Eberron could have been just as good as Forgotten Realms. The first and foremost fatal mistake Turbine made was to turn it into an overly instanced, practically dead world. Static, open worlds will always be more popular than, main lobby to instance runs with chat games.
With PvE raiding, it has never been a question of being "good enough". I play games to have fun, not to be a simpering toady sitting through hour after hour of mind numbing boredom and fawning over a guild master in the hopes that he will condescend to reward me with shiny bits of loot. But in games where those people get the highest progression, anyone who doesn't do that will just be a moving target for them and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay money for the privilege. - Neanderthal
A true DnD mmo will never happen, especially in a well known setting like Forgotten Realms. The ruleset is designed to be played at infrequent intervals in small groups with a dedicated dm to direct the story; no mmo will ever be able to replicate the flexibility that comes with that kind of setting. Everyone has their own house rules and there is no way that a particular application of the rules is going to appease everyone. As far as Forgotten Realms, it is too well known and too well documented to have even a remote chance of success. No developer could truly implement it in a way that would satisfy players. Either they would have to restrict the game to a specific area, which would piss off a large portion of the fanbase, or they would have to skimp on details that the true lorists would demand to have. Everyone wants an open play Forgotten Realms game, but I'd be willing to bet that very few people would agree on what to focus on when it became clear that not everyone could be 100% appeased. The Greyhawk setting, or even Eberron, would have a far better chance, simply becuase they would have far less background material to have to work into the game to satisfy people; even then, though, the ruleset was not made for a 24/7 persistent world so it still would end up feeling "not DnDish" to most DnD players.
The example of LOTRO is actually a good case study for this subject. Yes, it is based off Tolkiens world and has most of the critical elements; still, it is not truly the world as Tolkien spelled out in the books. The various magic using classes alone make that clear from the getgo; from what I have seen, they seen to have tried to work them into the lore, but the true lorists are never going to be happy with them. The problem with DnD, and especially Forgotten Realms, is that while everyone can agree on the basic ideas of what it should feel like, the details of what to emphasize, what rules to bend, and what the driving hook should be, are going to vary depending on who you talk to. The whole idea of DnD is that you are a small group of adventurers that make a big impact on the world; that same feel will not exist in a 24/7 persistent setting with thousands of other people, especially if only a handful of developers are shaping the game. It is theoritically possible to make a good DnD mmo, but realistically there are just too many challenges that present technology and game support cannot overcome.
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. ...which has pretty much been ruined with the introduction of the Spellplague...now it feels more like WoW. And I dont know what posessed the developers of DDO to use Eberron as the campaign for the first official D&D MMO. I really hate everything about it. It feels more sci-fi than anything.
A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players. And a D&D-esque true fantasy setting. Like Greyhawk or pre-plague Forgotten Realms. Not that Eberron crap.
Turbine didn't decide to use Eberron, WotC said "It's Eberron or nothing".
To me, AD&D 3rd Edition revised, rules set constitute my personal favorite of the rules set. The difficulty of pulling that off accurately in an MMO would be monumental at best. Stormreach did it's best, but as you take such a rules system as intricate and detailed as that, it looses something in translation as it's implemented in an action style mmo's, and this is to be expected.
I would suspect that the only way to trully get it close, if not exact to the rules for AD&D they would have to make it turned-based like Atlantica. Though doing that online, while controlling one character, and joining parties with other players, then instancing into turned-based battles after the AD&D "Wandering Monster Check" calculation is performed, might prove to be too tedious a task.
The best you can do is get it close to the rules in an MMO, however, it should also not be a total "watered-down" version of the rules either.
Actually DDO is quite representative, especially when you consider that some concessions had to be made to the computer conversion. Some rules just don't convert well from the board game to the computer game.
The d20 system is too complicated for modern WoW-style MMORPGs. I agree with you on the Forgotten Realms setting, however.
Ever play Bioware's games?
What Bioware games are you referring to, exactly? Those WoW-style games Bioware made that don't exist or the ones they made with simplistic game mechanics that don't exist?
I think he just meant that Bioware probably made the best attempt at bringing D&D PnP style game to the computer with Neverwinter Nights. Or maybe he didnt lol
Still, that would never translate into an MMORPG. In NWN, BG etc you can pause the gameplay to configure attacks; you can't pause an MMO. The fact that you have to pause D&D gameplay is proof in itself in the complexity of the d20 system.
The d20 system is too complicated for modern WoW-style MMORPGs. I agree with you on the Forgotten Realms setting, however.
Ever play Bioware's games?
What Bioware games are you referring to, exactly? Those WoW-style games Bioware made that don't exist or the ones they made with simplistic game mechanics that don't exist?
I think he just meant that Bioware probably made the best attempt at bringing D&D PnP style game to the computer with Neverwinter Nights. Or maybe he didnt lol
Still, that would never translate into an MMORPG. In NWN, BG etc you can pause the gameplay to configure attacks; you can't pause an MMO. The fact that you have to pause D&D gameplay is proof in itself in the complexity of the d20 system.
actually I don't think that sounds right. These games are made so that you can control a party and all the skills/'abilities that the party has at its disposal.
I can easily see a game like neverwinter nights or baldur's gate playing without pauses IF you only have one character and if you can set up your skills like an mmo.
the only issue here is how the turn based part would work. I think that DDO has finessed that as they recognized that the turn based game play would not really fit into what many wanted from an mmo that is supposed to be more action packed.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
Originally posted by Khalathwyr That's not necessarily a given, either. I've been playing pencil & paper D&D since 1989/1990. I hated how Turbine put together DDO. That and I don't agree that D&D is a "dungeon crawling game" only. If that's the limits of the mind/imagination of your DM, then sure.
This statement is the only reason DDO isn't "D&D" to people. Because DDO can't be described as "every fantasy activity imaginable", it can never by D&D to everyone.
DDO's poor designers were faced with the impossible task of taking an oversimplistic, designed-for-tabletop combat system, and imbalanced classes, and making them work in a MMORPG.
Modern MMOs are typically all about strategic ability choice, but D&D doesn't provide a very good spread of options during combat (and older D&D was even worse; fighters just attacked :P )
It's kinda bizarre when you think about it. The world's biggest fantasy IP ends up failing as a result of striving to be too much like the original content it was spawned from. I think their only true chance for success would've been taking huge liberties with the IP, crafting entirely new systems (inspired by the old ones) which resulted in gameplay being balanced and fun.
DDO managed to not be terrible in spite of these drastic limitations, and I can't help but think it's a terrible tragedy they wasted so much time pandering to D&D's rules when they're obviously skilled at making things fun. If they can make an above average MMO under those harsh constraints, how much better would it have been without them?
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. DDO was one thing but I dont really see that as a real MMORPG. A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players.
If a true D&D MMORPG was released right now, (not a lobby multi player game) I'd try it. Might be good, might not, but I'd take a chance and buy the box and play at least for the first month.
I agree. I was severely dissapointed at D&D Online. Its not a true MMORPG at all. I think they really need a good D&D online game to come out. If made right it would bring people from every other game. Afterall D&D has been around for years.
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. DDO was one thing but I dont really see that as a real MMORPG. A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. DDO was one thing but I dont really see that as a real MMORPG. A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
---------- "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. DDO was one thing but I dont really see that as a real MMORPG. A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
There are so many prestige classes and no Necromancers in WoW and WoW's classes are different thatn DnD's classes the just some of them have the same names. Oh and what about Permadeath? I don't think WoW has that.
I would love to see a game that has Permadeath, Ive had a few characters die that Ive had a long time in DnD. It makes you more cautious and make sure you have a cleric with you that can rez and a scroll of resurection on you before you rush into a fight. Cuz who knows your party might not make it to a town that has a cleric to rez you or might not have any scrolls either.
I would love to see a D&D MMO, and while I adore the rules (even 4e), I would much prefer to see the world come to life and its denizens come to life. I still to this day do a double take when I see a black dragon breathing fire, or a troll that doesnt regenerate.
It may be crazy, but in all honesty I would love to see the D&D world (choose one, I love em all...cept Eberron....) created in a WoWish world. Before you shoot me or bite my head off, I know the ongoing dispute about the cartoony graphics and such, but few games can match the sweeping landscapes and gigantic mountains in WoW. Even LoTRO never really made me want to see what was over that next hill, whereas I still tool around the zones in WotLK even though i've been 80 for months.
On a final note, I really am enjoying 4th edition. While I dearly loved that customization available to every player in 3.5, it really lead to some crazy overpowered characters, as early as level 8 or 9. Once you brought in all of the various supplements, players were able to create horridly powerful PC's (frenzied berserker anyone?), or achieve crazy high AC's through the application of various polymorph spells and such.
While 4e does oversimplify the game, and take away alot of the tools that were given to us in 3.5, it has its own charm. Plus, isnt it about roleplaying anyway
I mean, it should have been a no-brainer right? Forgotten Realms is a huge and rich IP with lots of established game mechanics. DDO was one thing but I dont really see that as a real MMORPG. A D&D MMORPG would have a huge interested base of players.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
But not the specific implementation and issues. There is no balancing in D&D. There is no economy. There is no issue about large raids. PvP is not a big deal.
It may be crazy, but in all honesty I would love to see the D&D world (choose one, I love em all...cept Eberron....) created in a WoWish world. Before you shoot me or bite my head off, I know the ongoing dispute about the cartoony graphics and such, but few games can match the sweeping landscapes and gigantic mountains in WoW. Even LoTRO never really made me want to see what was over that next hill, whereas I still tool around the zones in WotLK even though i've been 80 for months.
Yeah I didn't care to much for Eberron as well. But Im the exact opposite of you, I loved LOTRO the story was great the graphics were great, everyone I played with at launch quit. I quit because i had problems with comcast but that is a whole different story in its self.
I didn't hate WoW's graphics I just didn't like them and the art style wasn't my cup of tea either. I thought LOTRO had an awesome landscapes and WoW had some cool places as well. I just coulnd't get past 45 with any character, I just got bored by the time I got that far.
Alright, well there seems to be a lot more talk about what you CANT do in an MMO as opposed to what COULD be done to a D&D title. Here is my short list, some of which directly correlate to several responses in this thread. Feel free to add to this list if you can imagine the feature being possible OR neccesary to a D&D adventure online:
1) Random dungeon/area generators AND/OR DM dungeon/area building sets. Yes, I can believe you could do this online, right through a handy interface...even do mob placement, traps, and boss skill/type selecting. A DM toolset essentially.
2) Assignable and/or GM run DM positions. These could be assigned by guilds, groups, the developers, or any of them in combination.
3) Persistant LARGE world with instanced dungeon outlets (see above). Choose a random adventure, a pre-made DM adventure, or GM run adventure...choices are good.
4) Good, accurate story arc, with the ability to write your own guild or group's story (to a certain extent). Writing your own story can come in the form of custom adventure's as well.
Comments
Eberron could have been just as good as Forgotten Realms. The first and foremost fatal mistake Turbine made was to turn it into an overly instanced, practically dead world. Static, open worlds will always be more popular than, main lobby to instance runs with chat games.
With PvE raiding, it has never been a question of being "good enough". I play games to have fun, not to be a simpering toady sitting through hour after hour of mind numbing boredom and fawning over a guild master in the hopes that he will condescend to reward me with shiny bits of loot. But in games where those people get the highest progression, anyone who doesn't do that will just be a moving target for them and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay money for the privilege. - Neanderthal
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
A true DnD mmo will never happen, especially in a well known setting like Forgotten Realms. The ruleset is designed to be played at infrequent intervals in small groups with a dedicated dm to direct the story; no mmo will ever be able to replicate the flexibility that comes with that kind of setting. Everyone has their own house rules and there is no way that a particular application of the rules is going to appease everyone. As far as Forgotten Realms, it is too well known and too well documented to have even a remote chance of success. No developer could truly implement it in a way that would satisfy players. Either they would have to restrict the game to a specific area, which would piss off a large portion of the fanbase, or they would have to skimp on details that the true lorists would demand to have. Everyone wants an open play Forgotten Realms game, but I'd be willing to bet that very few people would agree on what to focus on when it became clear that not everyone could be 100% appeased. The Greyhawk setting, or even Eberron, would have a far better chance, simply becuase they would have far less background material to have to work into the game to satisfy people; even then, though, the ruleset was not made for a 24/7 persistent world so it still would end up feeling "not DnDish" to most DnD players.
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
d&d mmo? i like the setting... well actually i like everything about it, but well you are either making a true d&d or dont make it at all.
and whats true d&d?
a failed saving throw.
there are lots of things in d&d that are really luck based and thats what doesnt work in mmo.
people will want balance. ofcourse devs would change that, but result wouldnt be d&d then
oh and those 'ability to cast xxx one time a day'? tyvm.
The example of LOTRO is actually a good case study for this subject. Yes, it is based off Tolkiens world and has most of the critical elements; still, it is not truly the world as Tolkien spelled out in the books. The various magic using classes alone make that clear from the getgo; from what I have seen, they seen to have tried to work them into the lore, but the true lorists are never going to be happy with them. The problem with DnD, and especially Forgotten Realms, is that while everyone can agree on the basic ideas of what it should feel like, the details of what to emphasize, what rules to bend, and what the driving hook should be, are going to vary depending on who you talk to. The whole idea of DnD is that you are a small group of adventurers that make a big impact on the world; that same feel will not exist in a 24/7 persistent setting with thousands of other people, especially if only a handful of developers are shaping the game. It is theoritically possible to make a good DnD mmo, but realistically there are just too many challenges that present technology and game support cannot overcome.
I believe the opposite to be true. The d20 system is far too simplistic. There are far more dice rolls going on behind the scenes in today's MMORPG's.
Besides Wizards of the Coast have already shown us what they believe to be the online extenstion of D&D... and it sucks.
No...WotC simply allowed Eberron to be used as the setting for the game. Turbine did everything else.
Turbine didn't decide to use Eberron, WotC said "It's Eberron or nothing".
To me, AD&D 3rd Edition revised, rules set constitute my personal favorite of the rules set. The difficulty of pulling that off accurately in an MMO would be monumental at best. Stormreach did it's best, but as you take such a rules system as intricate and detailed as that, it looses something in translation as it's implemented in an action style mmo's, and this is to be expected.
I would suspect that the only way to trully get it close, if not exact to the rules for AD&D they would have to make it turned-based like Atlantica. Though doing that online, while controlling one character, and joining parties with other players, then instancing into turned-based battles after the AD&D "Wandering Monster Check" calculation is performed, might prove to be too tedious a task.
The best you can do is get it close to the rules in an MMO, however, it should also not be a total "watered-down" version of the rules either.
Actually DDO is quite representative, especially when you consider that some concessions had to be made to the computer conversion. Some rules just don't convert well from the board game to the computer game.
Ever play Bioware's games?
What Bioware games are you referring to, exactly? Those WoW-style games Bioware made that don't exist or the ones they made with simplistic game mechanics that don't exist?
I think he just meant that Bioware probably made the best attempt at bringing D&D PnP style game to the computer with Neverwinter Nights. Or maybe he didnt lol
Still, that would never translate into an MMORPG. In NWN, BG etc you can pause the gameplay to configure attacks; you can't pause an MMO. The fact that you have to pause D&D gameplay is proof in itself in the complexity of the d20 system.
Ever play Bioware's games?
What Bioware games are you referring to, exactly? Those WoW-style games Bioware made that don't exist or the ones they made with simplistic game mechanics that don't exist?
I think he just meant that Bioware probably made the best attempt at bringing D&D PnP style game to the computer with Neverwinter Nights. Or maybe he didnt lol
Still, that would never translate into an MMORPG. In NWN, BG etc you can pause the gameplay to configure attacks; you can't pause an MMO. The fact that you have to pause D&D gameplay is proof in itself in the complexity of the d20 system.
actually I don't think that sounds right. These games are made so that you can control a party and all the skills/'abilities that the party has at its disposal.
I can easily see a game like neverwinter nights or baldur's gate playing without pauses IF you only have one character and if you can set up your skills like an mmo.
the only issue here is how the turn based part would work. I think that DDO has finessed that as they recognized that the turn based game play would not really fit into what many wanted from an mmo that is supposed to be more action packed.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
This statement is the only reason DDO isn't "D&D" to people. Because DDO can't be described as "every fantasy activity imaginable", it can never by D&D to everyone.
DDO's poor designers were faced with the impossible task of taking an oversimplistic, designed-for-tabletop combat system, and imbalanced classes, and making them work in a MMORPG.
Modern MMOs are typically all about strategic ability choice, but D&D doesn't provide a very good spread of options during combat (and older D&D was even worse; fighters just attacked :P )
It's kinda bizarre when you think about it. The world's biggest fantasy IP ends up failing as a result of striving to be too much like the original content it was spawned from. I think their only true chance for success would've been taking huge liberties with the IP, crafting entirely new systems (inspired by the old ones) which resulted in gameplay being balanced and fun.
DDO managed to not be terrible in spite of these drastic limitations, and I can't help but think it's a terrible tragedy they wasted so much time pandering to D&D's rules when they're obviously skilled at making things fun. If they can make an above average MMO under those harsh constraints, how much better would it have been without them?
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
If a true D&D MMORPG was released right now, (not a lobby multi player game) I'd try it. Might be good, might not, but I'd take a chance and buy the box and play at least for the first month.
I agree. I was severely dissapointed at D&D Online. Its not a true MMORPG at all. I think they really need a good D&D online game to come out. If made right it would bring people from every other game. Afterall D&D has been around for years.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
Dungeons & Dragons Online™ is based on version 3.5 of Dungeons & Dragons®, the roleplaying game that started it all.
----------
"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
There are so many prestige classes and no Necromancers in WoW and WoW's classes are different thatn DnD's classes the just some of them have the same names. Oh and what about Permadeath? I don't think WoW has that.
I would love to see a game that has Permadeath, Ive had a few characters die that Ive had a long time in DnD. It makes you more cautious and make sure you have a cleric with you that can rez and a scroll of resurection on you before you rush into a fight. Cuz who knows your party might not make it to a town that has a cleric to rez you or might not have any scrolls either.
I would love to see a D&D MMO, and while I adore the rules (even 4e), I would much prefer to see the world come to life and its denizens come to life. I still to this day do a double take when I see a black dragon breathing fire, or a troll that doesnt regenerate.
It may be crazy, but in all honesty I would love to see the D&D world (choose one, I love em all...cept Eberron....) created in a WoWish world. Before you shoot me or bite my head off, I know the ongoing dispute about the cartoony graphics and such, but few games can match the sweeping landscapes and gigantic mountains in WoW. Even LoTRO never really made me want to see what was over that next hill, whereas I still tool around the zones in WotLK even though i've been 80 for months.
On a final note, I really am enjoying 4th edition. While I dearly loved that customization available to every player in 3.5, it really lead to some crazy overpowered characters, as early as level 8 or 9. Once you brought in all of the various supplements, players were able to create horridly powerful PC's (frenzied berserker anyone?), or achieve crazy high AC's through the application of various polymorph spells and such.
While 4e does oversimplify the game, and take away alot of the tools that were given to us in 3.5, it has its own charm. Plus, isnt it about roleplaying anyway
1) D&D is designed for small groups. You don't need a MMO to do so.
2) D&D is not as popular as you may think. There are a LOT more people playing WOW, or even LOTRO, than D&D at any time.
Pen & paper mechanics may not translate to MMOs well. For example, the issue of balanced pve/pvp is non-existence.
D&D would translate very easily into a WoW clone. It's where WoW came from after all.
Classes, Mobs, Quests, experience, loot tables, it's all right there.
But not the specific implementation and issues. There is no balancing in D&D. There is no economy. There is no issue about large raids. PvP is not a big deal.
Yeah I didn't care to much for Eberron as well. But Im the exact opposite of you, I loved LOTRO the story was great the graphics were great, everyone I played with at launch quit. I quit because i had problems with comcast but that is a whole different story in its self.
I didn't hate WoW's graphics I just didn't like them and the art style wasn't my cup of tea either. I thought LOTRO had an awesome landscapes and WoW had some cool places as well. I just coulnd't get past 45 with any character, I just got bored by the time I got that far.
Alright, well there seems to be a lot more talk about what you CANT do in an MMO as opposed to what COULD be done to a D&D title. Here is my short list, some of which directly correlate to several responses in this thread. Feel free to add to this list if you can imagine the feature being possible OR neccesary to a D&D adventure online:
1) Random dungeon/area generators AND/OR DM dungeon/area building sets. Yes, I can believe you could do this online, right through a handy interface...even do mob placement, traps, and boss skill/type selecting. A DM toolset essentially.
2) Assignable and/or GM run DM positions. These could be assigned by guilds, groups, the developers, or any of them in combination.
3) Persistant LARGE world with instanced dungeon outlets (see above). Choose a random adventure, a pre-made DM adventure, or GM run adventure...choices are good.
4) Good, accurate story arc, with the ability to write your own guild or group's story (to a certain extent). Writing your own story can come in the form of custom adventure's as well.