During this week, I have currently been playing DC Universe Online which is the brand new MMORPG that came out from Sony and without any hesitation I went into mind provoking banter within regards of the current state of the Massively Multiplayer Online Market. Despite not having a ton of exposure to the genre on a personal level, I know what a game like World of Warcraft has meant to the industry. Beyond that, with recent headlines such as the success launch of DC Universe Online, Record-breaking sales of Cataclysm, and Lord of the Rings Online's succesful switch from paid to Free-to-Play provide the backdrop for our conversation as we seek to understand what exactly it is that gamers want out of an MMO.
Well, this week we are putting the keyboard in your hand and giving YOU the task with answering just that. By breaking down the key aspects of a particular game to reveal exactly WHY you would feel constantly compelled to return and come back for more. Is it because you long to be involved with a particular universe or environment? Do you feel that MMO's provide a unique gameplay experience that nothing else seems to touch? Or is it just the social aspects of Massive Multiplayer games that gives you the benefit of the doubt with both fun and friendship? It's within these thoughts of mind that I am going to ask you:
WHICH KEY ASPECTS OF A MASSIVE MULTIPLAYER ONLINE DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?
Breaking down this formula is pretty important, and we hope to gather some great and honest insights with your help. Obviously, the genre has had it's fair share of hits and misses, but by better understanding the key elements of a successful MMO, we can help define the things that publishers and developers should focus on when setting out to create new projects (or revamp old ones as was the recent case of LOTRO). We will be selecting the best answer, to be featured on the VGH exclusive community newsletter, so be on the lookout to see if your answer was chosen! Also, as always, we ask you to be respectful of your fellow poster's opinions. Any newcomers to VGH should know that we aim to provide a productive platform for discussion around here, and that we would appreciate you participating in a mature, constructive manner. So, don’t use the discussion as a platform to promote your agenda while denying others their personal opinion. If you’re into doing that – go somewhere else.
Lastly, I will be posting a poll question in the forums to support the topic that clearly seeks to define the elements of an MMO experience that you enjoy the most. Please take a moment to vote in it as we appreciate all participation and input on the subject that we can gather up! As always, thanks in advance for your contributions to this week’s conversation and we hope you enjoy this week’s Ask The Henchmem.
In one way or the other, it comes down to the social aspect. Whether you go online to hang with fiends, to beat a dungeon with clan mates, or just to dominate leader boards the drive is, that you (or your score) are not alone, and you have to play constantly to keep up.
You get to interact with real people, not just mindless AI, and clever cut scene script lines. But instead of being John the Senior Accountant from Boring Accounting Inc. you get to be ÜberJohnee the level500 Celestial Knight, protector of the innocent, slayer of all evil, or JohEvil Master Necromancer lord of pillage, and mayhem. Weather or not you actually do role playing, its the ultimate RPG experience of the modern society.
Why on earth would anyone play anything where the core gameplay comes down to “click 76289 times on same goblin/alien/cupcake to gain level/item”.
You should just ask yourself:
How much of that game would you play if it were offline.
Interesting question. I played in the following MMOROPGS:
- WoW (not much);
- Guild Wars;
- Lineage 2 (demonic time of my life which I’d like to forget like a bad dream);
- Warhammer Online;
- DC Universe Online (still playing the hell out of there!)
In those MMORPGs I liked a descent story or if it’s kinda boring – great world lore and atmosphere can easily compensate that. But you can’t forget about actual gameplay. Lore and story can be fun, but when you got bored buy pressing same buttons over and over again…
Recent example of DC Universe Online put a new level for quality of MMORPG just like BC2 did with all um… MMO FPS (of some sort). I can say that I like everything DC can offer (unfortunately it’s pay2play, but thanks god I have a head and couple of hands, so I can have a job and money :) ), which are:
- Great physics based ACTION gameplay! I’m getting bored very quickly with all those WoW like battles where you basically stay still and press 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 3, 1, etc…
- Great world / lore to explore! Gotham FTW! It’s in my head and I can’t get it out of there!
- Cool character creation. It sux when everyone looks like the same blond japaneese guy with different hair color.
- Trophies Yes! I think I’m a trophy whore! But I’m a very proud trophy whore! When I first see that in Warhammer Online I was very surprised. DC also have that, but it’s a poor version of those, ’cause you don’t have title.
So here it is. These elements from DC Online are also my favorite aspects of MMORPG game. Thanks to everyone who read till the end :)
P.S. Right! Social aspect :-D Tbh I play in MMORPG like in normal games, so I’m mostly a PvE player => I try to build my character as a solo wolf. If I find a nice party / clan – good, if I don’t – I’m a solo wolf :)
For me, on the first place of an MMORPG is the social aspect. I’ve played only Guild Wars because most of my real life friends had it and we decided to start that one.
All the great features (pvp, graphics, gameplay mechanics) of Guild Wars were just an extra.
Unfortunately we don’t play MMORPGs lately (college ‘n stuff) but next MMORPG that we will play is either SW: TOR or Guild Wars 2. Both look good and it will come down to reviews but I wouldn’t be buying any of them if I didn’t have friends to play them with.
There’s nothing better than chatting on Mumble/TeamSpeak/Mumble and doing some epic PvE, collecting loot and braging with stuff we find.
Hello.
It probably comes down to personal preference, but you can focus on two major factors: numbers and the social aspect.
All the daily grinding is to get better numbers to inflict even bigger numbers on enemies and what not. Why is that addicting? I guess it has something to do with the feeling of progress.
Like any other game MMOs have a goal. Get the best items, be first on the leaderboards, get into a top-ranking guild, etc. You can think of it as achievements. Why people do those?
We can discuss this all day long, but when it comes down to it, people are addicted to numbers and it’s a form of pleasure (having a goal and reaching it (quests, raids, item upgrade, you name it)). Comparing your numbers with others is the so called social aspect.
runescape ftw ;)
btw's this is Evan