I want to start from absolute scratch here. Make no assumptions. The perfect MMORPG could be sci-fi or fantasy, twitch-based or global cool-down based, sandbox or theme park, or it could contain elements of all of those.
That in mind, let's start at the very beginning: the genre. Are we going to be in space, wielding projectile weaponry, fighting giant mecha and aliens? Or will this be medieval fantasy - sword and board with magic and dragons? Or even somewhere in between?
I've always been a fan of high fantasy, if only for it's ability to adapt. I like the idea of magic versus technology, and high fantasy allows for a good mix of the two.
Another reason for my wanting to go this direction is that I'd like to keep things on one planet. Interplanetary travel has just never been my forte.
High fantasy would keep things familiar, while still having plenty of unknowns for players to discover. It's ability to encompass our favorite pieces of all other genres is it's strength - we can have steampunk, sci-fi, and the usual sword and sorcery all rolled into one.
In the long run, the kind of game we want to create will not be limited much by its genre. But it's something we should decide on before we move on to subjects that are affected by the games' genre.
So, what genre would you prefer and why? (poll will be up soon)
