MMORPG that doesn't require combat?

Neithan

Are there any new class-based MMORPGs on the horizon that don't require combat to advance? All of the most hyped ones are all totally centered on combat. I've always been a fan of RPGs that are story-driven and provide more than one path through quests (Fallout, Elder Scrolls etc.), basically along the lines of combat, magic/diplomacy or stealth. I don't know if there has ever been a good MMO yet that really provides that dynamic kind of experience to the same level as the classic single-player games. It would be nice to play a Rogue in an online RPG without having to slaughter things just like a Warrior, but rather sneak, pickpocket and pick-locks to get the experience needed to progress. It's tiring that MMORPGs create different classes which are all entirely oriented to combat progression (with roles like 'tank,' 'healer,' 'nuker' etc. which are really just sub-classes for combat).

Any MMO games with class roles based on non-combat advancement out there?

Suo_Eno_1357

Your best bet would be A Tale In The Desert 3. Last time I checked there's no real focus on combats in that 1.

MaeEye

Originally posted by Neithan


Are there any new class-based MMORPGs on the horizon that don't require combat to advance? All of the most hyped ones are all totally centered on combat. I've always been a fan of RPGs that are story-driven and provide more than one path through quests (Fallout, Elder Scrolls etc.), basically along the lines of combat, magic/diplomacy or stealth. I don't know if there has ever been a good MMO yet that really provides that dynamic kind of experience to the same level as the classic single-player games. It would be nice to play a Rogue in an online RPG without having to slaughter things just like a Warrior, but rather sneak, pickpocket and pick-locks to get the experience needed to progress. It's tiring that MMORPGs create different classes which are all entirely oriented to combat progression (with roles like 'tank,' 'healer,' 'nuker' etc. which are really just sub-classes for combat).
Any MMO games with class roles based on non-combat advancement out there?

You can always try Ultima Online.  They have an amazing crafting system and it doesn't require fighting at all to do it.  Maybe some at times, but very few.

Twohededboy

Originally posted by Neithan


Are there any new class-based MMORPGs on the horizon that don't require combat to advance? All of the most hyped ones are all totally centered on combat. I've always been a fan of RPGs that are story-driven and provide more than one path through quests (Fallout, Elder Scrolls etc.), basically along the lines of combat, magic/diplomacy or stealth. I don't know if there has ever been a good MMO yet that really provides that dynamic kind of experience to the same level as the classic single-player games. It would be nice to play a Rogue in an online RPG without having to slaughter things just like a Warrior, but rather sneak, pickpocket and pick-locks to get the experience needed to progress. It's tiring that MMORPGs create different classes which are all entirely oriented to combat progression (with roles like 'tank,' 'healer,' 'nuker' etc. which are really just sub-classes for combat).
Any MMO games with class roles based on non-combat advancement out there?

You make an excellent point, all class are slanted to either direct damage or simple supporting those that do damage. The class system in MMOs is designed around the quest driven grind model where by players will kill monsters to get XP so they can kill bigger monsters to get more XP etc.etc. In the end I suppose the limits of technology as far as AI and interaction go is the main issue. Myst online has no combat what so ever, but it also has no skills or other ways of  quanitying your character so the challenge only lies in solving puzzles. More needs to be done to explore the alternatives to combat while still allowing characters to grow.

mege

Star Wars Galaxies has entertainers and crafters as exclusivly playable professions (well, it did, dunno about since all the crazy changes the past year)

 

There were some people back in the day that only crafted clothes and home furnishings, or just danced in the cantinas...

Teiraa

Oz Online doesn't have combat. But not sure, whether you think that it's a good game...

dozer002

i would recommend www.wurmonline.com.

U do not have to fight in that game. It is all about crafting I'm playing atm and i would say that it is the best thing out there if u dont want the combat part .. Just my opinion tho. The graphics are not the best..But its getting better and better.

rokhazulu

Darkfall is probably the best game you could get if you don't want to do ANY COMBAT AT ALL.

 

In Darkfall, all items in the world can be made by the players.



Darkfall?s crafting system is intuitive, non-repetitive, challenging, useful, fun - and profitable. Using Darkfall?s virtually limitless item creator system, you could invent and be the first to use a weapon as awesome as the Flamefury Raudstaal Battleaxe of Bloodshed, or just make a simple saddle for your horse.



Bring your goods to market using Darkfall?s sophisticated and secure trading system, bringing buyers and sellers together easily whether they?re inside the game or not.

 

Also if you must travel to another city and you do not want to fight anyone, you can hire players or NPC's as bodygaurds or to work for you

 

What can my NPC hirelings do?

NPC hirelings can follow you around and fight with you, they can carry your loot, they can perform skills and spells to aid you, etc. NPC hirelings can do pretty much everything that player friends can do. In addition, NPC hirelings can be given advanced orders such as patrolling your city, looking for enemies, criminals, and thieves. They can be a vendor in your shop that you have set up, they can mine for minerals in a mine, they can go out into the forest and chop wood for you, or stand on the banks of a river fishing for you all day.

 

The only problem is that Darkfall might never come out, and it is being developed by a pretty inexperienced team.

 

 

Lydon

What about Eve Online? You could become a miner...Sometimes you may have to defend yourself, but if you can get a few people to help you then you won't need to.

ASmith84

if you dont like combat how about trying real life?

Wolfenpride

Id say Eve online, you can become a trader or miner/salvager/w/e

Their will most likely be situations that will involve combat, but if your a miner or somthing you should have friends or a gulid that will protect you and try to escort you outta there.

The other games listed are indeed dead on though as far as no combat, really though..id just play eve to stick with somthing modern ;p

frkhot97

Isn't mining in EVE the most boring thing ever? Harvesting in Saga Ryzom on the the hand...

But I guess the OP wants a game where non-combat actions would be the way to solve quests. Since the game SEED closed I haven't seen much of that, except maybe URU: Myst Online.

Sanctus_Mors

Hello Kitty Online

Second Life

You didn't say it had to be good, right?

Neithan

 

Well yeah I would mean a good game, like a critically-acclaimed major retail release. 

I'm not big on crafting although I think it's an essential part of MMORPGs. I meant that it would be fun for the adventuring path through an MMO game to have classes which are based on pure stealth or magic/diplomacy skills and so don't need to kill monsters to gain experience. I don't mean games where combat isn't a large part of the world, since obviously I'm not looking to remove the combat classes entirely; combat is a big part of the RPG. I'm sure you know what I mean from games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls, where combat was always a possibility but not an absolute necessity, depending on your actions. 

e.g. It would be great if classes like the Rogue or Mage could finish quests without resorting to simple combat like the Warrior, and where quests requiring a group or raid provided alternative means to simply slaughtering monsters en masse via the typical combat roles.

Twohededboy is probably right and the technology isn't quite out there yet for that type of classic RPG dynamism on an MMO scale, but here's to hoping that it will be developed and implemented soon!

Stumpy26

Originally posted by frkhot97


Isn't mining in EVE the most boring thing ever? Harvesting in Saga Ryzom on the the hand...
But I guess the OP wants a game where non-combat actions would be the way to solve quests. Since the game SEED closed I haven't seen much of that, except maybe URU: Myst Online.

Yes and No depends on yourself, personally I hate mining and I prefer blowing ships but other people love it, also helps when your mining boss starts singing on teamspeak  while playing his gitar.

My second character is a scientist and researches blueprints and either sells reserched blueprints for a profit or builds ships/modules using these reserched blueprints, he has never ever fired a shot.

LightBearer

www.ea.com/official/thesims/thesimsonline/us/nai/index.jsp

Try the Sims Online. No weapons, no combat. Skills allow you to earn more money and craft unique objects, other than that it is an addicting, glorified chat room .... theres a fee two week trial, $9.99 a month thereafter. It has some problems with bitters as many games do, I suggest trying either the free will city, or Test Center 3 as it prepares for the new improved city in the near future that will be bot free. (hopefully)

 

Orca

I know it doesnt matter, since they closed the game down.

But i'll provide you a link anyhow... This is probably what you were looking for.

http://www.runestone.dk/

ghostinfinit

the sims?

hubertgrove

Originally posted by Neithan


Are there any new class-based MMORPGs on the horizon that don't require combat to advance? All of the most hyped ones are all totally centered on combat. I've always been a fan of RPGs that are story-driven and provide more than one path through quests (Fallout, Elder Scrolls etc.), basically along the lines of combat, magic/diplomacy or stealth. I don't know if there has ever been a good MMO yet that really provides that dynamic kind of experience to the same level as the classic single-player games. It would be nice to play a Rogue in an online RPG without having to slaughter things just like a Warrior, but rather sneak, pickpocket and pick-locks to get the experience needed to progress. It's tiring that MMORPGs create different classes which are all entirely oriented to combat progression (with roles like 'tank,' 'healer,' 'nuker' etc. which are really just sub-classes for combat).
Any MMO games with class roles based on non-combat advancement out there?

 Once upon a time, you could have played a Chef, an Architect, a Trader, an Image Desiger, a Musician, a Doctor, a Droid Engineer, a Spaceship manufacturer - or profitable combinations of all of them - in Star Wars Galaxies. Each of them offered a complex, highly involving, highly entertaining path through the game.

Then, unfortunately, the 'NGE' essentially destroyed both the crafting and the entertainment sides of the game. I believe that the developers have started restoring some of the functionality of those sides - subscribers who currently play the game can tell you more.

Jupsto

most the people who replied seemed not to have read the OP just the title. he doesn't want a game like runescape where he can go around crafting never doing combat. but dislikes how to lvl up in mmorpg's you have to go grind mobs, an rogue doesn't get better at picking locks by killing X amount of goblins.

Kruugar

Star Wars Galaxies,

DANCE YOUR WAY TO THE TOP!

 

lol.

Neithan

Originally posted by Consensus


most the people who replied seemed not to have read the OP just the title. he doesn't want a game like runescape where he can go around crafting never doing combat. but dislikes how to lvl up in mmorpg's you have to go grind mobs, an rogue doesn't get better at picking locks by killing X amount of goblins.

Exactly.

Kasimir

I dont think you will ever find an MMO with the complexity of story as the Fallout series or similar. Mostly because of the time it would take to program all those choices. As you can see by the recent trend in MMORPGs they are completly removing the whole "RPG" concept out of the games, because things like skills and stats and character choices takes too long to program and later balance. Characters are moving closer and closer to the Diablo action system because of how easy it is to balance, and how little it actually change the game, ie they can make the exact same game and witht he exact same variables for all classes, since all classes are eso similar, nothing is better or worse than the next thing. As soon as you add other skills than fighting, you have to make other ways to solve things for those people, and that adds to the time it takes to finish the game.. God forbid a developer ever went for quality.. its all about what you can dish out in the most costeffective way.

Second variable is... the console kiddies. Console players are using thier computers more and more... and unlike a few years ago, console kiddies and intelligent poeple played different kinds of games, today console kiddies want to be able ot play computer games as well. Unfortunatly, console players get confused by choices. Whenever you hear some kiddie in general chat spamming "What is the BEST build of this class" its a console kiddie. They hate choices, they get all confused by choices, they dont want them, they only want one build and that is... the one build. To do things in a different way is unheard of, that takes brain activity and lateral thinking. No, the quickest, easiest and fastest way is the only way, and if you can add a cheatcode to it, then all the kudos to you. In the same way, they hate alternative ways of solving problems... If you even considered an alternative route, be it diplomacy to succed instead of fighting, politicking, sex, fasttalk, bribery... You would have the same console kiddies screaming in generral chat "This sucks, I dont know what to choose, what is the best way to solve this quest?!!" Making all that work to build a more complex world completly worhtless....

And here comes the heart of the problem... Intelligent people can play Console kiddie games... Console kiddies cant play Intelligent games. If you had to spend 7 years of salaries on a full squad of programmers for a chance to make a buck.. would you aim at half the consumers.. or all of them?

Do I hate it? You bet I do, I play less and less MMOs and more and more singleplayer games, because today singleplayer games are tons more advanced than any new MMO... In the beginning we paid extra for the advanced game, a game better than anything on the normal market.. Today we only pay extra for... well, a game, something that any old toot can throw together, but with the added bonus of beggars and gold farmers running rampant without any moderation whatsoever. Because that is where the money is... The stupid will always outnumber the smart.... and the stupid are faster to open their wallets.