MMO RPG survey from Social Deviation

thale_sr

Fellow Gamers,

I've posted this survey to a number of forums.

Here's what I've said:

I've included this survey here in the Role Play group, because its what inspired most of us to play MMO's or RPGs, but frankly RPG's seem more like games without the role play, but what if there was a game mechanic that made your MMORPG more like a Role Play Session? What if you found a game just like that? Would you play it? Well.... thats not what the survey is built to figure out,. Its just a humble start at building a story about the MMO space that publishers have ignored. I hope you'll participate in the survey.

Social Deviation, a gaming company founded by gamers for gamers, is launching the first of several rounds of Surveys at the MMO space.



I have an interest in finding all gamers, and seeing what makes them tick. I'm interested in Mobile Games, and the advent of Location Based Games. This survey is the first of a series where I'm trying to learn about us as a market, and if there are any mechanics that Social Deviation can include in the format to make it more engaging for all the types of players, RPG, Adventure, Elite/Hardcore, and Social bases.



Please take a look at the survey, I value what you think.



http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZZNJVF7



Thank you!

Palebane

I enjoy surveys. I seriously doubt I will ever play video games on a mobile device. Best of luck

thale_sr

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Originally posted by Palebane
I enjoy surveys. I seriously doubt I will ever play video games on a mobile device. Best of luck

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Palebane,

Thank you for your participation. It's not for everyone. But I do seem to have stirred up the pot on a number of other forums. Here's a repost of one of my responses. I'd be interested in your thoughts...

Regards

 

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 Fellow Gamers,

I see I've made many friends.

Thank you for your passionate contributions.

Coyote,

Yes, it may be a surefire way to skew results, but its an essential piece of the gaming experience, to figure out what makes the griefers work, and why they do it... in a social game like an MMO, MUD or forum for that matter, some people just have to go out and show their feathers. Call me masochistic, but the segment fascinates me such that I refuse to play non PvP environments. Why do you think it skews the results? The other way I look at it is that this section is the most passionate and in fact are the leaders in the entire segment. Where they go, they lead the market. They did it from title to title through the ages, and continue to do so all the way up to EVE today, who wouldn't have a following if they weren't so fanatic, in a good way.

DakaSha, Destroid, J1M, Esxcidium, waywardOne, xemous,

You found my background info! Great Job. Now you'll have to level up your professional levels if you ever want me to talk about some real gaming mechanics.

You just haven't earned it yet.

Lvl up dudes...

Zed & Metro,

I empathize with that sentiment, and thats why I'm asking, and I mean to challenge the establishment on it. Think about it with a little more perspective, and remove your hardware bias a moment, because I promise you I actually shared it up to a point.
(Remember, globaly more smartphones will sell than desktops next year. So why shouldn't it become a platform?)

Did you buy a console to play games on your TV?
Did you buy a computer to play RPG games when Zork came out, or Betrayal from Krondor? UO, AO, AC, Bioware games, or Morrowind? C&C etc.
How many hours did you waste in college playing MUDs?
How many hours did you really play games? Be truthful...

I spent hundreds of $ to play, before I was in college. And then Thousands afterwards.. And I worked for the money. What did you do?

So if you spent your 1980's or 1970's or even 1990's money on Hardware to play a game, might you buy a Smartphone to play all the times you couldn't sit in front of the TV or Computer to play? Seriously, just to play for even 5 min anytime you wanted? Travel a lot? Commute to work? Etc. And then when you had the time you could devote more time to a session.

Metro,
Why are phones reviled? Is it the quality of the games? What is it the lack of? Please explain, because it needs to be understood.

I know there are some people who just won't sucumb to a change like this. But people stopped playing Pen and Paper RP Sessions, and moved to the Console or Computer and THAT was a big change. What are the challenges with moving to a new platform in your opinion?

Krraloth,

Ah. Yes, it was thrown together, and even had a glaring typo for a few hours, but you have to start somewhere. Be confident their quality will improve.

I have a series of game mechanics planned already. What I'm attempting to divine, is what size is the market segment I'm going to attract to the format. I know there are some significant barriers and opinions blocking the transition from PC to handset due to size, graphics quality, functionality, etc. Add to that that survey monkey only lets the cheap bastards like myself ask 10 initial questions... but hey, we're all humble when we first start new things.

So, how can I morph these answers into game mechanics? I'm sorry, but the other participants on the forum have ruined your chances at me talking about mechanics, just now. Raid wiped. Time to regear and try again. eh? (But you can always pm me)

We know that there are certain personalities that play MMO's and that the psychology of MUDs has covered this ground before. Read some Ralph Koster, he has a great blog and web site if you are interested. The point being, that I'm using some characterizations of the gaming community and validating some of it, with a twist on my assumption that MMO producers have lost a significant segment of the market, to maturing players, lack of content, repetitive game play etc... it needs something new.

On Money; In order to pitch an idea to the investor community you have to know something about money, and back it with a functional prototype or real traction in the market. While it may be anathema to the community that someone would want to try to make money on them.... its reality. So, this is my invitation to the communities that I think should have a voice in what form that game might take. Participate. (Or at least vote for your next president.) You are influential, and people would listen to you if they were wise.

Having said that why don't you tell me what you think makes MMO's fun, without me trying to put words in your mouth. And don't worry that I'm hoping to delusively allure you with my unrevealing marketese jargon speak. At least not yet, so lets have some honest conversation.

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Palebane

Well, one large barrier to overcome is screen size. It's just not really  ideal to lug around a 22" i-phone, you know?  Plus, I play my games at home. When I'm not at home, I'm too busy to be playing games. I have a comfy space set up for my hardware and titles I play regularly that date back to the 1990's. I'm fairly certain no new game is going to eschew me to give that up, even figuratively.

 

 

 Besides screen size, button size is something else to consider. Especially concerning MMO's, where many hardcore players use 15+ buttons regularly. I guess that could be done on a small phone, but it seems like it would be frustrating to me becuase the buttons would have to be small. Plus, you'd pretty much have to communicate with voice chat, because texting everything seems like it would be equally frustrating.

 

 

The biggest barrier for me is the fact that I'm just getting old and set in my ways. I see it more and more every day. It's kind of disappointing, but at the same time, you can't really help how you feel. Better to embrace it than to worry about what I might be missing, most of the time.

thale_sr

Not an unexpected story. We are more alike than not, certainly when it comes to breaking open those nostalgic titles.

Where I'm headed is this: I think the mobile phone lets an MMO explore a more pen and paper aspect to the social based interactions... like you were talking to someone next to you, so you didn't need chat as religiously, or that you might actually go places where your desktop couldn't to encounter a Raid or PC. And Location Based MMO's aren't exactly ground breaking, think foursquare. There are even a couple of titles out now.

That kind of mechanic is where the SmartPhone reigns supreme.

Did you ever role play pen and paper?

 

 

Palebane

Yes, back in high school I had some friends that would get together and play Hero's Quest or D&D. I guess I had never thought of being actively mobile to play an online RPG, but with games like The Secret World, I could see how that might be fun.

ElderRat

Took your survey.   I consider the idea of playing RPG's on a phone to be repulsive. My opinion.  If I am on a computer playing a game and find out someone can play on their phone - I would quit the game.  Just the way I feel about it.

thale_sr

Originally posted by ElderRat

Took your survey.   I consider the idea of playing RPG's on a phone to be repulsive. My opinion.  If I am on a computer playing a game and find out someone can play on their phone - I would quit the game.  Just the way I feel about it.

 Thats priceless. I think the platforms are mutually exclusive myself, glad we agree.

So how do you feel about WoW and that they are enabling chat aspects on the iPhone?

ideation

It was an interesting survey, however several of the questions either had redundant responses or lacked optional answers such as why you left ; most people don't leave because of 1 factor, but several. Not to mention it didn't have an option for "still playing" so the survey assumes the player no longer participates in active MMORPGs. I think with a few revisions you'll have a successful information gathering survey to suit your needs. I enjoyed taking it none-the-less.

 

thale_sr

ideation, 

 

Thanks for the comments. You are right, I didnt include all the possible options, and I'll make an effort to include them in the future. 

 

I will be posting the results in the near future. 

 

I look forward to participating more with the community. I think it will find some of the results... interesting. 

 

Regards, 

thale_sr

This Survey is now Closed. Thank you for your participation.

I will be publishing the Results here on MMORPG in time.

Thanks!

ideation

No problem, good surveys are trial and error. Let us know the results when you can!