STILL CRANKY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS [Author: Lum the Mad]

Crossroads of Dereth posted an interview Friday with Chris “Stormwaltz” L’Etoile, fiction czar for Asheron’s Call and now working on Asheron’s Call 2. Interesting read, especially since AC’s attempts at pulling off a narrative structure within the confines of an MMORPG has always been its high point.

I don’t think we’re revolutionary enough to bring new elements into storytelling. I do think we’re unique in that we were the first to give an *MMP* a constant, consistent month-to-month plot. UO and EQ are both essentially static worlds, although both have experimented with continuing content. Our monthly events, leading towards a preplanned end point, are probably the MMP equivalent of Babylon 5, the first preplotted serial TV series. Now Dark Age of Camelot and Anarchy Online are taking the same approach. I’m glad to see it happen – B5 concluded in November of 1998, and I’m still waiting to see another “novel for television.” It’s comforting to know that if AC gets canned tomorrow, there will be others carrying the banner.