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Game servers and role-playing
Lodeclaw
Member Posts: 148
I notice that there are a few differences in the way different companies handle servers and how players are distributed throughout them.
Some games, such as EVE-Online, go the way of a single persistent server. (I rather like this method.) As one person stated (I don't recall who exactly), it was frustrating that if one decided to conquer the world and actually did conquer the world, it wouldn't mean as much because there are half a dozen other worlds that had never heard of him.
Other games have multitudes of servers, but do nothing to separate them by type. This often leads to players with interests in common being scattered randomly throughout oh so many completely independent worlds.
Games such as WoW also have multiple servers, but separate them by type: normal, pvp, rp, rp-pvp. In theory this is a good idea, because role-players are happy when they are together. Unfortunately Blizzard does absolutely nothing to enforce the 'rules' of each server. Normal, non-role-players often migrate to role-playing servers simply because they can't stand other non-role-playing players (they're a-holes and retards, I'm told). This causes problems for role-players, because they aren't happy with non-role-players.
Personally, I think the best method would be having two independent servers. Server one for role-players and server two for non-role-players. Having only two worlds should make it easier for GMs to manage who belongs and who doesn't belong in each server and enforce it. (It's for their own good and the good of the game, trust me.)
The biggest problem of course is how a company utilizes their GMs (if at all, sometimes I wonder...) and how many GMs actually do their job because they like playing MMORPGs and want to help.
So my question is, what is your opinion on the various kinds of server relationships? Are there are kinds that I missed? What do you think is the best solution to make devs, GMs and players happy?
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Comments
I think in a lot of cases, you could easily fit a games population on to two servers. But a game like WoW or even SWG and EQ2 at their height you would eventually run into performance issues.
Think back to when WoW launched and everyone and their mother was trying to login at the same time and it crashed all of their servers. And the immediate fix was to have a waiting line to login to the game. That was tons of fun.
As for how to split up the servers, I think it depends largely on how the game handles PVP. If it's open ended PVP where you can attack anyone, anywhere, I think you need to have options for playing on PVP or Non-PVP. I personally don't get into PVP like some do. I like it, and I dabble, but it doesn't rule my gaming experience. And if I had to deal with constantly dying because of it, I'd be likely to drop the game.
I believe quite strongly that a game allowing full PvP doesn't need to revolve around PvP. There just needs to be some sort of consequence for attacking another player.
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Because I thought on a PvP server that the consequences for attacking another player were only good because that's the whole point.
Full PvP just means that you can attack anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even WoW PvP servers are not really full PvP. EVE-Online is full PvP, but if you attack someone in protected space, the Concord police force will shoot you on sight until your aggression cool down period ends.
In a good fantasy MMORPG, a murderer should have a bounty placed on his head if he's caught killing within a town or city that has an active police force. Just an example, but consequences keep PvP in check and prevent a server from turning completely chaotic.
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I like the idea of that, but how do handle unprotected areas? For instance in SWG you go all over when you are looking for resources or collecting from your harvesters. What's to prevent a "gank squad" from coming along and taking me out just for being there?
I know the obvious answer is that you have to take caution when going into unprotected areas, but some times that's just something you don't want to deal with. I don't want to have to get 2-3 guild mates to protect me while I'm collecting resources.
It's a find balance, and I'm all for finding one that works. But I think no matter how you slice it, you're going to leave holes for exploiting.
I guess it depends on whether or not you feel conflict should be a part of the game. If every thing's easy there's not much point, is there?
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Being a crafter alone isn't easy.
- Finding the right resources
- Find enough of the resource
- Finding a good quality of that resource
- Creating a good schematic from those resources
- Mass producing
- Selling the items
That's a full time job right there. In SWG I was a successful architect, but only because I maintained stocked vendors and made myself available for special requests.
Factor into that worrying about gank squads...oye. I could just see the gang squads hanging around high resources areas or where a lot of harvesters are placed.
There's people who like that aspect of realism in an MMO. But there are those who have their hands full without dealing with that aspect.
And what criteria do you use to judge who is, and isn't roleplaying? What if someone has a name that fits the setting, but doesn't have a character bio? Should they have their character moved?
What about people that don't turn off autorun? Are they non-roleplayers because roleplayers only walk everywhere?
What is your definition of roleplaying, anyway?
Wait. Before you reply, I'm gonna answer anyway, because your answer is different than mine, and therefore wrong. So you're going to have to leave the server, I'm afraid.
So, try getting 5,000 to 10k people to agree on what roleplaying is. Particularly when it comes to kicking people off of a server. Good luck with that, by the way.
P.S. Roleplayers have as many asshats, and retards as any non-roleplay server. I'd say more, giving the stench of elitism that hovers around any RP server.
Whoa! Whoa! I didn't make this thread so we could fight over what is or is not a role-player... I know there are jerks on both ends of the spectrum. But I know for a fact that there are a lot of people on role-playing servers who do not consider themselves role-players, and there plenty of role-players on other servers who annoy regular gamers, too.
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Indeed, but you are advocating throwing them off the server because they do not roleplay. But as long as they aren't running around swearing, or otherwise being distruptive, I don't see the problem with them being there. Aside from some overly sensitve roleplayer what freaks out if anyone steps outside of their narrow definition of roleplay complaining to a GM that is.
Conversely, the same applies to roleplayers on non-RP servers. So long as they're not harrassing people, and they're happy there, I see no reason to move them.
"In roleplaying, participants adopt and act out the role of characters, or parts, that may have personalities, motivations, and backgrounds different from their own. Roleplaying is like being in an improvisational drama or free-form theatre, in which the participants are the actors who are playing parts"
2 Sets of servers, one RP one NOT. Those who enjoy endulging in this activity from time to time, or even always, can enjoy the company of other roleplayers who tolerate/also enjoy the activity - not bothering those who don't bother to play an mmoRPG as a roleplaying game. For those [hardcore?] gamers, they can enjoy their style of play on their own server. Everybody 'theoretically' wins.
BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.
Thank you, Amazing Kreskin.
I've played on various roleplay servers across a number of different games. And based on the general level of roleplaying to be found, they should probably rename them Cybersex servers.
Perhaps we should segregate the servers further? One for Canadian roleplayers, one for US, and so forth. Because, you know some Canadian could get their pants in a wad having to see an American, Asian, etc typing.
I think you dont need two separate Servers. You see rp in Eve Online all day, you maybe just do not percieve it as rp, because noone greets you with "greetings, my fellow dark elf. may the gods be with you".
Ill start with an Example:
In my Area, weve got a neighbour. Triumvirate.
EVERYONE ingame knows on thing about them: They are ebil piwates. They dont care about you, except seom friends of them. If you are on the other side of their guns, you are on the..oh well, dead.
And you can bet, they will not see them carebearing in Empire, suddenly be antipirate, or suddenly stop shooting at me and the alliance im in.
They effectively play the role of the evil pirates. And they will stick with it, in the same way i wont suddenly change to be pirate.
Tri and me got a reputation ingame, and you dont want to change it too often, as openpvp limits you. if you go and kill people of alliance a, then alliance b and want to join alliance c, who have heard of you shooting their friends..well, they will either shoot you or tell you to gtfo of their space.
Imagine a world like the one in Gw with pvp.
If i kill someone in pvp, it wont matter. I can start again, or go pveing with him. (which can be quite refreshing). You can piss off many, many people without it affecting your gameplay at all. In Games like this, where neither death means anything, nor what you do to the other players, i find roleplayers both refreshing and annoying. Refreshing because noone does it there, annoying because it dies not feel natural in any way when sitting on the beach, with a campfire and under the lighthouse (i dont recall the name, its in prophecies) and roleplaying for the sake of roleplaying.
Imagine Gw with open-pvp, a heavy craftingsystem, one Server, huge Guilds fighting for ressources for crafting in territories and a deathpenalty of some sort. The rp will sneak in somehow in the form of politics, wars, mercenaries and all the drama that goes with it.
WTF are you talking about? Wow......just wow.
BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.
Batolemaeus, I'm not sure I understand the point you're trying to make. Could simplify it for me?
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WTF are you talking about? Wow......just wow.
You are advocating forced seperation of players because Player A belonging to some subset of the playerbase is crying because Player B belonging to a different subset of the playerbase is standing there, and his very presence is irritating. I mean, why have GM's doing things like getting people unstuck, or replacing an item lost to a bug, when they could be answering petitions from some mouthbreather about how there's no way Soandso belongs on the RP server because Dark Elves can't be <insert trivial factoid here>, or some other mouthbreather is crying because "rollplayerz r ghey".
So, why pussyfoot about? Why not take your rediculous idea, and run with it? Because we can't have people acting like adults, and getting on with their day. We have to separate them all out into neatly defined, easily pigeonholed groups.
Coldmeat, I'm going to have to ask you to suppress your urge to attack everyone in this thread. Let's be reasonable and keep to the subject. I don't want any fighting.
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Kinda thought i dont make sense. Its nearly midnight here and english is not my native language. Ill try, though:
Make a game where your actions matter something. Either by one-server-policy, so you will meet the one you pissed off yesterday again and he will be able to shoot you / kill you / cut you into pieces and run away with your shiny items. When you build up a reputation ingame, you will be FORCED to play in a specific manner, or noone will take you seriously (and wont play with you. you dont like people backstabbing you while you are in a party with them)
That way people HAVE to play a specific role, if they dont want to be excluded from the shiny bits of the game (in eve thats 0.0. you wont get there if you pissed of enough people..). The people PLAY a ROLE. Roleplay at its best.
Design a game that does not punish you. You can go puching mobs with a group of strangers, then go into the arena and kill somebody, then join a party of stangers only to piss them off by ninjalooting. RP is misplaced here. No one will do it, because it is not nessesary (is that word spelled right anyway?) for the game. You are not forced into roleplaying at all. So roleplayers will be a minority, as you dont have to stick to a certain concept of your character in order to be succesful in game.
Hope thats a bit clearer now. Ill now go to bed, maybe be english is a bit better tomorrow when im not tired anymore..
Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for in an MMORPG. Nicely explained that time. The first post confused me a little; I wasn't sure if you were agreeing or disagreeing with me. It's this very reason I decided to start playing EVE-Online.
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The Guild is all about making MMORPGs more immersive, and more importantly, more fun! Join us!
The Guild.
WTF are you talking about? Wow......just wow.
You are advocating forced seperation of players because Player A belonging to some subset of the playerbase is crying because Player B belonging to a different subset of the playerbase is standing there, and his very presence is irritating. I mean, why have GM's doing things like getting people unstuck, or replacing an item lost to a bug, when they could be answering petitions from some mouthbreather about how there's no way Soandso belongs on the RP server because Dark Elves can't be <insert trivial factoid here>, or some other mouthbreather is crying because "rollplayerz r ghey".
So, why pussyfoot about? Why not take your rediculous idea, and run with it? Because we can't have people acting like adults, and getting on with their day. We have to separate them all out into neatly defined, easily pigeonholed groups.
You sir are an articulate ignoramus. I never once said to force players either way, its called OPTIONS - letting people choose their play style and go where like minded others might choose to go. EX: Landroval is the unofficial RP server in Lotro. Since I'd want my chances of encountering and interacting with other roleplayers heightened, I'll play there. But that doesn't mean everyone there will be roleplayers nor should they NEED to be.
YOU brought in some ridiculous 'segregation' comment. Don't twist my words please.
In a perfect world everyone would get along online and anyone who is a radical is at fault - roleplayers or not - whining about play style is lame. People should just be out there to have fun and play the way they would like to.
Anyway the servers topic was brought up due to PLAY STYLE but you like to stir an idiotic shitpot so I'm pretty much done replying to your skewed views and twisted words. Take care.
BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.
Personally if a MMO has any PvP at all the game needs a PvP and a PvE server and equally as important I hear many a role-player shriek in horror when they don't get a similar choice so, PvP, PvE, Role-PvP, Role-PvE.
Yep, this is the normal distribution that most companies try to support. The issue of role-play enforcement has always been problematic, companies don't have the resources to enforce role-playing rules so they rely on players to use the honor system.
Unfortunately, there are many players w/o honor.... who think RP designations on servers are meaningless, and they have a right to join the servers regardless of the intent of the designers and the community.
Far as I'm concerned.... those people can shove off.... they don't have a right to infringe on other people's preferred play style....
Which is why if someone on a RP server creates a character with a non-conforming name I'll turn them in every time (if there's some enforcement being done by the company) and if they get too annoying with their OOC talk, I'll screen shot and report it as well..... (again, only if the company enforces it..which most won't)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
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Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
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"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Who, exactly, have I attacked, please? Have I called anyone an ignoramus? Nope. Someone made yet another smartassed reply to a post of mine, and they got a mildy sarcastic reply back. Turnabouts fair play, and whatnot.
I have spoken against your assertion that people should be forcibly relocated to another server, even if they are not causing a disturbance, or harassing people.
There exists separate servers for PvP and PvE, because they're separate rulesets, and in some cases, different patches.
Roleplaying, however, is not a ruleset in the way that PvP, or PvE are. However, many games still provide a server labeled as being RP. But people that roleplay still choose to play on no RP servers. There is no reason to mandate who can play where as far as playstyle is concerned, be it hardcore, casual, roleplayer, or the guy that just logs in and sits in the middle of nowhere doing nothing. As long as they're not hurting anyone.
However, you seem to be looking for yesmen only, so... au revior.
Who, exactly, have I attacked, please? Have I called anyone an ignoramus? Nope. Someone made yet another smartassed reply to a post of mine, and they got a mildy sarcastic reply back. Turnabouts fair play, and whatnot.
I have spoken against your assertion that people should be forcibly relocated to another server, even if they are not causing a disturbance, or harassing people.
There exists separate servers for PvP and PvE, because they're separate rulesets, and in some cases, different patches.
Roleplaying, however, is not a ruleset in the way that PvP, or PvE are. However, many games still provide a server labeled as being RP. But people that roleplay still choose to play on no RP servers. There is no reason to mandate who can play where as far as playstyle is concerned, be it hardcore, casual, roleplayer, or the guy that just logs in and sits in the middle of nowhere doing nothing. As long as they're not hurting anyone.
I'm not looking for yes men only. You are being extremely hostile and I don't appreciate it.However, you seem to be looking for yesmen only, so... au revior.
Role-playing is just as valid a play style as PvP or PvE. I and many others feel that it's better to separate role-players and non-role-players. If you don't agree, that's fine, but that argument isn't really the purpose of this thread.
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The Guild is all about making MMORPGs more immersive, and more importantly, more fun! Join us!
The Guild.
While great in theory I have found that this approach makes for a very average game. IMO there are certain concepts that don't belong in certain rulesets yet devs must basically include them if they are going to simply tag on different rulesets for different player demographics. To do it properly they would have to make significant changes to the actual game and the end result would be different games not just different rulesets.