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Could an MMO like this ever work?

SwampRobSwampRob Member UncommonPosts: 1,003
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM

  This refers to RPG MMO's.   Specifically, a game with character growth and development: gaining stats, levels, abilities, better gear, etc.

  Of course, plenty of MMOs feature the above.    When you play an RPG, your character gradually gets more powerful through the gains mentioned above.   Any ultimate, that is, completed build, could be described as one with maximum possible stats or level, and best in slot gear for all slots.

  My complaint, or rather, my disappointment with MMOs, is that to attain this best in slot gear, grouping up is always mandatory.   I've never played an MMO (other than the now defunct CoH), where it was possible to attain this gear with teaming being utterly required.

  I get why MMOs do this; heck, one could argue it's their defining feature.    And I do enjoy teaming from time to time, but I oh so very much HATE it being absolutely required.   To me, there's no worse phrase to hear than quest-giving NPC state "Go gather X friends and..."   GRRR.  

  There's plenty of arguments in other threads about solo vs teaming, and I don't want to make this thread specifically about that, nor about why a person would want to play that way.   I ask that you accept as fact that some players do.

My question to the community is that, assuming all other factors are even, (the game is fun to play), do you think that an MMO where it was possible to attain best in slot gear, without mandating grouping to do so, could work?   By work, I mean be successful enough to support its existence.

I think there are many ways this could be approached, without having to really compromise content designed for teams.

 

 

 

Comments

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by SwampRob

       do you think that an MMO where it was possible to attain best in slot gear, without mandating grouping to do so, could work? 

    Asheron's Call

    Ultima Online

    EVE Online

    Puzzle Pirates

    Those are the ones that immediately come to mind for me. I'm quite sure there are plenty of others.

    "If there isn't any MMO currently out there like that someone will eventually build one. As the lines between MMOs and games that are simply online multiplayer blur it becomes inevitable." - zym

    Funny how the games where you can do it are some of the most community focused MMOs on the market. They're also all from well before most MMO gamers started playing. I get the feeling that one of those two aspects has a lot to do with it.

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • BanaghranBanaghran Member Posts: 869

    In b4 "M MEANS MULTIPLAYER, GO PLAY A SINGLEPLAYER GAME!!!"

    In the end it depends on your definition of "attain" and "grouping".

    There are many games out there where even BiS gear is tradeable and you can buy it from other players, as well as games that offer chaotic grouping a'la battlegrounds...

    Flame on!

    :)

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    Sure it can work.  Any game where non-soulbound crafted gear is best in slot.

     

    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • MeriliremMerilirem Member Posts: 77
    Not only can it work it's an absolute must for a good game. I mean beating enemies and doing other things will always be easier in groups, not counting special enemies which scale, than in single combat. That however doesn't mean that you should be required to get help, just that you should be prepared for whatever horribly difficult experience awaits. Soloing places in games has always been around, just not everyone can do it. When they can it just means your game sucks.

    If a butterfly learnt to speak, to live in human society, paid its bills, had a job, lived in a fancy house and married a human, is it human?

    Now what if that same butterfly knew how to write code better than any human and had years of experience in the game industry, would that make it a game designer?

    If u wouldn't let a construction worker design your house, then why let a programmer design your world?

  • DauzqulDauzqul Member RarePosts: 1,982
    Originally posted by SwampRob

      This refers to RPG MMO's.   Specifically, a game with character growth and development: gaining stats, levels, abilities, better gear, etc.

      Of course, plenty of MMOs feature the above.    When you play an RPG, your character gradually gets more powerful through the gains mentioned above.   Any ultimate, that is, completed build, could be described as one with maximum possible stats or level, and best in slot gear for all slots.

      My complaint, or rather, my disappointment with MMOs, is that to attain this best in slot gear, grouping up is always mandatory.   I've never played an MMO (other than the now defunct CoH), where it was possible to attain this gear with teaming being utterly required.

      I get why MMOs do this; heck, one could argue it's their defining feature.    And I do enjoy teaming from time to time, but I oh so very much HATE it being absolutely required.   To me, there's no worse phrase to hear than quest-giving NPC state "Go gather X friends and..."   GRRR.  

      There's plenty of arguments in other threads about solo vs teaming, and I don't want to make this thread specifically about that, nor about why a person would want to play that way.   I ask that you accept as fact that some players do.

    My question to the community is that, assuming all other factors are even, (the game is fun to play), do you think that an MMO where it was possible to attain best in slot gear, without mandating grouping to do so, could work?   By work, I mean be successful enough to support its existence.

    I think there are many ways this could be approached, without having to really compromise content designed for teams.

     

     

     

     

    I really think that the only way to make this work is to create a living and breathing player-controlled economy. The best weapons need to come from crafting. When I mention crafting, I'm not talking about the sass that comes from WoW, EQ2, or SWTOR. I'm talkng about an insanely rich and deep form of crafting - something that requires brain power.

    SWG's crafting and resource mangement should be the bare minimum for any game.

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035
    Originally posted by mmoDAD
     

    SWG's crafting and resource mangement should be the bare minimum for any game.

     

    Out of curiousity, has any game since then matched SWG's crafting?

     

    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
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