Developing mmo's pushing the genre into the right direction?

Warband

Which of the current mmo's in development do you feel that if it was successful could potenially push the genre into what you feel is the right direction.

Annwyn

SWTOR for the Storyline. MMOs these days just don't care about Story/Lore so I believe this would be a great push. Also GW2 with the "Dynamic Event" thing, which should add a new "layer" to the MMORPG genre and possible replace the boring kill 10 rats quests.

 

Also Vindictus (aka Mabinogi Heroes) for more action-based genre and destructible environment. Definitively adds to the world, even though Vindictus is heavily instanced.

Wickedjelly

Kind of a double edged sword for me but I would say TOR as well.  The positive aspect is the focus they seem to be putting into the story as well.  While I have always found it amusing that they act like they're the first company to create an mmorpg revolving around this aspect it certainly appears that they may flesh it out more and have more focus on this aspect than others in the past have done. Which I find interesting and could have a lot of potential.

However, on the other hand they also seem to be pushing the soloability factor to an almost nauseating degree, which is a negative to me.  Although, quite frankly, this is the direction a lot of mmos are going so whether I like it or not I can't completely blame them for going this route.  Whether it will be to the point that it takes away from the game because everyone simply completes content with their companions and ends up being a single player game with online chat capabilities we'll see.

That's how I see it anyways although since I haven't played the game it's hard to say for sure how it will pan out.

Hyanmen

Originally posted by Warband

Which of the current mmo's in development do you feel that if it was successful could potenially push the genre into what you feel is the right direction.

FFXIV.

For some degree, GW2 as well.

SW:TOR?  Branching stories, VO's? Not enough in my book.

DerWotan

FF XIV & GW 2

FF XIV: tactical combat system, no "auto" mana regen nice graphics and skill defining weapons

GW 2: although their "event" system is some sort of questing it has the potential to really enhance quests so chance here for getting rid off stuff like: kill 10 rats, bring me this or that.

as for SWTOR

Very unimpressive right now: dated gfx, quest based all they're doing is VO simple quests and add a white/black choice. I expected something really big for that kind of money. Sure everything can change but right now it looks like Mass Effect (not a real RPG anyways) Online with cartoony gfx and solo focus.

Also you can see the Mythic influence "red circles showing where to go" ->braindead.

Warband

Swtor's story centric content does really seem a whole lot more enjoyable than the usual grind and then some grind and will likely provide a trully amazing rpg experience.

GW2 really does seem to be pushing a fair number of innovating features more than likely the most, since it plan's have a very fleshed out story much like swtor with no easy black and white choices such as "choosing whether a hospital or a orphanage is destroyed" or whether your mother or sister dies. Also it's WvW seems to be heavily influenced by a RTS game with massive influence resource gathering, upgrading equipment and multiple objectives combined with it's fps style Structured pvp with hot joinable matches equal footing pvp. it also has underwater content as large as it is on land as well as a huge amount interactable objects and plenty of physics in skill. 

ff14 seems to have by far the best grahics as well as some hugely tactial game play. Looks like some really good games seem  to be coming out. 

Wickedjelly

The only drawback to discussing this is how much of what developers say will be present or innovative in their game will actually be as notable, game changing, or even present in their game.

So many developers lately with games are willing to bs just about anything to try and build hype or attention for their game it's a bit annoying.  Really have to have your hip waders on when reading or listening to a lot of these devs.  Granted with all three of these "major" titles mentioned in this thread so far: GW2, FF XIV, & TOR it doesn't seem real bad.  Of course, there's still quite some time before any of these games launch so we'll see what happened the closer it gets to them actually releasing.

Warband

Originally posted by Wickedjelly

The only drawback to discussing this is how much of what developers say will be present or innovative in their game will actually be as notable, game changing, or even present in their game.

So many developers lately with games are willing to bs just about anything to try and build hype or attention for their game it's a bit annoying.  Really have to have your hip waders on when reading or listening to a lot of these devs.  Granted with all three of these "major" titles mentioned in this thread so far: GW2, FF XIV, & TOR it doesn't seem real bad.  Of course, there's still quite some time before any of these games launch so we'll see what happened the closer it gets to them actually releasing.

Very true but there some things people expect from those games. Swtor will more than likely at least offer a great single player story how that story works in a mmo is debateable but it seems unlikely they will suck in that department.

GW2 will likely won't play like any other game in the market whether that's a good thing or a bad thing only time will tell but A-net as a company doesn't really follow the Norm. Look at how GW1 was so different compared the vast majority of mmo's around at that time. With A-net's current anounced features announced it's more than likely won't play like most other games realsed. Heck even it's announced skill system is completely different to gw1 let alone other mmo's.

FF14 is pretty much a given to not to play like most mmo's considering it's combat.

Malcanis

Once EVE comes out of beta I think it could be pretty awesome

just1opinion

GW2

Secret World

 

BUT...neither is released yet, of course, and I'm going only by what I've read and interviews I've seen with both sets of developers.  Oftentimes with games...it's terribly hard to "predict" ANYTHING.  So...I think those two, in particular, but...I wouldn't wager any money on it either, at this point.

jaxsundane

Originally posted by Warband

Which of the current mmo's in development do you feel that if it was successful could potenially push the genre into what you feel is the right direction.

 I'm going with TOR for the same reason as the first responder, I'm a gamer first and an mmo player second (IMO) so I enjoy a good story when it comes to the games I play and I absolutely love a game with lore I can really immerse myself in Star Wars naturally fits that mold as I have more knowledge about that universe than the average fan I'd guess followed by LOTRO and then WOW all games that I could to some extent lose myself in the lore of so I'm excited for TOR in that respect.  I can't say for sure how I feel the impact will be on the industry, personally I expect it to be highly successful and as an extention much as WOW is  hated on by the average mmorpg poster.

Now another problem I have with the industry is I think in mmo's we are outnumbered like 4-1 in terms of having actual competent devs who are out to do more than turn a quick buck as such I doubt that MMO's will make leaps and bounds any time soon as most devs are happy to put out mediocre content and just never admit it until they are forced out of the industry.

orija7

Originally posted by girlgeek

GW2

Secret World

 

BUT...neither is released yet, of course, and I'm going only by what I've read and interviews I've seen with both sets of developers.  Oftentimes with games...it's terribly hard to "predict" ANYTHING.  So...I think those two, in particular, but...I wouldn't wager any money on it either, at this point.

 

Thats what I think.

neonwire

If done correctly then the dynamic content in Rifts: Planes of Telara and GW2 will be the biggest shove in the right direction that this genre has ever had. It's basicly the difference between a static single player rpg plonked on a server with co-op features (which is what we have now with current so-called mmos) and a genuine massively multiplayer rpg where the players can actually effect the world and those that inhabit it. Players will be paying more attention to what everyone else is doing because their actions will actually matter for once as opposed to ignoring everything else and instead focusing on the computer as it tells you stupid rigid stories. This is currently what is happening in mmos. The players dont have any power to effect or change anything so they just ignore everyone else and play the "mmo imposter" solo or with a few friends. Thats not an mmo lol

For this reason I have absolutely no idea at all why so many people in this thread think SWTOR is going to push the genre in the right direction. So MMO's should all be about telling a good story? Oh really?! How ridiculous! That is precisely what MMO's should NOT be doing. They arent supposed to be about telling people stories. They are supposed to be MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER games. Reading stories told to you by the computer, doing tasks set by the computer, being rewarded by the computer, trading with the computer, competing with the computer......hmmm......yeah......a multiplayer game this does not make.

So dynamic content which allows the players to exist in a consistent gameworld which they can influence and change........or........a fully voice acted and scripted story (even your own character's voice is under the computers control lol) with occasional choices to make like in a fighting fantasy book, which is specifically aimed at each individual player......therefore making everyone around each player irrelevant as the npcs are part of the story but the players are not. Its the difference between controlling a character in a WORLD that you can effect for other players, or a STORY which you can only effect for yourself. One of those approaches doesnt belong in mmos.

I'm sure SWTOR will be fun to play as Biowares other SINGLE PLAYER rpgs have been pretty enjoyable. It will be interesting to see this level of story telling being brought into an mmo. It seems pretty clear to me though that the more rigid storytelling there is in a game means less freedom and storytelling potential for the player. It basicly moves the players away from interacting with each other and more towards interacting with the computer. The influence of Bioware is basicly pushing mmos back towards being single player games while ArenaNet and Trions products are really moving mmos away from single player game design.

I'm looking forward to reading all the whining threads that will appear after SWTOR comes out as people complain "Waaaghhh!! Players dont bother talking in this game! They all ignore each other! They're too busy playing the game against the computer to bother paying any attention to the other players!!"

Kyleran

Originally posted by girlgeek

GW2

Secret World

 

BUT...neither is released yet, of course, and I'm going only by what I've read and interviews I've seen with both sets of developers.  Oftentimes with games...it's terribly hard to "predict" ANYTHING.  So...I think those two, in particular, but...I wouldn't wager any money on it either, at this point.

I'll have to agree with your analysis, if any games are going to advance the genre these two seem to be on the front edge.  If CCP really is working on World of Darkness that too might break some new ground.

Garvon3

Absolutely not TOR. People keep harping on the "storyline" but tons of MMOs have story, its just people ignore it because the games themselves are poorly designed quest grinders so people don't care about them. 

Having a heavily linear and instanced game that sucks the massive right out of MMORPG is not really the answer or a good evolution for the genre. It's steps backwards towards Diablo. 

GW2 looks to be doing some good things but I wonder just how much of a social virtual world it'll be. 

JSchindler

From my perspective, TOR.

MMORPGs have always been very light on RPG and as a fan of that particular genre, I'm happy to see a developer attempting to redress that shortfall with voice-overs, proper writing and quests that are more than a vestigial XP mechanic. Quest decisions that are interesting and provoke thought.

That said, I don't know if history will record it as a step forward. Some of the newer (and older) generation of MMORPG players have a baffling lack of interest in RPGs.

aleos

SWTOR

The Secret World

Vanguard - Fix it.

 

EDIT:

Rift... maybe its got some good ideas.

jaxsundane

Originally posted by Garvon3

Absolutely not TOR. People keep harping on the "storyline" but tons of MMOs have story, its just people ignore it because the games themselves are poorly designed quest grinders so people don't care about them. 

Having a heavily linear and instanced game that sucks the massive right out of MMORPG is not really the answer or a good evolution for the genre. It's steps backwards towards Diablo. 

GW2 looks to be doing some good things but I wonder just how much of a social virtual world it'll be. 

 This response to me illustrates some of the problems I have with the entire "mmorpg" debate, far too often people against instancing etc. confuse their own preferences of play with progress while relegating others to regression.

I've never played Diablo and have never been interested in deathmatch pvp type games like I can only assume DF is as well as all the Halos and COD's and such.  But again the amount someone wants to interact with someone doesn't in my opinion do anything for or against the genre.

I've played some of the tons of games that have stories that you see as so often ignored and have always paid attention to them myself and have avoided games who's stories didn't interest me or exist, I also think the many people who have also made it clear that they too want to see more depth to the stories told and more focused storylines as well that the market is big enough for it all.

thinktank001

FFIV will be a good addition, and the PAX interview has given me interest in 38 studio's project.  

mKaaru

SWTOR for storyline immersion, if any of you have played the mass effect games or dragon age origins for that matter, it promises to be one hell of an experience.. no longer do you reroll a character and grind with a numb brain towards max cap because you're bored, it's because you want to replay the game through a different storyline... fully voiced over is another plus

GW2 for gameplay innovation through dynamic content 

Vindictus for pure action based pvp action, heavily instanced but it's free and should provide loads of fun

musicmann

I think this is really a personal question about personal taste more than what new game will take the genre in a particualr direction. The problem i think alot of people have is that they think that any one of these games need to overtake the whole market, the way WOW has for some years now. Since WOW has become an aged game that honestly looks like it has lost it's steam, The genre will once again right itself and i think will become way more diversified once again in the process. I don't really see any of these new games taking over and being king of the hill. I do see people finally migrating from WOW and settling in new games with certain settings and lore that they truly enjoy with a more realistic amount of monthly subs. Not to say that WOW will die, but finally have a sub base that is more WOW fanbase and not the phenom that it is now.

Amathe

GW 2

The Secret World

and even though not much is known about it, I suspect World of Darkness

Daywolf

Originally posted by Warband

 push the genre into what you feel is the right direction.

It's gonna take a bigger push me thinks

:P