Comments on: Get Your Party Off Of My MMO http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/ a group of adventurers on an epic quest Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:28:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Logan http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35806 Logan Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:18:42 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35806 http://www.keenandgraev.com/?p=3186&cpage=4#comment-122425 comment #160 http://www.keenandgraev.com/?p=3186&cpage=4#comment-122425

comment #160

]]> By: Acronymicon: MGORPG « Tish Tosh Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35755 Acronymicon: MGORPG « Tish Tosh Tesh Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:11:29 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35755 [...] Get Your Party Off Of My MMO (Ravious) [...] [...] Get Your Party Off Of My MMO (Ravious) [...]

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35746 Tesh Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:23:51 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35746 Call it "grudging", then. ;) Also, comparing EQ to WoW is a nice thought exercise, but if you sprung them both on an unsuspecting population, say, a Mars colony, that might be more instructive. I suspect that the "move" to soloability is just design evolution, and that if WoW and EQ (or any other representative "soloable" vs. "forced grouping" pair) were pitted head to head in a fresh race, perhaps even with the same art direction to kill the bling factor, soloability would give WoW's gameplay and social structure the edge. Call it “grudging”, then. ;)

Also, comparing EQ to WoW is a nice thought exercise, but if you sprung them both on an unsuspecting population, say, a Mars colony, that might be more instructive. I suspect that the “move” to soloability is just design evolution, and that if WoW and EQ (or any other representative “soloable” vs. “forced grouping” pair) were pitted head to head in a fresh race, perhaps even with the same art direction to kill the bling factor, soloability would give WoW’s gameplay and social structure the edge.

]]> By: Brian 'Psychochild' Green http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35725 Brian 'Psychochild' Green Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:41:05 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35725 Someone actually suggested that in the forum thread linked in the post. You can read some of the counter-arguments there. The main one is questioning if the system is balanced for that or not. Someone actually suggested that in the forum thread linked in the post. You can read some of the counter-arguments there. The main one is questioning if the system is balanced for that or not.

]]> By: Brian 'Psychochild' Green http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35724 Brian 'Psychochild' Green Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:39:38 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35724 <i>How useful are those who are unwillingly grouping up?</i> Perhaps "unwilling" is too strong of a word. How long was EQ1 the top game in the west despite being the origin of "forced grouping"? I'll politely note that many of the WoW clones that fail to match Blizzard's numbers also fail to match EQ1's numbers when it was number one among a half-dozen major games. How useful are those who are unwillingly grouping up?

Perhaps “unwilling” is too strong of a word. How long was EQ1 the top game in the west despite being the origin of “forced grouping”? I’ll politely note that many of the WoW clones that fail to match Blizzard’s numbers also fail to match EQ1′s numbers when it was number one among a half-dozen major games.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35722 Tesh Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:40:48 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35722 MMO? I think "massive" applies well enough. "Massively" works, too, if you're using that version of the acronym. "Online" is pretty obvious. The hinge is "multiplayer", and to be blunt, that can mean a lot of things. Grouping is only a subset of the word's definition. MMO? I think “massive” applies well enough. “Massively” works, too, if you’re using that version of the acronym. “Online” is pretty obvious. The hinge is “multiplayer”, and to be blunt, that can mean a lot of things. Grouping is only a subset of the word’s definition.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35721 Tesh Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:33:20 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35721 That goes back to the whole "waaaaa, we want players to play our way, 'cause it's the REAL way to play",though. I am rather unsympathetic to that viewpoint (from either camp, to be sure). Also, one significant point of henchmen is to pad out that critical mass for precisely those times when there aren't enough players. PUG nightmares aren't just for those who grudgingly group up. Even those who love grouping have bad experiences with other players. That goes back to the whole “waaaaa, we want players to play our way, ’cause it’s the REAL way to play”,though. I am rather unsympathetic to that viewpoint (from either camp, to be sure).

Also, one significant point of henchmen is to pad out that critical mass for precisely those times when there aren’t enough players. PUG nightmares aren’t just for those who grudgingly group up. Even those who love grouping have bad experiences with other players.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35720 Tesh Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:29:55 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35720 How useful are those who are unwillingly grouping up? Also, that's just putting stress on a player that eventually kicks them out of the game, and in the meantime, those resentful players may well make other players miserable. As a designer, you want to be welcoming, not stressful. You just don't make exit points in your game on purpose, and grouping can often be one. How useful are those who are unwillingly grouping up? Also, that’s just putting stress on a player that eventually kicks them out of the game, and in the meantime, those resentful players may well make other players miserable.

As a designer, you want to be welcoming, not stressful. You just don’t make exit points in your game on purpose, and grouping can often be one.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35719 Tesh Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:27:12 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35719 I see this mentioned often in this discussion, and I have long said that I enjoy GW precisely for this design. Of course, I think that the business model is fantastic, too. What interests me of late is the intersection between the two. Single player games are classically a one time purchase, rather than a game one subscribes to. If SWTOR really is walking more on the GW side of the design spectrum, it makes sense to me to have a concurrent monetization model. I see this mentioned often in this discussion, and I have long said that I enjoy GW precisely for this design. Of course, I think that the business model is fantastic, too. What interests me of late is the intersection between the two. Single player games are classically a one time purchase, rather than a game one subscribes to. If SWTOR really is walking more on the GW side of the design spectrum, it makes sense to me to have a concurrent monetization model.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/12/04/get-your-party-of-my-mmo/comment-page-1/#comment-35718 Tesh Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:25:06 +0000 http://www.killtenrats.com/?p=5424#comment-35718 Agreed, it's all about opening the doors to allow different players and tastes. Of course, we see the same holy war of "Us" vs. "Them" when it comes to business models, too, while games like W101 and DDO quietly make everyone welcome. Agreed, it’s all about opening the doors to allow different players and tastes. Of course, we see the same holy war of “Us” vs. “Them” when it comes to business models, too, while games like W101 and DDO quietly make everyone welcome.

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