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The 9 aspects of a superior MMORPG: Part 2
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Continued from "The 9 aspects of a superior MMO: Part 1."
World of Warcraft quest log
Questing/PvE
Questing is a necessary evil. In MMOs we measure our experience through levels. To gain those levels you earn experience through fighting, questing, and sometimes through crafting. I say it's a necessary evil because the steps that go into questing are getting dated and boring. This is something recognized by players and developers alike. Meeting a person and having them send you out is one thing. But then returning multiple times to the same person after running around the MMO world can get daunting. This is why I like remote accessing of quests. You see this in a game like City of Heroes/Villains and the upcoming DC Universe Online. In these games contacts can call you via cell phone to give you quests or updates. That works inside their lore. In a game like Mabinogi, although it doesn't always happen, an owl will drop you information so you don't have to run someplace else.
There are also systems that still use the classic formula of speaking to a contact and then completing his/her quest but that add something a little extra. In Perfect World International a player can find quests via their quest interface. The player must still find the NPC, although easier, and complete quests normally. However, this is a nice function if you're not sure what you need to do at a certain level. This can cut down on needlessly running around looking for something to do.
That brings me to a sidebar about travel. Travel is a part of an MMO, but unnecessary back and forth gets frustrating. Also, if your character can fly (through power or a mount) the distance traveled should be faster. Just because there's flight doesn't mean the distance from point "a" to point "b" needs to be extended. The world itself can be larger and it can be populated with more things to do and see that way.
I believe one of the biggest strides from MMOs is the public quest system in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. These drop in and drop out quests are an easy way to experience things within a group of people without having to literally look for group. Some people think this causes a social disconnect and it is by no means perfect. But as an alternative to regular quests this system is progressive.
Bottom Line: Quests need a revamp. The traveling to and from the same NPC is dated and needs to be updated. Remote access of contacts will improve this while keeping that interaction between player and NPC.
PvP
This is one aspect that not everyone feels is necessary to attract or retain gamers. However, for the right player PvP is everything. This can be so true that some MMOs are PvP only. Personally, I'm not a PvPer but I do think it needs to be in a game as another activity verses questing, crafting, and the like. The battleground model where two sides enter one map and fight until an objective is complete is probably the simplest form of PvP. Popular instances of this are found in World of Warcraft and WAR. It may be simple but that doesn't mean it can't be intriguing. Sure battlegrounds are pretty much deathmatches, but sometimes that's all you're looking for in a PvP situation.
In a lot of games there are servers in which PvP is always activated. You can always attack another player and be attacked by them. On servers considered PvE people can become flagged for PvP for different reasons. For the serious PvPer there are games with PvP always on, no matter what server you're on. Games like Mortal Online and Darkfall use this system. It is structured around a set of rules based on faction or race and there are safe areas in these games.
What truly makes PvP successful is how combat is balanced and handled when you're fighting another real live player. In player verses environment situations almost all of what can happened as been crunched. When two players fight each other the number crunching can get thick. Mix the unpredictability with user skill and PvP can become a very difficult thing to balance.
Bottom Line: A good MMO needs a little PvP if that MMO wants any type of a PvP demographic. Games that are all PvP have their place, but combat must be top notch for people to stick around. If a game is supposed to have both PvE and PvP, the latter needs to optional and diverse.
Loremaster fishing in LotRO
Distractions
If there's combat at the core of an MMO and crafting is a mantle, then distractions are the crust of the MMO planet. MMOs need something for players to do other than activities that require a lot of intense attention. Distractions; like fishing, cooking, and other minigames, provide downtime for gamers who want to relax.
Just because these activities are optional or can be viewed as relaxing doesn't mean that can't impact your gameplay positively. Not only can you enjoy yourself you can also earn wicked in game currency. I touched on this slightly in another topic, but something like fishing can really pad your virtual wallet.
I mentioned cooking simply because it ties into fishing. It's very rewarding to fish and take that catch and eat it. It sounds like simple fun because it is just that. Cooking is oftentimes a crafting profession and in that way it's not as much of a distraction. With that though process crafting in general can be seen as a distraction but for this article's purpose I'm considering it a main element.
Another example of a distraction activity in MMOs is found in Star Wars Galaxies and its collection system. After finding sets of things or locations, for example, badges or schematics are available as rewards. In Sony's upcoming Free Realms your job or class allows you to participate in minigames based on that job. These are things separate from combat and are purely optional. MMOs need these activities to keep more people playing their title.
Bottom Line: MMOs need distractions. Not only are they occasionally profitable they are also entertaining. More things to do and master in an MMO means more time playing. That's a plus for those who made the game and those who are playing it.
Endgame
I hate the term "endgame." Since an MMO is a persistent world that's ever-changing I think the term is contradictory to the premise and concept of MMOs. Monetarily speaking, companies want to keep gamers playing. If you reach the level cap and there's nothing to do that's not a lack of endgame, that's a lack of content...period.
Raiding isn't something I enjoy, but there is a large number of people who love it. Raiding is a good endgame activity. It is something that can be practiced because it's a challenge. Because of that challenge it keeps players working at it. Other challenges like a city seige in WAR are efforts by the low level and maxed character.
Expansions are a great way to extend endgame but the game should always have something for a player to do at any level. This can be accomplished through events or through repeatable things like daily quests or custom made missions. Daily quests, like those found in Runes of Magic and World of Warcraft, give players a way to make money or earn other currency each day. The new Mission Architect in CoH/V allows players to make new missions for any level. These missions are something new and fresh to do during leveling or when the level cap is reached.
Bottom Line: An MMO doesn't end until the servers shut. A steady stream of content needs to be pumped into an MMO so that the term "endgame" feels more out of place than it already does. Also, MMOs don't end when a level cap is reached. Increasing a level cap doesn't necessarily expand endgame, it requires content to continue.
Price plans in Requiem: Bloodymare
Pricing
Finally, the perfect MMO needs to be a reasonable price. There are actually several price points for MMOs. It's not just $14.99 per month. Free-to-play games are never really free. They come with an item shop or item mall that lets you pay for things if you want them. Examples of this are found in RoM and many free-to-play games.
Some F2P games have tiers of subscription like Requiem: Bloodymare and Mabinogi. You can play these games for free or pay a monthly fee for access to more content or user functionality. Requiem is known for favoring those who pay by giving them better experience and item drops. Mabinogi gives paying players more ease of use tools like a bigger bank and item bag space among other things.
Some games have the standard price with special additions every once and a while. CoH/V is a good instance of this. You can buy extra costume packs in addition to your monthly fee. These packs don't give an advantage to those who buy them and you don't need them in the game to have a good time.
Although a monthly subscription doesn't bother me it does keep me from playing more than one game at a time. I realize why MMOs can't be free, but I'm not sure many games justify the $14.99. I'm a fan of the Station Access, but it's not a good thing unless you want to play Sony's MMOs. Personally, I'd love to see a rate around $10 with optional items in an item mall. I know a lot of people don't like an item mall, but the item mall I'd like to see isn't full of things that make your character better. This item mall would contain fringe and frill items.
Bottom Line: MMOs can never truly be free. Finding a pricing plan that works well is like pulling teeth. No one wants to do it, but it needs to be done. Games should never reach beyond the $14.99 per month price point.
Well that's it. The mixture of these elements presented in a stellar way means a superior MMO. No, not even the perfect MMO would please everyone. Not to mention that if a game is structurally broken all the perfect concepts are moot. The first obstacle toward a superior MMO is producing great ideas. The next one is that it needs to actually work. Finally, that game needs attention from the masses. There are always going to be niche genres and markets aimed toward certain demographics. Even still, an MMO relies on its players just as much as its players require good service. After all, the MMO business is a lot of customer service. Put your opinions out there and you might see it in game one day.
This article was originally published by Pamela Blalock at Examiner.com.
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