Asheron's Call randomly generated loot system where a monster's level gave a rough estimation of the general quality of the loot, but would drop completely randomized items to where you would almost never find two of the same item truly identical. This allowed for some fantastic hunting and looting trips, as well as an item trading market where people actively sought specific items and would value them accordingly.
Factions in Everquest. Some hate it due to the number of timesinks involved with it, but the idea that even the most hated race could be welcome amongst the side of good with enough work on behalf of the player has always appealed to me. Gives the player a bit more control over how they want their character to be viewed as players aren't forced into making a permanent choice between the "good races" and the "evil races."
DAoC's 3-way Realm versus Realm system they had implemented. I don't think I'll ever see something like that... well at least not in the near future.
No required quests! And if I decide I want to be an assassin-cartographer-dancer-pastry chef who lives only to stalk and kill interior decorators, then that's who I want to be, even if it takes me four years to max all the skills and everyone else thinks I'm freaking nuts. -Madimorga-
As for an actual mechanic, I'd say cooldowns (or at least the 6 - 30 second cooldowns). I think cooldowns were an indirect creation from older games, but having them in MMO's creates this small element of mind strategy.
Close second, I'd think public quests, given their nature to take the best elements of solo play and throw those next to cooperative play.
Hmm, I can't really pick a single mechanic. I guess if I go broad enough, it was SWG's player run economy, which included the in-depth resource system, crafting, player housing, player cities, vendors, etc. I know it's cheating, but it's the combination of all those things that made it so great.
As for an actual mechanic, I'd say cooldowns (or at least the 6 - 30 second cooldowns). I think cooldowns were an indirect creation from older games, but having them in MMO's creates this small element of mind strategy. Close second, I'd think public quests, given their nature to take the best elements of solo play and throw those next to cooperative play.
Don't mind cooldowns at all as long as there isn't thirty second to one minute cooldowns for the majority of my skills when fights only last about 10 -15 seconds.
1. IDOCs: Houses from player accounts that are no longer paid for, are going through different stages ("Like new", "slightly worn", "greatly worn" etc.) until they finally reach their last stage "In Danger of Collapsing". Other player knew about these stages by clicking on the door sign (imagine you could make the same system today with changes in graphics too...). People also knew about the length of each stage. So a few minutes before the house actually crumbles to dust a lot of player recalled to that house and fought about the items. Yes, once the house was destroyed, every item simply dropped to the ground, free for loot for anyone.
2. Rares: In Ultima Online some player seek a special profession: They collect rares. These rare hunters do nothing else than collecting rares and showing them inside their houses. Some even decorated their house like a museum. There are lots of different rares in the game. Server born rares for example sell for several million, while daily rares for exampel sell for less. I had a lot fun getting into the game each morning, shortly after server up, trying to collect these dailys. There are alyways some other player trying to do exactly the same thing.
I can not understand why neither of them was integrated into another game yet (as far as I know).
Love the Public Quest idea, but the execution is tricky. They are SO reliant on having the right number of players/levels. So often they are either too easy or way too grindy/difficult.
I'm going to take some flak and say that PQs belong in instances, where levels and numbers can be controlled.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
My favourite ever game mechanic was SWG's shifting resource system. It's the only game I've ever played where exploration was a useful playstyle.
Could you describe it?
There were tons of resource types in SWG. Each type would spawn with a set of random statistics that were used in the crafting process. Each resource would only last a certain number of days, I think it was wholly dependant on how much was being harvested on the server. Every few days, old resource types would phase out to be replaced with newer ones, that were sometimes better, sometimes not.
A good crafter would always search out new resources on a daily basis, as the best resources equalled the best crafted items.
Add in the fact you had 9 or so planets to check up on every day, and it was a game in and of itself.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Comments
Asheron's Call randomly generated loot system where a monster's level gave a rough estimation of the general quality of the loot, but would drop completely randomized items to where you would almost never find two of the same item truly identical. This allowed for some fantastic hunting and looting trips, as well as an item trading market where people actively sought specific items and would value them accordingly.
Factions in Everquest. Some hate it due to the number of timesinks involved with it, but the idea that even the most hated race could be welcome amongst the side of good with enough work on behalf of the player has always appealed to me. Gives the player a bit more control over how they want their character to be viewed as players aren't forced into making a permanent choice between the "good races" and the "evil races."
DAoC's 3-way Realm versus Realm system they had implemented. I don't think I'll ever see something like that... well at least not in the near future.
No required quests! And if I decide I want to be an assassin-cartographer-dancer-pastry chef who lives only to stalk and kill interior decorators, then that's who I want to be, even if it takes me four years to max all the skills and everyone else thinks I'm freaking nuts. -Madimorga-
As for an actual mechanic, I'd say cooldowns (or at least the 6 - 30 second cooldowns). I think cooldowns were an indirect creation from older games, but having them in MMO's creates this small element of mind strategy.
Close second, I'd think public quests, given their nature to take the best elements of solo play and throw those next to cooperative play.
Hmm, I can't really pick a single mechanic. I guess if I go broad enough, it was SWG's player run economy, which included the in-depth resource system, crafting, player housing, player cities, vendors, etc. I know it's cheating, but it's the combination of all those things that made it so great.
1. Combat system in Spellborn
2. Diplomacy system in Vanguard
3. Phasing system in WoW: WoTLK
Don't mind cooldowns at all as long as there isn't thirty second to one minute cooldowns for the majority of my skills when fights only last about 10 -15 seconds.
Ultima Online:
1. IDOCs: Houses from player accounts that are no longer paid for, are going through different stages ("Like new", "slightly worn", "greatly worn" etc.) until they finally reach their last stage "In Danger of Collapsing". Other player knew about these stages by clicking on the door sign (imagine you could make the same system today with changes in graphics too...). People also knew about the length of each stage. So a few minutes before the house actually crumbles to dust a lot of player recalled to that house and fought about the items. Yes, once the house was destroyed, every item simply dropped to the ground, free for loot for anyone.
2. Rares: In Ultima Online some player seek a special profession: They collect rares. These rare hunters do nothing else than collecting rares and showing them inside their houses. Some even decorated their house like a museum. There are lots of different rares in the game. Server born rares for example sell for several million, while daily rares for exampel sell for less. I had a lot fun getting into the game each morning, shortly after server up, trying to collect these dailys. There are alyways some other player trying to do exactly the same thing.
I can not understand why neither of them was integrated into another game yet (as far as I know).
Could you describe it?
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Love the Public Quest idea, but the execution is tricky. They are SO reliant on having the right number of players/levels. So often they are either too easy or way too grindy/difficult.
I'm going to take some flak and say that PQs belong in instances, where levels and numbers can be controlled.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
1. SWG's crafting/resource system. These guys fucking nailed it.
2. UOs treasure maps. Tons of fun.
3. DAoCs 3-way RvR.
PAST: UO-SWG-DAOC-WOW-DDO-VG-AOC-WAR-FE-DFO-LOTRO-RIFT-GW2
PRESENT: Nothing
FUTURE: ESO
Could you describe it?
There were tons of resource types in SWG. Each type would spawn with a set of random statistics that were used in the crafting process. Each resource would only last a certain number of days, I think it was wholly dependant on how much was being harvested on the server. Every few days, old resource types would phase out to be replaced with newer ones, that were sometimes better, sometimes not.
A good crafter would always search out new resources on a daily basis, as the best resources equalled the best crafted items.
Add in the fact you had 9 or so planets to check up on every day, and it was a game in and of itself.
Theres nothing else even close.
PAST: UO-SWG-DAOC-WOW-DDO-VG-AOC-WAR-FE-DFO-LOTRO-RIFT-GW2
PRESENT: Nothing
FUTURE: ESO
Housing. The one in SWG is the nest. the best
Full loot is always fun. Or, to be more precise, PvP with full looting is always extremely fun/exciting/addictive.
Flying, as implemented in Shadowbane.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon