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July 05, 2006
Online games don't HAVE to bore the crap out of you
but they sure seem to try real hard...
As a consumer, I am continually confounded by the amount of boring crap one has to slog through in just about every MMO. Why can't we make online games that are consistently fun? There's only one real reason we developers ever give for it, and that's the cost of creating enough good content. The other reason no one ever talks about is that they haven't figured out how to do it consistently as the core game mechanic(oops, I let the cat out of the bag! I might get kicked out of the s00per s3krit MMO designers club). People write books about it, but can they actually deliver on it? So far, from my experience the answer is no.
Most MMOs I log into these days, I can play about 5 minutes before I think to myself "I know how this ends...and I don't want to get there." It's actually very depressing.
But really, as a player, I don't give a rats ass as to the reason. We all pay a monthly fee, plus the retail box price. Why don't we expect a gameplay experience as riviting as HALO, Half-life, or even Knights of the Old Republic? Why do we settle for hours and hours of multiplayer "whack-a-mole" (not to mention "steal-a-mole")?
Of course, I'm not referring to the down-time associated with socializing or even preparation (although I have issues there as well). My gripe is the core, basic, fundamental activity of almost every major MMO: combat & questing.
I may have said it before, but I'll say it again, just about every second of every session of Battlefield 2 has been more entertaining than every second of every session of World of Warcraft (or DDO, or RFO, just add your favorite MMO here). Perhaps it's the twitchery of UO's combat that kept me engaged for so long?
So why is it I find these other games more fun? It's not because I don't like story with my game. It's not even because I like 1st person over 3rd person. It's because I like some game in my game. The hardcore raid boys (or PvPers) will tell me that I'm missing out, because they have that game, that second by second heartpounding, you'd better not make a mistake or the whole night is shot, stress that makes the game challenging and therefore fun. Fine. That's great. I still say there's too much boring filler crap in between.
In the short term, my professional goal in life is to blend the highly entertaining experience of a traditional retail boxed product with the connectiveness and persistence of MMOs. As a publisher, that's where I think the FUN is.
So, why the sudden rant? I guess it's because I spent part of the last week playing an online game that actually delivered on the fun. FINALLY. Fun from the get-go. Fun all around. Fun fun fun. And not just "fun" fun. Sticky FUN! (not that kind of sticky fun, you pervs), the kind of fun that I think one could play for months if not years. The kind of fun you want to foist on all your friends.
And you know what? NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
Now all I have to do is sign it and I can tell you all about it. And if for some unforeseen reason I can't bring this one to the table, I'll be furious.
P.S. - I'm in the Airport lounge in South Korea. I've just finished watching Italy beat Germany with about 50 Korean folks stuck in the airport just like me. I've flown 2 legs of my riveting 24 hour flight back to England. One to go. Nothing like an 8 hour layover that starts at 5AM to make you grumpy.
Posted by SunSword at July 5, 2006 01:29 AM
Comments
If you can pull this off, I'd love to see it. I dabble in a lot of MMORPG's these days, and beyond my proclivity for open PVP (which I admit is a niche), I've yet to find anything that really makes me want to obsess over just one game like I did when the environment was new.
Posted by: Grimwell ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.sunsword.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 7, 2006 05:16 PM
Hello sunsword,
i do have to agree that the general goal to get more entertaiment within an MMO should be valued highly.
With your history it was also easy to see that the limiting factor to great content is the high amount of costs needed to create such. With the rising MMO interest of people, we finally are at a point where numbers can match.
However i think MMO's are not to be compared with recreational gaming such at CS or BF2. A point where you can enter at any moment and exit after a time span you decided (the very selfish aproach).
Such approaches where taken in instanced games such as Guildwars. Easy action.
However the great diffrence to an MMO is the World which is created within. It is the players that make the game, the friendships and guilds that evolve and tear into strong groups. It is the "together" which requires time and commitment, to join a big pvp siege, a raidboss run, a roleplaying fest. This requires people to devote time and energy. (Team above selfishness)
With Games like WOW, there was a sudden increase in player base which did never get to experience such. When you only need hours to reach the maximum of your characters possability and buy the rest on ebay, you will not get to get the MMO feeling. Your drive will only go for better and better items.
I agree that the "grind" should not be the main focus of a game. However a certain commitment is required. Where does it say that grind must be boring? It is just that the MMO companies and the players as such make it that way.
You should build up your character, you should create and develop it.
There are surely better ways than hitting the same mob 1000 times a day. The mass production of grind fest MMO's will not really help in that aspect.
Yours,
the MMO Enthusiast
Posted by: MMO Enthusiast at July 8, 2006 01:25 PM
Grimwell, hey, PvP could be a big part of it, it's all in the context and game mechanic.
MMO Enthusiast, you said "Where does it say that grind must be boring? It is just that the MMO companies and the players as such make it that way."
That's really my point... =)
Posted by: SunSword at July 8, 2006 02:19 PM
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