Up-coming MMORPG Based on Shakespeare's Works

Linnen writes "Edward Castronova has received a MacArthur Foundation grant to build a MMOG based on Shakespeare's plays." "Castronova said 'Arden' will launch — it's unclear when, as the game is still in the early design stage — built around the theme of 'Richard III.' That's because the play, set during the War of the Roses, offers historical context, as well as enough political intrigue, secret conniving, deal-making and war to delight any gamer, he said. 'It's a historical Shakespeare play, so that means it's really easy for us to take all the sort of fantasy stuff like knights in shining armor and peasants and woodworkers...and we can just really fit right into 'Richard III' right away.'"

The grind's the thing.

[Tackhead]

> An MMORPG set in the world of Shakespeare, where all the world's a stage?

...and all the players are idiots. Yep, that's about right.

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."
- Macbeth (V, v, 19), shortly after his wife unsubscribed and his guild fell apart.

Pretty much sums up every MMORPG to which I've ever subjected myself.

Shak-who?

[CAIMLAS]

Shak-who? I imagine 50% of the population under 25 doesn't even remember why Shakespeare is significant.

And 49% don't think his work is relevant or even anything special - just boring romance novel/chic flick type pulp.

What a piece of work is a man

[Anonymous Coward]

Weren't female parts played by men during that time on stage?

So it should be male gameplayers playing male toons who dress as females who has the ability to pretend to be male characters.

I worry,

[joe 155]

it mentions that because it's classed as one of Shakepeare's history plays they're taking the events in it as historical "fact", I hope that they include a note to say that pretty much none of it is "fact", maybe at the start in the form of a warning...

Waring: This play was written as propaganda against Richard III, the true king of England, by a man who was close to Elizabeth I and was too afraid to tell the truth which would cast doubt on the right (or otherwise) of the Tudors to the crown.

Sorry of you don't care, but it's important that people know the facts (or as close as we can get the them anyway)

I was browsing headlines...

[kabocox]

I was just skiming headlines. I think a Paris Hilton MMORPG would be more successful. Heck, why limit yourself with her? Go after the entire porn industry. Try digitizing all those porn stars and ameutars for the MMORPG of Porn Land. The place you go to flirt and find random characters to have sex with. Forget WOW or Second Life, I think this idea could really be the next big thing. We just need Rock Star to develop it.

Re:What a piece of work is a man

[brennanw]

Have you read ANY of Shakespeare's comedies?