›

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register

Quick Links

How could game developers encourage exploration?

KamolahyKamolahy Member Posts: 23
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM
I was reading up in Psychochild's blog about how to design a game in order to perpetuate exploration... here's the link. He has an interesting challenge, and many of the notes written by the readers were full of good input.



I then wrote an article in my own blog discussing my views on the matter. Not many people read my blog, so I'm curious with this community...



What do you think game devs could do to encourage more exploration in MMO games?

Teh blog to end all MMO blogs
http://mmoevolution.blogspot.com

Comments

  • Distortion0Distortion0 Member Posts: 668

    Hmm, I remember CoH did it by putting different things in the same zone. Like, Nemesis and their steam punk in one part of the zone, and Zombies in the other. Each would have their own dialog. And then you had the randomly places missions so that you had equal chance of exploring the zone.

    In my ideal game, I'd encourage exploration by having places change. Like:

    "Hmm, it's been a while since I've been to Anthora. I really liked it there, I wonder what it's like now."

    "Dude!? You didn't hear!? They overthrew their Prince! It's horrible, the loyalists versus the revolutionaries! The streets run red with blood!"

    "I...really have to get out more..."

  • ChessackChessack Member Posts: 978
    The best way to encourage exploration is to put really neat stuff in your world for people to find, IMO. It's fine to have badges and all, but players like to be stimulated by new and different experiences. Give them that and those who enjoy exploration, will explore for the sheer pleasure of it.



    C
  • Rayx0rRayx0r Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 2,902

    I think the best way to encourage exploration is to get rid of the ! and O NPC quest givers. Make quests more limited too. Make quests random things you stumble upon while exploring.  Make the NPC's dynamic who give these quests.  Make the quests themselves dynamic and limited time only.  Quit trying to incorporate so many in depth story arcs through quests, because over saturation has made them very non-important. 

    Instead of throwing the game, its world, npcs and quests together like a recipe and delevering this to the subscribers, become involved with the game and change its dynamics and change the world the subscribers are involved in.  Give subscribers a reason to wander off the beaten path, and let them know that the place they discover now may not be there a week, month or day from now.

    Mutable Realms was on to a fantastic thing when they started to develope "Wish".  Shame they folded their ideas.

    image

    “"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
  • ShinerBochShinerBoch Member Posts: 20
    A lot of things have to go together to make exploration worthwhile.



    Far reaching quests or plot points

    Unique items

    Make it more difficult to travel (maybe require food, water?)

    Hostile environments (swamps, arctic areas, unscalable mountains with narrow passes)

    Wilderness area without outposts (until "unlocked" by players or built by players)

    Region-specific resources

    Less empty space (SWG was horrible about this).

    Yes, I know I mispelled Shiner Bock. Don't blame me, blame society.

  • ianubisiianubisi Member Posts: 4,201

    Build it and they shall come. It's as simple as that.

    Exploration appeals to certain types of players. If you have a very large world, with interesting things to see, the people who want to explore will do so. Players who don't care about exploration won't bother regardless of how interesting you make it.

    It's a square peg to round hole issue. Don't try to make everyone into an explorer...it doesn't fit for a lot of players.

  • LordSlaterLordSlater Member Posts: 2,087
    Well eve is trying to encourage exploration by ahving random deadspace zones that move about in between star systems every few hours. They have to be found tho using Scan probes.

    image

  • wjrasmussenwjrasmussen Member Posts: 1,493
    Originally posted by Rayx0r


    I think the best way to encourage exploration is to get rid of the ! and O NPC quest givers. Make quests more limited too. Make quests random things you stumble upon while exploring.  Make the NPC's dynamic who give these quests.  Make the quests themselves dynamic and limited time only.  Quit trying to incorporate so many in depth story arcs through quests, because over saturation has made them very non-important. 
    Instead of throwing the game, its world, npcs and quests together like a recipe and delevering this to the subscribers, become involved with the game and change its dynamics and change the world the subscribers are involved in.  Give subscribers a reason to wander off the beaten path, and let them know that the place they discover now may not be there a week, month or day from now.
    Mutable Realms was on to a fantastic thing when they started to develope "Wish".  Shame they folded their ideas.



    I think your idea is forcing exploration at best. Exploring is great for those who love to explore but not so much for those who dislike it.  When I explore, it is usually without a purpose other than to explore.

    As to a more dynamic world and events changing things over time, it is a easy thing to say but to implement is harder.  Magic/black box thinking does not help, concrete working design is doable.

  • wjrasmussenwjrasmussen Member Posts: 1,493
    Originally posted by ianubisi


    Build it and they shall come. It's as simple as that.
    Exploration appeals to certain types of players. If you have a very large world, with interesting things to see, the people who want to explore will do so. Players who don't care about exploration won't bother regardless of how interesting you make it.
    It's a square peg to round hole issue. Don't try to make everyone into an explorer...it doesn't fit for a lot of players.
    I agree. And it seems obvious.
  • brostynbrostyn Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 3,092
    Games are all about rewards. If you reward people for exploring more people will do it. In EQ, rare named mobs had special loot, so it encouraged exploration. No not everyone would go out and hunt for the elusive named, but more people would do it, than would not.



    IMO, the problems that recent games have is that every area is the same. All the loot and experience is the same. There is no reward. I'm sorry but exploring a video game world isn't fun if all I can brag about is the cool scenery.
  • Rayx0rRayx0r Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 2,902
    Originally posted by wjrasmussen
    Originally posted by Rayx0r

    I think the best way to encourage exploration is to get rid of the ! and O NPC quest givers. Make quests more limited too. Make quests random things you stumble upon while exploring.  Make the NPC's dynamic who give these quests.  Make the quests themselves dynamic and limited time only.  Quit trying to incorporate so many in depth story arcs through quests, because over saturation has made them very non-important. 

    Instead of throwing the game, its world, npcs and quests together like a recipe and delevering this to the subscribers, become involved with the game and change its dynamics and change the world the subscribers are involved in.  Give subscribers a reason to wander off the beaten path, and let them know that the place they discover now may not be there a week, month or day from now.

    Mutable Realms was on to a fantastic thing when they started to develope "Wish".  Shame they folded their ideas.



    I think your idea is forcing exploration at best. Exploring is great for those who love to explore but not so much for those who dislike it.  When I explore, it is usually without a purpose other than to explore.

    As to a more dynamic world and events changing things over time, it is a easy thing to say but to implement is harder.  Magic/black box thinking does not help, concrete working design is doable.

     

    right, thats what this thread is about. exploration and those of us who enjoy it.  again, dynamic questing etc. isnt as hard to develop as you might think.  UO had a lot of this, dynamic questing and dynamic story arcs were Wish's backbone (when I alpha/beta tested it) they just couldnt go live due to the size of their operation and the cost.  its really not a myth.  connect the dots is getting very old, and its time to move past that stage..  call it 2nd generation if you will

    image

    “"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
  • Unknown


    How could developers encourage exploration? By building lots of places to explore.



    End of thread.
Sign In or Register to comment.