The Ancient Gaming Noob wrote an article (based on a wikipedia entry) on the generational division of MMO’s. UO was among the 1st generation, DAoC among the 2nd, Wow among the 3rd. As AGN noted, it seems a rather unsatisfying division.

I’d be more interested in seeing a classification of MMO according to their genealogy: that is, the streams of influence and similarity (perceived or actual) among MMO. One could propose and assign various ‘genes’ to each MMO.

Taking into account the age of each MMO, one might then be able to graph a sort of family tree. Such a mapping might indicate areas of under-explored potential in the ever crowded MMO space.

I would propose, for example, the following ‘genes’:

• Diku: The MMO’s primary focus is the repetitive completion of tasks, usually combat (or a proxy that resolves to combat, like ‘collect 10 rat tails’). Each task completed advances the player’s avatar in some way.
• Monopoly: The MMO includes an extensive crafting and economic system (inter-player buying and selling).
• Monopoly – RMT variant: The MMO officially supports the exchange of in-game economic surplus for hard currency.
• Skilz – Twitchy variant: In this variant, the player’s own ability is paramount.
• Skilz – RPG-S / RPG-C variants: The player’s avatar’s skills are paramount. Minor variations are distinguished according to progression by “class” or “skill”.
• Ganker – RvR variant: Player v. player competition is permitted, restricted by the race, alignment or group.
• Ganker – PvP / WTF variants: Player v. player competition is permitted, entirely unrestricted. WTF is a rare subtype that provides draconian abilities to the winning player, such as full corpse looting. While the WTF variant does arise in the population from time to time, it rarely seems to thrive in North America.
• Luv-U: The MMO’s primary focus seems to be inter-player communication, gifting, orgies and often fur.
• Sand – Box variant: The MMO includes set features permitting players to impact the world environment. Player housing and cities are prime examples.
• Sand – Cock variant: The MMO permits players to introduce novel content, for example, flying penises.

One problem with this approach is that, unlike biological entities, MMORPG inherit their ‘genes’ from many sources. The graph of the family tree might get rather complex with more than two parents for every child. Another complication is the fact that any discussion of ‘genes’ (aka influences / similarities) would likely devolve into a controversy of arbitrary rules and arguable perceptions.

Then again, the ‘genetic’ approach is used by Pandora quite successfully, to build custom music channels based on musical ‘genes’.

Using this approach, it’s clear that Second Life (Luv-U, Sand-Cock, Monopoly-RMT) has more in common with Active Worlds (Luv-U, Sand-Cock, Monopoly-RMT), than WoW (Diku, Skilz-RPG-C, Ganker-RvR, recessive Monopoly). Indeed, the family tree would show that the nearest common ancestor of these is Chat-Room (Luv-U).

WoW (Diku, Skilz-RPG-C, Ganker-RvR, recessive Monopoly) and DAoC (Diku, Skilz-RPG-C, Ganker-RvR, recessive Monopoly), on the other hand, are near kin. Indeed, WoW, DAoC, AO, UO and others are all descendents of Diku-MUD (Diku, Skilz, Ganker, Monopoly). Diku-MUD, daughter of Chat-Room, was a prolific breeder and today presides as matriarch of the clan typically associated with the surname MMORPG.

Among those with the surname MMORPG, Second Life and a very few others, have a distinct genetic code. This lack of genetic diversity among those bearing the MMORPG surname presents cause for concern. At least one MMORPG-geneticist has commented that this might well contribute to the extinction of the MMORPG surname in the face of growing environmental pressures.

Of particular interest to this budding genealogist are the direct descendents of UO (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, Ganker-PvP/WTF), including SWG (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, recessive Ganker-RvR) and EVE (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, Ganker).

SWG, as you may recall, was horribly deformed as the result of a genetics experiment gone awry. It is rumored that VSoH (genetic profiling not yet available) might well be the secret love child of UO and EQ. Several others in this line have vanished and are presumed dead, including Mourning (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, Ganker-WTF variant), DnL (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, Ganker-RvR) and Darkfall (Diku, Sand-Box, Monopoly, Ganker-WTF variant).

I am eagerly seeking descendents of UO’s blood line, but I hold out little hope. This family line may well have ended.