Smart-Phone MMOs

If there is one truth when it comes to gaming it is that our cell phones are becoming a bigger part of it every day. Casual games are finding their way into the hands of what we would previously consider non-traditional gamers and times really are changing. Historically I’ve hated the notion of cell phones. They allow people to be insistent and demanding. At all times they expect to be able to reach you. Despite that clear flaw I’ve been strapped to my iPhone the moment I got it. I don’t take it with me, it takes me with it. In the past I’ve written about what MMOs could do with a mobile application and I want to explore that further. What could be done? What should be done?

The simplest function for an MMO smart-phone application should be communication. How exciting would it be to be able to “log in” to EverQuest 2 via your phone and have access to guild chat. It wasn’t long ago that SOE offered a chat program for players who couldn’t log into the game. Exporting something like that to a phone shouldn’t be too difficult. That would allow players to keep in touch and feel engaged throughout the day or when they can’t be there. It would also allow guild business to continue. Players that were logged in via a smart-phone could show up in the roster with a special icon and could perhaps update their note with information on how soon they’d be home. This can be done manually or possibly via GPS! Imagine how much that could help raid leaders waiting for their members.

I’d also like to see an auction house and inventory application available for MMOs. Since it is unlikely you’ll be able to actually play the game via a smart-phone (for now anyway) you could arrange your bags and sell unwanted items on the broker. Much like stocks players could cruse the auction house all day long when they should be working. Once more developers would keep players engaged with the game during non-peak hours. It would also let players who feel like they’re missing out when their not on cope better. Can’t play? That is okay, you can at least make some platinum.

Mini-games that have minor effects on your character could also be exciting. Over the course of the day you could play puzzle games that would temporarily give your character an intelligence or wisdom buff. Platformer type applications would add to dexterity and agility. When it comes strength you’d have to avoid smashing your phone to gain that buff. Any temporary advantage could be granted through this system.

The potential is endless and I am pleased to see someone taking advantage of it. It appears that someone over at Cryptic reads Epic Slant (or can put two and two together) because they just recently announced a new iPhone application for Champion’s Online. The features are pretty simple but they’ll certainly be engaging. I’m sure sooner than later we’ll see WoW: iPhone edition though and I can’t wait!

This article was originally written as a guest spot for Scarybooster and is reproduced here due to Ferrel’s laziness!