I'm not sure about a HP MMO. On one hand, it could turn out to be something like The Lord of the Rings Online, which excels at creating the impression that you're just one small character in a big world.

Or it could use a system similar to Guild Wars. If it's instanced based, everyone would get to take part in the story.

But I think that HP would do much better as an RPG, rather than an MMO. Sure, an MMO would be fun for the shits and giggles, but I doubt that it would be addicting enough to keep players playing it, at least not with the game technology around today.

The mechanics of open ended magic is beyond today's game engines(i.e open ended Transfiguration). It might be possible in the future, but now, no. So without that, it would end up as a generic "cast spell, dodge spell block spell, swing sword" game.

 

I ran across a Harry Potter MUD several years ago. MUDs are the original MMORPGs. I never played it, but I think it was based in Hogwarts, or at least your character started off there. It's probably been killed off by JKR's IP-mad lawyers by now. Have a look and see what you can find.

MUDs are half-way between tabletop roleplaying and modern-MMORPGs such as WoW. That's how it seems from an outsiders perspective anyway. I've had little to do with any of them.

Yak.

 

Cervus and BMM were making a Harry Potter MUD, but I don't know if they're still going or if they gave up.

 

It all depends on the timeline you're basing the game on. I mean, for an MMO, you need a story with a central bad guy. Is it Voldemort? Grindewald? If you want the canon cast as cameos, then the game would have to take place after the books. In the case of balance, I'd be more inclined to cast the game in the past (with Hogwarts as the backdrop – but perhaps in the year 1500 or something). But then it's not really Harry Potter anymore.

 

The way to solve the Avada Kedavra curse is to restrict it. Taking it away would ruin the game, as that would be the number one reason I would play it for.

First casting the Killing curse is armour restricted, like some Force Powers are in KOTOR. Without armour, you can get cut in pieces by other instruments, and would have to consider if it's worth the trade-off.

Second, although there is no justification for it in canon, you need Mana. Have the Avada Kedavra cost an insane amount of Mana, so that you can get maybe three or four off before your Mana dries up.

Third, enforce the Ministry Law that using an Unforgivable on another human, muggles included, sadly, would earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban. Of course, if you are a Death Eater it doesn't really matter, since you are already a criminal, but it becomes troublesome to use if you are of another alignment.

Using the Killing Curse in a PvP arena would cause you to be hunted down.

Have the Unforgivables be the last tier of spells to be learned, having them available at the last levels only.

The Magical World is huge and not restricted to Hogwarts. Have Magical France, Russia, Durmstrang, Italy etc appear in the game. Add in some of the Muggle world to be able to kill defenseless muggles for entertainment.

 

Here's a few I found quickly enough:

http://www.hogwartslive.com/
http://lumos.mugglenet.com/
http://www.mudmagic.com/listings/game/957/
http://www.mudmagic.com/listings/game/1259/
http://www.mudmagic.com/listings/game/1293/

HogwartsLive wins points for having a sense of humour in their faq and not taking themselves too seriously. Their website is simple, low-bandwidth, and clearly layed out. Your character's goal is to defeat Voldemort.

Legilimensia's (lumos) java client didn't work for me.

I didn't look at any of the others.

 

The mugglenet one isn't open except for a small testing area. They've apparently been working on it for four years now.

HogwartsLive seems to be Legend of the Green Dragon with a Harry Potter skin. I find the idea of hordes of Hogwarts students traipsing off into the Forbidden Forest to kill almost everything they come across vastly amusing. Take that, you filthy centaurs.

 

Yeah, and not much of a skin at that. A whole bunch of stuff (lots of the monsters, especially) hasn't even been altered.
It gets boring fast. Killed Voldemort? Here, have a +1HP permanent stat increase, now do it again. Talk about grindin' game.

 

You guys are kind of missing the point. HP is MAGIC ONLY. That means all spells. That means that it becomes boring fast. Like an all mage WoW. But the spells in HP are oversimplified, and a bitch to program.

You'd be limited to a very small portion of HP magic.

But, you say, you could just deviate from canon! Add swords and stuff! Vampires! Werewolves! Make an MuhMorPuhGuh just like... well that sounds just like EQ or WoW doesn't it?

HP is HP because of the world and the simple, white/black magic system. Neither can be incorporated well into an MMO.

The HP world is much better off being used in a non-linear RPG. Or even better (and much more original) a first person caster.

 

"Guys, we're going to go kill Voldemort, c'mon!"

"But I'm not high enough level, he'd one-shot me. I need to grind more Boggarts in the Forbidden Forest."

"Nah, no sweat, I can tank his AK attack, you just sit behind me and DPS, just be careful with the aggro."

"Okay, but I get his Elder Wand drop."

 

A) Lol
B) This shows another big problem. WTF do you make loot? Loot is the essential element of muhmorpuhguhs. The HP universe doesn't really allow for the sheer quantity of loot needed.

 

That I disagree with. Considering the Elder wand example, Invisibility cloaks, time turners etc etc, there are bound to be several magic artifacts that you can use to sell, or keep. Plus when you hunt beasts, the artifacts would be ingredients from the carcasses.

 

That horde of Werewolves you just killed in the Forbidden Forest evidently had a couple of silver coins on them. And that Death Eater dropped 2 gold, Reinforced Heavy Spellbound Stainless Steel Leggings of the Owl and by chance happened to have a shitload of Potions on him.

The point is that HP doesn't have enough content for an MMO, which means that most would be made up. Unless all that made up content is well thought out, it would simply become a WoW clone that's full of FAIL.

My opinion is that HP would be easier to create as a PvP based dueling game or an open ended RPG.

 

Let me paint you a picture. Harree and Drayco, both completely original and non-copyright-infringing characters, played by 14-year-old fangirls that spend all their time complaining that mpreg isn't implemented yet when they aren't busily roleplaying sloppy makeouts in public areas. Anyone that properly plays a Death Eater by doing something mean gets several dozen abuse reports filed against them. All dark spells are nerfed to the ground after the dev team gets sick and tired of the Dept of Mysteries fight scene being quoted at them.

Sounds like fun, right kids?

 

Because they weren't far enough away to dodge. Duh!

Or you could just move or conjure an object to block the AK.

RPG sounds better than MMORPG. Going thru school not as Harry Potter, but your own customizable character with your own story. It sounds good, but so does fucking Pamela Anderson... until you realize she's got hepatitits.

 

Going through school!? You want to role play going to school? The scope of a HP RPG should be much larger than that. No need to target the 11-17yo market either. Adults in the wizarding world would be a lot more interesting.

 

Unfortunately, you're wrong. That's all to unique to fill the massive quantity needed. Remember, there needs to be enough loot that it scales with each level.

How many invisibility cloaks can you possible have? Wizards only really ever have one wand. Ingredients are a good thought, but what about armor? HP has very little canon armor.

Like I said, it would turn into an all-caster WoW. You'd have to expand the HP-verse to the point where it is no longer the HP verse.

 

BULLY? That Larry guy? Both about going to school, both ridiculously fun. I wouldn't mind an adult HP RPG, but you gotta start somewhere.

 

Did somebody say cow-lvl? That was the funnest shit I ever did play 500 times.

 

Honestly, I don't think that a HP MMORPG could work. The story, lore, spells, and content would have to be toned down for kids, so that there is a wider player clientelle. No cool spells would be there, and honestly, the only really solid and well put together MMO out there is WoW, and games have tried to meet the standard, but generally fail at life with it. As cool as it may be or may not turn out to be, it simply wouldn't work how anyone planned