- I can't remember the exact names it was a bit of time ago. The only reason I stopped playing is that I simply don't have loads of time as before...

That said... how about an integration of Facebook and location-based service? Something like Ingress but all text-based. Do you think something like that would appeal to people?
Perhaps an adaption with the current times could get things moving again (for example the rogue-like genre in the old days were really unforgiving, now it has come back but it is less harder than before to break the barrier of entry and appeal to more people).