How Guild Wars 2 can produce change - Mass Effect 3 style

Zillen

Oh hello, excuse me won't you? I'm the holographic projection of an *cough* incredibly advanced game system - *lol* sorry, strategic cycle. The suits and devs that created this holy trinity are all just super-big robosquids that I control. I made them to solve a problem.

You see, MMO devs will always be destroyed by the ultrademanding, overexcited and constantly opionative fanbase that they create by attempting to innovate and give the fanbase what they want. This game...is my solution to that problem, and now you must choose from three hi-def multicolored decisions in order to determine the type of explos...sorry, fanbase reaction.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- Option 1

Fanbase: I know you've thought of destroying us. This option is "destroy", in which you attempt to use consumer power and bias to "destroy" the holy trinity completely within the MMO genre. This will bring back the chaos, and devs will be forced to hastily and messily force themselves to "innovate" a new system. Chaos - and anger.

The Destroy Option will kill all MMOs using the Trinity - even the ones who originally revolutionised it and have every right to use the idea.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Option 2

Fanbase: Option 2 is "Control". Using Control, you can use hyperdisciplined, slow and totally submissive behaviour in order to accept the current interpretation of MMOs and attempt to enjoy the current state of things. This option means you only need to watch as minor, sub-important changes affect the genre and the trinity over the years...however, future games will stagnate and make less money. The fanbase will become too passive, submissive, and order will be imposed on all.

----------------------------------------------------------------------Option 3

Fanbase: Synthesis is the final option. In this option, you take a running jump off a metal platform in a green laser-beam, and use space magic to rewrite all living creatures and basically violate them on a molecular level.

THHHHHEEEEEEENNNNNNN you scrap all the above, create a game that merges the two, and allow steady, smooth transition into a new age of MMOs. The goal is not to sporadically transform the genre, but slowly phase this cycle, this Holy Trinity, out -allowing new ideas and inspired new developers to change all MMORPGs for the better.

This is my response. Guild Wars 2 is synthesis - a merge of cycle and non-cycle.

Trinity and non-trinity.

The way is open. Now you must decide.

Zillen

Note: This is a response to all people asking how GW2 can break the cycle. Not intended to be offensive to "fanbois" or simple fans of the MMO genre alike.

fivoroth

Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.

There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

Loser60

Originally posted by fivoroth

Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.

There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

I'm tired of hearing about it too. The trinity is the only thing people discuss right now. Would be better if they talked about zones and the world design.

Pigozz

Originally posted by Loser60

Originally posted by fivoroth

Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.

There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

I'm tired of hearing about it too. The trinity is the only thing people discuss right now. Would be better if they talked about zones and the world design.

Seconded

..Stupid WoW's brainwashing...it created a legion of mindless, scared-of-changes holy trinity junkies that care only about gearmill engame...makes me sad and angry for real..

Homitu

Enjoyed the OP

Mephster

Come Guild Wars 2 launch day, it will be a mass effect of epic proportions. Loved the read op!

goouie

once we launch it will be no turning back to the old ways

Thorkune

Originally posted by goouie

once we launch it will be no turning back to the old ways

The old ways of what?! Is GW2 bringing that much to the table that it is going to revolutionize MMO's forever? I don't think so at all. Actually, I don't see any mmo in the near future that will be a huge difference maker in the genre.

 

goouie

the old ways i mean of playing, no more mindless tab targetting and then mashing buttons in a set rotation over and over again. I am looking forward to actually playing a game based on your skill. If you stand in the fire and die its your own fault and you cant blame your healer for not keeping you up. I played healers for years and for once I am actually going to get to see the game instead of looking at health bars all the time

GroovyFlower

Originally posted by Loser60

Originally posted by fivoroth

Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.

There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

I'm tired of hearing about it too. The trinity is the only thing people discuss right now. Would be better if they talked about zones and the world design.

I skip most of the topics don't wanne waste my time with whining whats and if's and whatsnot. 

Im just looking forward to a new mmo with different approach in gameplay and even artistic style. Im not realy looking forward to another clone of whatever game is already on market, i just wanne play this game.

GW2 for me seems fun and enough CHANGE so it feels different and still gonne have some fun with it(I hope offcorse not yet experienced it myself).

Fun and relaxation thats what i want away from real life when comming home from work it seems Guild Wars 2 is offering that:)

Zillen

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Originally posted by bigsmiff

Originally posted by goouie
once we launch it will be no turning back to the old ways

The old ways of what?! Is GW2 bringing that much to the table that it is going to revolutionize MMO's forever? I don't think so at all. Actually, I don't see any mmo in the near future that will be a huge difference maker in the genre.
 

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Sadly, it would appear this way as well. In the genre, games like EVE and ArcheAge are really the only ones that to me seem to at least try to completely overhaul the genre's expectations. And even that's only through hardcore PvP and sandbox elements. Really, like I stated above, I see slow and steady as the path the genre must take. I hate it when people go ahead and just say "kill the trinity" or "kill WoW", because they fail to remember that it was amazing nearly a decade ago.

Over time, people lose the sense of wonder and revolution that millions achieved playing World of Warcraft, and they begin to loath the Trinity and WoW simply because they think it's easy to do better. No - innovation must be brought in with new devs, new companies and a lack of corporate pressure. It cannot be artificially reproduced in a flash with simply enough money - big budget MMOs like SWTOR are debatable in quality, but hundreds of millions of $$ went into it.

Does that mean we got a revolution? Did we get holographic motion sensing technology, virtual reality lightsaber duels and the ability to change our stories in over one million three thousand and fourty-two different ways?

No. Bioware was very clear when they released that they had followed the WoW rules, that the game was MEANT to look the way it was (IMO, sub-par) and that they hadn't really meant to bring about the Rapture of MMOs. Similarly, despite the money Blizzard pours into WoW, does not mean every expansion redesigns everything and glows with inspiration. Even the steady cash injections from such sales are diminished by its' falling sub numbers - this is not failure however, but the end of a life cycle, prolonged by ultimately futile surgery and medicines.

We must be patient. Throwing money and lifetime subs at companies will not net us the Second Coming. The proverbial tortoise has to eat his breakfast and brush his teeth before he can beat the hare.

dontadow

Originally posted by fivoroth

Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.

There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

It's not just the elimination of the trinity and introducing a new trinity, it's how that new trinity works. You have to do all of it. THey all flow together. 

Healing does not flow with tanking and does not flow with damage dealing. They are 3 seperate jobs. Healers don't do damage, tanks can't heal effectively and damage dealers can't do either, just damage.  

It creates encounters that are static and fairly simple. Player strategy comes down to were to stand.  

Control, flows into support, which can flow into damage with GW2 system. You will be doing a bit of everything. You may do soemthing slightly more, but you will be doing a bit of everything to get out of encounters.  This is new and what sets the new system apart.  

Zillen

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Originally posted by dontadow

Originally posted by fivoroth
Am I the only one sick of constantly hearing about this trinity thing? I don't see how going from taking, healing, dps to support, crowd control and dps is going to revolutionise the genre. It's just a more action oriented approach. A lot of RPGs don't use the tanking, healing and dps roles.
There is one role which always comes up and that is damage dealing. Every single game has that. Some (most?) RPGs just give you different types of damage without the whole healing and tanking bit. Look at Diablo. You don't have healers or tanks. You only have damage dealers but they are different ways to inflict pain.

It's not just the elimination of the trinity and introducing a new trinity, it's how that new trinity works. You have to do all of it. THey all flow together. 
Healing does not flow with tanking and does not flow with damage dealing. They are 3 seperate jobs. Healers don't do damage, tanks can't heal effectively and damage dealers can't do either, just damage.  
It creates encounters that are static and fairly simple. Player strategy comes down to were to stand.  
Control, flows into support, which can flow into damage with GW2 system. You will be doing a bit of everything. You may do soemthing slightly more, but you will be doing a bit of everything to get out of encounters.  This is new and what sets the new system apart.  

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An interesting thought that a better, less-static trinity is a key step towards removing its' prominence in the industry. It will be interesting to see, come launch, how exactly ArenaNet has designed inter-player combat. If I see a single person standing still try to heal me while they get ravaged by boars and a 30-sec cooldown, I'm going to ROFL.