5 MMOs You've NEVER Heard Of (But Should Know!)

The first MMORPG wasn't Ulltima Online, EverQuest, or even Meridian 59. These super-early MMOs don't get the credit they deserve.
Follow on Twitter: / gamingyesterday
Play NeoHabitat: frandallfarmer...
Play Kingdom of Drakkar: www.kingdomofd...
Play MedievaLands: medievalands.com/
Play The Realm Online: realmserver.com/
Sources:
Ramsay, Morgan. Gamers At Work: Stories Behind The Games People Play.
Williams, Ken. Not All Fairy Tales Have Happy Endings.
Mulligan, Jessica and Patrovsky, Bridgette. Developing Online Games: An Insider’s Guide.
Rubin, Michael. Droidmaker: George Lucas and the Digital Revolution. Pg 429-431.
Morningstar, Chip and Farmer, Randall F. The Lesson of Lucasfilm’s Habitat. The Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat (stanford.edu)
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Olivetti, J. The Game Archaeologist: Kingdom of Drakkar. www.engadget.c...
Sylvester, Jasper. Get the most MPG from your DRAKKAR. Computer Gaming World. Issue 106. Pg. 69-70.
Yee, Bernie. Role-playing Reversal. Computing Gaming World. Issue 115. Pg 144-145.
Grundhauser, Eric. It’s a Mystery Who’s Running One of the Oldest Multi-Player Online Fantasy Games. www.atlasobscu...
Image sources:
EditDroid brochure - www.typewritten...
Portrait of Roberta Williams - thedoteaters.c...
Portrait of Steve Nichols - www.engadget.c...
Ad for The Realm Online - thedoteaters.c...
Video sources:
F. Randall Farmer: Lucasfilm’s Habitat Promotional Video - • Lucasfilm's Habitat Pr...
Alejandro Palermi: Unboxing Commodore Modem 300 - • Unboxing Commodore Mod...
Martin Wensley: NeoHabitat 2020 Test Gameplay, Without Commentary - • NeoHabitat 2020 Test G...
Daniel Caldwell: Kingdom of Drakkar - • Kingdom of Drakkar
Aulddragon: Let’s Briefly Play “Neverwinter Nights (AOL)” - Part 8 - • Let's Briefly Play "Ne...
Dfortae - Game Reviews: Review of AD&D Gateway to the Savage Frontier - • Review of AD&D Gateway...
Dfortae - Game Reviews: Review of The Bard’s Tale - Part ½ - • Review of The Bard's T...
Zaric Zhakaron: Yserbius - Simple Battle - • Yserbius - Simple Battle
SEG - Sylar Explores Gaming: The Realm Online (Gameplay, mmo, 1996) • The Realm Online (Game...

[@ZaneWagner]

Hey CGY! Thanks for the MedievaLands shout out. Ybarra’s team did an excellent job with that game and I had a blast building the remake. Loved the rest of the video. Great content and delivery, keep up the good work!

[@computergamingyesterday]

Hi Zane. Thanks for stopping by! It's always fun to highlight projects that keep important games alive.

[@rickholeman9045]

I loved The Realm so much. My first MMO. Still play once in a while for a nostalgia blast and a simple experience.

[@TheCrawl]

Excellent as always, Matt! I had no idea about the Sierra MMOs.

[@computergamingyesterday]

Thanks Brendan I appreciate it! Yea, the Sierra MMOs are unfortunately among the least remembered. It's too bad. I like the look of The Realm in particular. It brings me back to the very early days of the Internet.

[@zillamysterious]

THIS is amazing I didn't know they restored The Realm!

[@Blitzkrieg1012]

Your videos are so good.

[@computergamingyesterday]

I appreciate that Blitzkrieg

[@rajarajanperiasamy7474]

This is quite an underrated channel. Thanks bro!

[@EQOAnostalgia]

Was hoping i would see my baby, EverQuest Online Adventures, the prequel to EQ1. But i see this is showing very early MMO's.

[@Sanguivore]

Top-tier video. I really enjoyed this. I have a feeling your channel is really gonna blow up soon!

[@computergamingyesterday]

Thanks Carmen!

[@leadingauctions8440]

This is what I have been wanting to know about.

[@jhebenst]

Just want to say a few things. I found your channel via your EQ video which was great. I think all of your videos have been great actually but noticed that the EQ one was the only one to get recommended by the algorithm and get a large number of views. My suggestions: 1. Keep focusing on MMO content especially old MMOs that hit that nostalgia. There is barely anyone covering this stuff. UO, EQ, DAoC, AC, etc. basically anything until WoW. Do videos on the evolution of each game, and then transition into how all these games exist to this day on either official or fan made servers (P1999 for EQ, Phoenix/Uthgard for DAoC, etc.) in their classic state. 2. A video focusing on the direct connection between EQ and WoW will get guaranteed views. There are numerous WoW devs that were poached directly from EQ and top EQ guilds. This will require research but for example Furor and Tigole (their in game names) were top EQ raiders that were hired by Blizzard to make the raids in WoW. I think a ton of people don't realize how close these games are linked and no one has actually done the research/video on youtube. 3. Other ideas are Mythic Entertainment's transition from early web games like Splatterball and Spellbinder, to DAoC, to Warhmamer and beyond. 4. Your delivery is ok but I want to hear about more of your personal opinions. It feels too much like you are reading from a Wiki page (even though its clear you are not and have put a ton of research into each video). I want to hear your personal thoughts on each game more. Try to be more relaxed and have your delivery more like you were telling this stuff to a friend in a bar who had no idea about any of it, vs the more lecture style delivery of just stating facts. While you might have not played all these games personally, if you have don't skimp on telling your audience about your first death in EQ, your first RvR in DAoC, or your first online games in StarCraft or Warcraft. 5. Its dumb but really try to think of good clickbait titles and thumbnails. It is crazy how much this matters in KZbin but unfortunately it does. Anyway just want to say keep making videos.

[@computergamingyesterday]

Thanks jhebenst. I think you are definitely right about sticking to MMO topics and I have more of those in the production pipeline right now. That is where I will be focusing my attention for at least the next few months. And I'll work on a more informal delivery that is not as dry. I appreciate it!

[@soliddrake11]

More people should be watching your channel. You’re making great videos.

[@buddycharley2413]

Been playing HC wow and watching old school mmos is hitting the spot, only wish I could've experienced

[@shaunhall1838]

SSI made some of my favorite games back in the day! ❤️

[@Heeroneko]

Nexus TK is the longest running graphical mmo. It's oddly playable for one of the great oldies.

[@Juntahh]

Thats crazy I've never heard of any of those except NW

[@Morraak]

Interesting stuff! I never even knew about Habitat. What were some of the first MUDs?

[@soylentgreenb]

Oh, that's going back into the mainframe era, back when the internet was called ARPAnet and only connected some universities in the 70's. The PLATO system allowed students to write their own programs and that naturally led to a bunch of games being created; dungeon crawlers and DND stuff; many of them networked.

[@mix3r11]

Brilliant video. Thanks.

[@youngkingdom8131]

As always great content

[@leadingauctions8440]

Which was the one that hit the news for people buying castles "online property" for hundreds of dollars?

[@computergamingyesterday]

My guess would be Ultima Online as I believe it was once possible to re-sell deeds to houses in that game.

[@Luccaboy670]

Nice review 👍

[@cafe6010]

You forgot Legends of Kesmai

[@rickdonnelly4284]

Hey good video. I made Dark Sun Online around then, TEN to POGO to EA Online, washed away with history. Good times.

[@soylentgreenb]

The graphical MMO pre-dates the WWW.