Redefining MMOs: Breaking the Mould (Part II)
Familiarity is not always good
The big problem with MMOs at the moment is their tendency to be overtly similar. Developers work hard to create a game people will want to play, a game rich in lore and promise that people want to spend their hard earned cash on. Be it a subscription or micro transactions, they build something which will keep player interest. However, familiarity is also important. New games can be scary so there needs to be that note of homogenisation to keep people sane until the addictive side kicks in.
It's now gotten to the point where every game I play has the same UI, the same map layout and the same kind of quests. There are unwritten rules, for example, which are dependant on where your eye is drawn so the life and mana bar goes in the upper left with the info on that mob or boss next to it, a minimap in the right and the bottom is dedicated to the action bar and inventory. On one hand this is more familiar, as well being a silent homage to the great and the popular MMOs that came before. On the other hand, it's something UI and AddOn makers, as player-developers, are constantly challenging.
Just look at the numerous UI AddOns for World of Warcraft, for example. Some have awesome minimalist layouts, others focus on the centre of the screen and some — like those of Turpster's infamous Turpstervision — offer a distinct graphical twist which may (or may not) help the player. There are UIs for casual players, raiders, farmers, crafters, pro-gamers, and ultra specialised ones for each class. It's all about customisation and in someways this is one element which rests with the players over the developers who created the game.
To level or not to level
The other must-have feature of every MMO is leveling, a system of progression which normally relates a player's power to experience points, time played, reputation or quest hand-ins. In some games, particularly World of Warcraft, leveling is essential as it teaches you how to play a class properly and this can be justified for many MMOs. It can however be a bane to players, especially if they've got two or three alts of the same class waiting in the wings, and is often associated (sometimes unfairly) with grinding. APB will be one of the latest games to ignore this, turning the concept on its head and making a character's level dependent on their skills. Final Fantasy XIV, meanwhile, is completely getting rid of the experience and leveling mechanics altogether.
Gamers still play all these 'new' titles but the market is becoming so saturated with that seem to borrow the best bits from games that have been doing the rounds for years. At the same time though, the lack of new material and innovation means some MMOs are tanking even before they launch. Each year, for the dozens of MMOs that are released, several either close down, consolidate servers or try to invigorate their player base by going free to play.
Looking forward
Perhaps it's time to reassess what we know as an MMO, to reinvent it for the twenty-first century and consult with players to find out what they want in their favourite games. Either that or the MMO industry is doomed to a slow demise which will see even the most fanatical and dedicated gamers becoming frustrated and, in extreme cases, bitter. Fortunately there are titles, like APB, Final Fantasy XIV and Cities XL, which are attempting to break the mould and look beyond the normal constraints associated with MMOs. Perhaps there's still hope.