Comments on: Of Foot Soldiers and Heroes http://www.killtenrats.com/2008/10/03/of-foot-soldiers-and-heroes/ a group of adventurers on an epic quest Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:33:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Rog http://www.killtenrats.com/2008/10/03/of-foot-soldiers-and-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-27908 Rog Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:43:48 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=2170#comment-27908 I love Tolkien but I could never find myself immersed in LOTRO for the exact factors you mention. It already has a great story, with fantastic characters and I felt like a completely unnecessary peon running around the lands of Middle-Earth like a tourist (worse, one of many tourists). It felt completely wrong to me. By all accounts that license should have propelled to the top if it was just about popularity of the subject matter alone. But for me, I'd rather read Lord of the Rings than play it. Warhammer on the other hand, the immersion is not great either, for entirely different reasons, but I don't feel like a tourist either. I'm getting in on the real action. I love Tolkien but I could never find myself immersed in LOTRO for the exact factors you mention. It already has a great story, with fantastic characters and I felt like a completely unnecessary peon running around the lands of Middle-Earth like a tourist (worse, one of many tourists).

It felt completely wrong to me. By all accounts that license should have propelled to the top if it was just about popularity of the subject matter alone. But for me, I’d rather read Lord of the Rings than play it.

Warhammer on the other hand, the immersion is not great either, for entirely different reasons, but I don’t feel like a tourist either. I’m getting in on the real action.

]]> By: jason http://www.killtenrats.com/2008/10/03/of-foot-soldiers-and-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-27901 jason Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:17:38 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=2170#comment-27901 The design of Warhammer allows you to be heroic, but it does not paint you as "the hero". Really, that's probably the best way to design an MMO. Leave "the hero" stuff to the single player narratives. The design of Warhammer allows you to be heroic, but it does not paint you as “the hero”. Really, that’s probably the best way to design an MMO. Leave “the hero” stuff to the single player narratives.

]]> By: Jeromai http://www.killtenrats.com/2008/10/03/of-foot-soldiers-and-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-27899 Jeromai Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:57:05 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=2170#comment-27899 Mmm. There seem to be constant battles in every MMO I look at, and everytime I kill something, the darn thing comes back in the next ten seconds. Universal problem. I think WAR's meaning will be player-driven. You'll get out what you put in. If no one bothers to do anything, nothing will happen, and everyone will get bored. (See quieter servers for examples.) In bigger servers with lots of guilds and rivalries and alliances, there's more potential for interesting personal narrative. "Tonight we steamrolled over these battle objectives and everyone, taking this keep as well, and then this huge opposition zerg rolled us at the other keep, etc." And I suppose it helps that they've tied in desirable loot to these things they want us to do. Greed makes people do funny things. Including form groups. Mmm. There seem to be constant battles in every MMO I look at, and everytime I kill something, the darn thing comes back in the next ten seconds. Universal problem.

I think WAR’s meaning will be player-driven. You’ll get out what you put in. If no one bothers to do anything, nothing will happen, and everyone will get bored. (See quieter servers for examples.)

In bigger servers with lots of guilds and rivalries and alliances, there’s more potential for interesting personal narrative. “Tonight we steamrolled over these battle objectives and everyone, taking this keep as well, and then this huge opposition zerg rolled us at the other keep, etc.”

And I suppose it helps that they’ve tied in desirable loot to these things they want us to do. Greed makes people do funny things. Including form groups.

]]>