Well, that’s me right now. But, I’m also truly excited about the next step on my interesting and curious path in this industry.

It is bittersweet that I let you know about that step I’m taking.

This week will mark my last week at Vivox. I have done what I came to do, and yet I’m leaving behind so much more than I ever expected. Not only a wonderful group of people who, despite the many hurdles along the way, stuck with us through beta and testing of Voon, but also a great family of individuals within this company, who give as much to their office life as they give everywhere else. Truly an amazing and talented group of people, and I’ve been blessed with the privilege of getting to know them.

In my absence, Jennifer Frkanec will be watching over you. Jennifer is the Director of Marketing at Vivox (employee lucky #7!) and will take good care of you with any questions, concerns or feedback. She can be reached at voon@vivox.com or directly at jfrkanec@vivox.com. Don’t hesitate to contact her – she will be there for you.

So, where am I headed next? Well, that’s a story for another time, and another place. But do not worry, I won’t be far, as I’ve become just as much a part of this community as I have been the leader of it. You might see me lurking in Voon from time to time, or sneaking into events now and then. If you do, I hope you take the time to say hello, and let me know how you’ve been!

Sincerely,

Maggie “AutumnKiss” Olsen
Community Member, Voon/Vivox

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So what makes a player stick with a game from beginning to end, for years and years, without ever leaving?  Customization?  Content?  Mechanics?  Graphics?  Community?  All of the above, or a little of one or another, or some but not all?

Let’s take a look at the various factors, and then maybe you can give your thoughts as well.

When a game is first discussed by a developer, we’re typically presented with concept art and a few tidbits about game play.  Things such as “Will there be crafting?” or “Can I ride a horse?”, and beautifully drawn images of creatures that we can expect to battle or expertly drawn visions of how we’ll look in this new world.  But is that enough to draw us in, or keep us?  In the Monster That Is WoW, the races and classes are fun (who doesn’t like being a Blood Elf or Tauren?) and specific.  One is unable to be a Draenei Druid, or Dwarven Warlock.  But this also allows for more racial traits to be tailored to the classes, creating a more cohesive dynamic for play.  Also, players receive points to put towards their Talent tree, for additional customization.

Right?

But what about in another successful franchise, the EverQuest and EverQuest II titles?  I’m admittedly unfamiliar with the game play of EQ1, but have played EQII since the days of beta.  I’ve played every race, and every class (although I tend to stick to certain ones anymore).  Each character can be individually customized through the use of Achievement Ability (AA) points (also known as Alternative Advancement in the EQ1 game).

In both examples (WoW and EQ/EQII), these points are divvied up in different trees specifically designed for your class.  So sure, customization is there.  But is that enough to keep you satisfied?  Every time you get a little bored, just reroll a new toon?  Hrmm… not sure about that.

What about content?  Are you a lore junky?  Or do you get more into the hardcore play style of questing/raiding.  Maybe you’re a crafter at heart?  Me, I’m a questing junkie who hardcore raids and crafts on the side.  So that should be plenty to keep me busy, right?  Not necessarily.  Ever since early 2006, I’ve discovered my inner bloodlust… when I joined the ranks of PvP players around the world - joining in the fray in EQII as it was introduced to the community.  (Okay, so I was also testing it out before it launched, and learned the truth about myself early on.)  So is there a proper recipe of content to keep players interested?  Not really, considering all of the different play types out there.  For me, I enjoy the ability to play as little or as much as I want, in whatever fashion I want.  But am I satisfied?  Maybe…

Let’s talk mechanics.  One of the most widely discussed and debated aspects of any MMO out there, I think.  I’ve always been intrigued by how many closet devs we have in the world… you know the ones who take the time and effort to thoroughly explain the ins and outs of an encounter, an instance, a character class and/or weapon proc.  And these people have charts, graphs, scales, smoke signals and scientists exclaiming the veracity of their information!  But, as is usually the case, not everyone agrees with others’ facts and figures.  So mechanics are widely debated and discussed.  With that said, the fact that so many take the time to learn about the mechanics of their chosen title, does that mean it is enough to keep them involved, entertained, and satisfied?  I’m going to venture a guess and say no.  I disagree with mechanics of the game I play on a regular basis (and so does my better half… quite vehemently, I might add!).  And while I might understand why something is intended to work a certain way, that by no means indicates I agree with it.

Graphics.  Okay, there is the real, surreal, and not-so-real.  That’s really my best way of summing it up.  The real to me is something along the lines of the FPS games.  Humans in realistic clothing with common weapons that we’d expect to see in a combat situation in today’s world.  The surreal… oh how I love thee, EverQuest II (also referred to as “fantasy”).  This is where it’s not a huge leap to watch humans and ogres cohabitating together and the entire view is willingly accepted by the mind.  And the not-so-real is for me (and, I’m admittedly biased) such as World of Warcraft.  Very “cartoonish” in its detail.  Celebrating the game aspect and inviting users into a world that is completely separate and wholly unbelievable by our human minds, while our imaginations embrace it so completely that we risk mental meltdown should we try to resist.  Aion is one of those for me… at least, what I’ve seen of it.  It’s so beautiful and unbelievably unreal, that I’m drawn to it with a desire to get lost in its cartoon depths.  But is that enough?  Will I return because of the eye candy?  Honest answer?  No.

So that leaves us with Community.  The other players around us.  The people we share this world with, combat against or next to.  The ones we debate about mechanics with, argue with about changes and their impact on the overall game, look to for help in a situation, encourage to try something new, invite to leave, troll for reactions, and pray that they never stop loving this world we call our own.  You may one day find yourself in a heated discussion on the viability of a mage in a player-vs-player battle against a priest, and the next be inviting that same person to figh alongside you in a player-vs-player battle against a mage/priest pair.

But is that enough to keep me, or you, satisfied with your game?

Honest answer?

Absolutely.  If it weren’t for the people who not only work on, but also those that play in my MMO of choice, I probably would have been gone a long time ago.  I’ve replayed the same content for five years because I refuse to give up the content that can’t be created, imagined, metric’d, or nerfed.  The community.  The people.

You.

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Did you attend the convention?  Do you have pictures or stories to share?  Did you stop by the Vivox Suite?

I’ll be compiling some of the best (at least, in my opinion) news and stories from the convention to post here for everyone to read… will yours be included?  If you think it should be, send me a link to the published item and/or your story via email to maggie@vivox.com.

Can’t wait to hear your tales!

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Considering that signing up and interacting is free, with no microtransactions for additional content or monthly subscription fees for the games that Zynga provides, could this be the face of the future MMO?  Just think, Zynga boasts 10 million active users a day.  I don’t think even World of Warcraft can say that.  11 million registered users, sure… but do they all log on every day?

I’ve had a few discussions with friends in the gaming industry in recent months, and they all seem to be in agreement that browser-based games of some fashion are definitely gaining a much larger foothold in the industry, and may be a force to be reckoned with going forward.

Well, let’s not forget there are some very large titles out there now that are browser based.  Runescape anyone?

I think that many of the big development companies, who traditionally produce multi-million dollar retail/subscription titles, are realizing that they are missing out on a very lucrative market. Recently, Sony Online Entertainment launched their first browser-based, free-to-play model, Free Realms, and within just a couple of weeks reached one million registered users.

Coincidence?  I think not.  Put such a widely recognized name like SOE on a cute browser title and splash “FREE!” across the front of it, and you’ll have a winner every time.

Wonder if we can look forward to World of Cutecraft in a free browser-based game in the near future?

Through this agreement, the APB player community will get high quality, feature rich voice chat from Vivox. Players will be able to communicate one-to-one or in groups in 3D voice via the proven Vivox Network. In addition, players can customize the voice of their avatars with voice fonts, further immersing themselves into the game experience. All of these Vivox voice services will be integrated with the APB game code to maintain the game’s fast-paced environment that the Realtime Worlds team is known for.

“We decided early on that integrated voice chat was a must for APB,” remarked Ray Miller, vice president of business development for Realtime Worlds. “We do everything best of breed and we knew we needed the best voice chat available. We evaluated all of the alternatives, and in the end it was clear that Vivox is the best and most cost-effective solution in the industry. Not only will we deliver a first-rate communications experience to our players, but we will also minimize our technical and business risks with Vivox.”

Rob Seaver, CEO of Vivox commented, “The developers at Realtime Worlds are renowned for creating a compelling game experience that engages players. Always pushing the norms of game design, they appreciate how voice will add an additional element of community and intensity to the game. We are excited to work with these industry pioneers and to add them to the growing Vivox Network.”

* * *

About Realtime Worlds
Realtime Worlds, founded in 2002, is one of the biggest, and most successful, independent developers in Europe - established by CEO and Creative Director David Jones. With an exceptionally talented staff of 220, its talented team has a tremendous history of creating some of the world’s best selling video games, including the global hit franchises ‘Lemmings’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and most recently “Crackdown”. In addition to its Dundee, Scotland development headquarters, Boulder, Colorado is the US headquarters for business development and online operations.

About Vivox, Inc.
Based in Natick, MA and founded in 2005, Vivox is the leading provider of community-building voice services for games and virtual worlds. Supporting over 10 million users in more than 180 countries, the Vivox Network is the world’s largest voice network for gamers. Vivox customers include game and virtual world developers and publishers such as CCP Games, Icarus Studios, Linden Lab, NCsoft, Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. For more information on Vivox and the power of voice, visit www.vivox.com

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Since then, I have been straightened out, for certain!  I mean… I’ve been working very hard for months now, and it has not been easy!  I’ve been forced to Twitter.  Expected to Facebook.  Demanded to network and write blogs about serious things!  I am required to chit-chat online with people in Voon, and read the internet for important information about our industry.

Which includes keeping up with the hottest topics around the internet… it’s exhausting!

But… and this is the final straw, I’m telling you… the weekly staff meetings that are full of lesson-filled discussions.  Here is proof of just how serious it is:

I’m not sure how much more of this I can take, either. I mean…

They only gave us one guitar!!!

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NATICK, Mass. – March 18, 2009 — Vivox, Inc. (www.vivox.com), the market leader in voice services for games and virtual worlds, today unveiled the Vivox Voice Toolbar, a simple and powerful browser-based solution that enables developers of online casual games, virtual worlds and massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) to connect players through voice chat.

Chat with an online poker buddy while playing a tournament. Imagine being on your guild’s website and asking for help to take down a mob you have been camping for days. Call into an event with your favorite blogger from your car to get the scoop on the most recent news. The Vivox Voice Toolbar seamlessly connects you with the people you want to talk to.

The Vivox Voice Toolbar gives game developers access to all the features, scale, reach and stability of the Vivox Network. It is a powerful tool for game titles that have an active in-game community and would like to extend the community to the web. Any game or virtual world can enhance the community and extend game play with a simple integration and minimal business risk.

“With the emergence of Web 2.0, game developers and publishers have been reviewing their web strategies, aiming to incorporate the best community-building tools to keep their customers connected to one another and to their products,” said Monty Sharma, vice president at Vivox. “Practically everything in the world today has a web-based community. The initial targets for the Vivox Voice Toolbar are web-based games with interest in developing their communities. Adding voice will bring a whole new social experience to these players and advanced opportunities for growth for the game developers. In addition, we are looking forward to working with a number of our partners to enhance the web experience for their established communities.”

The Vivox Voice Toolbar offers high-quality voice chat for dynamic and persistent channels associated with your community. Dial-in phone numbers are also available for users to connect when offline. In addition, a full set of widgets are provided to developers, allowing them to create a unique communication experience. As with all Vivox products, the voice traffic is handled by the Vivox Network that presently supports more than 10 million users from around the world and is supported 24/7 by a team of seasoned communication professionals.

Vivox will be showing the Voice Toolbar in booth #6314 North Hall at the Game Developer Conference at The Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, March 25-27, 2009.

About Vivox, Inc.
Based in Natick, MA and founded in 2005, Vivox is the leading provider of community-building voice services for online games and virtual worlds. Supporting over 10 million users in more than 180 countries, the Vivox Network is the world’s largest voice network for gamers. Vivox customers include online game and virtual world developers and publishers such as CCP Games, Icarus Studios, Linden Lab, NCsoft, Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. For more information on Vivox and the power of voice, visit www.vivox.com

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He recalls every character’s name, class, and level.  Just like you would remember your children’s.

You know the kind of person I’m talking about.  The one that sees a shout out “LF1M dps/heal for XYX zone, level 12+, PST!!” and can fill any one of those spots with one of his characters.  Always has a group, always doing something, and you just can’t keep up with all his names/faces/races.

I’ve often wondered why players are so addicted to creating so many different characters.  Is it their own split-personalities screaming to be let out?  “LET ME OUT, N00B, OR I TELL YOUR MOM WHAT YOU DID LAST NIGHT!!”

Oh… sorry… did I say that out loud?

Anyway!  So why do people feel the need to create new characters all the time?  Enjoyment of the early levels of a title?  Lack of attention span?  Desire to try it all and master everything?  Comparison of classes?  Name changes?  I have about 10 characters in the game I play, but I really only play two of them.  I’ve tried different things, but can never seem to put one to rest and play another.  I am driven to succeed to end-game before focusing on something else again.  But even those with multiple characters have that same need, and tend to rise to the challenge successfully - multiple times - simultaneously.

It’s mind-boggling, to say the least, and I’m searching for some deep understanding of the drive to repeatedly recreate yourself and do it all over… and over… and over… and over… and over… again.  And again.  Rinse.  Repeat.

Time to feed the alts!!

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Today, we have released our first update for Voon, (0.1.12.2100)! We have worked since our initial release to provide many fabulous fixes and features, and after gathering much feedback from our partners and their communities, we believe this latest version to be a major improvement upon an already fabulous application.

Users will not need to do anything except log in to receive the latest version.  You will be prompted to download the upgrade, and then you’ll be able to log in as usual!

As always, we’d love to hear your feedback!  Just let us know your thoughts in our Feedback Forum, so we can continue building on Voon based on our users thoughts and input!

Sincerely,

Maggie “AutumnKiss” Olsen
Community Manager
Vivox, Inc.

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10. Your character is out of food and drink, and you just don’t feel like making more

9. Some new in-game holiday is upon you, and you have nothing to wear

8. You invited someone from the community forums to look you up in-game, and they do

7. Your broker sales were insufficient to pay for your time to log in anymore

6. The people you hired to farm for you called in sick

5. You just got owned in PvP combat, and the guy fighting you was Tweeting about it. Live

4. Your murloc suit is bugged

3. The Choppa class is still not available

2. The voices in your head are telling you they’re going to kill you, and you don’t have a headset on

1. Your spouse/significant other is the one in #5 above Tweeting about owning you in PvP combat

Seems like a fairly good list of possibilities… did I miss anything?

/rage quit