I've never understood the appeal of social media. If want to talk to friend / relative then either call them on the phone or ring their doorbell.
If it all vanished tommorow I don't think I would notice. So I have no interest in it interfacing with a game I play.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own. -- Herman Melville
Originally posted by aesperus I'm curious as to what you think are examples of features that create a good in-game community?
For me, this includes designing your game so that players come together more. It's a fallacy that all gamers want a solo experience, and it's also a fallacy that you cannot design a game that allows for both solo and group play.
The best way to answer your question though, is to say that these games need to start evolving back towards virtual world gameplay, and away from theme park static gameplay. Encourage people to work together, but give them the ability to lone wolf if they so desire. Add social and non-combat player classes to these games such as full crafting classes, entertainers, scientists, etc. Make it so all of these different classes fit into the larger puzzle of the game.
Here's a potential shocker for you. One of the reasons these current themepark games are anti-social and/or socially mind-numbing is because they all attract basically the same kind of game player. They are attracting people who just want combat, for the most part. If these games were more diverse and interesting in their gameplay options, they would attract a lot more personality into the game, and communities would emerge. This is why broken, buggy games like Star Wars Galaxies are loved even to this day. I met more interesting people in that game than I have in any game since, and that was because there was room for all kinds of different people to play and work together there.
I could write a book on what constitutes truly social gameplay, but adding Social Media to your game is not it.
Stop with the assuming shit.
You just need to open your mouth and be nice to people in any themepark or sandbox games and you will make a lot of friends.
Originally posted by aesperus I'm curious as to what you think are examples of features that create a good in-game community?
-dependency on others
-good chat system (not voice chat, written chat so everyone can participate)
-slow gameplay which allows for chat sessions (EQ had camps, you didn't have to move around every 2 minutes)
-no automated grouping
-no cross-server grouping
-classes that can't solo
-buffs that last a long time
-no AH
-penalties for dying
-discourage multiboxing
All the elements for a good community are found in EQ. It's not a mystery what they are. EQ had the strongest community of any MMO. (multiboxing is the only thing EQ didn't handle correctly)
Such a non-fun game for me. I don't play games for the community.
if i want to chat, i go to a chat room.
No auto-group = waste of time not playing.
no x-server grouping = i can't group with some friends .. artificial restrictions are bad
no AH = very inefficient buying & selling
I am not playing a MMORP GAME without those features.
Comments
I've never understood the appeal of social media. If want to talk to friend / relative then either call them on the phone or ring their doorbell.
If it all vanished tommorow I don't think I would notice. So I have no interest in it interfacing with a game I play.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.
-- Herman Melville
Stop with the assuming shit.
You just need to open your mouth and be nice to people in any themepark or sandbox games and you will make a lot of friends.
Pardon my English as it is not my 1st language
A sad loss to a great game :-(
Yes I agree that social media is used to get more gamers, not a way to interact socially with players in the game.
Thanks,
Mike
Working on Social Strategy MMORTS (now Launched!) http://www.worldalpha.com
Eve Online's corp/alliance system and sovreignty mechanics in Nullsec are some excellent examples.
Where's the any key?