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I desire a beautiful, intricate world that naturally encourages in me a desire to socialize.
Consuetudo
Member UncommonPosts: 191
Sociality is what is missing to me in MMORPGs. It is not that I want a game to force me to be social, but I want a game that provides an environment that gives me the intrinsic desire to want to be social within them. I should be so taken away by the feeling being in a certain town or village provides me with that, in this state of awe, I would want to wander the streets as one of its citizens, and see groups of players doing things in that city that are completely within the role-playing the city encourages. And yet this role-playing should not be a mindset forcefully adopted by the players, but it should be suggested, once again, by the game environment itself, and the player would naturally desire to role-play, in such a way that they perhaps won't even be aware of what they are doing.
And I have encountered this in games. The Blood Elf city in WoW evoked this, as did that first entrance into Stormwind, or Ironforge.
Though all of this boils down to the constant argument I hear from here: we are wanting worlds, not just games.
So it's true then: add my vote to the pot. I want a social world that is full of beauty and intricasy. Combat isn't even necessary to me.
Comments
For me this is GW2. I have a friend who is a real life chef. He loves discovering and making all the possible recipes in the game. One night a week he takes over a restaurant and hires people as servers and cooks for people. It is an awesome roleplaying experience for people.
I spend lots of time in World versus World battles. This is where your server is fighting two other servers. I'm usually chatting so much I dont see that guy behind me jumping on me and clubbing me in the back. Check out Lion's Arch or any of the other major cities and you will see people running around. I spend more time socializing in this game maybe than any other I have played.
SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter
One of the main things in MMOs that revolutionized comunity and socilizing is the main thing that killed it as well.
The global chat box!
This is one of those things that, yes it makes it easier to socilize, but it makes it...too easy! Meaning if everyday you log in and need to preform a task weather it be go to a special location or load in to a specific Voip it should always be an action that leads to a reward. Not you always have it streaming infront of you. This way players are not using the system as a -build up and vent- application. We need to choose to activly participate and not have it center screen every connected moment.
It also acts as a pull and a draw to log in. As it stands in most games with a chat box the sheer fact that is streaming from the second I log in is one of the reasons I dont log in. If I wanted to make that "choice" I could always head to brit bank....
I find being funneled towards formal grouping more destructive than productive. I don't really know why, but I hate the idea of being told the "correct" order to play a game. Level 1-Max solo, small group content, big group content, burnout, repeat. That's not a game, it's a formula.
Just make fun, exciting stuff in the game and I'll find a group to enjoy it with. The more you force me into a pattern of play, the more I shall resist!!!
Enter a whole new realm of challenge and adventure.
I am not sure there is a MMO out there that can give you what you want. I would suggest finding a guild that is a Social guild (though I think many do not understand what that actually means) or a RPG guild if you are into that.
You are only going to find these things in guilds now, MMORPGS have become MO games.
I'd say LOTRO (on the Laurelin RP server) and GW2 (in a RP guild) would fit the description quite well.
If entering Divinity's Reach in GW2 doesn't inspire you awe, then I don't know what could ever inspire you awe...
My computer is better than yours.
Now that is old school.
Well OP this is not life so yes a game does need to force social gaming,otherwise it has been PROVEN that players will not socialize if they can solo.It basically comes down to what players want,they will group up just to achieve personal goals but they will not socialize just for the sake of it.BTW grouping and socializing are not of the same.
Keyword >>"Intricate",FFXI was some what intricate in all of it's design,that is why i loved the game,most games are not intricate at all,they are solo questing games and 99% are all the exact same,phasing or calling those quests "dynamic" changes nothing.
It is too bad that the big money maker was a shallow game "Wow",i had for years hoped more devs would follow FFXI's lead, a game based around socializing and grouping and literally no room for soloing.FFXI also did not copy that same old questing formula and they created many systems in the game,not just solo quest then raid dungeons.Also the very combat structure was very intricate unlike most games that simply have you hit a mob a few times and move on.Even though FFXI was much more intricate in it's design,there was a LOT of room to make it even better,but after all these years,i actually see devs making the games worse or LAZIER designs.
The ONLY intricate design in games now days is the marketing or gimmicks to try and fool gamer's into thinking the same old is something new.It is because it is so costly that i do not see devs changing for quite some time,i expect more of the same old and marketing tactics.
In an already flooded market,we now see even smaller developers trying to make more cheap efforts through public funding.The ONLY way we are going to have intricate games now is if a dev has lots of money,willing to spend that money,has a passion for game design that surpasses the business side of things and can come up with some new method to support funding that does not break a game or treat players indifferently aka "bribing".
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
I don't think this has anything to do with how a game is made.
I played WoW and there was nothing special for me about the places you mentioned. There are certain elements that trigger certain emotions in everyone. It depends on what movies, animations, books etc. made big influence on you in your childhood. Sometimes it just happens, that some places in game trigger that feeling and you feel familiar and get immersed. No one will make a game that will trigger that in everyone since it is something so personal. It just so happened WoW triggered that in you.
Truth is worlds in new games are even more immersive and beautiful, but they are so detailed now, that there is little room for your own imagination, so it is harder to make a place more personal. Old games were so graphically bad, they were like books, you had to add your own imagination to it, that is why you remember them so charming.
FFXI was doing this before the other games,NOTHING was hand holding,you had to literally discover everything.Really sad that FFXI did it for years,never got recognition for it's design,now a player is saying GW2 is great for doing it.FFXI you had no recipe books,you had to trial and error to find out a recipe and there are thousands of them.More importantly than just the no hand holding is the recipes are useful,food in ffxi is probably more useful than in most other games.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Did that yesterday evening. Didn't gain any levels or virtual items, but it was definitely a very pleasant experience - not to mention the customer was a charming lady :-)
My computer is better than yours.
Well at least you gained experience.
Every MMO can give him what he wants. The desire to social does not come from the game. It comes from the player.
If he cannot find what he wants, it is because of the player, not the MMO.
EVERY MMO has a chat function and he can social to his heart content on it. If he cannot, it is because players want to play the game, instead of socialize with him.
How? By stopping playing the game and start chatting?
So where has this been 'proven'? I must have missed the scientific study as I was too busy socializing with people in LOTRO. In fact, the last time I logged in, all I did was goof off with friends that I've made there. Didn't even fight, or feel the need to even though I'm like 20 levels behind on my main, haha. I guess if stopped socializing I might be max level by now.
Star Wars Galaxies was the best game for socializing. You had to rely on others for buffs, getting your weapons sliced etc. You also had 10 minute shuttle waits which led to a lot of talking and complaining about the shuttle waits lol. DAoC was awesome also because you had to group up and I met so many people in that game.
I never liked to role play, but as others have said LOTRO was great for that, also old school EQ2 was great for role playing and grouping up to level.
Today's games are just solo quest to level and I don't think I have really met anyone like I did in the old school games
10 min shuttle waits ... really? No wonder the game is closed down. If i want to wait for a shuttle, i will go to the airport.
And yes i totally agree that "today's game are just solo quest to level". Just the way i like it. I don't have to depend on others for my fun.
It was cut down to a shorter wait eventually, but I did get a lot of errands like the wash done at that time
Beautiful, intricate world? Yes. But one of the very worst games for socializing, I've found.
For me, the game that fits the OP's description best is LOTRO. That game world was created specifically with socializing in mind. And they've only added to that experience throughout the years.
That's not even close to being a social experience. Go play a mmo where everytime people log on they don't open up there quest book but instead are trying to find a group to get into. Then you will find a social experience.