Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Three years later... Still the same generic races in MMORGPs
Razeekster
Member UncommonPosts: 2,591
I joined MMORPG.com about 3 years ago and I remember one of my first articles was about how MMORPGs lacked race variation. Well, here we are today and not much has changed. I just don't get it. It's not as if the technology isn't there to create unique races. Do devs really think people enjoy playing elves, humans, and whatever loli-girl race is the current rage? Or even worse, are players actually satisfied with the race options in MMORPGs?
Only one MMORPG lets you play as a dragon, http://www.istaria.com/, and Istaria was originally released in 2003! So since 2003 no other company has had the bright idea to allow players to play as dragons instead of the same old, boring races that are pretty much tried out now.
I always thought it would be super cool if there was an MMORPG that was completely based underwater and you played as mermaids and mermen. How cool would that be? Now people are going to say that the technology is simply not there to achieve that, but I just don't buy it. I mean, the technology exists for millions of players to play in a vast open-ended galaxy, with no loading screens but... Underwater combat is just too hard (that is the most common excuse I hear)?! Again, I don't buy it.
I think developers and MMORPG companies are just lazy in the race aspect. They rehash the same ol' races time and time again because it's the "norm." I just hope that someone breaks the mold soon here because I am pretty sick of seeing the same boring races in practically every MMORPG.
What do you guys/gals think? What race would you love to see in an MMORPG?
Smile
Comments
yeah the whole humans,pointy eared humans & humans with tails is getting pretty old..
sure i guess it's hard to make non humanoid races when they keep on insisting on using visible gear with stats.. but if they'd walk away from that they could probably do just about anything.. only obstacle then would be animations. but that could probably be fixed with having classes tied to certain races.
I had fun once, it was terrible.
I only chalk it up to pure laziness. I've seen modders do amazing things with races+gear combined so if people that re just modding for fun and are able to do it I don't think it's really as hard as developers make it out to be. I think they just don't want to put the required work in that it would take to make the unique gear(s) needed for different body sizes/meshes.
Yes, it would be more work, but it would be completely unique and there would definitely be a playerbase for that kind of MMORPG if it was done right. Istaria did an awesome job with dragons in that aspect because they play completely differently from any other race in the game. Their crafting is different, housing for them is "lairs" that they can make on mountain tops or caves, and they can have hoards which strengthen them.
I just wish more MMORPGs would think outside the box with races.
Smile
I don't think the question is can they make different races but instead it is, will the players buy different races. Sure people can say they don't want the human type races but in the end will they except a game that doesn't have them in it?
Maybe some developer will give it a go and have maybe 1 race that isn't a human type race but I wouldn't expect to see a whole game on non-human races for some time.
Id love to have a discussion about diverse races in mmorpgs. Could we do it without trashing the genre? I don't feel like sifting through a bunch of "everything sucks" threads heh.
Your points about non-humanoid requiring a significant amount of extra work are correct. Also, players have often shown an aversion to playing non-humanoid races, often through an inability to 'connect' with their avatar. An extreme example would be EVE Online, a game where the player's primary representation is a ship.
One game worth checking out, especially since it plans to go free-to-play in a few months, is Asheron's Call. Of note is the Olthoi race, where you have the ability to play either the bipedal or flying versions of the insectoid race.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Who says it has to be a monster race? There are plenty of races to choose from, fairies, unicorns, satyrs, and also they don't even have to be fantasy based races. What about bears, wolves, foxes, or even an MMORPG based on birds where the different races could be anything from a raven to a hawk?
I don't see how implementing different races into an MMORPG is trying to be "different." I just see it as "Wow, let's do something that hasn't been done one millions freaking times already."
Smile
Start one. I think it would make for an interesting discussion, both in exploring what is out already there and in what can possibly be added/created for existing and future MMOs.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
But every time is something that hasn't been done before. There are varying degrees of similarity, but always there are differences, and what differences get a positive reception or negative reception are remembered for future iterations. Evolution, baby.
That is a fascinating statement to read on these forums.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I wouldn't consider it laziness. I think it is more of a fear to try something new. They know what people are OKAY with, they don't know what people will LOVE.
Originally posted by Arskaaa
"when players learned tacticks in dungeon/raids, its bread".
What exactly qualifies as "new"
Tera has 3 or 4 races that are humanoid but not even close to human. SWTOR has a bunch of races that are not human/elf/dwarf
Doesn't wildstar have some weird looking races ?
There's no shortage of unique looking races in games, but playing a cow or a tree probably isn't high on people priorities.
I guess I'm just confused. I would have thought that with Kickstarter something would have come out by now. It's like so many devs brag about how their game is going to be unique and change the genre for the better, but I've honestly yet to see it since I started playing MMORPGs in 2008.
Smile
Most MMOs are just an extension of the genre of fiction that bore them.
I'd rather see the races called "elf, dwarf, gnome" rather than a new take on the same thing. That said I do think a variety of large, bestial, different sort of races would be more fun. Tho' it's often shown they're the least played.
I liked being a dragon in Horizons, tho' it barely worked. I liked being a centaur in Shadowbane and their minotaur has been my favorite take on the classical race. I liked City of Villains because I could just be whatever really.
My table top RPG group just went over to Pathfinder after a great Supers GURPS game and it was kinda hard picking one of the same ol' same ol' races of dwarf, elf, and Pazio thought of some unique variants, but I just took a human anyway. Extra feat and more choice where to put my points right?
I've no problem with tradition, but I do hate limits. I didn't pick up ESO just cuz the Kijite & Agnonians were the most humanlike they've ever been in an ES game and that was disappointing. Morrowind it was not in race selection.
a yo ho ho
How about this: - an mmo where you basically have an evolution-engine at character creation which allows you to create a humanoid-ish race using certain sliders, and those choices you make impact upon your characters overall stats. Think Spore but more advanced.
A muscular character would have bonus's to strength, would be able to carry larger weapons and wear heavier armour, but would be slower and less agile. A character with big ears would gain detection attributes. A character with large feet and a nose of a reddish hue could take up the 'clown' tradeskill. Think of the possibilities...
True there are but I think any race that tends to have a general human look (fairies, satyrs to some point) still fall on the human side. Bears, wolves, creatures that walk on 4 or more legs would be different. It is going to take a developer that creates some race that is so non-human looking but is made that people want to play. Just putting in a race that is a bear or walks n 4 legs isn't enough. It has to cause people who see it to say, man I have to play that race. So far that hasn't happened. Hopefully it will.
EQ2 fan sites
Two words you should really learn: Market. Research.
We're always going to get semi-humanoid characters because that's what the majority of the market accepts/wants. You are not the majority, therefore your dollar, opinion, and vote are worth less than the larger sum to publishers/developers. That's capitalism.
However, if you want something that's at least a little different, camelot unchained has the St'rm, Gargoyles, Dyrads, etc. http://camelotunchained.com/en/races-2/strm/
a D&D inspired system from 1977, Arduin, added insect men as a player race
EQ2 fan sites
We have already seen wolf, cat, and lizard men in MMOs. Insect men never made it to CPRGs or D&D books I guess. It looks kind of interesting though.