As always, the best way to keep up to date with current job skill requirements is to look over job listings. Check the website of your favorite developer, this publication has ongoing job postings as well, or check the sites of recruiters such as GameRecruiter.com who tend to have dozens of listings of a wide variety. The following is a job listing posted March 2004 for a MMOG programmer:

At GDC 2004, a roundtable on "Massively-Multiplayer Engineering" led by Jeff Johnson, Lead Engineer-Core Engineering for Turbine Entertainment, was set to tackle the particular issues facing MMOG programmers noting that the technical design of a MMOG is significantly different than that of a single-player or traditional (not massively) multiplayer game. A single-player game retains much greater control over the use of art assets and loaded resources, and a traditional multiplayer game does not have to deal with complex server/server or client/server interactions. In a MMOG setting, however, these issues and their corresponding solutions can often impose drastic restrictions on both engineers and designers.

As indicated by the recent job posting, and the GDC roundtable, MMOG programmers will find themselves addressing problems not found in other types of games, and they will need a combination of programming, time and project management, and teamwork skills.

In addition to teamwork and communication skills, as well as the ability to work "calmly", MMOG programmers must have hard-core technical skills and the skills to work with particular tools. The following are specific, but not all-inclusive, lists of those skill and knowledge sets that the successful MMOG programmer must possess.

Current and anticipated future skills
C/C++
Java
TCP/IP (Unix, Linux, MFC TCP/IP)
HTML
Active X and MSCOM
Direct X
OS Knowledge (Unix, Linux, Windows)
Database architecture (ODBC, JDBC, OCI, OCCI, SQL, PL/SQL,)
Scripting skills (Perl, CGI, game scripting)

Current and anticipated future tools
Microsoft Visual Studio
Perforce (or other source control software)
CASE Tools such as Purify, Insure++, Boundschecker (memory checkers), Bullseye (code coverage), etc.
Incredibuild/Teambuilder (programs to speed up build times)
Visio (diagrams, UML, etc.)

When programming for MMOGs, Glen Van Datta adds that in the pre-production phase it will be important for MMOG programmers to focus on tools for artists and game designers to allow them to tweak game play without programmer assistance. Further, the programmers must be able to deal with concepts such as automatic updates and first-time start-ups in terms of minutes instead of hours. Finally, those technologies on the horizon that must be mastered will include new developments in the following areas:

AI
Physics
Deterministic behaviors
Dynamic terrain and dynamic objects, in game voice and video
Distribution of the simulations to outside the hosting of central servers
Technologies allowing the community free reign to build its own experience

Do the skill sets for MMOG artists differ significantly from other platforms? In a word, no. However, as with any art position your skill set must be kept current. The following are specific, but not all inclusive lists of those skill and knowledge sets that the successful MMOG artist must possess:

Current and anticipated future skills
Maya and/or 3DStudio Max
Classical art background
Excellent teamwork and communication skills

Current and anticipated future tools
Maya
3DStudio Max
Alienbrain
Photoshop
DeepPaint
Filmbox
Proprietary export and terrain generation/modification tools

With regard to a "classical" or traditional art background, the importance of your skills in this area cannot be overstated. While they may be the least discussed topic on the game art agenda, traditional art skills are, in fact, the most sought-after by production heads and art directors who expect a high degree of traditional visualization skills. The ability to draw, paint, animate, and sculpt are the fundamental grounding of the successful technological art toolset.

In a Gamers Hell interview with Jolyon Webb, Principal Artist for the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, Dragon Empires, when the artist was given an opportunity to "rant" he offered the following:

"If I’m ranting I would say I get really frustrated with ‘want to be game artists’ who don't draw at all. Be smart people, it really is the quickest way to prototype ideas. Draw a bit more before you spend a thousand hours on the model. Don’t go straight into spending a thousand hours on your model without proving your ideas first. Get people to look at rough ideas and make comments. If everyone says, "Is the head meant to look like a shoe?" at this stage you can still do something about it."

According to Van Datta, the brunt of MMOG game development work "is really on the game designers’ shoulders" and collaboration between the designers and other team and group members is key. "Bar none," he says, "the most important aspects of working are teamwork and cooperation" and design teams with knowledge of all aspects of the MMOG process is instrumental.

For designers, in a multiplayer community, building community-enabled features should be the first priority. They should be able to put together specialized focus groups early in development to game test ideas and build computer controlled components, AI, from real-user multiplayer habits.

Designing in the ability to test is mandatory for MMOGs. Says Van Datta, "I’ve never heard a title say we’ve had enough testing or enough documentation. The design documentation needs to be a living-breathing document that evolves and is updated with the milestones."

On large multi-year projects, like MMOGs, you must have a document that all parties can refer to at will. You must be able to create a design document that reflects all of the current requirements and which allows a change process for inclusion.

Understanding the future of MMOG design is key. While we have some idea what works in MMOGs today, it is clear that the industry cannot keep delivering Everquest-clones (that is, Everquest-style game play simply shrouded in different styles of universes). It simply isn’t enough to design and implement leveling treadmills built on a hunter-gatherer game play mechanics, any more than audiences should be expected to keep accepting the same style RTS games or the same style first-person shooters. The audience wants something new from MMOGs, but it is equally clear that what that "something new" is has yet to be fully determined quite yet.

Given that backdrop, it is crucial that any design candidates for MMOG jobs have extensive experience in those worlds, so they can focus their design skills within the paradigms already established and not repeat others’ mistakes. Further, these candidates should also bring to the table skills and knowledge of other types of mass entertainment, whether it be theme parks, film, television, theater, and/or publishing. Understanding what live audiences need and demand, being aware of the time-sensitive nature of content and content delivery, creating to entertain multitudes, and not just niche audiences, and building products with strategic goals all become extremely valuable skills in this space. MMOGs are establishing the foundation of the next broadcast medium, and the mistakes and successes they experience now will be amplified and multiplied many times over in the years to come. Understanding the MMOG’s place in that entertainment continuum and being able to expand upon it is crucial for any design candidate.

To summarize, the following are specific, but not all inclusive lists of those skill and knowledge sets that the successful MMOG designer must possess:

Current and anticipated future skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Deep familiarity with the technology capabilities within game development

Scripting ability (Python, Perl)

Experience creating entertainment in a large team atmosphere
Expertise with storytelling, pacing, character development, and dramatic structure (Not because these games are going to become storytelling games but, rather, these skills can be easily adapted to creating content that lures players in and hooks them)
Fluency with online game communities and MMOG game play

Knowledge of, and experience in, other forms of mass entertainment

Current and anticipated future tools
All Microsoft Office Suite tools

Scriptwriting software (Examples: FinalDraft or Movie Magic 2000)

Game editors (Examples: Unreal or Neverwinter Nights, any set of tools that are designed to facilitate placement of content in game worlds)