There are all sorts of random, free MMORPGs available on the Internet these days. But most of them are the same rehashed thing: second-rate anime character designs, simple battle system, cutesy characters, probably developed somewhere in Asia other than Japan.
So when I come across something radical and new, I can’t help but rant about it. After the jump, be ready to be blown away.
The “MMO” in question is actually a place to listen to indie music for free. The site is thesixtyone.com, and what the creators are intending to do literally blows my mind. Here’s the gist of it:
1) Create an account.
2) Listen to music.
3) Vote on your favorite songs.
4) LEVEL UP!
Yup. Seriously. It’s time to gain some exp, partners! Round up the troops and listen to songs you’ve never heard before!
Technically, you can listen to music for free without even having an account. And technically, no copyrighted material that you don’t own is supposed to be posted here. Nonetheless, you’ll find a number of remixes for popular tunes amidst this eclectic indie-scene site. The best music I’ve found so far is club-style dance/techno tracks, and really hilarious nerd-rap songs. Check out Beefy’s “I Don’t Wanna Be Right.” A love song to the Internet? Yes please!
If you’re an artist and want to post your own music, you can certainly go ahead. This will also help you level up.
What makes the web site so amazing is the coding. The music is played on a flash player that appears on the side of your browser (and auto-minimizes), and it doesn’t pause AT ALL as you continue to browse the site. As long as you’re on the site, the music keeps streaming through as you browse. You add songs to your favorite, but if you want to “bump” (vote) for them, that costs you some exp. You earn exp back for listening, bumping songs that need some help, and unlocking certain prescribed “achievements.” That guy from Fallout appears in the bottom-right to let you know when you earned more exp. The higher your level, the more privileges you get, and if you’re an artist, having a higher level will help you gain exposure on the front page.
In my opinion, this website is straight genius. Go there. Get an account. Enjoy!
Tags: Indie, MMOG
I don’t know about Internet love songs, but what I do know is that while I was listening to Obadiah Parker’s excellent acoustic “Hey Ya” cover, a little caption popped up informing me that shaking can actually damage a Polaroid. That, ladies and gents, is a perfect example of win right there.
Yeah, the song’s creators can add “pop-up video” style information, similar to that embedded text that’s appearing all over new YouTube vids. It’s great, the info appears in the bottom-right, the same place you get all your “experience points up” info. The site’s design is almost flawless.
I love this so much.
Oh, and by the way –
This is the best song on the site:
http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/TheCoverOps/collection/item/24058/
unbreak my heart, that was
owwwww…
A warning to anyone who clicks on the CoverOps link…turn down your volume ahead of time. That almost blew out my speakers with ugliness. 😛