Bioware's Plans - Page 3

Morara · 09-09-2007, 05:15 PM

Nope!

RadarX · 09-10-2007, 10:36 AM

There were some amazingly insightful words in that session but honestly until Bioware has something on the table I see it as lip service. Talk is reallllly easy at their stage.

The methods in WoW are sound, but they've got to start some type of variation or the MMOG veterans are going to find other things to play.

Bruised · 09-10-2007, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadarX

T
The methods in WoW are sound, but they've got to start some type of variation or the MMOG veterans are going to find other things to play.

Virtually everyone I know that's been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 days have packed it in and aren't even waiting for the next big thing anymore; there's only so much a person can take of essentially the same game, but with different graphics. The game has been played, and now they all look played out.

After a while, it's hard to tell if a game is shit, or if MMO burnout is permanent.

What Walton said in lesson number #6 was spot on:

"If I can visualize everything that will happen to me by the end by level 3, the game's over."

A-fucking-men. I felt the same way playing LOTRO from level 12 or so up until the day I uninstalled the game.

RadarX · 09-10-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruised

Virtually everyone I know that's been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 days have packed it in and aren't even waiting for the next big thing anymore; there's only so much a person can take of essentially the same game, but with different graphics. The game has been played, and now they all look played out.

After a while, it's hard to tell if a game is shit, or if MMO burnout is permanent.

What Walton said in lesson number #6 was spot on:

"If I can visualize everything that will happen to me by the end by level 3, the game's over."

A-fucking-men. I felt the same way playing LOTRO from level 12 or so up until the day I uninstalled the game.

At least you could peg what was wrong with LOTRO...I still don't know. I made it level 20ish and just kind of got tired of it.

The old MMOG foundation is what the veterans want but the market isn't going to support it anymore. Too many people who ARE old school don't really want things just as challenging as they used to be. I see games get shorter and shorter lifespans with players bouncing around more as the market grows.

Illuminator · 09-10-2007, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadarX

I see games get shorter and shorter lifespans with players bouncing around more as the market grows.

This goes hand-in-hand with the phasing out of grinding as we know it.

Savanja · 09-10-2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadarX

At least you could peg what was wrong with LOTRO...I still don't know. I made it level 20ish and just kind of got tired of it.

The old MMOG foundation is what the veterans want but the market isn't going to support it anymore. Too many people who ARE old school don't really want things just as challenging as they used to be. I see games get shorter and shorter lifespans with players bouncing around more as the market grows.

Back in the day, the hope was longevity, I see the future trend will be more like what we see with platform games; big hype, big sell, then next please!

Illuminator · 09-10-2007, 05:33 PM

None of this is an excuse or an allowance for a game's content to suck; what changes here is just the in-game itinerary.

Savanja · 09-10-2007, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illuminator

None of this is an excuse or an allowance for a game's content to suck; what changes here is just the in-game itinerary.

Course not. But if you can get away with less work and still keep a reasonable flow of money, why the heck not?

I think that will be something that will also have to be addressed. Up until recently, there really hasn't been a competitive MMOG market, and now there clearly is. Either it will become the norm for gaming companies to put out halfassed crap, or companies will be forced to raise their standard of quality to compete.

I fear the former and hope for the latter.

Bruised · 09-11-2007, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savanja

Course not. But if you can get away with less work and still keep a reasonable flow of money, why the heck not?

I think that will be something that will also have to be addressed. Up until recently, there really hasn't been a competitive MMOG market, and now there clearly is. Either it will become the norm for gaming companies to put out halfassed crap, or companies will be forced to raise their standard of quality to compete.

I fear the former and hope for the latter.

SOE took that road a long time ago when they stopped putting out excellent expansions (Kunark, Velious, Luclin and PoP) and started pinching out garbage mini expansions (the rest). EQ2 did a decent job with DoF, but reverted to squatting out mini steamers (KoS and EoF). The big problem is now we are going to get mini steamers less frequently (1 year dev time for RoK). SOE clearly isn't raising the bar in the MMO market, but who is, other than Blizzard?

Half assed game releases are the standard in this industry.

Bruised · 09-11-2007, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadarX

At least you could peg what was wrong with LOTRO...I still don't know. I made it level 20ish and just kind of got tired of it.

The old MMOG foundation is what the veterans want but the market isn't going to support it anymore. Too many people who ARE old school don't really want things just as challenging as they used to be. I see games get shorter and shorter lifespans with players bouncing around more as the market grows.

LOTRO has no soul and precious little depth, coupled with uninspiring loot and epically boring quests with crap rewards. The cherry on the top is what Walton touched on; every level feels just like the previous level before it with no expectation that maximum level will be any different than level 1.