Gamertell Exclusive: Interview with senior producer, creative director Dave Georgeson about zOMG!

Since the free browser-based MMMORPG zOMG! started allowing players in 2008, it has been widely talked about in the forums. Guilds have formed to help others complete quests and meet other players who love the game.

I had a chance to talk with zOMG! senior producer and creative director Dave Georgeson and got an update on what has been happening on zOMG! and find out about future updates.

“We are currently in Open Beta, so it’s only the users that are excited by watching a game change and refine around them that play on a regular basis right now. We’ve had a couple million unique players since we launched Open Beta, however, our focus is not really on driving up the number of users at the moment. Instead, we’re focused on “fun factor” and refining the interfaces and learning curves as we prepare for “Version 1.0″ later this year,” Georgeson said and when asked about the “fun factor” that is drawing players to the game. He said, “Lots of things. Our visuals are clearly unique, our game play is flexible and unusual (getting even more so by the time we officially launch).”

He said the Gaia community continues to grow because players have found a unique form of entertainment.

“Our community is creative, intelligent, and enthusiastic. Gaia Online has a community of over 8 million unique people logging into it each month. They come to our site because they can get something here that they can’t get anywhere else,” Georgeson said comparing today’s number of users to the one he remembered when he started at Gaia Online.

“When I came to this company a little over two years ago, we only had 3 million uniques a month. We’re clearly doing something right. zOMG! gives them more of what they already like from the Gaia Online site, and then wrap it all in action, game play, and socialization. We’re a ’20-ring circus’ that’s getting bigger with each passing day. By the time we launch [the next version] there will be something here for every kind of gamer.”

Georgeson said the most popular feature of zOMG! is the ability to change you avatar’s abilities by swapping rings.

“Our game is all about flexibility, widely-varied features and opportunities, and intuitive gameplay,” he explained. “The system we have for player skills is extremely flexible. We allow players to wear up to eight rings, with each ring being its own skill or power. To change what they are, they merely have to swap out rings. This is even more powerful and flexible than it seems at first glance.”

He said for instance, if no one in your group has the ability to heal you can switch to a healing ring if its in your inventory, then equip.

“Even cooler than that, did one of your friends just join the game as a total newbie? In most MMOs, you (as a veteran player) would be unable to play with that friend because you’d be too powerful to journey with him. Not in our game. You can easily either swap out your rings with less powerful ones, or “suppress” your ring power so that you play at the same level as your newbie friend,” Georgeson said. Then explained that the other popular feature about zOMG! is that its free. “And, of course, it requires no download, thus removing any reason to not try it out. It’s fun, which is what a game is supposed to be, right?”

Right now there’s no definite date as to when Version 1.0 will be released but zOMG! is still fun for anyone curious about the game. It’s not that hard to get started as you have a virtual guide to get you started and familiarize you with the controls of the game.

Better yet, there is no need to download anything to play or participate in this or any other game on Gaia. Just register for free on Gaia Online and join the rest of the community in zOMG!, play one of many games available on Gaia Online or chat with friends.

Site [Gaia Online]