RSSAOL Instant Messenger Goes In-Game
By David Worthington | Published May 17, 2005, 1:53 AM
In a continued effort to extend the presence of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), America Online is courting game developers, proposing to integrate its real-time communications technology into their games.
A new distribution of the AOL Messaging Software Development Kit delivers tools to developers that can be used to add AIM and ICQ services directly into games. Developers can mold messaging services into the look and feel of their game, providing community benefits and player-to-player interaction.
AOL also claims that AIM bots will reduce the cost of customer support by answering frequently asked questions in-game.
"The marriage of the AIM service with online games gives developers a unique opportunity to massively increase the popularity of their games," said Chamath Palihapitiya, Vice President and General Manager for the AIM and ICQ services, America Online, Inc.
"The AOL Messaging Software Developer Kit offers online game developers the nation's largest instant messaging community to not only add new players to their games, but to enhance the overall player experience."
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and SEGA have already adopted AOL Messaging in The Matrix Online, a massively multi-player online game.
I dont know about this one, AOL in video games now. i smell spam.
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|Software Development Kit. If you find someone who builds the game with the SDK from the ground up it would be a better experience.
The Matrix Online and AIM merge sounds like something that was added just so that they could say games "like" the matrix online are actually using it?
I remember Counter-Strike having this feature in it and for some reason I always turned it off.
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|Why would we need this when there's XFire?
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|I can see chat between players, in game, but outside the game? Whatever happened to immersion? Kinda hard to "be a sorcerer" when your getting chatted by Jim, Nancy, and BillyJoeJimBob.
I can easily see this turning good games into drivel.
No offence to BillyJoeJimBob...
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|Marketing hype! What is Warner to do when they are owned by AOL. It is like saying that AIM will now come integrated with AOL.
I am all for the game play voice interaction, but not using an Ad serving product at the same time. You will now need to keep all your virus and spy/adware programs running while playing which can significantly reduce game quality. I sure hope this will be a different type of functionality within the game play.
Is it just me or are these messaging companies hitting hard for space on your computer. Offering anything from free web space to desktop searches - trying to integrate everything. The computer is not going to be safe. I sure hope MS keeps to their word and developes the "Windows OneCare" as promised and makes it free.
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|aim integration in matrix online is pretty clunky.
you have to typeout full screen names and you can't import your existing account to the game, which is a huge minus
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|Thanks!
See? No I don't feel so bad about not having run out and bought it right away.
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|I play matrix online - and have long been a proponent of IM protocol integration in to MMORPGs. What removes you more from immersion in the game, AOL IM window popping up and bouncing you out of Ascheron's Call - or an AOL IM message showing up in the chat text window?
That being said, the Matrix implementation of the AOL protocol and their chat in general isn't that good and needs improvement.
Alex
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|How about shutting down the client entirely? Getting an IM in-game just seems 'wrong'...unless it's from another player.
It's possible that it's just me though...
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|It's a pretty good idea. Lineage II integrates MSN into its game. I'd prefer AIM, but it lets me chat while I'm going through the level grind.
Makes it a bit more bearable that I have to kill 40 more spiders to get to level xx.
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|Annd I suppose they are going to have the option to also put in a bunch of ads and weather bug and tons of other useless junk that NOBODY (yes AOL read that ) uses. What a fantasticly stupid idea.
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|Umm i could be wrong but wasn't some of the big online games planning on putting some ads in the games anyways?
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|Um, the version of MSN in Lineage II has no ads. I don't think ads would fly considering you're already paying $15 a month to play.
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|weatherbug...that definatly is a bug in the matrix...
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|LMAO..
An Adware supported MMORPG. Wouldn't that be fun? Billboards, NPC's walking wround with cardboard signs strapped on, every TV(or crystal orb?) in the world playing the same commercial..
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