There was a random chance in Baldur's Gate for lightning to strike and potentially kill those wearing metal armor. That was kind of interesting.
Haha, that's the worst sort of "one of you randomly dies" gameplay a game can offer! At least face-to-face gygax-style D&D means that the DM gets a laugh as they crush a player's soul in person. Without the DM being present, nobody is having fun in those situations. But the player still thinks the videogame equivalent of "Man, what an asshole DM..." and considers not playing the game.
Good weather effects would generate interesting opportunities, and create more interesting tactics to a game. Good weather shouldn't just be a massive penalty for players that they can't really do anything about. Even being forced to remove armor during storms sounds like "all penalty, no fun."
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
There was a random chance in Baldur's Gate for lightning to strike and potentially kill those wearing metal armor. That was kind of interesting.
Haha, that's the worst sort of "one of your randomly dies" gameplay a game can offer! At least face-to-face gygax-style D&D means that the DM gets a laugh as they crush a player's soul in person. Without the DM being present, nobody is having fun in those situations. But the player still thinks the videogame equivalent of "Man, what an asshole DM..." and considers not playing the game.
Good weather effects would generate interesting opportunities, and create more interesting tactics to a game. Good weather shouldn't just be a massive penalty for players that they can't really do anything about. Even being forced to remove armor during storms sounds like "all penalty, no fun."
I don't know how to explain it, but I think that is part of the fun. I guessing almost anything in game could be thought of as not being fan and a possible cause of frustration, but that is part of the adventure I guess. Going unknown places you don't know what to expect. Anything could randomly happen. The scenario you mentioned might be good for role play though. Having to take off your metal armor during storms could open up some fun ideas for stories.
I've often wondered why "time" is nonexistent in video games, MMOs especially. Sure, there is a clock, dates, and numbers indicating time, but only the bright day and less bright night time indicates the passage of time. Seasons do not happen.
To me, this is a MAJOR way to make the world live and breathe. Without it, it is just a static map.
- 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've often wondered why "time" is nonexistent in video games, MMOs especially. Sure, there is a clock, dates, and numbers indicating time, but only the bright day and less bright night time indicates the passage of time. Seasons do not happen.
To me, this is a MAJOR way to make the world live and breathe. Without it, it is just a static map.
Because it does not added to the fun much?
Sure ... time "happens" in SP games by events and story. But weather events? Most probably wouldn't notice or care.
Catastrophic events are a tricky thing to get right.
Sure, they can add immersion and many players will like them for this reason. They can also add challenge and additional gameplay elements (reinforcing, etc).
But there are also many players who will just see these kind of things as an inconvenience that hurts their enjoyment of the game. And that's before we even get to the really "catastrophic" events that could destroy what the players have created. (housing, farms, etc).
But, I am sure it can be pulled off, if the game has a clear vision/direction and communicates this aspect from the getgo.
There is surely a decently sized target niche that will see these things as a challenge and enjoy a game that incorporates them. Especially if the game provides ways to (at least partially) protect yourself by building cleverly, investing more to reinforce what you are building, choosing good spots to build, etc in order to add whole new layers of gameplay.
In my opinion this is one of the go big or go home things, you can't just tack it on halfheartedly, you have to go all in and design the entire game with these things in mind.
The people here get so worked up about player greiefers, do we really need the environment to grief them too?
Yes
That's a huge part of what sets the stage IMO. A dark and foreboding forest isn't very foreboding if it isn't dark.
A forest being dark has nothing to do with having 2 hours to play, logging in and finding a random hurricane on your server. I guess you would expect all the mobs to be out pathing as if nothing is going on because that is oh so in line with the OPs idea. Hey look! There's that bunch of 50 rats I need to kill out roaming around in 130mph winds and rain falling sideways while a storm surge destroys the beaches.
or even better, there's a troll walking casually through a volcanic eruption while the pyro plastic flow burns his arse up.
EQ set the mood you describe over a decade ago. It's not new. Having earthquakes destroy a player city or blizzards lasting days is an entirely different horse and it ain't even close to the same color.
is that like when you light a plastic bag on fire, it drips onto the ground/your hand?
I think the real issue and problem is that "most" gamers these days do NOT enjoy inconvenience outside of combat.. Gamers bitch and complain about traveling. They bitch about food/drink requirement. They bitch about character performance limits like weight encumbrance & regeneration. They bitch about falling and terrain damage or restrictions. They bitch when they miss out on global events. They bitch about ANY downtime between fights.. I honestly believe that most gamers simply play for non stop whack a mole combat, everything else is a waste..
This is why you will not see true night and dungeon problems with night vision, or any weather problems.. etc etc.. It simply interferes with their whack a mole enjoyment..
I think the real issue and problem is that "most" gamers these days do NOT enjoy inconvenience outside of combat.. Gamers bitch and complain about traveling. They bitch about food/drink requirement. They bitch about character performance limits like weight encumbrance & regeneration. They bitch about falling and terrain damage or restrictions. They bitch when they miss out on global events. They bitch about ANY downtime between fights.. I honestly believe that most gamers simply play for non stop whack a mole combat, everything else is a waste..
This is why you will not see true night and dungeon problems with night vision, or any weather problems.. etc etc.. It simply interferes with their whack a mole enjoyment..
I mostly agree.
Here is the definition of adventure I looked up on the web.
1. An exciting or very usual experience
2. Participating in exciting undertakings or enterprises
3. A bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome
4. A commercial or financial speculation of any kind, venture
I feel people miss the idea of what the games were created for in the first place. Basically it's to go on adventures. On adventures random things happen that are out of your control. That is why it's an adventure. If you have a GPS to show you where to and someone to tell you what to do it's no longer and adventure. It is just following a string like a robot, doing a side game PvE (Group/Raid), or doing a PvP(esport). Getting frustrated and having bad things happen is part of the ingredients needed for and adventure.
Comments
Haha, that's the worst sort of "one of you randomly dies" gameplay a game can offer! At least face-to-face gygax-style D&D means that the DM gets a laugh as they crush a player's soul in person. Without the DM being present, nobody is having fun in those situations. But the player still thinks the videogame equivalent of "Man, what an asshole DM..." and considers not playing the game.
Good weather effects would generate interesting opportunities, and create more interesting tactics to a game. Good weather shouldn't just be a massive penalty for players that they can't really do anything about. Even being forced to remove armor during storms sounds like "all penalty, no fun."
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I don't know how to explain it, but I think that is part of the fun. I guessing almost anything in game could be thought of as not being fan and a possible cause of frustration, but that is part of the adventure I guess. Going unknown places you don't know what to expect. Anything could randomly happen. The scenario you mentioned might be good for role play though. Having to take off your metal armor during storms could open up some fun ideas for stories.
I've often wondered why "time" is nonexistent in video games, MMOs especially. Sure, there is a clock, dates, and numbers indicating time, but only the bright day and less bright night time indicates the passage of time. Seasons do not happen.
To me, this is a MAJOR way to make the world live and breathe. Without it, it is just a static map.
- 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
Because it does not added to the fun much?
Sure ... time "happens" in SP games by events and story. But weather events? Most probably wouldn't notice or care.
Catastrophic events are a tricky thing to get right.
Sure, they can add immersion and many players will like them for this reason. They can also add challenge and additional gameplay elements (reinforcing, etc).
But there are also many players who will just see these kind of things as an inconvenience that hurts their enjoyment of the game. And that's before we even get to the really "catastrophic" events that could destroy what the players have created. (housing, farms, etc).
But, I am sure it can be pulled off, if the game has a clear vision/direction and communicates this aspect from the getgo.
There is surely a decently sized target niche that will see these things as a challenge and enjoy a game that incorporates them. Especially if the game provides ways to (at least partially) protect yourself by building cleverly, investing more to reinforce what you are building, choosing good spots to build, etc in order to add whole new layers of gameplay.
In my opinion this is one of the go big or go home things, you can't just tack it on halfheartedly, you have to go all in and design the entire game with these things in mind.
is that like when you light a plastic bag on fire, it drips onto the ground/your hand?
Ea is like a poo fingered midas ~ShakyMo
This isn't a signature, you just think it is.
I think the real issue and problem is that "most" gamers these days do NOT enjoy inconvenience outside of combat.. Gamers bitch and complain about traveling. They bitch about food/drink requirement. They bitch about character performance limits like weight encumbrance & regeneration. They bitch about falling and terrain damage or restrictions. They bitch when they miss out on global events. They bitch about ANY downtime between fights.. I honestly believe that most gamers simply play for non stop whack a mole combat, everything else is a waste..
This is why you will not see true night and dungeon problems with night vision, or any weather problems.. etc etc.. It simply interferes with their whack a mole enjoyment..
I mostly agree.
Here is the definition of adventure I looked up on the web.
1. An exciting or very usual experience
2. Participating in exciting undertakings or enterprises
3. A bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome
4. A commercial or financial speculation of any kind, venture
5. obsolete (peril, risk, danger)(chance, fortune, luck)
I feel people miss the idea of what the games were created for in the first place. Basically it's to go on adventures. On adventures random things happen that are out of your control. That is why it's an adventure. If you have a GPS to show you where to and someone to tell you what to do it's no longer and adventure. It is just following a string like a robot, doing a side game PvE (Group/Raid), or doing a PvP(esport). Getting frustrated and having bad things happen is part of the ingredients needed for and adventure.