E
Embattle
Guest
This is the feature that PCGAMER did with TedTheDog of BarrysWorld in this months edition.
PCGAMER(PCG) - BarrysWorld is the legendary amateur run games service that forms the heart of on-line first-person shooter scene in the UK. Recently BarrysWorld secured a multi-million pound investment dealthat puts them on a footing for some much-needed expansion andd addition od some new free services for on-line gamers. We tracked down BarrysWorld founder TedTheDog and had a natter about their plans for future.
PCG - So how did BarrysWorld start?
TTD - We started a Quake clan called Clan Fluffy and organised a pratice server called Fred's House. As it got more popular, Businessnet offered free hosting and we expanded to Freddy's House 2. The clan renamed to Tourtured Souls and the main TS server was called Barry. BarrysWorld was born on 10th February 1998. It's come a long way since then!
PCG - What does the new investment mean for BarryWorld?
TTD - We intend to support our current set of games better, then expand into other areas we've never had the room for. I hope to be able to get enough games, mods and servers running that you'll be able to findjust about any FPS game or mod, and a free slot, here at BarrysWorld.
PCG - How do you think Online Gaming can be made easier to get into?
TTD - It's a simplification process. You can either do stuff for the gamer or you can explain to the gamer how they can do it themselves. We're working out what we can automate to make it simpler to get on. A lot of the games are becoming more automated; Tribes was one of the first witha built-in browser - we want to make that sort iof thing on the Web so gamers can see the servers and just click on one to play there.
PCG - Do you think other genres will catch up to the quality of 'net code' spearheaded by the FPS genre?
TTD - Eventually. Rally Masters has an eight-player Internet mode and we're finding space to slot that in now, while we wait for our kit to turn up. While we've got our funding, it takes time - you can't just plug stuff in.
PCG - What do you think about games with exclusive deals to run on certain providers, like Team Fortress 2 being exclusive to WON.net?
TTD - A lot of these games are all so popular because of the free servers. There's a fine line between being popular because it's a good game and having having a good game that isn't popular because no-one can get on to play. The on-line RPG publishers seem to want to maintain US control over their games - that cuts BarrysWorld out of the genre altogether. We'd like to run a managed service for game developers and publishers. So you can play these sorts of games at BarrysWorld, and we'd run it for them. You pay your $10 a month and we run an Ultima Online 2 server for them.
PCG - What's the difference between Wireplay and BarrysWorld?
TTD - Gameplay and Wireplay is a shop first with peripherals around it to instil community and therefore loyalty. BarrysWorld os gaming first which also hopes to offer eCommerce for our customers as a by-product of the gaming side. A single page tells you everything you need to play a game.
PCG - Do you credit Wireplay with being more successful at getting new players into on-line gaming?
TTD - Wireplay is great, take a look at their message boards - they've got a great community. It's very successful. They've made it a no-brainer for their new customers to become part of the community. You dial-in, you're there and immersed. BarrysWorld was there for the hard-core gamer.
PCG - With this new funding, will the ISP 'dial-up' side of things come back?
TTD - Yes, we'll offer the usual 0845 local-rate dial-up with the best performance servers. We'll do other services too; we're talking to a lot of companies about that.
PCG - What are you changing at BarrysWorld to break down barriers for newcomers?
TTD - Cureently you have to navigate what is a rather tortuous site. There's no flow to it, columns are so confusing as ther are so many of the buggers. We've got this huge plan to redesign the whole thing. It's going to take a long time to build all these systems but we've got the time and money to do it now - in theory.
PCG - What do you think of so called 'professional gaming' for big prizes like the cpl in the US?
TTD - I worry that if we harp on about it going pro to much, we'll lose that vital edge that keeps it so much fun. We're in danger of harming our own interests (as gamers) if we try and make this a pro thing. I suspect some of the people haven't thought out the consequences of making it an acccountable sport, rather than an unaccountable passion.
PCG - How's going commercial changed gaming for you personally?
TTD - I'm having a great time but it's no longer just a hobby - it's a job.
[This message has been edited by Embattle (edited 13 June 2000).]
PCGAMER(PCG) - BarrysWorld is the legendary amateur run games service that forms the heart of on-line first-person shooter scene in the UK. Recently BarrysWorld secured a multi-million pound investment dealthat puts them on a footing for some much-needed expansion andd addition od some new free services for on-line gamers. We tracked down BarrysWorld founder TedTheDog and had a natter about their plans for future.
PCG - So how did BarrysWorld start?
TTD - We started a Quake clan called Clan Fluffy and organised a pratice server called Fred's House. As it got more popular, Businessnet offered free hosting and we expanded to Freddy's House 2. The clan renamed to Tourtured Souls and the main TS server was called Barry. BarrysWorld was born on 10th February 1998. It's come a long way since then!
PCG - What does the new investment mean for BarryWorld?
TTD - We intend to support our current set of games better, then expand into other areas we've never had the room for. I hope to be able to get enough games, mods and servers running that you'll be able to findjust about any FPS game or mod, and a free slot, here at BarrysWorld.
PCG - How do you think Online Gaming can be made easier to get into?
TTD - It's a simplification process. You can either do stuff for the gamer or you can explain to the gamer how they can do it themselves. We're working out what we can automate to make it simpler to get on. A lot of the games are becoming more automated; Tribes was one of the first witha built-in browser - we want to make that sort iof thing on the Web so gamers can see the servers and just click on one to play there.
PCG - Do you think other genres will catch up to the quality of 'net code' spearheaded by the FPS genre?
TTD - Eventually. Rally Masters has an eight-player Internet mode and we're finding space to slot that in now, while we wait for our kit to turn up. While we've got our funding, it takes time - you can't just plug stuff in.
PCG - What do you think about games with exclusive deals to run on certain providers, like Team Fortress 2 being exclusive to WON.net?
TTD - A lot of these games are all so popular because of the free servers. There's a fine line between being popular because it's a good game and having having a good game that isn't popular because no-one can get on to play. The on-line RPG publishers seem to want to maintain US control over their games - that cuts BarrysWorld out of the genre altogether. We'd like to run a managed service for game developers and publishers. So you can play these sorts of games at BarrysWorld, and we'd run it for them. You pay your $10 a month and we run an Ultima Online 2 server for them.
PCG - What's the difference between Wireplay and BarrysWorld?
TTD - Gameplay and Wireplay is a shop first with peripherals around it to instil community and therefore loyalty. BarrysWorld os gaming first which also hopes to offer eCommerce for our customers as a by-product of the gaming side. A single page tells you everything you need to play a game.
PCG - Do you credit Wireplay with being more successful at getting new players into on-line gaming?
TTD - Wireplay is great, take a look at their message boards - they've got a great community. It's very successful. They've made it a no-brainer for their new customers to become part of the community. You dial-in, you're there and immersed. BarrysWorld was there for the hard-core gamer.
PCG - With this new funding, will the ISP 'dial-up' side of things come back?
TTD - Yes, we'll offer the usual 0845 local-rate dial-up with the best performance servers. We'll do other services too; we're talking to a lot of companies about that.
PCG - What are you changing at BarrysWorld to break down barriers for newcomers?
TTD - Cureently you have to navigate what is a rather tortuous site. There's no flow to it, columns are so confusing as ther are so many of the buggers. We've got this huge plan to redesign the whole thing. It's going to take a long time to build all these systems but we've got the time and money to do it now - in theory.
PCG - What do you think of so called 'professional gaming' for big prizes like the cpl in the US?
TTD - I worry that if we harp on about it going pro to much, we'll lose that vital edge that keeps it so much fun. We're in danger of harming our own interests (as gamers) if we try and make this a pro thing. I suspect some of the people haven't thought out the consequences of making it an acccountable sport, rather than an unaccountable passion.
PCG - How's going commercial changed gaming for you personally?
TTD - I'm having a great time but it's no longer just a hobby - it's a job.
[This message has been edited by Embattle (edited 13 June 2000).]
