Post by Morreion on May 25, 2010 6:40:03 GMT -5
The Daily Grind: How important is the "multiplayer" part of MMO? (Massively)
I'd say that the multiplayer part of the MMO is what defines the genre. Without people to play with, it isn't really an MMO. Just because the industry is calling every instanced co-op game released these days an MMO does not make them one IMHO. I have no problem with other types of games, but I do have a problem with the whole idea of MMOs being turned into single-player co-ops with lobbies and instances. Those aren't MMOs.
I'm not an enemy of playing solo; I do it a fair amount these days. I think DAoC had the right idea. In each realm, there was a pet class that could solo; the other classes were more or less group-oriented. So you could solo, but that wasn't the default mode of the game. You don't have to force grouping- just make grouping the path of least resistance, while allowing solo play that takes more effort.
The definition of "MMO" is changing at an increasing pace these days, to the point where many people argue that the very idea of defining an MMO is a thing of the past. However, a defining factor that has stayed consistent through all of that is the question of how many people can play together.
"The more the better" is the commonly held standard, but not everyone prefers to play that way. An increasing number of games offer quests created for solo play, the ability to create solo play skill sets, and even the ability to play through the majority of the game alone if you prefer. While grouping isn't obsolete by any stretch of the imagination, the solo player isn't left out in the cold either.
So what is your preference? Would you rather go it alone at your own pace, or are you there for the company of others as much as the gameplay?
"The more the better" is the commonly held standard, but not everyone prefers to play that way. An increasing number of games offer quests created for solo play, the ability to create solo play skill sets, and even the ability to play through the majority of the game alone if you prefer. While grouping isn't obsolete by any stretch of the imagination, the solo player isn't left out in the cold either.
So what is your preference? Would you rather go it alone at your own pace, or are you there for the company of others as much as the gameplay?
I'd say that the multiplayer part of the MMO is what defines the genre. Without people to play with, it isn't really an MMO. Just because the industry is calling every instanced co-op game released these days an MMO does not make them one IMHO. I have no problem with other types of games, but I do have a problem with the whole idea of MMOs being turned into single-player co-ops with lobbies and instances. Those aren't MMOs.
I'm not an enemy of playing solo; I do it a fair amount these days. I think DAoC had the right idea. In each realm, there was a pet class that could solo; the other classes were more or less group-oriented. So you could solo, but that wasn't the default mode of the game. You don't have to force grouping- just make grouping the path of least resistance, while allowing solo play that takes more effort.
