Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Vindictus.. Is this where we want the future of mmo's to be headed?
Vyeth
Member UncommonPosts: 1,461
It has so many players.. It has nice graphics.. Basically all instanced, almost single player gameplay. Great "story-on-rails". Basically no customization of your character. Arcade like controls and combat system.
So many people have praised this game, and with the pending release of DC Universe Online (which I am told holds some similarities such as the arcade controls and combat system) I am begining to wonder..
Is this where we see MMO's heading for the next gen? More action, less customization, hand crafted "one size fits all" story complete with cutscenes (similar to single player rpg's), and smaller "map based" worlds?
Are we completely done with Vanguard style offerings with multiple races/ class combinations, large gameworld, and classic "click to use" combat?
I mean, i've tried Rift and really enjoyed it, but it seems that many people feel that it did not do enough to really shine through in 2011..
As more and more MMO's are put into planning stages, where does the majority players feel they fit in? And i'm asking this question to PC Gamers as I am sure console gamers will always prefer the action based gameplay to get the most out of their gamepads..
As a PC Gamer and MMO player, which would you rather see more of in the coming year.. Action Based (DCUO) or Classic (RIFT)?
Comments
comparing the level of customization of DCUO with Vindictus is like comparing the Empire State building to a brick
same with the rest of features.
I can see our concerns about action MMOs taking over the classical rpg adventures, but if such action MMOs are shaped like DCUO Im not really sure it would be a loss for us, the gamers...
if it was like VIndictus then yeah, the genre would be in deep, deep trouble...
I'd rather see neither.
DCUO is definitely Arcade/console feeling. When a game is too action based its social side suffers.
Rifts is too much of the same old thing.
There really needs to be a middle ground or another path. What that is I'm not sure...
Drop the next-gen marketing and people will argue if the game itself has merit.
No of course not. Vindictus is a good filler, while you are inbetween your search for a new game.
Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...
Games ok for like a hour then its just repeating the same shit and boring.
Far from, the future of mmos are on consoles.
Really interested in the upcoming World of Darkness MMO being done by CCP. The fundamental system designed by White Wolf seems to have a level of depth and complexity unlike that of almost all mmorpgs being released for some time now. If CCP can smoothly transition the P&P game to a MMO while retaining its integrity it will be the first time I've been thrilled with a release in years.
Vindictus seems, to me, to be something you might play occasionally/rarely like a console beat em up rather than being akin to an immersive fully fleshed world that is a proper MMO.
There is room for both "worlds" and "lobbies" in the game sphere. There is money to be had from both styles. I think there's also going to be some cross over between the two styles as well.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Yes and no, for me.
Yes:
Armor that no-kidding breaks, not a little icon in the corner telling me it broke, that stuff is smashed off my toon.
Destructable/interactable environments, I can smash pillars, pick them up and hit baddies with them.
Skill based combat. Being able to dodge/block/evade is more important that gear/level.
No:
No customization at all. Sure you get a handful of skills to upgrade over time but it's very limited.
No exploration. Town > Dungeon > Town > etc.
That's all I can think of at the moment. In short, Vindictus is fun to play and an awesome arcade type multiplayer game but it doesn't meet my criteria for an MMORPG but I would like to see some of it's features translate to a full fledged MMO.
Really? I haven't seen much for "worlds."
The Chronicles of Spellborn was as close to the "middle ground" as I have seen so far and it did not last..
The problem I see with consoles is getting product to market, especially for indie developers. From a business standpoint, its always going to be easier to offer your game for download via a website than to have to collaborate with the owners of proprietary console platforms. I also think, and maybe its an old school bias, that console gaming is generally for retards who can't type haha. If consoles are the future of MMOs, well MMOs have an incredibly sad future.
It would seem so- look at the mechanics and solo-ability that are available now versus games ten years ago. The sheer number of rewards and speed of leveling versus the degree of repercussion for failure or even just for being a rude player. It does really seem that the there's a larger amount of content being created for the much more fickle Xbox live crowd.
I wouldn't really consider a game like Vindictus even similar to more RPG-ish mmo's like Rift/WoW or anything. It definently falls more in line with the Action mmo genre.
As far as action mmo's go, Vindictus is definently the direction i'd kind of like to see more games take. Instanced gameplay and repeatable content is pretty commonplace in action mmo's, which Vindictus didn't really change or improve on in any way as far as im concerned, but destructible/interactive environments and a more twitch based combat system, rather than the beat-em-up style like in Lunia/GhostX were definently improvements to the genre to me. 3D gameplay is also nice, again most action mmo's play like side scroller beat-em-ups.
But what goes on in the Action mmo genre has proven to have nothing to do with I guess you would call, traditional mmo's like WoW/Vanguard/etc..
Oh but I think it does..
Depending on the success of DCUO and any other action based MMO that comes out, we could see a shift, much in the same way World Of Warcraft forced change in the industry..
Every company will be out to grab a peice of that pie with their new action based mmo's.. You would of course have some indie companies release "unique" offerings, but the heavy hitters are all waiting for the "next best thing"..
The question is, should the "next best thing" inherit more from the action based gameplay or classic, traditional style gameplay?
Is there even a way to re-invent the traditional gameplay anymore? Has WoW pretty much dried up all that was left of the "click to use" gameplay? Do we not have any choice going forward but to change the way you play the game in order to keep the genre fresh?
If the MMO Genre were a restaurant, and MMOs were food, and say World of Warcraft is a hamburger, and all the other MMOs like WoW were hamburgers with different toppings. I'd say Action based MMOs like Vindictus would be Chicken fried steak, and DCUO would be Fried Chicken. Meaning I think they are competing dishes that will generally have people gravity to one or the other. But over all add to the menu that is MMOs. To that, some days I want a burger, other days I want chicken fried steak, or perhaps Curry, etc. Variance, I think is the key to no getting burned out of MMOs altogether.
Undead Labs zombie console only mmo, Turbine console only mmo, CCP's Dust 514 console only mmo. These are just the start of whats to come I would imagine and yes I can type!
Hm, good point, If there was a massive shift of interest into Action mmos, I guess it would be possible. But yea I think that might partially, maybe even largely depend on how well traditional mmo's do in the futur. Traditonal Rpg gameplay and persistent worlds still are more popular and prefered in mmo's, at least with modern/todays players.
I at least, would like to see both genres continue to live on seperately, as I've enjoyed both games like Vanguard/EQ and Lunia/Vindictus.
Extending the fun bit by bit like eating a 1 inch bread part by part isnt interesting to me. I WANT TO EAT MASSIVE AMOUNT OF BREAD AND BE STUFFED!
MMO's with the WoW "Gaming Style" are all games where they just try to extend your gaming time to a incredibly ridiculous amount. In my times, when I used to play Ultima Online, where progressing in levels by doing quests that obliges you to follow their path was just out of the question, I was having fun doing role-play/crafting/collecting/living in a massive multiplayer world.
Now it is just not like that. And i'm pretty sure 95% of the playerbase isnt even interested in this because they haven't tried it.
I am happy those Half-MMO Half-ServerBased Game are coming out. It's just the best for ME.
Exactly. Contrary to popular belief around here, it's possible to have several types of popular and successful MMOs. I know that doesn't fit the black or white thinking here, but as far as I can tell we're still safe - the sky isn't falling.
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
Eventually all game genre's will be turned into mmo's so expect to see more action mmo's, afterall they are simpler to develop and produce. Just as rpgs took a hit because of the change that Diablo brought to the genre, traditional mmo's may experience the same. It all depends on the consumer dollar. If it attracts more attention than the traditional mmo's coming out then expect to see more of it.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/7300033012
I heard thats pretty accurate these days.
yup, for the newer generation of consoles - you'll see far less MMOS because they have super strict rules of even being considered for a console - but at least you won't get your ass fucked by a company going out of business randomly with false promises so on so forth - I agree MMOs future is consoles - I remember I thought FPS games could only work for PC , boy was I wrong, lol.
can't wait to see what the future holds.
I'm with Skeaser. Vindictus did a few things right that I wouldn't mind other games at least looking into. Things like break away armor and destructable/usable environment are great options. I am always in favoro of options, the more the better. Being able to slash away with my weapons or cast magic and then at a whim pick up a chunk of a smashed pillar, or a 2x4 and take it to the skull of whatever target I have in mind gives me tremendous flexibility and enriches my gameplay.
The "skill based" dodging/blocking/evading I like because once again it puts me in control of the character I'm playing. I am no longer reliant on percentages and numbers in calculations running in the back trying to figure out if I do in fact avoid that giant club that I can SEE coming at me from a mile away. It makes the combat more visceral for me and at least personally increases the immersion quality of said game.
Now on to the negatives. As Skeaser said, you don't get to do very much customization. You're stuck wielding swords, wearing sets of armor that everybody who has advanced to the level of gameplay as you is wearing. Everybody generally looks the same. Given that it is a lobby game, you're never really roaming around finding unexpected hidden gems strewn throughout a large free roaming world. You're on rails and you have predetermained stops.
Would I want all mmos to go the way of Vindictus? Absolutely not. I can only play vindictus for maybe 2 hours and even that's pushign it. The constant hack and slash action also prevents me from talking to the people around me because my hands are busy on the mouse and keyboard fighting/dodging the enemy and I have no time to type messages or send tells. To me games like Vindictus are one of those you jump into for 20 minutes to 1 hour just to get your jollies out by smashing away at some enemies and then logging off... at least that's how I play it. There really isn't anything compelling enough personally to keep me there any longer. The community is pretty quiet. As I've said before they're too busy killing and avoiding damage to type in the constantly flowing action. For some this is the perfect game, you get in and get out and go about your merry way. For others looking for an immersive world that allows them for more then just action via fighting, Vindictus will feel very rushed, empty, cold and devoid of the social connection that they look for in games.
Every "kind" of mmo has it's place. There technically shouldn't be a right and wrong. What the OP is worried about is the same thing the "old school" generation is dealin/has dealth with the past 6 or so years. Their preffered play style is potentially being replaced by something else and it's not necessarily a pleasant feeling. My only advice is to deal with it. If there's money to be made from it, then that's where the genre will stear towards. If the majority likes it, you'll either end up playing with them or you'll just walk away. Sad by true.
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-
I have always found it astonishing how lacking in foresight people are. You are quite right to be concerned OP. Nearly everyone has the ability to recognise a trend given sufficient years of it developing. And that’s where most people stop, it is almost as if they were caught in a prison of ‘the now’ trapped in the moment of the present day. Here is a simple rule if you have problems with foresight, no trend stops unless another force develops to stop it.
Mobile/Cell phones did not stop until nearly every person on the planet had one, there was nothing else we could have in their place. Tablet PC’s have competition; not nearly everyone in the world will end up owning one. That’s futurology 101 over with.
MMO design philosophy has changed; it was once making MMO’s for RPG game fans and roleplayers. Now the design philosophy is to make a game that a person who has never played a MMO before could jump into. A game a person who has never played a RPG or roleplayed before could jump into without any learning curve at all.
This imaginary person who would never actually bother to play a MMO is who our games are being designed for. Currently if they play anything it is something like Farmville. Now you want them to play your MMO, these are people who play Farmville remember. We are designing for the gaming illiterate here; keep it as dumbed down as you can. The irony is that these people are very unlikely to ever play a MMO, no matter how simple it is. Meanwhile those of us who do play MMO’s have to put up with more and more hand holding. They will play a MMO one day though, when the MMO genre becomes a travesty of the online worlds it once brought to us all, when Farmville is the MMO norm.
While I am all in favour of different online game styles, we are seeing a sea change in the way MMO’s are headed. We are already well on that course and have been since WoW was launched. Use your foresight, why will it stop here? What force is there that is going to put a check to all this? Player annoyance at these changes is a factor, but we are not organised or vocal enough about it. That alone wont stop the process, other groups of gamers have been left out to dry for a bigger player base before. Roleplayers are now a minority concern in gaming, have been for years. Adventure gamers were given the elbow at roughly the same time. Anyone who objects to easy mode gaming will be next; I guess they will call us ‘hardcore gamers’ or some such.
Anyone for another baby’s milk run quest? Put your nappy on and get online for another rollercoaster ride. What a bloody joke the MMO genre has become.
Just because you see some people on forums talk about how great Vindicutus is doesnt mean its a popular game
No one in mainstream mmos even knows wtf that game is, no one talks about it, its just another F2P forgetware that people play for a 2 weeks then delete off their computer
Guidl wars 2, Rift, SWTOR, all are next mainstream games and all are your AAA mmo titles and nothing like junkware titles like DCUO and Vindictus, these games will be remembered, the shovelware will not
DCUO will not be popular, it will have a niche crowd just like Vindictus has a small niche crowd playing it, these type of games will never replace real MMOs, they will only be games you play when absolutely nothing else good is avaiable