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Aug
23
2012
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Posted 300 days ago ago by Harlequin  6 Comments Views: 11052
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1 Merits
I know, I know I has been a LONG time since I spoke out on something. I am hoping that will change starting with this. I will be voicing my thoughts once more, this time more often. With that said...
As most of the PC gaming community are well aware, 38 Studios imploded, in awesome fireworks fashion, and took millions of tax payer money from the RI state coffers in the process. However what followed was 'leaked' information about their MMO they were developing. While it really seemed (to me) a typical D&D clone fantasy setting the concepts they, claimed, they had in the works sound EXACTLY that I have been vocal about in the past several years. Here is a recent quote by the studios former Creative Director Steve Danuser;
Really Steve? Really? First lets just cut though the BS. Steve we, and most everyone reading this article with half a brain and over the age of 14, know there is no way in blue hell you are going to invest 150+ MILLION dollars (the generally accepted estimate to bring a triple A MMO to market) in a MMO, especially a free to play one, too shut in down in 4 years because the 'story is over'. Like I said above, I call BS.
That, 'white lie', aside what he does talk about however should peak your interest, as it does mine as it is really interesting. And I would like to talk about how some of the concepts could be applied to the WoD MMO.
First a over reaching story. This is what MMO's need, like a person needs air. A good solid story to care about the setting and major NPCs within it. Sandbox is great and am all for it. But you can still have sandbox yet have a main plot you can follow, or not. A limited example is the GTA series, or better MMO specific example is Age of Conan. For all of AoC's issues the first 2 years it got one thing right, the main story. You could follow it or just ignore it but it lasted until you reached max level and end game, at level 80 the final climatic battle took place with the big bad that you had been hounding since level 1.
I know CCP has told us their will be a secondary over all story but want players to generate their own stories. I am however holding out hope they will see the value and possibilities this can cause if they but a little more effort into this aspect.
However this next aspect is what really gets me all excited, apparently, the in-game world was going to change by how the players responded to this now failed MMO in question. Before the eye rolling begins lets just say this was, at least, on the to-do list and take him for his word (he never said these concepts in the quote above were finalized keep in mind). That said image the choices and possibilities! While WoD is going EVE on server route it still would be possible for in-game actions to have serve wide repercussions. A easy example for both players to accept and devs to do would be in a major CCP run plot the sabbat boss is failed to be brought down, in the game world a major landmark blows up. Those not involved in the plot login to see a noticeable building missing from the skyline. They go to investigate and the building is not just a pile of burned rubble. And what if this building held player havens? oh my... now those players who skirted or ignored the command of the prince to group together and eradicate the sabbat nest have learned the hard way, it's best not to ignore these things as they have repercussions that may effect you directly or indirectly.
None the less while I think SOME of the ideas of the failed 38 Studios were all talk some do have merit. And I feel the WoD devs would be remiss not to ponder and see what in these ideas can be used to flesh out their game world even more.
Post your thoughts.
6 Comments
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Bloodartist
280 days ago
0 Merits
"Storyline" does not equal "game" in my opinion..
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Xenith
294 days ago
0 Merits
So he's saying that they're going to kill the game a couple years after launch with the ending of the "story"? Really?
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DoPo
298 days ago
0 Merits
Hmm, I think the Pathfinder MMO wanted to do something similar. I mean, persistent user generated changes to the world.
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HfxTenor
299 days ago
0 Merits
All of these things are possible in an MMO. Monolith achieved them in the Matrix Online. Regularly scheduled RP events occurred. Players could show up and participate if they wished, but RP was the order of the day. If a player didn't RP along with the Staff-run NPC's, they were mostly encouraged or nudged to get into the RP, or ignored if they didn't or decided to grief instead. Regardless, the events were laid in such a fashion that there were win/lose conditions, and depending on which of the three in-game factions were victorious/had the most influence/best RP'ers/etc. the results of the event would be tailored to what happened during, then published as canon, including the names of players who had significant contributions. Most often, the "winning" faction would receive unique in-game items or clothing.
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Xenith
280 days ago
0 Merits
Yes Monolith did acheive this in MxO. Then SOE killed it and closed it down. I DO NOT want to see this happen to WoD. Also, the plans Monolith had laid out for the game which included "raid" type end game material never made it into the game (along with planned expansions (i.e. new districts) with the exception of Pandora's Box missions because SOE never picked up where they left off and continued forward. Instead, they continued only doing live events--that all SOE did.
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HfxTenor
279 days ago
1 Merits
Agreed. SOE is the land where MMO's go to die.
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