Bioware MMOG Likely Slated for 2009

InformationWeek is running an article looking at a piece of technology Canadian developer Bioware will be including into their in-development Massively Multiplayer Online Game. The still un-announced project, the article also lets on, is likely to launch sometime in 2009. The technology, called StreamBase, is a form of complex event processing. Bioware plans to use the ability to change the codebase on the fly, while the game is live. "One of StreamBase's functions is to analyze events and make sure no intruder is trying to disrupt the game's logic, make malicious movements against the activity of other players, or activate the hidden Easter eggs that are sometimes known to lurk in the game's logic. An Easter egg might make a sound that was not consistent with the game's design, show a message, or cause a character to move out of the logic of his role, Dalton explained."

Re:How about taking the eggs out before shipping?

[Tofystedeth]

It's worse than that. They referred to Easter Eggs as logic bombs for exploiting and stuff. Easter Eggs aren't exploits, they're just something silly programmers put in to reward people who do obscure stuff. It can be something as simple as an NPC with an odd or referential name in hard to reach location. The Secret Cow Level in Diablo 2 was pretty much an Easter Egg.

Re:How about taking the eggs out before shipping?

[myowntrueself]

The Secret Cow Level in Diablo 2 was pretty much an Easter Egg.

There is no cow level.