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Psychology of MMORPG's: What Keeps You Playing? (POLL)
BigHatLogan
Member Posts: 688
When you play an MMORPG what is it that keeps you playing? Most MMORPG’s have some sort of progression system in place which is generally either a level or skill based system. Eventually, a player will either max out the level cap, skill cap, or at the very least the skills that the player will use. So how do you feel when you reach this point? Is constant progression necessary to keep you interested in playing a MMORPG?
The point I speak of is often referred to as an MMORPG’s endgame. All MMORPG’s try to release new content to keep players interested, but this content is usually consumed quicker than it can be created. So what keeps you playing?
Some MMORPG’s have a system for alternative advancement. This might take the form of a gear treadmill for advancing through PVE content. I.E. You may need to complete a raid dungeon in order to get gear to be able to do the next raid dungeon. It could also take the form of an advanced class or advanced skills that you can only grind upon reaching level cap. Or it could simply take the form of a periodic and consistent increase in the max level cap.
Not every MMORPG has an alternative advancement system though. Some seek to retain players with PVP or social/guild systems. Instead of advancing a character’s power, players might build a personal house or join a guild and fight over territory.
Other MMORPG’s actually have a punishment system in place. Perhaps you lose experience points/levels, or lose all your equipment, or maybe even stay dead when you die. In these games players are either advancing their character or stockpiling resources in the event of a catastrophic loss. These MMORPG’s allow a character’s constant progression at the expense of such progression not being permanent.
Which system would keep you playing the longest? (see POLL)
Option 1: Constant Progression
I need constant character progression. When I have reached the level/skill cap I will advance my character through gear progression. When I have progressed as far as I can with regard to gear then I will socialize with my guild and wait for new content. If new content isn’t released periodically then I will search for a new game.
Option 2: Have Fun at Level/Skill Cap
I want to reach my goal and hit the level/skill cap so that I can have fun. I want to socialize with other players, perhaps join a guild and fight over territory. Guild politics may interest me. I may want to build a house. I may want to focus on owning folks in PVP. I do not want to lose levels or gear as I do not want to have to grind any more.
Option 3: Risk vs. Reward
The entire game should be the endgame. I want risk and reward. When I die I want to lose gear and/or levels/experience/skill points. If I reach the cap I will horde gear in case I do suffer a catastrophic loss. When others die I want to take their gear and./or experience points. I believe the risk and reward system will make PVP, guild politics and wars very interesting.
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I will play no more MMORPGs until somethign good comes out!
Comments
None of the above. I like to explore, discover new places, new ways to do things, new things to fight, new items to make, new ways to allocate skill points, even new stuff to decorate my apartment with.
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Personnally, game can have all 3 options, but if there's no grouping/cooperation to attain something an indiviual can't.. I tend to grow bored rapidly..
I would have voted 1 and 3 but picked 3.
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Answer: It all depends (on everything)
Achievements somehow have me hooked in Wow and in Lotro it's the questing and exploring the areas.
Hm, not one of those really, I like 2 specific things.
*exploring new areas, especially on release of an MMO, exploration I guess
*seeing hundreds of people together and doing something together, the MMO feel (I hate instances)
None of the above.
An honest review of SW:TOR 6/10 (Danny Wojcicki)
I would have to vote very very tenuously for "constant progression" but not in the way you've phrased it.
What keeps me playing are a few primary things.
First, is the game fun? I don't care what else there is. if playing the game is as fun as pounding two rocks together. I'm not playing.
Next, and this is where the "constant progression" comes is. The ability to set a goal, and make some sort of measurable advancement towards it. If that is advancing in level/gear. Ok. If its something else entirely, even better. What kills people at end level is the lack of goalsonce they reach them. So really option 1 and 2 are kinda the same thing.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
I think I prefer #2 most, but I like consistant progression as well.
I want to play a game that has fun mechanics, and I like the disparity that progression can bring when it comes to gear. I'm completely satisfied when a game has grind for cosmetics/fluff but everybody has access to best quality items. (you could have a max damage sword right off the bat, but you have to work to endgame to get that glowing ember skin for it).
I don't like death penalties, or losing my items because of PvP.
edited to answer the question properly
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I get banned in the forums for games I love, so lets see if I do better in the forums for games I hate.
I enjoy the serenity of not caring what your opinion is.
I don't hate much, but I hate Apple© with a passion. If Steve Jobs was alive, I would punch him in the face.
What I really wanted to find out was if people need constant progression of there character to have fun with an mmorpg. By this I was meaning basically levels/skills and gear upgrades. Option 1 was supposed to be a form of "yes" while option 2 was supposed to be a sort of "I want to run around, explore, pvp, build houses, fish, chit chat with my homies", basically to have fun doing stuff other than character progression with the progression only having been done in the first place to facilitate the fun. Option 3 is kinda self explanatory. Like option 2 except that it can all be taken away and regained.
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I will play no more MMORPGs until somethign good comes out!
Character Affinity
It might come from pride, lulz, healthy adoration, nurture or a combo but if I don't feel dedicated to my Character I don't keep playing.
Well, I like creating a character that has an own personality (character customization)
I like joining forces with other players (grouping, guilds)
I like to explore a gameworld with these players (quests, exploration, open / seamless world, raiding)
I like learning how to play my character optimally and how to equip / skill / etc them optimally
Didn't vote.
None of those things matter.
The game's fun is derived from the enjoyment of the most common activities. Whether those activities are done at level cap or not is irrelevant. Whether those activities involve progression isn't that relevant. And "risk vs. reward" is certainly not what most players want (but they do want challenge vs. reward.)
So what matters is the quality of the major features you engage with on a regular basis. Usually combat. The features you engage with consistently *are* the game, so if they're fun the game is fun.
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
Friends.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Friends, lore and immersion are the only things that keeps me playing an mmo.
Pretty close. When I have progressed as far as I can with regard to gear, I roll an alt in order to get back to progression.
None of above.
I play(ed) mmorpg's for feeling of a living breathing world, full of things to do. I liked that mmorpg's are games that melt combat game, economic game, tactic-based game, social game,etc - basically few genres combined into one game and with some mini-games addded
That there is multitude things to do and that world is truly persistant and that game world have both opportunities and limitations.
Sadly not many mmorpg are done like that currently. Nowadays they are about co-op combat experience and solo experience. Combat and gear grind and not much beside that. Bleagh
Waiting for ArcheAge though, even if that's themepark /sandbox mix it still looks better feature and possiblity wise than gear grinder WoW-clones anyway.
If game was intresting and full of challenge progression could be fun. But im more for risk vs reward with huge challenge.
I need to feel im stepping into world full of danger if its players or mobs i rather have both and i can have real adventure exploring discover things in a real sandbox setting so i can also build or breake down things and change the gameworld.
Well the obvious a Skyrim world in a mmo settings. But must be sandbox and free for all or no go for me.
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Number 1 doesn't always have to be gear progression. It can be story progression, crafting progression, alternate advancement mechanics progression, achievements progression, collections progression and so forth. That's why I chose number 1. After that I choose number 3.
I agree with this.
None of the above. I tend to level a character to max and once I'm there I get bored with the repetition and re-roll another toon. This continues until I get bored and move on, IF I haven't already become too bored being stuck playing solo.
I want a game that requires grouping throughout the entire game to get anything worthwhile accomplished as far as experience goes. I would like activities such as harvesting, housing, diplomacy, crafting, and after playing SWTOR a nice little arcade style mini game for when I can't get a group.
None of the above. Challenge and mastering the game is the biggest thing that keeps me playing games after I'm finished with their intended "content". It often means PvP.
I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky
Over years iv stumble upon few features different games had.First is from game silkroad/I really liked the world felt huge,also the party monsters spawn each time u get in 2-max party and gave bigger exp and loot/party bosses and champion monsters.Loved that as walk i can see huge boss wandering and kill it with pleasure.
Next is from Dekaron/Loved that once u reach the max level u can reset and start from 1 but with same stats and leving more u gain more stats and get stronger.Loved that so u can be occupyed alot just to level.
Third is from awesome game but dead as migth say RF online/I really loved the race vs race battles,Mechs how each race have each special perk over other,where else u can be robot and beat elfs or little people.Loved that game but than again it went dead.
Fourth is the Atlantica online- was very big sceptic at first but than for first time in 2008/2009 i think when entered in OB i trully was astonished how awesome and diff it was.The world was like wtf i didnt knew where to click or wat to do,i really felt into this game and loved the turn based janra if i can call it that way.I really wish more turn based games like Atlantica be maded,was amazing the strategy and the pve.But than again nexon gained power over it and graphics are darn bad so its dead to me aswell.
All can say those are the games ima remember forever and their part of wat they were the best to me.Atm cant see any good mmorpg for me,and ima keep waitin or just jump on those f2p shooters that are coming soon.
Addiction.
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