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Is the new "action oriented" combat the future of the MMORPG genre?
killion81
Member UncommonPosts: 995
Many of the new MMORPGs are releasing with more action oriented combat. Some will say this new brand of combat is more skill based. In my opinion, it feels like a new sub-genre, Multiplayer Online Action Roleplaying Games or MOARPGs. I think there is plenty of room for a well designed MMORPG with traditional MMORPG combat.
How does everyone else feel about this? Is this the future of the MMORPG genre? Do you enjoy traditional MMORPG combat? Is one type of combat better than the other in your opinion (and why)?
Comments
I hope not. I hate it.
Bring back strategic combat. Sick of GCD clickfests and the new 'action' trend on top of that.
If you're going to make a game mostly about combat, then you have to do something to make combat interesting. Action combat is one way to do it, but not the only way.
As for strategic combat, that's a viable alternative, but how many MMORPGs have that? There are a handful, but it was never the norm. Start combat, wait for it to end, loot mobs, heal up, and repeat is boring, not strategic.
We are always going to be odds with a question like this. No one knows what the future will bring, but it does look like action combat is the 'new' thing. Like others, I dont like it either. Its not bad or wrong its just not what I look for in an RPG.
I like my tab target/hotkey combat. I want to focus on my strategy but not my movement -- for I play RPGs for the story (and progression in the MMO context). Just give me something worth fighting for.
Yes.
The new players seem to enjoy it. There are many more of them than an old fart like myself
It seems the more keys there are to press, the better the combat is hailed.
Since this is what players want in their games, that will be what sells.
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
I thought Tera's combat was pretty awesome for an MMO. Many people will cry that it was clunky because of the animation locks (which you could break by blocking or dodging usually, but whatever) but I thought it was a step in the right direction for that type of playstyle. My friend beta tested with me and he said he'd never had so much fun as a healer playing because it wasn't a class that you just sat and watched the healthbars, hitting 1 or 2 when the bar hit a certain %.
Me personally, although I liked the combat, after a while I didn't really care for it. In an MMO I prefer something more along the lines of EQ that allow you to relax, socialize, have fun and not be required to mash a ton of buttons to be on the top of your game. Like someone said above, give me something to fight for and good progression, strategy in fights and I'm fine. Combat isn't the main focus for me on MMOs.
Played: EQ1 (10 Years), Guild Wars, Rift, TERA
Tried: EQ2, Vanguard, Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Runes of Magic and countless others...
Currently Playing: GW2
Nytlok Sylas
80 Sylvari Ranger
Action combat tends to give you fewer keys to press than WoW-style "how do you want to arrange your five hotbars" combat. It's what you do with those fewer keys that matters.
I feel similar about the action combat.
If you must put action combat in your MMO, make it intuitive and fluid, not chaotic and random. Don't make it super fast and simple, becouse that gets boring very quickly. If the combat is slower, but more complicated, making you think while playing, it feels less repetetive.
Having said that, I have to admit that the only MMO that I currently have any interest in is Age of Wulin (Wushu in US) :P
I would say no it isn't. However there will likely me a lot of action MMO's.
The MMO platform is splitting just like music does from time to time. From this point on they should not be referred to as MMORPG, they should be referred to as MMO+whever sub genre suffix (RPG, FPS, Vitual World, Action...).
So no the future of MMORPG is not action oriented combat. Action oriented combat is the future of MMOaction games, of which there will likely be some crossover.
Seems like alot of companies are mixing it up. Archeage is releasing with the boring WoW combat your used to, try that.
Sorry but innovations in gameplay happen and this was inevitable.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
I have nothing against EQ/WoW style combat but really, theres not much more you can do with it.
GW2 tried adding real time elements to the EQ/WoW formula like dodging but that just made it feel like bad real time combat.
People want MMOs to evolve from what we have now but they also want to hang on to combat systems from over 10 years ago. Weird.
Action combat is the future and the present.... I won't define action combat by the combat mechanics.. but by combat speed. Someone mentioned having conversations during combat. Any combat whether tab targeting point click and press 123.. or dodging is gonna be boring if it is so slow/ easy that you can type to other players while fighting.. I've played games where the combat doesn't involve dodging and other mechanics.. but the combat is fast paced and that is what makes it have action. you have to watch your health and watch ur cool downs to ensure you are putting out enough damage to not die..
combat doesn't have to have dodging to be exciting.. but when the attacks land every 1.5 to 2 seconds... combat is fairly slow/boring.
NOTE: action combat I'm referring to is first person shooter style aimed projectile combat, possibly with aimed melee, and without tab targetting. I don't consider adding a "dodge" button to conventional combat enough to consider it as action.
I'm comfortable with action combat inside an MMORPG. If it's still a good MMORPG but has action combat, I think that adds diversity to the genre.
I'm not comfortable with action multiplayer games calling themselves MMORPGs when they don't have a massively multiplayer overland, and the game consists entirely of instance bubbles. I think a new name would be appropriate.
I don't think traditional combat MMORPGs are going to die out. There's still a huge demand for them.
I don't consider action combat to be better or worse than traditional. It's just a different mechanic for doing damage.
From a developer perspective, action combat is not without problems. It's very CPU intensive on a server. It increases the requirements of the communications layer because latency is not nearly as easy to hide. It's also vulnerable to cheating in the form of hacks and aim-bots.
Unfortunately, I think that's where it's headed.
There isn't much critical thinking in games anymore. It's all pretty much just button mashing.
Vanguard might be what your looking for. I myself am playing it. Vanguard doesn't have PVP ( which saddens me), but the PVE is Top notch. There are a few bugs here and there, but easily overlooked (well for me). Honestly don't ask for opinions of it, Just downlad a nd try it out, there wil be far too many haters here.
It basically a perfect vacation mmo to play.
Real open world--check
complex combat-- check
** the is a weakness and exploit weakness system**
**there are counter spells and skill chains*
Open word dungeons--check
**over 40 open world dungeon**
The best of Tab targeting--check
** you get offensive and defense targeting at the same time, without having to stop dpsing or whatnot**
( I don't know if this is similar to "focus target" in wow, but you dont have to set it up)
Class design- check
** THe best classes hands down** Love my Dread Knight, Blood mage and, Psionist.
Diplomacy- Straight bananas!
World immersion--check
** NO other mmo competes here IMO**
Crafting--check
** the best** I mean you can build Ships and Houses**
**Crafted items better than drops**
Community- check
**It's by a long shot, the best communityI have evern ran into**
If this is what you are seeking and enjoy, Just try the game, you may thank me later.
you call fast action combat innovation? lol where are you been these past 20 years?
Fast action combat or fps is a genre, slow strategics combat is another genre, turn-based etc etc they are all style of gameplay but innovative?? no innovation there.
edit: i will sure try archeage, i dont mind this kind of combat if the game is enjoyable for more then 2 weeks.
Short Answer: Probably, due most in part to the teenage twitch crowd, which is one of the largest demographics in the genre.
For me, I'd personally rather see more unique systems, like can be found in Wakfu and Wizard101. Or better yet, a move away from combat as the primary focus, but that's never going to happen.
It is and we all know it. No need to make a bazillionth post on it silly.
All mmorpgs should have left click mouse attack. Any game that does not is behind the times.
Hero Evermore
Guild Master of Dragonspine since 1982.
Playing Path of Exile and deeply in love with it.
Sorry jsut because fast action combat is a staple of other mediums and genres doesnt preclude the use of the word when describing soemthing for the MMO's which is new:
1
: the introduction of something new
: a new idea, method, or device : novelty
— in·no·va·tion·al -shn?l, -sh?-n?ladjective
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
Exactly. It takes away from the social aspect of MMORPGs, which is barely hanging on by a thread as it is. And it becomesjust as repetetive after you learn an enemy's moves. BAMs were throroughly unimpressive to me, they were tedious.
I'm telling you guys at this moment Vanguard is what you are looking for. Until Archeage or something else comes out in this format. I would not steer you wrong ( well intentionally).
lol.. combat taking away from socializing? lol... combat is for fighting.. fights are suppose to be intense.. otherwise wouldn't they call it something like playing.. or having a cup of tea... you socialize outside of combat.. or in between battles... they are other things in games to do... crafing.. exploring... combat has nothing to do with socialization.. i could understand if you were referring to grouping vs soloing.. but high speed combat makes ppl solo in mmo's? ridiculous.