Virtual Worlds Forum

UK newspaper The Guardian's games blog has set an interesting challenge for its readers: to come up with ideas for MMOs that AREN'T based on a fantasy or space setting. Writer (and VWFE 2007 panellist) Aleks Krotoski sets the challenge:

"Personally, I have a phobia of anything LOTR-related and have never rolled a dice with more than 6 sides. This orc and elf-centred online experience is enormously off-putting even to a seasoned gamer like me, and one of the reasons I still have never picked up World of Warcraft."

Anyway, some of the comments posted in response throw up good ideas. A few in quick succession: Mob-era Chicago, Mythical Athens, pirates (Disney has already nailed this one, I think), dinosaurs, Victorian serial killers, Wild West, Spying/espionage, an MMO set in a school, cartoon characters, and my personal favourite, "The Goonies meets LittleBigPlanet..." Guardian Games Blog post