Enter The AOL Matrix - Matrix Online Using AOL IM

Thanks to Reuters for its report discussing America Online's embedding of AOL Instant Messenger in the forthcoming PC MMORPG, The Matrix Online. According to the story, which points out that "America Online and [game publisher] Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment [are] both units of Time Warner Inc", aliases will be created: "Players will be able to keep their in-game identities separate from their regular or instant-messenger personas, AOL said, by linking their in-game name to their instant-messenger screen name." It explains: "When players sign in to the messenger service, 'buddies' they have made from within the game will see their in-game name, rather than their regular AOL or AIM identity."

These ideas come from management

[superpulpsicle]

When you see ideas like this, you know the ideas came from people who don't play games. Or big management guns execs who are trying to make some dough.

Listen, the only you give away your IM name is

A.) when you want to join someone's clan

B.) when you want to someone to join your clan

C.) when you are really trying to know someone

In all of the above, I wouldn't want my regular user name to be my AOL IM. As if I don't get enough spam, last thing I need is to be IM spammed by the people I fragged.

Re:These ideas come from management

[ziggles]

In all of the above, I wouldn't want my regular user name to be my AOL IM. As if I don't get enough spam, last thing I need is to be IM spammed by the people I fragged.

What? Slashdotters don't even read the summary now?

"When players sign in to the messenger service, 'buddies' they have made from within the game will see their in-game name, rather than their regular AOL or AIM identity."

You don't use your regular user name.

Suspension of Disbelief

[GTRacer]

I'll be the first to admit that the concept behind The Matrix is one of the biggest mind-poppers I've yet seen. However, having AOL IM in-game will just make me think the Machine AI was either dumb or gullible for having installed any version of AOL...

Phear my l33t 1m sk1llz...or not...

GTRacer
- The Matrix has you, indeed!

won't protect your im screename

[Anonymous Coward]

if the goal of this is to protect your im screename, it won't work. I've done packetsniffing on im packets to spy on other people in my dorm hall, and every message you send is prefixed by (to username) and every one you recieve has (from username) in front. so if this uses the regular aol protocol you can find out who you're talking to, as the game would just changes the name of who you're talking to.

Re:won't protect your im screename

[Morgon]

Actually, I think the "Name linking" that they're referring to is the feature in the current version of AIM that allows you to basically log onto two names at once (things that programs like DeadAim and AIMutation have been allowing you to do for some time).

So when you log in to your master name, your other name(s) log on as well, at the same time, with seperate lists.

Oh god.

[Anonymous Coward]

I can see it now, a million variations on:

Neo17327826: hi how r u asl lol!!!1!

Sounds like a great time. I'll be sure to rush out and buy a copy of this game the moment it's released.

Re:Oh god.

[Tensor]

Or 1000 GUYS with

Trinity696969 ;)

Just like in AOL.

The Kiss of Death.

[Roshin]

The Matrix MMORPG has DOA written all over it, but surely embedding AOL in it is the Kiss of Death. RIP

Re:The Kiss of Death.

[Anonymous Coward]

Your comment was rejected: Not enough acronyms.

Re:The Kiss of Death.

[I am Kobayashi]

Yep, decisions like these - made by marketing or higher execs - almost inevitably end up hurting a game.

And considering that Matrix MMORPG isn't even really an anticipated release by MMORPG regulars, you can pretty much kiss it goodbye now....

Well...

[Cebu]

I'm am Jack's complete lack of surprise. Really, who didn't see this coming? Most online games have been heading in this direction for quite awhile now, with several game development studios working on similar solutions (Valve's Steam, Microsoft's Xbox Live Tsunami, etc).

I find it more surprising that no MSN Messenger integration occured in the initial offering of Xbox Live. Furthermore, it wasn't surprising, but somewhat disapointing that Xbox Live communication was performed on a per a game basis -- thus support varies per a game, while some games have no Xbox Live communications at all. I'm certain it alleviated a lot of software maintenance and OS deployment issues for Microsoft, but it has some obvious disadvantages.

So what does this have to do with AOL's integration of IM with the Matrix Online? Well, I predict AOL's IM integration into the Matrix Online: the IM clients will be standalone applications. For example, when you launch the Matrix Online, it will force your current IM client offline then launch it's own custom IM stack. I have a hard time believing AOL has a nice clean portable IM stack, which they can simply throw over to Monolith Productions [lith.com], or an IM service in the works.

The more likely scenario is that they are making a slightly customized version of their IM stack, which places AOL in the interesting position of maintaining two stacks. Or, more likely, in maintaining their current IM client and occationally doing updates to Monolith's IM stack... until it slips their minds.

This game will bomb, horribly.

[delus10n0]

This just adds to the list of reasons why this game is going to fail.

When you release a half-finished, bug-filled game, promise you're going to fix it, and then do nothing about the issues (re: Enter the Matrix) you're going to piss off a lot of fans.

Re:This game will bomb, horribly.

[mutewinter]

All jokes aside, I completely agree with you. I have 0 expectations for this game. Enter the Matrix was mildly amusing for the first 15 minutes, but that was it.

I suspect this game is not only going to fail but be a big money loser for the developers. On the positive side, it may help to expand the MMORPG market share by exposing casual gamers to online gaming... but I doubt it.

With the huge number of new and very promising number of MMORPG on the horizon, is there anything that sets the Matrix Online apa

What is the Matrix?

[weeboo0104]

Morpheus> "You are the one."

Special Neo> "Yaaaaaaayy!"

Re:What is the Matrix?

[Chase]

Oh my god. I couldn't stop laughing.

So...

[hookedup]

Want to use aim without their (aol) software?

Step this way gentlemen. May I introduce to you Miranda [sourceforge.net]

Re:So...

[gyrojoe]

Or, you could, you know, just use gaim [sf.net].

Re:So...

[SuperMo0]

Or you could use Trillian [trillian.cc].

0MG! N0T T3H 3VIL!

[nicksthings]

For what AOL instant messenger does, it does it rather well. So well in fact, that I'd venture to guess it's one of the, if not THE most used one on one messaging service today. Is it the best program? No. Is it highly stable and functional in every way that I expect it to be? Yes. Does everyone and their mother use it? Surely.

But still, why am I not surprised that there are already a few messages posted re: having to install it. You know, being a nerd is one thing, but that doesn't mean you can't have and communicate with friends who aren't (ie, people who use AIM).

In-game spam

[nukem1999]

[player running down hallway, followed closely by a "train" of agents]
[player executes Kung-Fu Kick +2 on door]
[there is a ringing phone here]
[player picks up phone]
[pause as player expects to find logout menu]
player> Hello?
cam_chick_04> Hello %player%, check out my cam site, it's hot!
[player gets shot repeatedly by train of agents]

Re:In-game spam

[Lord_Dweomer]

Wouldn't her name be sExY_TrinIty_4U?

Haha....

[identity0]

Oh, this will be so funny, yet oddly appropriate...

N3o: Wht iz teh M37rix?
M00PHEUZ: t3h M00TRIX = wrld rnd u h1ding teh TR00th, d00d

N30: i knw A1M-fu

N3o: wh04

Seriously, it really pisses me off that it's going to be a shitty action RPG. I wish they would actually use concepts from the movie and try to make it 'real' - like having every object's properties editable in-game if you achive Neo-like powers and stuff. So much potential, wasted...

I want to be an agent.

[Anonymous Coward]

The agents were the coolest characters in the movies. I didn't give a damn about Neo & Trinity. It was simply enjoyable watching the agents kick Keanu Reeve's ass.

The first thing I thought after hearing about this game was "I want to be an agent".

And you can't play an agent in this game. This is the exact same bullshit that they pulled in Star Wars Galaxies. The coolest characters are the baddies - the empire, Storm Troopers & Darth Vader, the characters that the sheep (aka "central characters")

Yes

[Tensor]

My thoughts EXACTLY.

It would be awesome to devastate 1000s of NEO wannabes left and right.

Maybe if they limited the Agent's powers, like don't let them just take over any NPC? and be stuck with one body that can respawn on death.

Re:I want to be an agent.

[happyhippy]

And what are the enemies going to be like? THey all cant be just agents?

Prepare to be whacking cyber-rats for the first ten levels.

Mr. Anderson

[Xian97]

It seems you have been leading two lives. In one life, you go by the screen name c00ld3wd69 on AOL, constantly posting off topic, reposting the original post of 1000 lines and only adding "I agree" to the discussion, joining every irc channel and begging for warez/pr0n/ops, and generally making a nuisance of yourself.

In the other...you go by the AIM alias "ne0bie"...and spend all of your time seaching for trainers and aimbots for the game. When you actually play the game you just camp and shoot at friend and foe alike.

Sadly, neither one of these has a future.

Re:Mr. Anderson

[b0r0din]

It seems you have been leading two lives. In one life, you go by the screen name c00ld3wd69 on AOL, constantly posting off topic, reposting the original post of 1000 lines and only adding "I agree" to the discussion, joining every irc channel and begging for warez/pr0n/ops, and generally making a nuisance of yourself.

In the other...you go by the AIM alias "ne0bie"...and spend all of your time seaching for trainers and aimbots for the game. When you actually play the game you just camp and shoot at friend a

Not such a bad idea..

[Gilesx]

Quite like the sound of this - I've often been playing full screen games and heard GAIM alert me to a message, and had to switch back to read my messages.

Email and Instant messenging would be nice, as would anything that makes it easier to play games whilst doing my other time wasting activities :)

Imagine being able to walk up to computers in Doom 3, and check your emails - how cool would that be?