When I first got a call about playing and writing a feature about the Gaia Online-based browser MMORPG, zOMG!, I was fairly hesitant. Like many, my knowledge of what Gaia was came only from other forums which made fun of its community using overblown and extreme cliches. (For those who don't know what it is, it's best summed up as online social gaming, typically in a forum-based environment.) But still ... a free-to-play MMO without downloads? And with industry juggernauts like composer Jeremy Soule on board? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, after all…
Thankfully, my earliest beliefs proved to be grossly incorrect. Less than an hour after starting my journey into zOMG!'s world, I had already infiltrated a group of lawn gnomes, captured their attack plans (a drawing of squiggly lines, a triangle, and a windmill) and reported the imminent attack to the town guard. I was just about to strike back at the foul beasts when I remembered that I had a story to write, and a meeting with members of the zOMG! team to attend.
And so it was, with actual interest in the game and a budding need to keep playing, that I took a break from my journey into zOMG!, and took the time to speak to the game’s senior producer, David Georgeson, to learn more about the genre-changing project.
zOMG! is heavily connected to Gaia; that’s evident from the beginning of the game's intro, as well as the URL. Character models, clothing, stores, etc. all take place on the Gaia Online site; click to enter a store, and a new browser will pop up for that page on Gaia Online. Likewise, those who already have fully decked out Gaia characters can easily play their avatars in the game. Even with that obvious connection existing between the two, the game still stands on its own as something non-Gaians can enjoy – especially with how easy it is to play, and with how damn funny the dialog and story can be.
Humor was a given for the game, given its Gaian background. With that already understood, when developing the game the zOMG! team had two other goals to accomplish, according to David: make it casual friendly, and put the emphasis on socializing and making friends, not on grinding and making players compete against one another. Now, when I say they wanted to make it casual, your definition may differ from theirs. The way they approached casual was not dumb down the game so the Lunch Hour Solitaire crowd could enjoy it, but make it so that anyone can come in, play for half an hour, and actually feel a large sense of accomplishment. In addition, as you progress in the game the difficulty ramps up.
David described it best as being modeled after a classic arcade game. "The first few levels are easy enough for everyone," he said, "but the later ones can only be beaten by those who have actually played the game, not who just happened to insert a coin and continue in Stage 70."
So the game is casual-friendly – is that all that separates it from the rest of the MMO crowd? Not at all. In addition to being perfectly accessible and enjoyable in 10 minute spurts, zOMG! places a huge emphasis on story and narrative. Even with my couple-of-days worth of playtime, it's obviously much more than just about every MMO I’ve played in the last dozen years. Gaia Online has long held a focus on story telling, and that translates perfectly into the MMORPG setting. The beta release is only the first chapter in a tale which could encompass dozens of chapters "over years of time," and even it features a greater cohesive context than games like WoW and WAR. (Sorry, WoW and WAR. I do love your text, but zOMG! has you beat.)
Chapter 1 of zOMG! focuses on an unusual trend: inanimate objects have suddenly come to life, and no one knows why. After getting off a train, you’re thrust into this world and forced to take part in the quest to fight back against what man once controlled, and ultimately figure out what the hell happened.
To fight back, you’re going to have to use rings, which are another unique element of zOMG!. Unlike other MMOs which focus on leveling up and obtaining better equipment, combat in zOMG! revolves entirely around the idea of rings of power. (No, not this ring; or that one.) Starting out, you choose one of three combat rings (close, medium, and far) and later on you’ll earn more rings, which serve defensive, healing, crowd control, and damage functions.
As you complete quests and defeat monsters, you’ll pick up orbs which can be used to upgrade rings, thereby making them more effective. Thanks to rings being the only truly upgradable aspect of the game, you’re perfectly capable of having a set of high-level rings, and another set of low-level rings so that you can play with friends who may not be as good at the game as you. The ring system was put in place as "a huge change from the typical MMO structure, where all you can do with lower-leveled friends (or friends who just started playing) is twink them." In zOMG!, you can regress your character’s abilities temporarily by equipping different less-powerful rings, and actually play side-by-side with lower-leveled friends and family when you want, and still face challenges and difficulties without just one-shotting everything, thereby ruining their own gameplay experience.
Despite the unique gameplay elements presented by allowing casual and hardcore players and the ring system, the biggest difference between zOMG! and other MMOs are two things you don’t see while playing. For starters, Gaia Online (which the producers admit is the main intended audience; there are already 7 million active players) features many more women than other games. At last estimate, the playerbase is roughly 55% female, giving female gamers a much bigger voice when it comes to development. So expect a lot more non-combat quests, including some romantic stuff, here and there.
The other big difference is the team behind it. While speaking with David and some of the others, it was very, very clear that zOMG! is something they love, and something they’re very proud of. With such a varying background of past games between the members involved in its so-far two years' worth of development, it’s no stretch to say they’ve probably seen their fair share of fun projects. I know, everyone working on games always claims they love it, but hearing David talk about zOMG!, it’s clear that it’s at a level far beyond that of most in the industry. When he tells people that he believes zOMG! is "something special -- something unique which hasn’t been done before," he means it. It’s not just PR speak rattled off in order to give his design crew cred. And you know what? He may be right. The game is a free-to-play, browser-based, no-download-required, high-quality MMORPG that anyone can get into, which doesn't require grinding or force you to pay "premium" for the optimal experience, and which many, many people will love. (And currently, many are; the game has amassed 400,000 registered players since its open beta launch on November 4th.)
There's one more feature I would be remiss to not mention: the music. While the original score is composed by Soule, zOMG! features a revolving library of "classical orchestra music" which will regularly be changed as time goes by. "That way," said David, "players won't have to hear the same music again and again and again. And we learned that classical music is the best music to have playing in the background while doing other things, so it sort of works out nicely."
zOMG! is still in early beta (with the official 1.0 launch coming “when we feel like it’s ready, sometime in 2009”), but even now it’s evident that the team has a winner on their hands. So do yourself a favor: stop being biased due to the Gaia moniker, and give it a try. You don’t even have to register an account to try it – just load the website, start playing, and if you want to keep your character and play later register to save his virtual existence. Then again, you may as well just register before you play, because once you start taking part in the great war against lawn gnomes and their dreaded, feathery sentries of doom – the flamingoes – you’ll probably be as hooked as I am.
Where else will you find a free MMORPG of this quality -- complete with NPCs that reference up-to-the-minute Internet memes, e-humor, and pop culture items, but still manage to paint a picture of drama and despair which can soften the hardest of hearts? Nowhere else. That's where.
Disclosure: At the time of this article's publication, Gaia Online and zOMG! were clients of TriplePoint PR, a public relations firm owned by Richard Kain. Kain is also the owner of Pantheon Labs, parent company of GameCyte.
November 21st, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I just wanted it to be known how difficult it is to write zOMG! so many times in Word with the damn auto corrections capitalizing every word after it.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:31 am
Dear brendon it is good to see that people like yourself are getting into Gaia for the first time, and you are right about what you said about the game. But I would also like to note that unlike most normal mmo, or even any video game in general the Devs (developers) actuality play next to you, they love it so much. I really think that is something, to know that it is not just about the money, or the fame they get from it, but the enjoyment they see when others play it.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
This game is WAY too addicting. =]
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
My first MMORPG I've actually felt like playing and definitely addicting! Considering it's in the open beta phase, there are still more to look forward to! Can't wait for more places to unlock and further gameplay even more!
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
"Where else will you find a free MMORPG of this quality — complete with NPCs that reference up-to-the-minute Internet memes, e-humor, and pop culture items, but still manage to paint a picture of drama and despair which can soften the hardest of hearts? Nowhere else. That’s where."
Where is this "Nowhere else"? I wish to go there. It sounds like they make awesome games.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
zOMG is addicting, and I love it.
The first MMORPG that I've ENJOYED playing with other people. For the most part a very positive community with nice people.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I have been on gaia for 5 years. I have been hacked into about 9 times. Yet I have never blamed gaia. That is just shows you how much of a draw in gaia has. And since the realease of this game me and my girlfriend (who I might add I met on gaioa and now we are engaged IRL ) play zOMG! everyday! It is easily the best game out there ( pwns: WOW, maple story, MU, and anything else out there to a tee! ) ty gaia and ty lanzer we shall always praise thee X3
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
One of the best parts is the fact that since it is browser based you can play it anywhere you have a computer with a web browser and internet connection unlike download MMOs where you can only play of your personal computer or someone else's who has the game
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Its kinda hard for me to see people talk bad about Gaia and their preconceived notions about the site. Yes there are a lot of tweens, but, there are just as many people over 21 (See the Guild called Gaia Geezers, must be 21 or older to join) Now back to zOMG. Oldbies (as opposed to n00bs) have waited a long time for this MMO and when David talks with passion about zOMG you can be sure its genuine. I was lucky enough to be a closed beta tester and the way he kept in touch with us was wonderful. The hours and hours and well you get the idea, the dedication that he and his team put in was fantastic. I truly hope everyone gets over their ideas about Gaia and gives this game a try. I know they won't be disappointed. BTW I am part of that 55% female population on Gaia and I am also Captain of my own Clan Team!
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Been on Gaia as of late 2006 and wish I'd discovered it sooner...as a forum community, there's nothing else like it where you can not spend a single penny (though you have the option to - I spend WAAAAY too much on the site monthly XD) and still be able to enjoy all of its features...
At any rate, zOMG is the first MMO that has captured and held my attention...ever. Not only can I readily change my avi's look based on my existing items inventory from the main site, but it's casual and doesn't stress me out (hahaha) while still challenging me to want to beat the next boss, and complete the next quest...
Check it and GaiaOnline.com out...you will NOT regret it.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I am really, really glad Gaia took their time to make this game right. I've been very impressed with it so far, and look forward to the polish they'll put into it before the Official Launch.
It feels good to be proud of Gaia.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:01 am
as with the other person who had posted i joined in 06 and i still wish i had joined sooner. as a website it is a great site but with the addition to the game it has made things so much better.
the ease of playing this game really is simple and yet can be complex enough to make any mmo pro satisfied.
its a great community as well as you often get buffed while sitting without even having to ask for it.
the added plus that last hit doesn't earn you the orbs and the many other features that are put into the game to make it fair keeps everyone civil as well.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:29 am
A casual game? Sure, if you can pull yourself away after the first 10 minutes. I'm so hooked that the Gaia staff could easily reel me in and gut me. Even with the bugs and glitches which are to be expected from a game that's still in it's beta phases, I can hardly bring myself to leave my computer to go to the grocery store.
Conclusion: zOMG is better than food.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:49 am
I have been a member of Gaia since December 8th, 2003 and I have to say...this is the longest I've EVER been a recurring member of a site. Many sites don't hold my interest for that long, but I am an oldbie tried and true. I'm about to start work on publishing my Gaia character's story, obviously changing many names, but even so it's that addicting. It's probably the best thing I've written yet, and the coolest part is that I wrote it with several other people involved. I didn't even control where it went many times! zOMG! is just that much cooler too. I've been waiting for the "battle system" since I joined, and I was lucky enough to be a closed beta tester as well. Quixter, the lead dev for zOMG! was constantly updating us and keeping us informed on what he knew about, what was being fixed, etc. And in turn, we told him what needed to be done. It was a wonderful experience, and this is truly a wonderful, addicting game. I highly encourage all zOMG!ers to get into the main site too, especially for when the game is down for maintenance. It's extraordinary fun, and to think the game is only going to get bigger. They haven't even introduced the other three towns (Durem, Aekea, and Isle de Gambino)aside from mention in-game, and they're always revealing more towns besides, plus they've already released a manga and in-game quests that link the game and the main site together. It's a wonder to see people calling the final beta boss the "endboss" already. With the story constantly advancing, don't be surprised if we see at least four or five "expansions", plus more if they add more areas to the main site. Good luck out there, and happy deanimating!
Veridel Hibiki, Sonicboom Alchemist
http://www.GaiaOnline.com
November 24th, 2008 at 7:54 am
What I find most interesting about the game is the fact that many people playing it, if not MOST, are actually new to the world of online gaming. A lot of players are playing this game because it is conveniently adapted into the site, provides tutorials and vivid explanations within the game itself (click Options and bring up the Game Help menu to answer almost any question you have in the game), and is extremely social. With multiple ways to chat with people using the awesome new GIM feature on the site (which I think should have been mentioned in this article), you can communicate with anybody that is signed on to GIM. Group up with people around you in the game to chat with them in Crew chat, or talk to a Clan that you joined on the site. I could go on and on about all the wonderful things this game has introduced to the online community, but I am actually quite lazy...
November 24th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Wooot! Gaia rocks! and zOMG! pwns all!
November 24th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Yes. zOMG is so awesomely addicting.
November 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am
zOMG! was definately worth the wait. The developers did an excellent job of weaving the Gaia storyline and the site's features with the game. Yes.... I am a zOMG! and a Gaia addict for life. ^_^
November 24th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
When I first heard about zOMG, I thought that it was going to be boring, and didn't care about it. When it was slowly starting to open to certain veterans (i'm a 4-year veteran), I was thinking, "Eh.. why not give it a shot? I mean... it wouldn't hurt just to see a peek of what's going on...". I didn't think I would be on it that long and that I would get bored after a few minutes, like Rally and a few other games. So, I got on, and went through the train, the yucky sewers, and got rings. Soon enough, I found that I've been playing it much longer than just a few minutes. I'm truly addicted to it!
Honestly, this has me more excited than when Pinball came out.
This is a great game! Although, there are the glitchs, bugs, and the horrifying lag monster, but it's a beta and many people are always playing it (not to mention great graphics) and it's expected to be like that. If this is what it's like as a beta... I can't wait to see how it would be like when it's out of it's beta stage. I'm even tempted to hop on a mule and start all over! So, tell me where this "Nowhere Else" is so I can see for myself on what's better than zOMG.
zOMG and Gaia are the places to be! Now stop reading and go play!!
November 24th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I've been a member for almost 4 years now. And I'm about to leave for good. I've waited this long for the biggest POS game I have ever played. It's sad. You'd think that after 4 years of developement, it would be almost glitch free and at least somewhat playable. But no. This is no way better then Maple Story or Runescape.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Gaia Sucks - Wow, not everything can be perfect buddy.
I love the zOMG! I'm not that big into MMORPGs (mainly because I'd rather play by myself, rather than have other people running around, chatting and helping me do quests) but I've met so many lovely people and am slightly addicted to it. Qixter and crew did such an amazing job <3
November 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
its a great game but it has its problems every time u log in to a server it just lets u play that server and if that server crashes then u cant log in to new server cause it gives u this message: "0sorry you are still logged in to (insert name of server) please wait a couple of minutes to switch servers" but then after 3 houers u still cant get back into zomg and as im a gaia member thats just annoying
November 24th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
To Gaia Sucks:
You know they haven't been developing it for four years, right? Maybe for the past two, if that. And many of the glitches that have been found needed mass amounts of players all logging on at once to find them. Besides, this is still BETA. Every game has it's beta, and just because you don't normally see it since most game's betas happen behind the scenes, they still need to go through that bug finding/fixing stage. With the somewhat small team they had, they got it done very quickly and relatively bug free. They've fix a hell of a lot since closed beta, and it'll only get better from here. I don't see how you think it isn't playable. If that's the case, you must have a problem grasping simple instructions. This isn't that complex. And if you really hate it that much, you may as well leave for good as you say. And hand me all your items on the way out.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:14 am
I've only been in Gaia for less than a year, and from the beginning until now, i really love it! I loved it even more with the release of zOMG! open beta. I have never been interested in any MMO before(or any other game at that). So zOMG! is the very first MMO game i have ever played, and needless to say, i'm new to all these gaming stuff, so I was really scared to play it at first. But when i got to the game, it was totally, as they say, casual. And that made me feel comfortable as a gaming noob. The entire game is user-friendly AND playable! It is fun and interesting. Sure it has its glitches, but what game doesn't? That's why they're doing this open beta to know any further glitch that may happen and work on it! So if you ever want to complain about stuff like that,(and i'm referring to Gaia Sucks) do so when they release the game officially but still have glitches. On the meantime, the beta is still going on, so just shut it. But if you really want to leave, go ahead...and hand your items to us as Veridel Hibiki said. XD
November 25th, 2008 at 1:07 am
I'm glad to see a lot of players praising the game. Like I said in the story, I came in with some pre-conceived conceptions about it, and left with a new time killing MMO of choice. It really is remarkable how well they integrated all of the site's features with new, standalone gameplay.
Btw, if anyone wants to add me as a friend or anything my name in the game is "ahnonamis."
November 26th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Same here guys. If you want to add me at all, my username is just as it is here. Veridel Hibiki.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:04 am
I just recently joined Gaia this past year. A friend begged me to check it out and though I was reluctant (I am 24 years old, and it kind of looked silly and childish), I am really glad I decided to listen. Gaia has a lot of amusing games, and I particularly LOVE the zOMG! MMO. It takes up quite a bit of my free time. I encourage everyone to at least give it a shot!! ^_^
November 27th, 2008 at 6:22 am
I've been on Gaia since 2004, and I was a zETA tester for zOMG. I think it's a great game. I love that it breaks the typical mold.
I just get bored of other MMOs after a while because they're all well... The same. :/ Nothing much really to hold your interest.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Add me if you wish. I'm Smalltimejazz. CL of 7.0. I love the article, and the game is amazing. Thumbs up everywhere.
November 27th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
i too was a closed beta tester (zeta) and i was amazed at how quixter kept us up to date almost 24/7. about every 15-20 minutes in the closed beta quix put little updates on the guild forum. he was amazing. hands down the best MMO ive ever been on... i've made lots of new friends and.. well... gaia is basically better than real life for me.. i've had tons of problems with my parents and.. gaia is the only place i can get away from it. this MMO is truely a work of art! this game is very addictive, and has a great "storyline". i've been a member since 2003 and i've had my account hacked and banned a couple of times.. i dont blame gaia i blame the players. gaia is so addictive that people go to the point of keylogging and spyware. that just goes to show you how great gaia is! and sessmaru_sensei is my gaia account name so send me a friends request sometime ;P. also, i promise if you try gaia online you'll like it! yes i will play gaia with a fox, in a tree, in a train, and in a box XD
November 27th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I love Zomg it's my favorite part of gaia :3
but for some strange reason it's not working on my computer all day today =/
I hope that it works tomorrow if not sooner....
November 27th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Gaia in itself is a beautiful site, rumours or not. Me and my girlfriend (met on Gaia, engaged [yes, ANOTHER couple as such x3]) love it and its people. We are the Gaia COMMUNITY. We help each other in Life Discussion Forum, debate in the Extented Discussion Forum, and laugh our butts off in the Chatterbox Forum. zOMG! was great in the fact that it turned on so many more people to the heart: the Gaia site itself. zOMG! is amazing, addicting, and the only game I've ever played where, when defeated in battle because of lag, or any other reason, I don't get angry, because I lost EXP or items (hell, you lose NOTHING but maybe 3 minutes to get BACK to where you were fighting, if that), but instead call up my friend to kill the Animated lanterns that roam the Zen Gardens at night. Being a Zeta tester (zOMG! was launched as a private Beta test to a few to asked to volunteer), I was able to see how it worked beforehand, and get addicted all the same. Now, the world gets to experience the joy and sense of actual purpose in the game. The purpose? Have intense fun with complete strangers who will easily become your best friend. Or hell, just family and friends. There's a place for everybody in Gaia. This review gives credit where it's due. Good work.
November 28th, 2008 at 5:05 am
I was a proud zETA (beta tester of zOMG) and love the game now. I am also a member of the Gaia Geezers Guild. All of my kids have account on Gaia, and I keep in touch with those in college that way. There are a lot more of us than you would think.
November 28th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
i love zomg i was 1 of the 10000 out of 10000000 to play it frist
November 28th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
i love zomg i was 1 of the 10000 out of 10000000 to play it frist im a 3.7 now
November 29th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
OK the game yes its addicting.....yes fun as hell......not what people who have been here since gaia began in 03 thought they were getting. The game itself not that bad, without the Firefox/computer crashing ability that it has. The lag is horrible not to mention kills you most of the time, seems to come the worth when you are facing Labtech x the chapter boss of the game. This means yeah you might beat it or lag out and die and have wasted what 6 hours of your life.
November 29th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
And before i get nagged, don't say I'm not that far into or some bullshit like that. i have been on gaia since 03 and am cl 10 on 3 of the sets that exist in zOMG and have beaten the game 4 times now for all of the end games items......the lag sucks, flash sucks, there needs to be a expansion pack, and gaia knows it.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
You forgot to mention that you can fully customize your character or avatar in almost any way you like to. Also, great job on the article.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
The thing I love about Gaia that is different than other MMORPGS is that you don't need to d/l a huge program and can play it anywhere with an account. Also it's a lifestyle game ^^. Makes me Happy. And it's so customizable.
November 30th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
i like gaia because its more interesting than any other site
November 30th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I tried the game out based on this, and so far I've enjoyed it. Had no idea this Gaia thing even existed until now.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I have a problem. I was in Zen Gardens at the top. Then a taiko drum hit me and I got smacked into a place u cant walk into. I cant get out. Help me plz?
December 7th, 2008 at 11:21 am
This game is great. It made me interested in Gaia again and i've been playing it since the beta started.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
this is so cool!
December 12th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I love this game.
December 13th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
cool
December 14th, 2008 at 6:54 am
... Yes, indeed, zOMG! is quite special and wonderful ^.^= I am one of those oldies (21 ;__; ) that got addicted to this online game - and that had never happened to me before, being addicted to an Internet game o.O ... and i'm luving it! <3
The graphics, music and interactivity with other players are very good, and I have (as hundreds of other Gaians had) so much fun! =D
However, the game is still at beta and has some bad issues, of course. The things that players hate more often (me included) are the lag (sooo so much! ;_; ) and some of the quests being unable to be completed. This last one bothers more than the lagging, i guess -.-' If you are playing, you should wander through the zOMG! forum, it is an useful resource of information about everything, good and bad, related to this potentially "one of the best games ever".
... Now i will kill some animated things and gain some more orbsshhh fer me! ;_;
(a gamer-girl from Portugal that read and liked your review ^.~ )
December 14th, 2008 at 7:00 am
... oh, and it's FREE!!! =D
(sorry the double posting, edited after the countdown :/ )
December 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I was also a zETA tester for gaiaonline, and I was so surprised when I got the PM telling me that!! I didn't volunteer, but I tried it anyway. And then I was so late for school, but it was worth it. Yes, I am an addict.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I love this game
just wondering, is there any way to trade a soulbounded ring?
I borrowed some rings from a friend
and because of the new update
I can no longer return them
(he lent the rings to me a day b4 the update)
December 31st, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Experience is a random drop... you should mention that. Also, that there is no PvP, at least for a while.
You know what other game has a lot of women interested in it's Development, Hello Kitty Online.
Ironicly, the beta testers were mostly WoW previous players.
March 1st, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Its a very good game but those sakura fluffs/conga drum thingys kicked my ass OwO
I must be at a lower level. But you did a good job on it.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Its too addicting aah!!!
April 21st, 2009 at 1:51 pm
what a thought, good point