Tonight I was reflecting on the problems with the current MMORPGs, and why I’m not happy with them.. World of Warcraft(WoW) is a good game, in the traditional sense of MMOs, its probably the best “Standard Template” MMO out there. But that doesn’t mean it’s free of issues, or filled with vision…One of the biggest problems I see with WoW(and traditional MMOs), is that they have an exponential levelling curve.. Meaning level 10 is about 100x+ stronger than level 1, and the result is, at level 1, you are useless in a group with level 10s. This is a huge problem in traditional MMO’s, and really leads towards imbalances, and puts a primary focus on levelling, rather than the game.
Second problem, WoW content is extremely limited to a set level range. For example at level 20, you are doing quests, and fighting in areas, that a level 10 cannot. Thus, limiting your exposure other people, new areas, diverse non-force fed content at your own pace. I call this “Segregated Content” , patterned after the Everquest model.
Both of these converge to the ultimate problem… If you are level 10, and your friends are level 20, they can’t group with you, quest with you, or don’t have any real reason to hang out with you. The result is usually Isolation. If half your guild are level 30+, and you are level 10-20, they have zero compelling reason to group with you (in fact, they can’t), and are pretty busy doing their “Own thing”, that you almost feel completely alone in this game. Its an extremely flawed design by its very nature, but has shown to make money, so that is path of least risk for companies wanting to cash in on the genre.
Another issue is the rigid rule set and character configuration developers throw at us – treating us like we don’t have the mentality or desire to think for ourselves. We are force fed endlessly contrived content, strict rule sets, and outrageously simplistic “Kill Monster” methods of advancement. We’re told what the laws and rules of the game are, and how we will play it, and sent off after they have our credit card numbers. What ever happened to players making their own rules, handling their own issues, and creating their own content? Are gamers nowadays overly simplistic or are we just used to being forcefed weak games? In the early days, I think developers assumed people were advanced, and wanted advanced games - nowadays its like they think we are all brainless console gamers.. In Meridian59 for example, when it was publicly released, we were presented with a “Sandbox” that had almost no rules, and little content. We as the players were left to our own accord, and it was incredible! Early on, murderers ran rampant, towns were cesspools of corpses. But as people learned, worked together, formed their own law, order was restored, and in the process an incredible microcosm of virtual life was built. Those murderers were gone, because on every street corner in the game, there was a “Guard” – an actual player – there to enforce the laws of the town!
Honestly, I’m not sure a canned, pre-defined, limited scope MMORPG with a exponential levelling treadmill and segregated content will ever be playable by me again. Are any developers out there listening? Will one step up to the plate and deliver? The list of MMO’s that didn’t follow this design doctrine is quite small, but most people probably would consider one or more on the list, to be on their “Best Ever” list. Its quite hard to argue that breaking from tradition isn’t profitable, and these games demonstrated that it was/is.
Ultima Online
Meridian59
Eve-Online
Shadowbane
Asherons Call 1
as a few examples...