GDC: Open MMO environments "overwhelming", says LotRO man
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Speaking at GDC yesterday, Turbine head Jeff Steefel has warned that open world MMOs are baffling to the masses and that the rigid structure of games themselves is needed to help them make sense.
"Coming into a completely open environment for a lot of people is completely overwhelming, especially when you reach out into a broader audience," said the Lord of the Rings Online developer. "The biggest intersection between games and virtual worlds is that games provide structure by their very nature."
He added: "Our jobs going forward, and the art of what we are doing, is in the balance between freedom and structure."
Steefel will be appearing at Codemasters' Connect 2008 event in the UK next month.