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[Column] General: What the MMO Can Learn from the RPG & Vice Versa

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
in News & Features Discussion

Inspired by reader comments, Ryahl takes a look at the Massively Multiplayer and Action RPG genres.  He discusses recent convergence between the two and explores elements from each genre that could improve the other genre.

Read more of Ryahl Smith's What MMOs Could Learn from RPGs & Vice Versa.

image

The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants attack the Xavier Institute in Marvel Heroes


¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


Comments

  • TwoThreeFourTwoThreeFour Member UncommonPosts: 2,155

    Diablo 1 (1996) was not the initial entry into the ARPG field. 

     

    Final Fantasy  Adventure (Seiken Densetsu 1) was released in 1991 and  was also an Action RPG.

     

     

  • GrinnzGrinnz Member UncommonPosts: 312
    City of Heroes used "procedurally generated instances" for most of it's content, and in my opinion was one of the greatest MMO's ever, but lacked the loot grind (sadly) which was more a flaw of it's genre moreso than the game itself.
  • syriinxsyriinx Member UncommonPosts: 1,383

    It amazes me how the genre doesn't look more to EQ.

    While it didnt have procedurally generated instances, LDoN did have a large pool of instances to choose from and the mob placement wasnt always the exact same.  So you may eventually have learned what room was next, you wouldnt know exactly how many mobs would be in theire and what classes they would be.  Its still the best take on instanced dungeon repetition the genre has seen and no one seems to understand that a little randomness and unknown goes a LONG way.

  • milethmileth Member UncommonPosts: 5
    and ultima online is not the first mmorpg, both M59 and nexustk were launched earlier than UO
  • VelocinoxVelocinox Member UncommonPosts: 1,010
    Originally posted by mileth
    and ultima online is not the first mmorpg, both M59 and nexustk were launched earlier than UO

    Island of Kesmai and Gemstone were released before either of those you mention.

    While both of these fit the descriptor of early MMOs after a while it stops referencing the modern multi-thousand simultaneous player games and more resembles an, "Im an older and more storied MMO gamer than you"

    'Sandbox MMO' is a PTSD trigger word for anyone who has the experience to know that anonymous players invariably use a 'sandbox' in the same manner a housecat does.


    When your head is stuck in the sand, your ass becomes the only recognizable part of you.


    No game is more fun than the one you can't play, and no game is more boring than one which you've become familiar.


    How to become a millionaire:
    Start with a billion dollars and make an MMO.

  • ArglebargleArglebargle Member EpicPosts: 3,483
    Originally posted by Grinnz
    City of Heroes used "procedurally generated instances" for most of it's content, and in my opinion was one of the greatest MMO's ever, but lacked the loot grind (sadly) which was more a flaw of it's genre moreso than the game itself.

    Lacking the loot grind was once of CoH's assets!  While I can enjoy things where you get drops of 'Sword of Slightly Different Nature!', the grind is indeed aptly named.   Do agree with your opinion of it as an MMO.

     

    I find the more an MMO becomes like an ARPG, the more it goes towards an occasional, rather than continual, destination.

    If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.

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