Post by Bobthedead on Feb 21, 2007 23:28:26 GMT -5
In this thread I wanted to look at what you thought where essential aspects of a massive online multiplayer game.
If you break down an MMO part by part, what does it look like, and can we look at the goal the creators had in mind for the type of gameplay in games we look at?
First, you would need to start from the top. What is the first thing that makes an impression on you? Graphics most likely.
While I won’t argue that a good looking game is a treat, some of the most successful and long lasting games have not depended on the best graphics. (D2 for example is still played by thousands online) But graphics do take a large role in first impressions, and certainly the mood of the game.
In fact graphics are the most important tool you immediately look at when you consider where you can take a game. You don’t need the best graphics, but you need the game to look like a war game, or a phantasy game, or a sci-fi game.
Style is a part of the graphics that can turn normal graphics into awesome graphics. Simplicity is actually key here. If you have to graphic intensive of a game, you limit your style, because you want what will look best, not what will generate the best setting for your game. Thinking you need to go full 3D for example, when games like RO and the Diablo, Revenant and Doofus have shown that a fixed camera angle is present in many very enjoyable games and that that you don’t need to depend on the best graphics.
Finally, the mood. Thats set off by a good story. Are you good guys, are you neutral, are you part of a nation or alliance? These factors will actually make your style of game more enjoyable or less depending on the combination. So let’s look at the basic elements on the surface of a game:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
So what’s next, what else can we begin to categorize?
I would try to look next at what the game is geared to hook a player with. DiabloII is famous for being a gear game. It’s all about better gear. LineageII is based on gaining levels go reach a certain class and player combat. WoW is sort of a mix of those, where your gear is a main goal, and you get good player combat. While Guild Wars is all about collections skills.
Those are actually the elements of creating a ladder system. What are you building up to, what’s the point of playing the game? So a key element of a game is the reward you gain from the game. There are always a mix of smaller rewards, or things that wont put you on top of the ranks, but shows your achievements, but in the end there is always one main driving force. We will call this part of the game reward.
So far:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
Reward/ladder
Am I missing anything? Of course, there is always the human interaction component. The ability to easily track, talk to, and make friends is the online part of any MMO. And its a defining feature. Its actually a feature that hasn’t been stressed enough in a lot of games. Simplicity, and speed in finding and talking to other players will greatly improve a games fun factor.
It makes working towards a goal a hundred times more important. People are social creatures, and if no one else is doing it, we are less likely to want to be doing it. So if it seems like everyone wants to do something, your want to do it.
Some of the ways more recent games try to do this is the guild system. So lets add an element to out MMO breakdown:
Player Interaction/competition
What is part of player interaction? Player competition. So a PvP system in any online game is nearly essential, and I really cant think of many games that skip this in the MMO genre. so here is our final list:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
Reward/ladder
Player Interaction/competition
Ok, so now we have a basic, very surface breakdown of what an MMO consists of. If you think I missed anything, please bring it up.
Otherwise, what games do you think use these elements to the best effect? What part of games you play at the moment could be better with a few changes?
If you break down an MMO part by part, what does it look like, and can we look at the goal the creators had in mind for the type of gameplay in games we look at?
First, you would need to start from the top. What is the first thing that makes an impression on you? Graphics most likely.
While I won’t argue that a good looking game is a treat, some of the most successful and long lasting games have not depended on the best graphics. (D2 for example is still played by thousands online) But graphics do take a large role in first impressions, and certainly the mood of the game.
In fact graphics are the most important tool you immediately look at when you consider where you can take a game. You don’t need the best graphics, but you need the game to look like a war game, or a phantasy game, or a sci-fi game.
Style is a part of the graphics that can turn normal graphics into awesome graphics. Simplicity is actually key here. If you have to graphic intensive of a game, you limit your style, because you want what will look best, not what will generate the best setting for your game. Thinking you need to go full 3D for example, when games like RO and the Diablo, Revenant and Doofus have shown that a fixed camera angle is present in many very enjoyable games and that that you don’t need to depend on the best graphics.
Finally, the mood. Thats set off by a good story. Are you good guys, are you neutral, are you part of a nation or alliance? These factors will actually make your style of game more enjoyable or less depending on the combination. So let’s look at the basic elements on the surface of a game:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
So what’s next, what else can we begin to categorize?
I would try to look next at what the game is geared to hook a player with. DiabloII is famous for being a gear game. It’s all about better gear. LineageII is based on gaining levels go reach a certain class and player combat. WoW is sort of a mix of those, where your gear is a main goal, and you get good player combat. While Guild Wars is all about collections skills.
Those are actually the elements of creating a ladder system. What are you building up to, what’s the point of playing the game? So a key element of a game is the reward you gain from the game. There are always a mix of smaller rewards, or things that wont put you on top of the ranks, but shows your achievements, but in the end there is always one main driving force. We will call this part of the game reward.
So far:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
Reward/ladder
Am I missing anything? Of course, there is always the human interaction component. The ability to easily track, talk to, and make friends is the online part of any MMO. And its a defining feature. Its actually a feature that hasn’t been stressed enough in a lot of games. Simplicity, and speed in finding and talking to other players will greatly improve a games fun factor.
It makes working towards a goal a hundred times more important. People are social creatures, and if no one else is doing it, we are less likely to want to be doing it. So if it seems like everyone wants to do something, your want to do it.
Some of the ways more recent games try to do this is the guild system. So lets add an element to out MMO breakdown:
Player Interaction/competition
What is part of player interaction? Player competition. So a PvP system in any online game is nearly essential, and I really cant think of many games that skip this in the MMO genre. so here is our final list:
Graphics/Style
Mood/story
Reward/ladder
Player Interaction/competition
Ok, so now we have a basic, very surface breakdown of what an MMO consists of. If you think I missed anything, please bring it up.
Otherwise, what games do you think use these elements to the best effect? What part of games you play at the moment could be better with a few changes?