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Why Multiplayer Is Missing from Modern MMOs - Mark Kern at MMORPG.com
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Why Multiplayer Is Missing from Modern MMOs - Mark Kern at MMORPG.com
In my last article, I wrote about the role of GMs in old school text MMOs, MUDs, and how they enriched the experience rather than performed customer service. This was one of the features that we’ve lost in the transition to streamlined, modern, graphical MMOs. This article continues exploring old MUD elements that are worth revisiting and, perhaps, reinventing for the modern era.
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Comments
"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"
For every added convenience we lost opportunities to interact with other players (for good or ill) which takes away the MMORPGs strongest selling point.
Players will say, but this is what we want, to which I reply they don't know what is good for them.
Never let the masses decide for themselves, they too often make the wrong choices.
There's a very good reason why true democracy is never permitted.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
It's not like MMOs haven't been trying to go back to how they used to be. WoD tried it, bringing the best PvE endgame content to date in WoW, with very little PvE solo content, which in turn forced half the playerbase to leave very quickly. Wildstar tried it, and is now on a life support.
MMOs have never been as popular as they are today, and that's thanks to the fact that you can solo most of the game. There is a wrong misconception that players wanted to socialize in an MMO. That's just not true, players mainly wanted an RPG with a massive world, that as it happens has an option to play with other players. Up until ESO we never really had a great RPG MMO, most just shifted away from the RPG aspect all together.
I really don't see the problem. RPGs are supposed to be played for the story, not loot. It's not like grouping content ever added any value to the MMOs, they are just there for the grind.
If anyone actually thinks that the masses want challenging content, or having to group up for every single thing in the game, then by all means, go ahead. Show us how it's done. Sadly I'm not the one willing to bet on that combination.
I cannot think of one new element in modern MMO design that encourages this, quite the opposite in fact, so this would take a total turn around from the direction MMOs have been headed in for over a decade.