Research: Why do you play?

I’m ready for more feedback!  If you’ve been following my blog lately you know that I am writing a research paper for my English Composition class on how MMORPGs affect their players and our society.  The goal of the paper, according to my instructor, is to inform the reader about the topic assuming that they have absolutely no idea what the topic is about.  This means that the paper will not go into much detail, but rather touch briefly upon the main aspects of MMORPGs that can have an effect.

The past topics (that I will still welcome feedback on):

Guilds
Gold Sales

The purpose of posting this on my blog is to gather real player and developer feedback regarding the topics, questions, and ideas that I propose.  The comments left here can be anonymous if you choose.  I will use this feedback to help shape various parts of my paper and anything written here should be done with the knowledge that it may or may not be used in my research paper.

This time I’m seeking feedback the following:

1.  Why do you play?  Is it for an escape?  To pass the time?  Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

2. What keeps you coming back for more?

3.  What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

Feel free to combine all of these into one answer.  You can probably get the gist of what I’m looking for here.

I appreciate all of your feedback and your time!  Discussion amongst yourselves beyond answering the questions is welcomed and encouraged.  Thanks!

  • Sometimes I wonder the same thing myself. And I get all extra-philosophical when I’m in the burnout phase of a particular MMO and am just logging on out of habitual routine…

    To try and understand why I play, I turn to all the personality assessments like Bartle and Nick Yee’s Motivations of Play and Koster’s Theory of Fun. While none encapsulates it perfectly, they at least give some vocabulary and points of view for thinking on.

    MMOs are partly a single-player game for me. Or I play them for similar reasons. I like a good story/narrative. Vivid world. Unique setting. I’m highly immersion-seeking. Quality graphics help. I like to pretend that I’m my character, even if I don’t go out and roleplay with people. Not much an exhibitionist in that respect.

    I like a high range of costume/avatar customization in my MMOs or single-player games. It’s just a way to express yourself as unique.

    But there’s something MMOs provide that I can’t just get from playing singleplayer games alone. A sense of community and feeling that there are people around. Other people also provide some unpredictability and uncertainty and randomness that make the game more interesting.

    I also get satisfaction out of Exploration and Achievement in Bartle terms. I like running around a world, and collecting trivia – bits of knowledge, weird items, esoteric stuff. I’m not a numbers freak, but I will try and understand it enough to do a baseline of min-max’ing, enough for a passable optimized playing character.

    And I will also play the achievement game as designed to a self-designated limit – as long as it doesn’t go overboard into hardcore obsession.

    I keep coming back because of change and novel new systems, I like to see fancy new game design ideas and it’s also just a habit to get my entertainment kicks out of MMOs. I stay loyal to MMOs who show that their developers care about their player community and have concrete plans they can follow through to institute change. This is influenced by my first MUD experience – which was run free, by volunteer imms, and the rate of change and new content was glacier-like, boring me to burnout and beyond.

    Would I quit MMOs in the future? Not likely. As long as they keep changing and improving. If they fossilize into WoW-likes, that’s the point I take off for more interesting waters.

    But I might and could take extended breaks from them. If real life time shrinks to the point where one is too busy, one would be forced into having no entertainment time anyhow. If I had something else higher in priority to spend time on (like one month, I devoted it to Nanowrimo with zero MMO time), I would just take a couple months’ break.

    Right now, I’m already starting to consider refocusing back on other non-MMO games for a while (the Nov releases are smoking hot), but since I have an investment into a social community (aka a Warhammer guild), it won’t be a 100% switch, but perhaps less log in time.

  • I’m kind of an Explorer/Achiever like the above poster but what separates MMOs from console games etc. for me is having other people around to chat with. I don’t raid, I even avoid any sort of long group time commitment (if it’s over an hour, I’m not running an instance) but I like being in a guild and just having people around to chat with.

    I keep playing MMOs because they give me the most game satisfaction for my money’s worth (being somewhere between casual and hardcore I can get a good 10-20 hours a week for 15 bucks a month, much better than console games), and as mentioned above I need at least a small social aspect in my games. Being somewhere in the middle of the pack, I also tend not to burn out on games and keep playing them until something else draws my attention away.

    What keeps me coming back for more is, in essence, “Ding”. The feeling of achievement when I get a main or alt another level. It’s even better now that it tells my whole guild when I hit every 10th level. Running a character through a vibrant and unique zone even if I’ve done the quests before. I guess I’m addicted to the PvE treadmill, as long as it’s colorful. Although I know readers of this blog play many different games, I have to state briefly my opinion here: Blizzard has constructed the best, most polished PvE treadmill ever made. It’s not for everyone, but every time they add a new piece to it, millions of people resubscribe and immerse themselves in it as we’ll see in a day or so.

    Would I quit MMOs? Not likely, although it’s hard to imagine what MMOs will even look like 10 years from now. I’d say MMOs are the games of the future, as new generations grow up with the internet the world of gamers is going to become more and more connected which will lead inevitably to something like The World (props if you get the reference).

  • I play MMOs to escape this world and dive into another. When I’m playing I forget most things going on around me or in the outside world and live inside the game. New content, or exciting existing content keeps me coming back for more. I also play for the social aspects of the game. I love meeting new people from all over the world, even getting to know them more in guilds etc.

    Boredom or the same ole thing makes me quit or just too much time in one game without accomplishing or progressing any more will get me to quit. Money might keep me from coming back to an MMO, but mainly if it was too expensive to have a machine that could run the game, not the monthly fees. Currently havent been able to play WAR for a week until I discover whats going on with my computer. If I can’t fix the problem, and can’t afford a new one, I won’t be back. Too many bugs or an unfinished product will send me out quickly as AoC did after a month.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time?

    This is not an easy question to answer, atleast not for me. I started playing because I love games in general. I then saw the wow talk on the forums and signed up for wow vanilla beta. And that has made my little hobby a big one. First I played to ofc get stronger and got drawn by the games way to hold onto ppl. After reaching max level. I first thought well, time to start a new character. But I began to open my eyes for the community part of playing these games, and how you can improve even more with larger grps into the games. So still with the eager to improve and learn more, but also now with the community part being a bigger and bigger part. I then began to take part of organising (SP) and lead various things. Which gave a new aspect to the game again. And new stuff to master.
    Will try to sum up. First the game have to be appealing, but later on thats not enough, then its about community and all in all having fun with other ppl in a game world we all like.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    As said above its the ppl in the game as a primary key for me. Ofc new content and things to do have to be added from time to time. But if the game only got new things, but had a terrible community, I would not play it. Then I could just play a single player game. No community = no heart in a MMORPG.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    As said the community part, but im sure that would only be to find a new game/world. My experience with MMORPG’s have been so strong, that I doubt I can just leave it all behind.

  • 1. Why do you play?

    I play for several reasons and the following are in no particular order:

    First, video games provide mental stimulus, challenges and feedback much faster than in real life and all of it with no real life consequences.
    Second, the people I meet. I’ve met an opera singer from MA. A classicist. An aerospace engineer in LA. One of my best friends – who I’ve never met in real life – is a doctor who lives in Houston. I’ve met a writer in LA who has a screenplay he hopes to sell. You have the opportunity to meet absolute geniuses far more frequently than you do in real life.
    Third, I get to act generously. With regards to generosity, I’m generous with information and – when I played WoW and bought lots and lots of gold – money. I got to be generous on a scale I can’t afford to do in real life because in the game I’m a healer and real-life money translates into _a lot_ of in-game money.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    The people I met and the intellectual stimulous.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    Lack of time due to professional obligations. Or social obligations. Or if it stopped being fun.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time? Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

    – I don’t like vegetating in front of a TV all day. I’m a single guy, no kids. I have a lot of time on my hands. MMORPG’s are more engaging then single player games social wise. There is also a little bit of addiction in there mixed. I have an addicitive personality, so it was either cocaine or World of Warcraft. WoW is cheaper.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more? Mostly friends that I made throughout the years playing these games. If they left my game of choice, then I would be hard pressed to stay.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future? Like I said when all the friends I made, I find it hard to make friends in a game that has been out for years. It’s easier to make them when a game first comes out.

  • 1. Why do you play?

    I started MMORPG’s because my boyfriend (who is my husband now) was playing Everquest. After moving in with him, he explained that this game was his hobby and a big social outlet since he played with real life friends, instead of the game competing for his attention, I decided to try it too so we could game together. It is like any other hobby you share with your spouse.

    I kept playing MMO’s not only because we could share the experience together, but because it was a way to keep in touch with friends that lived miles away. And of course because when playing the game, you are only thinking about that moment, you can forget about your RL stresses and worries.
    I also have always loved fantasy, and even though I don’t roleplay, I do like the feeling of being a hero. I also feel that games are more engaging than watching TV every night.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    If my friends and spouse are playing I’m more likely to keep logging in. I’ve tried continuing to play an MMO after all my friends have left, but these games aren’t nearly as fun to me if I’m playing them alone. Meeting people in the game and talking to them in vent is fine, but you aren’t really getting to know them. Mostly you talk about the game or make small talk. Sharing the experience with friends you know in real life is vastly more gratifying. We still talk about our experiences in EQ when we get together today. It is almost like we really went through those dungeons together.

    As far as the game itself, it has to be managed well. The developers have to listen to the community, fix issues that are broken, and keep adding fresh content (new zones, new classes, new abilities, new crafting etc.) If I start to grow bored, I’m outta there.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    I’m actually thinking of quitting them now. The problem with MMO’s is that you have to invest so much money and time. Each time a new game comes out they usually develop it for the high performing machines, so the consumer has to keep their machine updated. They don’t develop for a standard platform like the consoles.

    I’m also growing tired of companies putting out games that are not complete, I’m not going to give away any more of my hard earned cash for games that were not thought out, release with bugs and class balance issues, don’t have features that were promised etc.

    While these games are enjoyable to play with your friends, they can also be sources of stress. Because they have levels, you are always trying to keep up with your friends and guild. You feel like if you don’t log in one night you are going to miss out on something. And it is too easy to burn away an entire day sitting in front of the computer, when you could be enjoying the nice weather outside, spending time with your family, actually getting things accomplished that are real and not virtual. I’ll always have my memories of the old MMO days, but I think it might be time to move on.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time? Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

    Back in the 70s when my older brother let me play the original (Colossal Cave) Adventure game on a university mainframe computer, I was hooked. The ability to enter, explore, and experience an imaginary place, almost like being in your own interactive movie, was amazing. With the introduction of the Internet and Web (and MUDs), the ability to share this experience with others online, no matter where they were in the world, was an even more unbelievable feat that today we seem to take for granted. Therefore, even though the genre and features of the game are what make it fun and exciting for me, what really draws me in is the social connection and shared experience, particular with regards to collaborating and cooperating around a shared common goal. In effect, I believe that games today, particularly online massively multiplayer games have the potential to teach us a lot about ourselves and how to better coexist with one another. I mean books and movies do this all the time by making us see points of view that we might not have otherwise seen. I honestly believe that games, when designed right, can do the same thing (and still be a helluva lot of fun in the process).

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    Community and cooperation. The more a game promotes this, the more I’ll probably play it. The less a game promotes this, the less likely I’ll continue to play it. That’s why I’m kind of on the fence with WAR right now. It has so much potential yet the pieces just aren’t connected in the right way yet. I mean many people on the Warhammer Alliance forums have pretty much said the lack of community in this game is quite noticeable compared to WoW. At least on the Phoenix Throne server though it’s much less noticeable, as there seems to a real effort to work with others even though the game still hasn’t provided any real motive or benefits to do so.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    With each MMO I play and each year as I get older, my expectations continue to rise. It’s like a person who originally may have been satisified with a McDonald’s burger but now over the years has aquired a taste for a freshly made organic lean beef burger at a local family run restaurant that puts a lot of love and pride into their food. Same with MMOs. I’m not looking for something generic that’s been done before but something a little unique with a strong emphasis on quality. More than anything though, there has to be a strong community focus to the game, as that’s how I connect with others and that’s where I find the most rewarding experiences. It’s not about getting a new piece of gear or getting to another level, it’s about collaborating with a diverse group of people in achieving a complex goal which in turn relays an amazing and, most importantly, memorable experience that I’ll remember for years to come, even after the game is gone (i.e. some of my memories playing D&D with friends around a table). So if MMO games continue to deteriorate, with more emphasis placed on individual rewards versus community rewards, then eventually over time, I’ll probably get bored of them and leave them.

  • BTW after reading some people’s replies to question #3, I couldn’t agree more with their viewpoints. We need MMOs today that can accommodate and take advantage of a wide and diverse group of people with a variety of interests and commitments (i.e. hardcore vs casual, FPS vs RTS, action vs social, etc). I mean WoW has a great community around it but it has game elements that often can easily fracture that community. I mean if I’m new to the game and want to play with my friends (that being the important social aspect of the game), I either have to grind a character 24/7 to catch up to them (70+ levels) or either get them to start alts to play with me as I level up. It’s just stupid. These games are often about social interaction at a very core level, yet many developers impose features that split people apart.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time? Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

    I started playing MMO’s with EverQuest. Initially, I played because I loved Dungeons and Dragons as a kid but after high school my circle of friends didn’t include anyone else with the same passion. EverQuest was a way to play an RPG without scheduling hassles. I’ve continued to play for the last few years because I enjoy the settings and exploration. I rarely experience the same content multiple times, so I don’t make many alts and I generally don’t stick with an MMO past the six month mark. LoTRO being the exception since I have a lifetime subscription so I don’t feel any pressure to play continuously and there’s no hassle with canceling and re-subing.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    I’m always interested in new games and expansions. I’m really looking forward to Mines of Moria. I was very excited about Warhammer, although I got over the initial honeymoon period quickly. Long term I’m keeping an eye on Stargate, Star Trek, and of course Star Wars: The Old Republic. I’m a little torn on Wrath of the Lich King, I never hit max level in Warcraft (peak was 45 on a Hunter) and I’ve not been excited by anything I’ve read about the Death Knight class. The new zones may be interesting, but I much preferred Burning Crusade where they introduced new races and new starting zones.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    I normally quit an MMO after three or four weeks where I don’t play and I don’t miss playing. With WoW I quit after two months where I wasn’t interested in playing. I quit again after Burning Crusade when I hit the mid-level content with my Draenei Mage because I was starting to see old content. So the primary reason I quit MMO’s is my interest waned and I’ve moved on to another game.

    Sometimes I quit for game play or stability issues. Anarchy Online and Vanguard didn’t last long for stability and performance reasons. I canceled Conan before my free month was up because it was too heavily instanced for me. I enjoy exploring and being able to travel continuously without zone loading screens. Also most groups I join are PUG’s, often spontaneous ones where everyone happens to be in the same area working on a quest. So heavily instanced games are bad for me.

  • 1. It is for an escape, but most importantly it’s for an escape with my friends. If I’m not playing with friends I’m better off playing a single player game.

    2. The ability to develop a character over time and experience new things. The ability to set and achieve in-game goals. Experiencing the game with my friends.

    3. Other than possible time constraints, the only reason I’d quit is if I didn’t have friends who played any more (and that possibility is starting to look like an eventuality). MMO games definitely inspire an addictive mindset, making it hard to play other games sometimes. But the less you play an MMO the less you miss it, until eventually you realize that without the social interaction they’re really not very fun games at all.

  • 1. I usually play, one for the communication of my friends. I have met a few people that I can say are great people and I love just chatting with them. It also takes up the time, mostly its fun and I love the story. That is why I don’t really like games like WoW.

    2. Friends, Gaining Levels, Raids, gaining gear, grinding.

    3. Usually its because I don’t have the money to play the monthly fee. But sometimes if I get bored like if I got to the cap and there isn’t really anthing to do from then on. If the community is really bad so I can’t do any of the group quests.

  • 1. Why do you play?

    For amusement and general social intercourse with close friends.
    The satisfaction from MMORPGs comes partly from (the challenging parts of) the gameplay itself and partly from mutual ‘adventures’ with friends.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    Friends, friends, friends – i.e. the social aspects.
    And the sense of ‘progress’ and development (that is, not necessarily avatar-based progression).

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    In short: time restrains and boring gameplay.

    For me the biggest problem with the gameplay of current MMORPGs has always been the lack of progressive challenge (which leads to the experience of grind).
    Then there’s the numerical-based character development scheme. If the gameplay mechanics hinder me from playing with my friends because of level/gear disparity, I feel no incentive to play M(assively)MORPGs.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time? Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

    At the most basic level, I simply love video games. My preference is MMOs as I enjoy “massively multiplayer” element almost as much as the “gaming.” I wouldn’t say it’s an escape for me, any more than reading a book or watching a movie is. But this is my hobbby, and something I do with my fiance. The latter is crucial for me, as he and I are in a distance relationship currently and playing together online makes the distance disappear.

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    I enjoy progressing through levels and through content. I tried playing Second Life, for example, which has the social element, but lacks the goals of a “game.” It didn’t keep my attention long at all.

    I find I get very attached to my characters, as well. Even though I quit EQ2, for example, and had a character whose class and gear would have made her very desirable for someone to buy, I couldn’t part with the account. It’s silly because a) it’s just a toon and b) I’ll never play her again. But still, I couldn’t let her go.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    I can’t imagine myself quitting MMOs. I have quit specific ones — primarily from burn-out (as a former guild- and raid-leader).

    Good luck on your paper.

  • 1. Why do you play? Is it for an escape? To pass the time? Go into detail and tell me why it is you pay your monthly fee for these MMORPGs.

    I like the idea of exploring a large world with friends in a fantasty/sci fi setting. I also like the idea of long term goals in the games, whether it be saving up the materials to craft a really cool weapon, killing a certain boss, or (as in WAR), sieging a city. There is definitely an element of escapism. Fantasty/Sci Fi settings just let you get lost in something that is totally unimportant in real life, but for a few hours seems really important (in a similar way to watching a sports game).

    2. What keeps you coming back for more?

    The people I play with. There have only been a few games that are genuinely engaging to play for 100s of hours. After a certain amount of play time, its really about the friends you’ve made.

    3. What reason, if any, would you have for quitting MMORPGs in the future?

    The massive popularity due to the dumbing down and increased accessibility of MMOs has attracted a much less hardcore group of players, which generally makes my experience a lot less enjoyable because they are only there to solo, and any suggestion that they should approach the game in a “massive” or “multiplayer” sort of way is an affront to them.

    So, the short answer to #3: the playerbase