Two Worlds - MMO Interview @ Next Gen

[Dhruin]

Next Gen has an interview (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5460&Itemid=51) with Reality Pump's CEO Alexandra Constandache on Two World's so-called MMO style multiplayer:
How early on did you start to consider making Two Worlds an MMO?

We planned the multiplayer part from the first design scratch of our artists. But perhaps it’s necessary to define the term MMO a little bit better, or we’ll soon get into problems. What is a massively multiplayer online game? Is it like World Of WarCraft, is it like Guild Wars? Right now quite a lot of other games are sold that call themselves MMOs, but it is very difficult to give a proper description for this genre because of the different usage of the term.

Therefore, we simply spoke of a multiplayer part for Two Worlds for most of the game’s development. But now that we’re coming nearer to the release date, it’s important that the people know we’re not just presenting a small multiplayer function but a whole independent game, with hundreds of possible gamers taking part, namely a MMO. And as long as you do not define that an MMO requires monthly subscription fees, this applies from right at the beginning of the game’s development.
Is this a successful marketing move or one that just confuses players on what the game really is?
More information. (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=4899)

[Jabberwocky]

In answering the questions posed, Reality Pump's CEO basically implied that everything to make the game an MMO was implemented from the start. That makes me wonder.... Why did they just now say, "Oh, and we forgot to tell you - it's going to be an MMO!"
And why a 1 - 2 month further delay is necessary to make the game an MMO?

IMHO something doesn't add up...

[Corwin]

I noticed that too; it was the recurring theme of the interview!! We await developments!!

[Thaurin]

I think the interview was completely biased. They didn't turn Two Worlds into an MMO, but they increased their multi-player part at some point. At least, that's what the press releases back then indicated. Two Worlds never ceased to be a single-player game, which is hard to find back in the interview.

[Dhruin]

Which is their own stupid fault for using the term "MMORPG". They tried to ride the popularity of MMORPGs and in the process, confused everyone.

[Jabberwocky]

Or could they really HAVE suddenly decided to make it an MMO, and the previous design initiatives were aimed, as Thaurin pointed out, at a simpler multi-player aspect? - That would account for the added development time, AND make this recent interview jive, with the publisher covering their butts in claiming that the MMO concept was there from the start. Whatdaya think?

I for one couldn't care less whether it becomes an MMORPG or not, I've never played an MMO and doubt I ever will. Just too expensive and time-consuming. I can't even find the time to finish single player RPG's..

[Gorath]

I could be wrong, but didn´t this thing start as Knightshift 2 and the RTS part was scrapped a year into the project?

[Dhruin]

I think you may be right but it's hard to tie down -- a little like "is Dark Messiah Arx 2"? As I recall, they said something like they were working on Knightshift 2 and scrapped it for something more ambitious but I'd be surprised if they didn't use some of the code they'd worked on.

[Asbjoern]

I could be wrong, but didn´t this thing start as Knightshift 2 and the RTS part was scrapped a year into the project?

It was meant to be the successor to Gorky 17, if I remember correct.

@Jabberwocky. The added development time was primarily used on making the multiplayer to a MMORPG mode. But they didn't cover their butt in the interview. Next Generation had just misunderstood what Two Worlds is. Both singleplayer and multiplayer.