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What MMOs lack is a pause button.

2

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  • lahnmirlahnmir Member LegendaryPosts: 5,041
    I think it would be much more valuable to have a pause button for RL so I can play my damn MMORPGs!

    /Cheers,
    Lahnmir
    HatefullXarkoOctagon7711AlBQuirkyScottweedledumb99newbismx
    'the only way he could nail it any better is if he used a cross.'

    Kyleran on yours sincerely 


    'But there are many. You can play them entirely solo, and even offline. Also, you are wrong by default.'

    Ikcin in response to yours sincerely debating whether or not single-player offline MMOs exist...



    'This does not apply just to ED but SC or any other game. What they will get is Rebirth/X4, likely prettier but equally underwhelming and pointless. 

    It is incredibly difficult to design some meaningfull leg content that would fit a space ship game - simply because it is not a leg game.

    It is just huge resource waste....'

    Gdemami absolutely not being an armchair developer

  • AeanderAeander Member LegendaryPosts: 7,836
    lahnmir said: 
    I think it would be much more valuable to have a pause button for RL so I can play my damn MMORPGs!

    /Cheers,
    Lahnmir
    I'd rather have backspace and delete buttons.
    Scot
  • Po_ggPo_gg Member EpicPosts: 5,749
    As others said, it already has the logout, the camp, not to mention the power of communication with your fellow players, using the magical letters a, f and k...

    :D 
  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722
    Isn't it ArcheAge that lets you switch to "peaceful mode" and turn your character half invisible to avoid being attacked in the open world? that seems like the best solution. A command similar to /unstuck but respawns you in a safe zone (nearest town, etc) could also work as a macro.

    I could be wrong but for Pause to work in an mmorpg the game would need to create a new single player instance for any character every time they hit pause. That sounds like a big waste of resources.

    Also, pausing a single player offline game completely freezes the state of the game, unlike an mmorpg where time keeps running even when you log off.

    My thoughts.







  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    A pause button. That is strange to me in a multiplayer game. I can see that getting abused like crazy.
    AlBQuirky

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • centkincentkin Member RarePosts: 1,527
    Amathe said:
    A pause button. That is strange to me in a multiplayer game. I can see that getting abused like crazy.


    I would like to see a list of ways in which you think it could be abused.  Assuming you have a clause that it is not to be abused in the ToS, any abuse I can think of would be so obvious it would be auto-punishable.
    Gdemami
  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    centkin said:
    Amathe said:
    A pause button. That is strange to me in a multiplayer game. I can see that getting abused like crazy.


    I would like to see a list of ways in which you think it could be abused.  Assuming you have a clause that it is not to be abused in the ToS, any abuse I can think of would be so obvious it would be auto-punishable.
    Well for starters part of the challenge of an encounter is real time player coordination and reaction to boss attacks. With a pause button you can engage the boss, then pause at various intervals to plan your next move without fear of consequence. But hey, maybe you are ok with that?


    AlBQuirky

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • Panther2103Panther2103 Member EpicPosts: 5,766
    I'm not fully understanding why you would need a pause button. If the game is taking precedence over real life you might have some other things you need to work on.

    The counter to most of the arguments you make for a pause button would just be communicate. Talk to the people you are with. If you have to use the bathroom, say hey be right back. There are so many dungeons I've done that have people go afk to use the bathroom or answer their door or they spill a drink like you mentioned. Communication fixes all of those issues. 

    You asked for reasons as to why it could be abused, any dungeon you could just pause on a cast or right as something is going to show where the boss will hit and have instant reactions, you could pause right before pvp, mid pvp, or any time. Also the big problem is, the game is online. How are you pausing for other people? Make your character lock? Or does pausing only work in instanced situations. If it was solo content, in an instance, sure I could see it working. But at that point just go afk for a second and it probably wouldn't effect much. 

    No MMORPG has so much action that you are constantly fighting 24/7 and cannot communicate with people or pull off to the side where you won't pull an enemy and go afk for a second. 
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,002
    centkin said:
    In a single player game, ...
    I can't imagine you are suggesting that the game pause the entire world every time the thousand or more people need to deal with something.

    I imagine you might be suggesting a "pause" where yoru character freezes and can't be touched by anything if you are out and about?

    however, here's the thing:

    "Thing is RL is more important than a game"

    If you truly believe that then who cares if you have to suddenly get up to deal with something important? "Real Life" is more important. So let go of your game character and what happens to it. It's not important.
    AlBQuirky
    Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb." 

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  • AlBQuirkyAlBQuirky Member EpicPosts: 7,432
    centkin said:
    Amathe said:
    A pause button. That is strange to me in a multiplayer game. I can see that getting abused like crazy.


    I would like to see a list of ways in which you think it could be abused.  Assuming you have a clause that it is not to be abused in the ToS, any abuse I can think of would be so obvious it would be auto-punishable.
    How many "bad behaviors" does ToS actually stop?
    alkarionlog

    - Al

    Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.
    - FARGIN_WAR


  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,166
    centkin said:
    So if you hear a crash in the other room and you child starts crying you are expected to either let your group die, or yourself die rather than being able to deal with the situation, or if you are a "good" player you will give your team enough time in game before sorting things out. 

    I am saying that the game design is WRONG.  Your character wasn't distracted by the disaster IRL -- he shouldn't suffer.  A game shouldn't DEMAND that level of detachment from real life to be able to play it. 

    ---

    This is the reason why I can't play a group based game.  They do not happen all that often, but I have things in real life where I can NOT simply ignore them and that would make me a liability to a group. 

    I decided to drop even a solo MMO I was playing primarily over this. 

    ----

    I don't see how it would harm MMOs to have the ability to pause the game for a short time period.

    People wonder why players are avoiding group-based games // they aren't more popular  -- this is a primary reason.  A pause feature would make group games more popular.
    You are expected to immediately tend to your real life child, regardless of the in game cost. No game demands a damn thing that transcends the well-being and safety of your child.

    If your group doesn't understand and support this, you need a new group.

    I suggest you consider seeking a guild with older players, where there is good chance many members will have children of their own. I am sure such a group would be fully understanding if any emergency exits were needed.

    alkarionlog
  • TEKK3NTEKK3N Member RarePosts: 1,115
    It already exist.
    It's called " Guys I am going AFK few minutes, BRB".
    Put your character in auto follow and go do whatever.
    No one ever kicked me for going suddenly afk for few minutes for IRL matters.

    Stop making MMORPGs even more Solo focused.

    AlBQuirky
  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    I was in a guild once that said I could not go to the bathroom while on a raid. Not that I couldn't go just at that moment. At all.

    I quit that guild.


    AlBQuirky

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • PalebanePalebane Member RarePosts: 4,011
    What mmos lack is purpose. I can chase gear in any single player game.
    AmatheAlBQuirkyAmaranthar

    Vault-Tec analysts have concluded that the odds of worldwide nuclear armaggeddon this decade are 17,143,762... to 1.

  • alkarionlogalkarionlog Member EpicPosts: 3,584
    Hatefull said:
    centkin said:
    MaxBacon said:
    What is missing on MMOs is ways to make them less MMO? 
    *grabs pitchfork* Stop killing the MMO genre! :(


    On response, in group content at max is ways to a sort of pause-vote so any timer or constant action can pause, but as far the normal MMO open world and such goes it conflicts with what this type of game is meant to be.
    So if you hear a crash in the other room and you child starts crying you are expected to either let your group die, or yourself die rather than being able to deal with the situation, or if you are a "good" player you will give your team enough time in game before sorting things out. 

    I am saying that the game design is WRONG.  Your character wasn't distracted by the disaster IRL -- he shouldn't suffer.  A game shouldn't DEMAND that level of detachment from real life to be able to play it. 

    ---

    This is the reason why I can't play a group based game.  They do not happen all that often, but I have things in real life where I can NOT simply ignore them and that would make me a liability to a group. 

    I decided to drop even a solo MMO I was playing primarily over this. 

    ----

    I don't see how it would harm MMOs to have the ability to pause the game for a short time period.

    People wonder why players are avoiding group-based games // they aren't more popular  -- this is a primary reason.  A pause feature would make group games more popular.
    Most people understand that RL takes priority over a game. Trying to push single-player mechanics on a genre that does not need nor want them is a complete mistake. If something IRL needs your attention, then go see to it. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in a game that should take precedence over RL if it does, you have bigger fish to fry like serious maturity issues.

    yes, but at the same time, we tend to kick said player off any possible future grouping if is a pre made, in randoms I just black list said char and if he is in any other group in future I simple kick him.

    I learned over the year is, if someone lack respect for other people and only thing by thenselfs, they are also no very good players.

    if you are at home and need to keep the eyes on something, you shouldn't play with other people
    AlBQuirky
    FOR HONOR, FOR FREEDOM.... and for some money.
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,002
    centkin said:
    Amathe said:
    A pause button. That is strange to me in a multiplayer game. I can see that getting abused like crazy.


    I would like to see a list of ways in which you think it could be abused.  Assuming you have a clause that it is not to be abused in the ToS, any abuse I can think of would be so obvious it would be auto-punishable.
    I think it's obvious. 

    PvP game, someone is about to kill you and you hit pause. One could argue that one would only be able to pause when out of combat which just places one in a safe zone. But again, you see an opposing clan coming over the horizing and you "pause" and suddenly you are immune.

    I could see it being a bit more forgiving in a pve situation but unless they implemented something where you weren't in combat, it could be abused.

    You are in an area and don't think you can take on what's coming at you, or a raid and you think you are going to die so the raid leader says "hit the pause" and everyone is immune until they can get in a better position. Or get reinforcements.
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    Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w


    Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547

    Try the "Special Edition." 'Cause it's "Special." https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/64878/?tab=description

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  • tweedledumb99tweedledumb99 Member UncommonPosts: 290
    This is an excellent thread, glad someone brought this up.

    An a related note, please join me for a discussion in my upcoming thread: "what modern professional basketball lacks is 90lb cannonballs chained to the legs of the players."
    ScotSovrath
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 22,955
    edited December 2019
    MMORP{G's must be like my favourite solo games.
    MMORPG's must be like my favourite co-op games.
    MMORPG's must be like my favourite shooters.
    MMORPG's must be like my favourite turn based RPG.

    But one thing MMORPG's must never be like is MMORPG's.
    AlBQuirkyAmaranthartweedledumb99
  • Hawkaya399Hawkaya399 Member RarePosts: 620
    edited December 2019
    I made some comments about this in an older post regarding Pantheon. I think I'll reuse and post a snippet here:
    Many times playing everquest I had to go afk for something. These features to tether you to the group are somewhat like what I always wanted to see in an MMO: pause. It's hard to pause an MMO, like you can pause a single player game. Pause operates similarly to what's being suggested in this thread. Basically, you're in a group and hit the Away ability. All players have it. You instantly become like players in everquest who're using feign death. It can't fail, unlike everquest. Maybe you become a spirit, tethered to your group members, able to resurrect wherever they're when you return? You won't get experience from the group while away. Now hte question remains. How could this be designed properly so it's not exploited to circumvent the gameplay elements? This could reduce the danger--and consequences--in the game, two things very important to me. Another concern is the disruption to the group while away. YOu might be the one piece to the puzzle allowing the group to function. For example, you might be the priest. If you're away, there's no healer. The group may disband or falter for a length of time. How the designers choose to solve this is varied. Multi-classing abilities? A power factor applied to the group? An ability to port somewhere else? NPC mercenaries like in Everquest?

    One problem with convenience features is they're vulnerable to crossing the line and essentially destroying WHY some of us we play these MMO's. I liked the original Everquest at least partially because of the danger and consequences. I have to restate this. How far will Pantheon go to ensure convenience?
    Read more at https://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/475598/why-i-fear-the-log-out-in-a-dungeon-feature-wont-work/p2#skZsuo2jvjfs9JrU.99

    In solo situation, pausing is easy to implement via some sort of feign death ability for every class. What this does is makes the player like a ghost, completely invisible and invincible to everything in the game. This can have ramifications for danger and consequences, since you can use this ability at anytime. In a group setting, things change because your absence will impact the group. They might lose their only dps member, or their only healer. How does the game go about resolving this? I echo the same concerns I expressed in my quote.

    How this is solved could have wide ranging affects on MMORPGs. Everybody loves to complain and theorize solutions, but we tend to forget solutions often affect everything else in the game. The nature of MMORPGs might change, depending on the interaction between pausing and MMORPGs.

    Not all problems need solutions. Not all negative consequences are negative. Beware easy answers. This is my contention.

    I think some worthy time could be spent investigating Feign Death in Everquest. How did they attempt to balance it? At least some of the concerns shown in posts in this thread were addressed on some level in EVerquest with Monks, Shadowknights and Necromancers--be it solo, grouping or raiding. In 1999. And some of it wasn't foreseen. I don't believe the designers planned for monks (or shadowknights) being primary pullers--for example. It just emerged from their feign death ability. This is also the  beauty of a good MMORPG--it's never perfectly balanced!!!

  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    Maybe instead of a pause button we could have a horn.

    Just leveled up, beeeeep.

    Someone in front of you for a quest spawn, beeeep.

    Someone ganked your resource node, major beeeeeep.
    AlBQuirkyScot

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • JaimlJaiml Member UncommonPosts: 130

    centkin
     said:
    Phone calls are expected to go to the answering machine -- etc. 



    You lost me there...  I got rid of my answering machine about 20 years ago.
  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    Jaiml said:

    centkin
     said:
    Phone calls are expected to go to the answering machine -- etc. 



    You lost me there...  I got rid of my answering machine about 20 years ago.
    Mine is sitting next to my 8 track tape player. Who's up for some REO Speedwagon?

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • TheocritusTheocritus Member LegendaryPosts: 9,751
    AlBQuirky said:
    Tiller said:
    STO has a pause button.
    Does it really? It's been along while since I tried playing ST:O.

    Every time I get an itch it lasts about 15 minutes before I delete it again....Just never made it to where it should have.
  • AlBQuirkyAlBQuirky Member EpicPosts: 7,432

    Amathe said:
    Jaiml said:

    centkin
     said:
    Phone calls are expected to go to the answering machine -- etc. 



    You lost me there...  I got rid of my answering machine about 20 years ago.
    Mine is sitting next to my 8 track tape player. Who's up for some REO Speedwagon?
    YES!!!


    - Al

    Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.
    - FARGIN_WAR


  • AdamantineAdamantine Member RarePosts: 5,085
    There is no pause button in a massive multiplayer game. Duh !

    A pause button in a game with hundreds, thousands, possibly tens of thousands of players on the same server ? Somebody would ALWAYS pause. Nobody could play, EVER. Its just a completely riddiculous idea.

    About emergencies, well, if they happen you have to leave the computer, and take the ingame consequences for that.

    The closest I could think of a pause button equivalence would be some sort of teleport to town functionality.
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