Where is the fun in your favorite MMORPG?

cjmarsh · February 2018

In game design articles, videos, and books one of the most emphasized points is to 'find the fun' in your design. For simple games, or even most single-player games, this tends to be a straightforward process. But MMOs are designed for a crowd of people to play and often cater to as many of their desires as possible. What is it about your favorite MMORPG that you find fun to do? If you had to simplify the combat or the crafting or the collection or anything really about the game into the core and essential component of what it was that made you have fun, what would it be?

Amathe · February 2018

I seldom look back favorably on my solo adventures. My fondest memories, and the most fun I have had, is playing mmos with other people.

Ironically, my worst memories, and the least fun I have had, is also playing mmos with other people.

sunandshadow · February 2018

I like:

the jokes in the NPC dialogue and names, as well as item flavor text.
finding clever tactical solutions in combat.
being and efficient and effective hunter of monsters to get crafting mats; I particularly like skinning and butchering monster bodies, as well as harvesting various resources if the harvesting actually takes a little cleverness rather than just waiting.
being a 1-person master of a game's entre tech tree who crafts a variety of stuff for my own use.
capturing, training, and breeding pets and mounts.
experimenting with cheap resources to invent recipes for cooking, alchemy, etc.
soloing a dungeon, with or without some little lowbies tagging along.
making clever use of invisibility, sneaking, sniping, and other techniques that avoid direct combat.
evolving my character, whether by something as simple as a haircut or a tattoo, or by something as elaborate as completing a long quest chain to earn a class upgrade or race change. Even saving up a lot of money in-game to finally buy the costume or mount I want for my character's look.
playing in the MMO's minigames

deniter · February 2018

I play MMORPGs for tactical small group content and crafting. I enjoy being in a group where every member has a role and a job of their own. I also like to farm mats for craftable items and manufacture them.

Bestinna · February 2018

I particularly enjoy poking fun at everything wrong with my favorite mmo

Wizardry · February 2018

Well right now i am sort of dabbling back in EQ2 after a few years so the real FUN factor has sort of died out but it's still ok.
My best fun was within FFXi and i can't begin to pinpoint,how about 90-95% of the game was fun for me,right down to grouping,doing really tough quests,all the classes,tons to discover the entire package was well designed to work with each other nothing felt like some out of place Super Mario theme map or some jump puzzle,none of that ridiculous stuff,it was fun in a serious way.
Oh yes and being able to replay old zones to bring up new classes kept the entire game alive,so the fun was everywhere.

Shaigh · February 2018

I like talking with friendly people and killing stuff with them.

waynejr2 · February 2018

cjmarsh said:

In game design articles, videos, and books one of the most emphasized points is to 'find the fun' in your design. For simple games, or even most single-player games, this tends to be a straightforward process. But MMOs are designed for a crowd of people to play and often cater to as many of their desires as possible. What is it about your favorite MMORPG that you find fun to do? If you had to simplify the combat or the crafting or the collection or anything really about the game into the core and essential component of what it was that made you have fun, what would it be?

The question presupposes that the single reason to be in an MMORPG is fun. There could be many other reasons but if you setup to look only at "fun", your quest to find an answer might be problematic.

I enjoy doing the things I was doing within the game. Sometimes, like harvesting, it was for relaxation as well as a way to make profit or get materials to make things. If you looked at harvesting and thought, wow, that isn't fun, then that is an example of why "fun" isn't the one way to look at it. Hope you can grok that.

cjmarsh · February 2018

waynejr2 said:

cjmarsh said:

In game design articles, videos, and books one of the most emphasized points is to 'find the fun' in your design. For simple games, or even most single-player games, this tends to be a straightforward process. But MMOs are designed for a crowd of people to play and often cater to as many of their desires as possible. What is it about your favorite MMORPG that you find fun to do? If you had to simplify the combat or the crafting or the collection or anything really about the game into the core and essential component of what it was that made you have fun, what would it be?

The question presupposes that the single reason to be in an MMORPG is fun. There could be many other reasons but if you setup to look only at "fun", your quest to find an answer might be problematic.

I enjoy doing the things I was doing within the game. Sometimes, like harvesting, it was for relaxation as well as a way to make profit or get materials to make things. If you looked at harvesting and thought, wow, that isn't fun, then that is an example of why "fun" isn't the one way to look at it. Hope you can grok that.

Actually I think collection mechanics come in a variety of flavors, harvesting included, and I also find them fun. Ever since Super Mario Bros and the gold coins or Sonic and the rings, I've loved that aspect of just... getting more stuff. It's an interesting thing to study what makes it fun and I always try to keep an open mind as to what other people find fun in general because it helps make better game designs overall.

Kyleran · February 2018

Progression.

I love it, levels, skills, gold, territory control even, I want to always feel as if I'm making progress, as that is what gives "meaning " to them.

I can't play for the fun of it, I enjoy socializing with like minded progression focused players, I actually enjoyed being in high end raiding guilds, I fit in fairly well. (Just doesn't mesh with my real life)

Daikuru · February 2018

Im more on the casual side, having fun alone or with friends is more important than progression, thats why i never joined a progressive guild.

I have the most fun when i play a healer, PvP or PvE, one reason i liked Aion so much was the fun healer class, the cleric. Interesting classes are one of the most important things to have fun in a game, i still feel like that many games have a lack of interesting classes, most games still stick to the "traditional" fantasy roles and skills (you know, fireballs...), but thats only one part of the problems i have with fantasy games, thats why i rather like scifi, not only in games.

cjmarsh · February 2018

That's interesting, I'm not sure I would have ever separated progression from fun or even thought that the progression itself would be meaningful. But I see now that both social and progression elements are found in MMOs and maybe it's how they blend and complement each other that is the secret to a game's success?

sunandshadow · February 2018

For me progression is the theme of RPGs like the way 'love conquers all" might be the theme of a romance novel. It's certainly one of the major appeals of all RPGs that they usually provide a rags to riches story starring me. I absolutely want to fantasize about becoming strong and rich and awesome-looking, etc.

Ungood · February 2018

I don't have to deal with assholes to get minor paltry rewards.. unlike real life.

cjmarsh · February 2018

sunandshadow said:

For me progression is the theme of RPGs like the way 'love conquers all" might be the theme of a romance novel. It's certainly one of the major appeals of all RPGs that they usually provide a rags to riches story starring me. I absolutely want to fantasize about becoming strong and rich and awesome-looking, etc.

It seems like there's progression in not only the story and other mechanics but also in social interactions. I see parallels between NPCs singing the player's praises after the main story is completed and player's seeking fame in the PVP arena or guild vs guild battles. Progression is often as simple as an increase in recognition.

Moirae · February 2018

Mine? The housing is the best on the market.

cjmarsh · February 2018

Moirae said:

Mine? The housing is the best on the market.

If you saw a game that otherwise looked fun, but didn't have player housing, would you still play it?

anemo · February 2018

FFXIV- Sometimes you want FF style melodrama and to play it with some of your friends. And DDR style raids can be fun a few times.

Screeps- Actual difficulty. Good community. Interestingness levels are pretty high as well.

Orbus VR- What I'm actually playing more for the novelty. As an MMO it's kind of lacking, but it actually feels pretty nice so far as a toy multiplayer game.

Scot · February 2018

I find my "fun" has an inverse ratio to the number of PINGS going of around me, I must be perverse or something as we are supposed to live for a PING!

Phaserlight · February 2018

I like brokering a deal with another pilot; the feeling of closing a sale, transferring the goods, receiving the credits all the while considering potential threats that may arrive in order to disrupt the transaction. Virtual business.

I enjoy dueling with another highly skilled pilot: one who has the maneuverability of his setup so well ingrained and is able to surf the netcode such that my shots always only graze past his hull like Neo trying to hit Agent Smith, except for that occasional lucky shot. Feeling the adjustment in tactics, trying new things likewise as in some sort of catastrophic dance.

I like accessing the universe across multiple platforms; dotting on over mobile just to keep an eye on things, loading up the game on PC when I want to have superior control, or diving in on Virtual Reality to be totally immersed, all the while keeping the same progression, the same contacts, picking up right where I left off.

I enjoy group combat whether it's part of an event, in order to tackle a larger PvE objective such as a Hive Queen or Leviathan, or part of a PvP campaign to take down a player-crafted capital ship or conquerable station.

I like trying to stay one step ahead of pirates, and helping other pilots do the same.

Cryomatrix · February 2018

It depends on the game:

Path of Exile: In hardcore mode, it was making a character and reaching a certain level or beating the 10 quests in solo self-found hc. Also, finding a new item to help improve your character or getting enough currency to continually upgrade your character as it is important as you only get 1 life

.

Project Entropia: It is all about the swirlies . . . (Gambling addict's downfall). Basically you get swirly when you get a big hit either in mining, crafting, or hunting. It is usually greater than 50 ped ($5) and has a nice sound. Just like in the casino and slot machines when they go off.

Conan Exiles: Just the overall progression

EVE online: Finding a niche and profiting and accomplishing your goals

Civ 5: Not getting owned by the other civilizations

Cryomatrix

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Where is the fun in your favorite MMORPG?

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Where is the fun in your favorite MMORPG?

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV