My name is Michael Hartman, and I own and run Frogdice, Inc. - a game design company founded in 1996 that makes online role playing games. For many years I have wanted to start a blog about game design and the gaming industry. At the urging of my wife and some friends I am finally doing it.

Why the name Muck Beast? It sounds like a gritty, online gaming type monster (we have them on Threshold!), and names like that tend to stick in people’s memory better. Also, discussing complex issues like game design require that you roll up your sleeves and dig into the muck.

Some example issues I will write about include:

• Real Money Trade (RMT) - The issue of selling gold, characters, items, etc. in online games and MMOs (like World of Warcraft and its ilk).

• Subscription vs. Item Mall / Pay for Perks - Most MMOs and online games currently go with a subscription service, but there is a growing market for free games that monetize their products through premium services. Some people think subscription systems are the only fair way to run a game. Others think pay-for-extras balances the playing field, provides customers with more flexibility, and gives the game more longevity.

• How to Build Community - The holy grail of any online game is creating a sense of community. Many designers and players understand this, but knowing a thing and doing a thing are very different animals. The question of how to build and maintain a community would be an issue I discuss frequently.

• The Nature of Fun - That’s the goal after all, isn’t it? Making things fun. This is easier said than done, and it is a constant struggle for game designers to keep their ideas fresh, interesting, and well… fun.

These are issues of extreme interest both to designers and players. I hope the appeal of this blog will be quite broad and include a large number of active internet users. Gamers tend to be very active online, and I imagine the blog will attract a great deal of interest and activity.

Enjoy reading, and post often!

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