Why are MMOs trying to make everybody THE hero?

May 10th, 2013 Graev 24 Comments

MMO heroesI was thinking about this earlier, and I find it kind of odd. It seems lately quests in MMOs are trying to portray you as some important person or somebody who interacts with important people. What I mean to say is that according to the story in the game you seem to be quite the mover and shaker around these parts. This really perplexes me because I don’t see how thousands of people all existing within the same game world can all at once be the hero of the story without cheapening it.  If you really want a unique story that casts you in the role of the savior of whateversville then why aren’t you playing a single-player game? They tend to do the job a whole lot better.

I’m not saying that quests where you play an important role are bad. However, it seems that so many games nowadays are designed around questing. Also, every MMO is trying to infuse a story as well because, hell, that’s important right? No… No it isn’t. It REALLY isn’t. And this is coming from somebody who loves to hear a good story and loves even more to write them. Stories in games can be FANTASTIC but MMOs really don’t need them. You can have an overall theme or direction that shapes the lore of the world over time but when you try to tell important, epic stories through quests it is just bad. It’s so because you are making each player the main character of the game and that’s really not the point. Like, at all. It really isn’t, trust me. People that are looking for this experience, again, should seek better offerings. No, really, there are some great games out there where you don’t even have to interact with other people.

Deep down I know I have no right to dictate that players should play something else, but I still really want to. I mean, I liked it when MMOs were a certain way and catered to a specific demographic. However now it seems like there exists a large population of players that want, basically, a single player experience with the option to play with others if they so feel like it. What the hell is up with that? I just don’t understand this at all… The point of MMOs, or at least what I thought, is to exist in a world with MANY additional people and communities of which you needed to rely on and be apart. You are just a cog in the machine as it were. This culture of self-centered players and games that essentially put you at the center of attention primarily, and oddly enough, to your own self… it just… there are no words, man.

Go play a freakin’ single-player game.

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MMO Movement

May 9th, 2013 Keen 13 Comments

This might sound petty, but if a MMO’s movement sucks then my interest in the game is immediately diminished.  My first, and coincidentally clearest, memory of LotRO is the wonky movement.  GW2 has wonky movement too.  When characters ‘slide’ across the ground or don’t appear to be making connection and reaction to the ground, I can’t get over how bad it looks.

Let’s tie animations into this too.  I want characters to react to hitting and being hit — feedback of some sort.  Is it too much to ask to have a game look good when something moves?

Wildstar is growing on my radar, and they released a clever little promotional video showcasing various movement and animation clips.

There’s a hip new trend to add all sorts of new movement abilities to MMOs.  Double jumps, active sprinting, active dodging, active blocking, dashing, etc.  I don’t need all of these unless the fundamentals are absolutely perfect, and even then I hate — yes hate — when they get overused.  Anyone else sick to death of dodging in GW2?  I’ve said it before and I’ll said it again: rolling around on the floor in a dungeon every two seconds isn’t awesome, it’s ridiculous.

Even when running and swinging a sword look great, do I need to double jump or dodge?  It gets a little comedic and arcade-like.  Not that this is a bad thing, because they’re going for that motif in Wildstar, but it is most definitely defining, and not for every game.

Movement should be visually appealing, ‘feel’ perfect, and not be gimmicky.  I have extremely high expectations, but if you can’t get movement right I won’t be surprised if the rest of the game stands still.

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Midnight Musings: When Video Games Are Like Chocolate Rabbits

May 8th, 2013 Graev 6 Comments

video games are like chocolate rabbitsLate in the middle of the night when I am half asleep or wandering around in the dark trying to find a bathroom, something curious happens. The dark, oily tendrils of thought slowly start to writhe and undulate, eventually squirming through the cracks in my brain and into my conscious mind. These happen to be some of my most brilliant interesting curious strange musings and it isn’t really a convenient creative process as I most likely forget more things than I remember. Nevertheless, it happens all the time like it did last night. I refer to these as my Midnight Musings. Or at least I am starting now.

Have you ever purchased or received a video game and it turns out to be a Chocolate Rabbit? Perhaps more of a dubious coco bunny, but let me explain…

Okay, pretend it’s Easter… or maybe you don’t celebrate that…

It’s Chocolate Bunny Season… You receive one of these sweet confections and the first thing you notice is the awesome box. This things got tons of bright colors, pictures of frolicking rabbits and shit, you can even see the bunny through a little plastic window and 0h- what’s this? There’s a freakin’ maze and word scramble on the back. You know this is going to be a memorable experience.

So you tear the sucker open and yank out the foil covered rabbit. Hrmm, yeah… A little lighter than you expected but that’s probably not indicative of anything, right? You turn the rabbit over in your hands and admire the the beautiful foil art of the rabbit. He’s smiling at you! He looks happy and inviting and he seems to whisper these sweet soft words to you: “Hey guy, it’s cool. Partake of my body — I’m delicious!” You don’t need to wait for a second invite so you shred that thing’s aluminum pelt and get ready to dig in.

Huh… He looks kind of different without his wrapper. He’s naked underneath; gone are his cute overalls and plaid shirt. The once smiling face is cold and lifeless, replaced with a vacant expression and dead eyes. He’s long gone, man. The dude has been checked out for a while now and is resigned to his fate. You try not to look him in the eyes as you take a rather large bite out of his ears but are more than a little surprised at how easily he breaks away. You look down at the bunny and notice he is completely hollow inside. Empty. I mean, you know you’ve had solid bunnies in the past, right? Maybe it’s just a different way to make them? Maybe it’s easier or cheaper, you tell yourself, but the chocolate should still be good, right? Right…?

It isn’t… You’re about halfway through the hollow, soulless rabbit now and all you can think about is how he tastes more like the foil he was wrapped in. You find the scraps of his once pristine aluminum coverings and do your best to wrap him back up, bits and pieces of chocolate poking out here and there. You put your handiwork back in the box, and look at him through the clear plastic window. You can make out his face amongst the crumpled foil mess, except his once inviting grin has been contorted into some sick, twisted smile. The son of a bitch is laughing at you.

So you set it aside. You might finish it later, but you probably won’t. All you are left with is regret and a sick feeling in your gut.

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MMO DLC: Adventure Packs

May 7th, 2013 Keen 6 Comments

MMO DLC

EverQuest 2′s second Adventure Pack

Back in 2005 or 2006 when I played EQ2 there were these mini-expansions called Adventure Packs.  These Adventure Packs introduced new areas, quests, items, and monsters and cost somewhere between $5 and $8 .  I haven’t seen a MMO do something quite the same since, but the ideas is technically DLC.

Does DLC belong in MMOs? I know a few MMOs, like Defiance, are trying the idea, and a few have in the past as well.  When paid content is called DLC, I get all bothered.  Call it an Adventure Pack and I feel more inclined to give it a try.  I bought 2/3 of the EQ2 Adventure Packs and would have bought the third if I still played when it came out.

I think the idea can make a comeback, but I think it can only survive if it’s surrounded by free content updates.  The number of mini paid content releases has to be low.  I think the idea can quickly lose value if every addition to the game costs money.  The perception that this DLC is planned should also be avoided.  I like the idea, even if I’m just fooling myself, that these are impromptu and special.

Adventure packs generate revenue, give developers a reason to beef up content between major expansions, and give players something to do.  A certain have vs. have not effect drives sales as players never want to miss the next best thing or lose an advantage, but it’s a dangerous game to play when you risk pissing off your players.

What do you think?  Between major expansions, and among the free content updates, should developers sell DLC under the guise ‘adventure’ packs?  If handled appropriately, I think so.

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