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Thoughts on Persistent Content?
Albatroes
Member LegendaryPosts: 7,671
So last week, I'm playing WoW to get a few more toons prep'd for Legion until something from the dev interview MMORPG.com had I think last month rung in my head. Pretty much IH stated that they had no goals of ever doing content that was persistent (so for those of you that dont already know, they confirmed the artifact system will be scrapped when the next expansion hits). Sure I know Blizzard is the ones behind Diablo, which is known for restarting over and over again, but should that really be okay just because a certain crowd accepts it? One could say legendaries are prime example since they just become xmog items in the next expansion so all your work is void. FFXIV is honestly based around this concept and honestly does a very poor job in comparison (dont fan boy without actually thinking about it for a moment, since you can craft coil gear now and recolor it meaning doing coil is absolutely pointless). The idea behind the artifact system did make me slightly excited till you find out your work is going to be void anyway, meaning that the only thing that persists is your levels. Gear will be given per quest and heirloom will be upgradeable within 6 months into the expansion making all the gear grinding you did completely useless at that point.
I bring this up because 75% of MMORPGs follow this formula. Some worse, some better. I'll admit I like the treadmill more in WoW versus other games because if you buy with points then usually you can resell within the resell point to get the point refund incase you get a better piece within that time. But aside from gear, there's honestly nothing else except waiting to replace the gear you just got. Which brings up other ways some games utilize to advance your character at cap besides just cap. I wont say all of them are perfect, but what gets me is that the 75% dont really try to implement something similar aside from maybe Rift, but honestly its pretty shallow if you look at everything you're getting.
Anyway, just bored and wanting to game but nothing feels like its worth the time anymore. Just wanting some thoughts. Maybe I missed a game that has everything.
I bring this up because 75% of MMORPGs follow this formula. Some worse, some better. I'll admit I like the treadmill more in WoW versus other games because if you buy with points then usually you can resell within the resell point to get the point refund incase you get a better piece within that time. But aside from gear, there's honestly nothing else except waiting to replace the gear you just got. Which brings up other ways some games utilize to advance your character at cap besides just cap. I wont say all of them are perfect, but what gets me is that the 75% dont really try to implement something similar aside from maybe Rift, but honestly its pretty shallow if you look at everything you're getting.
Anyway, just bored and wanting to game but nothing feels like its worth the time anymore. Just wanting some thoughts. Maybe I missed a game that has everything.
Comments
In a loot-based MMORPG, persistent content CANNOT keep its "value", because that would invalidate any further progression.
Today's epic is tomorrow's common green.
It is Known.
Now, other games like GW1 & 2 doesn't raise the levelcap and have little gear progression, just one of those things makes it easy to skip the problem but Wow follow the same model EQ did.
As you have just recognised, Its always been that way: never ending gear treadmill then reset.
Nothing is actually persistent, not even levels. You could start a whole new character and within a week you will still have the same amount of potential every other class of the same type has regardless of the classes "age".
That's why it seems alot of people like horizontal progression, A system where you can progress your character to unlock new abilities or do content in a variety of ways without creating a power curve.
TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development
GW2 initially tried to combat this with the Home Instance. The idea that a piece of world changes based on your progress. If you save a character in a quest, they could visit in the future. If you help a blacksmith, your crafters would be happy. This is an alternate approach to progression. It was never delivered on - it may have been too complex for people, or perhaps it's the fact that the home instance is not with you all the time, whereas your character is.
Another thing GW2 used to do is Living Story. Every few weeks, a new story appears which you can take part in. The story evolves over time. This means in 2 years time, you can be like "Oh yes, I was there when we defeated a giant and saved this area, which now turned into a market." That is a very fluid approach to progression and in my opinion works great. The downside is people who skip story get nothing out of this. Also, it may be more resource consuming to create meaningful story content over new weapons and dungeons.
This is the main reason most normal gamers don't like this genre, it's extreme time wasting and an endless gear treadmill. I agree though, it amazed me how heavily they embraced gear treadmill and planned obsolescence in xiv given xi was the exact opposite.