I'm not sure the data backs your hypothesis, though. The games people, at least on this forum, would place in the "easy" or "casual" category are also the ones with the healthiest player counts. I'm thinking WoW, ESO, FFXIV, and SWTOR in particular. The games that people harken back to with their rose colored glasses as being amazing, and ironically often still online even though the people claiming they were so great don't actually play them, such as EQ or DAoC are the games that limp along with a subsistence level of niche players.
The flash in the pan games that are here today and shut down tomorrow do so because they just suck or have miniscule content with no real plans on how to keep players engaged at end game.
Well older MMORPGs will struggle for numbers against newer ones. Also the picture is blurred because older MMOs have gameplay drift which makes them easier games themselves. Where I agree is the importance of content, front loading which was always a factor is now so predominant that is distorts reviews.
What I am referring to is more easily seen in solo games, as they are fixed in time, AC is a classic example of a series getting easier as time goes on. Of course this is not just restricted to Video Games. D&D 5.0 2024 has easier rules then 5.0, which has easier rules than 4.0, which had easier rules than 3.0, which had easier rules than 2.0.
So why is this occurring? Why do games get ever easier? There are a number of reasons, early roleplaying games partly originated from military wargames. But the common factor is easier means more accessible and more accessible equals more sold. This thinking is flawed and Dark Souls/DS-like shows that difficult games do sell well. But if the entire gaming industry tried to become DS, sales would plummet. I mention that in case anyone thinks that is what I think the gaming industry should do.
What I do think they should however, is give good difficulty options in solo games (which is a lot more common now) and balance the drift to ever easier in Multiplayer Online games. Like most elements in a MMORPG I think we need a rebalancing not a veering to old school or sticking with new school.
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
I'm old school I guess. I want to own my game. I want to be able to buy a product and use it. I don't want to lease the product. I don't want to have to be online to use it. I gave you $50. Now it's mine.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
Live service to me is more of a business model than a state of a game. Live service to me is any game that has on-going, time gated seasonal content releases where content comes and goes. Elder Scrolls Online, Diablo 4, Overwatch, Marvel Rivals, anything Ubisoft releases now (okay not everything ) is live service to me. As opposed to older school games where it was release, buy the game, get an expansion every year, etc...
I just started on the Legendary LOTRO server Angmar and it has been refreshing. No battle passes, no seasonal content, just me and the game. Just like WOW classic as well. I realized how much in newer games that my FUN is controlled by live service and time and not just having fun.
I watched a video recently and he said that to enjoy LOTRO, slow down and enjoy it. Don't rush. Experience it and take your time. I have and damn it has been refreshing. Live service to me is the opposite of exactly that.
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
Yes, MMOs are live service games. Live service is anything where you must connect to developer hosted online services and can't play the game without them. There is a lot more nuance and detail as to what makes a live service game and what doesn't, the gray areas where some multiplayer games that offer both modes and that can be discussed and hashed over, but as a general statement yes, I'm done with them.
When I spend a 'box fee' on a game I expect to be able to play it on my own terms, host my own servers, and if the developers shut down their servers I'm not left hanging with no game to play. Pretty much what Slapshot said above. I'm tired of having games I love ruined for me by radical changes or shifts in direction that leave me out in the cold.
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
I'm old school I guess. I want to own my game. I want to be able to buy a product and use it. I don't want to lease the product. I don't want to have to be online to use it. I gave you $50. Now it's mine.
Yeah, but mmo’s were never that.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
I'm old school I guess. I want to own my game. I want to be able to buy a product and use it. I don't want to lease the product. I don't want to have to be online to use it. I gave you $50. Now it's mine.
Yeah, but mmo’s were never that.
Absolutely. Thats why I paid my $14.99
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I keep seeing this reference to "live service games" and how everyone hates them. Aren't all MMOs live service games? Are you saying you want games that launch and are completely static other than bug fixes in perpetuity? Are you just done with MMOs? Serious question.
Live service to me is more of a business model than a state of a game. Live service to me is any game that has on-going, time gated seasonal content releases where content comes and goes. Elder Scrolls Online, Diablo 4, Overwatch, Marvel Rivals, anything Ubisoft releases now (okay not everything ) is live service to me. As opposed to older school games where it was release, buy the game, get an expansion every year, etc...
I just started on the Legendary LOTRO server Angmar and it has been refreshing. No battle passes, no seasonal content, just me and the game. Just like WOW classic as well. I realized how much in newer games that my FUN is controlled by live service and time and not just having fun.
I watched a video recently and he said that to enjoy LOTRO, slow down and enjoy it. Don't rush. Experience it and take your time. I have and damn it has been refreshing. Live service to me is the opposite of exactly that.
I must admit I often use the term live service when what I mean is "the abusive end of live service". This all grew out of playing online of course, no one could guess what a monster in many games that would turn into.
Comments
What I am referring to is more easily seen in solo games, as they are fixed in time, AC is a classic example of a series getting easier as time goes on. Of course this is not just restricted to Video Games. D&D 5.0 2024 has easier rules then 5.0, which has easier rules than 4.0, which had easier rules than 3.0, which had easier rules than 2.0.
So why is this occurring? Why do games get ever easier? There are a number of reasons, early roleplaying games partly originated from military wargames. But the common factor is easier means more accessible and more accessible equals more sold. This thinking is flawed and Dark Souls/DS-like shows that difficult games do sell well. But if the entire gaming industry tried to become DS, sales would plummet. I mention that in case anyone thinks that is what I think the gaming industry should do.
What I do think they should however, is give good difficulty options in solo games (which is a lot more common now) and balance the drift to ever easier in Multiplayer Online games. Like most elements in a MMORPG I think we need a rebalancing not a veering to old school or sticking with new school.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I just started on the Legendary LOTRO server Angmar and it has been refreshing. No battle passes, no seasonal content, just me and the game. Just like WOW classic as well. I realized how much in newer games that my FUN is controlled by live service and time and not just having fun.
I watched a video recently and he said that to enjoy LOTRO, slow down and enjoy it. Don't rush. Experience it and take your time. I have and damn it has been refreshing. Live service to me is the opposite of exactly that.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I got kicked out of a raid group last night for NOT cheating.
What really gets me is they will eventually patch the exploits, and you will have guys posting on Reddit "Bethesda ruined my fun".
We all fought our way to the boss and killed him each time for the drop. The thing we cut out is the repetition of fighting our way to him.
It seems odd that we all did what was needed for the drop But had to repeat step one for everyone who didn’t get it the first time.
I didn’t have problems sleeping that night.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo