But to talk about this 'big thing', I need to explain something first.
Look back to all the Online RPGs you've played. Heck, look back to all the RPGs you've played in general. Then look back to how far you made it in the RPG (level wise), and ask yourself:
Why did I get so far? Why did I WANT to get so far?
What did you answer? I answered Because I wanted to win. That's right, something motivated me to succeed, to go one level further, to make the top ranks and to be one of the few, the proud, the uber.
I bet some of you had slightly different answers. I mean, community is a respectable answer. Story is respectable too, although many of the MMORPGS lack a prominent (or existant) story.
But what motivated you to gain levels, at all, then? Why bother playing in the game when one could have read a book, or chatted over AIM, or something of the like?
Because it appeals to a certain type of person. It appeals to the person who wants to win. It appeals to the little voice inside you and me that tells you Just one step further. You're almost there. And, in a sense, we always are, from that next point of power. From that next level. And then, it is too late.
You're on the treadmill.
MMORPGs are great for what they do. You can accomplish a lot, and these accomplishments are respectable. Plus, they aren't really discriminating. See, it's about time. Anyone can put in time, and whoever puts in more (and has, well, a relatively average amount of skill) time wins, mostly. That's why the people who put in the huge 24-48 hour sessions the day the game comes out get to kill the uber mobs first. That's why they get the super duper items first.
And, although we jibe, and taunt; we sort of respect them for that. I mean, they symbolize what we want. I would love a super duper flaming sword, when all I have is a super sword.
But, wait, what happens when we get what we want? The treadmill ends. The game is not infinite. There is a level in which it is over. Done. And you say What do I do now?
You hang with your friends online. But, wait. You're not getting anything out of your time now. You want to keep getting that ding, that piece of food that comes out when you jump through enough hoops.
Which leads me to my thought.
The strength of an MMORPG is it's undoing.
We play, we pay 10 bucks a month (15 now), to, what? Just get more levels. I want to win. You want to win. I want to be level 50/60/100/912.4. But then I get it, and then, it's over. The character gets thrown to someone else, or you wait for an expansion.
It will be the same. FFXI will be fun, but then it will get old. People either are unwilling to put in the time for the reward (the ratio is too high for time), or they reach the top.
WoW will be the same. Trust me. Oh, it will be great. Trust me. But it will be undone, just like other games, until it is just a game of builder vs. runner.
All about extending the treadmill, and suckering us in.
But it's a fun ride.
[ 11-07-2003: Message edited by: Lenlalron Flameblaster ]
You can just be in a world anywhere for free. 
Much better worlds than what you see in MMOs, too.
These same games would be total shit singleplayer.
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In reverse.
To my sisters warrior on Prexus.
He He.
She claims that people would shout out her loc and would follow her shouting out her loc so people would stay away from her.
Did you know that you can change keybindings while not logged into EQ?
I played EQ to play tricks.
People never really... liked... what I did in EQ
quote:
Verily, Elvish Crack Piper doth proclaim:
Care to say which of us your replying to.People never really... liked... what I did in EQ
Len.
quote:
Warlord Darius had this to say about Duck Tales:
After hitting "the wall" where you don't have much to advance upon anymore, I always liked trying to become popular on a wide spread level by hitting the newb zones and handing out some high level goodies, or spreading some wealth to the casters trying to afford their spells. It's fun making them feel good and powerful
Not to argue, but, to raise a question; wouldn't you then be hurting their play experience? Aren't you just having them hit the wall faster?
A month or so before I quit EverQuest, my friends and I realized that we were getting terribly bored with the random carnage that the game basically runs off of. So we all made new characters, hailing from the deserted continent of Odus, and tried to roleplay them as a way of lifting the monotony.
It was ludicrous. There is no way whatsoever to positively justify in character 5 levels worth of slaying rats and snakes. Nor any other creature, really. Why go to the isle of willowisps at 20? To make 21, 22, and 23. Not because they're evil creatures, really. How exactly is a wandering orb of light evil, anyway? They're just there, and you can beat on them to make experience.
You can't play a character in MMORPGs. It just doesn't work - it's too hollow. Whatever grand achievements for the betterment of Norrath you do, it is returned to the status quo at the next respawn. Whatever world-shattering artifacts you may obtain, is catalogued on various websites and hunted down a million times as the next piece of "phat lewt" for players to obtain. You can't make a unique existence for yourself, you can't really "stand out" through your deeds or persona. Which means that the only real focus you CAN have is on the advancement of your character's level - becoming known through being "uber-l33t." Even if you can level your character through trades, as some MMOGs have attempted, you're still just doing things to raise your level.
And, eventually, you do hit a wall.
The saviour of the genre will be a game that allows players the ability to stand out as players, not just conquerors. A game that allows those players who have tired of the treadmill to do other things, things that are constructive and engaging on their own - since they allow players to distinguish themselves individually and personally in some way.
Of course, like most saviours, I don't see this game coming for a LOOOONG time. [ 11-13-2003: Message edited by: Drakkenmaw ]
It's sad, but true. The end will always come. I play another game now but it too will wane in novelty one day.
Regards,
Eloora
Was there really a "win" in EverQuest? Were the top-ranked really so great?
I was never on the treadmill. I guess I wasn't the kind of person who really wanted to win. It simply didn't gratify me.
And really, I don't mind. I simply decided that it wasn't for me. Though I do still play a few MMORPG's on friends' accounts, I just couldn't make it.
quote:
Everyone wondered WTF when Falaanla Marr wrote:
but why do you like just being in the world?You can just be in a world anywhere for free.
Much better worlds than what you see in MMOs, too.
Not that much better really heh - I mean, the graphics are pretty nice I'd admit but all the grinding involved in being able to say, travel a bit, gets pretty tiresome! 
EDIT: Ack heck - I updated my character information and my picture went poof! Can it be reestablished? I don't know where I put the disc with that image! [ 02-20-2004: Message edited by: Kaldail ]
