OPINION: All MMOs Should Have An Open Exploration Mode

System · April 2020

OPINION: All MMOs Should Have An Open Exploration Mode

It's no secret that Elder Scrolls Online is my favorite MMO. I genuinely love the open freedom that game allows for, especially after the One Tamriel and Tamriel Unlimited updates. However, as I was playing LOTRO this weekend with my buddies, a new realization dawned on me. MMOs should have a free exploration mode, opening the map completely. Let me explain.

Read the full story here

Vorthanion · April 2020

I enjoy exploring, but I do not agree that this type of content shouldn't have rewards for fear of upsetting hardcore gamers. Every play style, if it is going to be implemented in a game, should and must have incentives and rewards. I detest games that show preferential treatment to one style over another.

slowz2secret · April 2020

I wanted to play LOTRO soo many times, but all these expansions just scareed my soul, I mean this game have a lot of expansions and they are expenses, It woul be cool if the expansions are like wow expansion where you buy the old expansions in a pack and then they sell the new expansion separately, but in lotro you need to buy like 8 expansions one by one, that's why i never will play this game until they do something with that.

Nebless · April 2020

"this simply isn’t possible. I want to explore east of the (LotRO) Misty Mountains, but I can’t because not only is my character super low level, but I simply haven’t done the content necessary to advance."

I think you stated that badly, unless the content you're talking about the intro solo portion & starter area that all new players are required to do before they enter the game proper.

There's nothing that stops anyone from exploring the entire world. Yes if you're low level you might die and from that point of view yes an exploration mode; that has been requested many times on the official forums, would be great.

Some would argue that the feature already exists in a form as you can buy a high level boost in the store so you can explore. An expensive feature for sure, but the option is there.

Many players have braved the dangers and explored high level content area's, very carefully mind you, but they've done it and one of the features in the game is a quest where you turn into a chicken and have to brave all the hungry wolves. That one's so popular that groups do 'Chicken Run's' from the Shire to Rivendell.

It may not be as easy as you want it to be, but it's not as impossible as you seem to imply.

TEKK3N · April 2020

I didn't read but I agree.

EQ did that well, you could go anywhere you liked and zones had a mix of low lvl and high lvl mobs.

I don't like the idea of zones with a set level range.

It's just too linear.

I think MMORPGs should be about exploring and learning how to navigaye through the map avoiding the high level areas (not zones).

Nebless · April 2020

slowz2secret said:

I wanted to play LOTRO soo many times, but all these expansions just scareed my soul, I mean this game have a lot of expansions and they are expenses, It woul be cool if the expansions are like wow expansion where you buy the old expansions in a pack and then they sell the new expansion separately, but in lotro you need to buy like 8 expansions one by one, that's why i never will play this game until they do something with that.

Well you don't HAVE to buy all the expansions to play. First, there's so many quests that odds are you'll just plain out level some of them in the early part of the game.

Also there's no reason to pay full price. Buy store points when there's a bonus sale on and buy the expansions when they're on sale. Or get a sub and use the free store points you get to buy the expansions. Or keep an eye out for when they do have a bundled expansion sale, I believe it's the first 4 they sell all together quite regular.

Tykam123 · April 2020

I understand where you’re coming from, but I think that these systems tend to leave games broken and the leveling experience unfun since all challenge seems to be sucked out of a game when this system is applied, however you’re right that eso does a good job of this.

blbeta · April 2020

I personally would not use it. I suppose it would be fine for those who would enjoy it.

I too am an explorer, but have very much enjoyed the danger that comes from being where I shouldn't be yet. Makes the risky exploring fun. It also makes it fun when I become powerful enough to really explore it.

I do however like how ESO, GW2 and now The Division 2 all have iterations of scaling your character or NPCs so the world doesn't become useless as you out level it.

The Division 2 is my current favorite system. Being able to choose the difficulty of the whole world upon reaching max level is fantastic. Not to mention being able to tweak your world's rules for even more difficulty, xp and rewards.

I enjoy dangerous exploration.

WhiteLantern · April 2020

Enjoyed the article, and agree with the opinion. Howm many thumbs-up can I guve? I've still got both of mine, so I start with those.
I remember once, early in my WoW days, that I got bored and decided to see as much of the world as I could. I think my level was in the 30s or 40s. It was dangerous, but I'm a map geek, so I loved it.

Po_gg · April 2020

I ain't a "hardcore" player, but I indeed sneered both times when you mentioned it in the article...

I'm notoriously against scaling, One Tamriel included, which explains the first sneer.

The second could be a bit longer to explain, in a nutshell: exploration means nothing if it's just a "completely stripped down" sightseeing.

Especially in LotRO, where an entire deed section exists just for exploration, for the very reason to urge you finding places which are tucked away and/or dangerous to visit.

Not to mention, and Nebless was quicker to point at it, your statement of

"I want to explore east of the Misty Mountains, but I can’t because not only is my character super low level, but I simply haven’t done the content necessary to advance."

is fully inaccurate.

Just the simple fact of chickens have visited Mordor several times already, proves otherwise.

You're below level 50, but still you want to visit the world over the Misty Mountains? You totally can.

Is it a dangerous journey? Definitely.

Is it impossible? Not at all.

(it helps if you can sneak, or have a few good friends at hand)

Sovrath · April 2020

Nebless said:

"this simply isn’t possible. I want to explore east of the (LotRO) Misty Mountains, but I can’t because not only is my character super low level, but I simply haven’t done the content necessary to advance."

I think you stated that badly, unless the content you're talking about the intro solo portion & starter area that all new players are required to do before they enter the game proper.

There's nothing that stops anyone from exploring the entire world. Yes if you're low level you might die and from that point of view yes an exploration mode; that has been requested many times on the official forums, would be great.

Some would argue that the feature already exists in a form as you can buy a high level boost in the store so you can explore. An expensive feature for sure, but the option is there.

Many players have braved the dangers and explored high level content area's, very carefully mind you, but they've done it and one of the features in the game is a quest where you turn into a chicken and have to brave all the hungry wolves. That one's so popular that groups do 'Chicken Run's' from the Shire to Rivendell.

It may not be as easy as you want it to be, but it's not as impossible as you seem to imply.

That's not exactly true.

As more of an explorer type, and one who has no issues with the world having dangerous areas, there are areas where you need to have the appropriate quest or else you can't enter.

I remember once seeing a structure that looked imposing and quite awesome. It had alll sorts of mobs on the path/bridge, whatever it was (think it was a bridge) to it. So I ran, did some battle, dodged, got all the way to the door, with a train about to descend on me, and what happens?

You must be on the corresponding quest blah blah blah.

There have been other times I've wanted to go into a place and have received the same message.

So sure, if you can run around the mobs you might get to some place interesting. Whether you can get in is another thing.

Portz · April 2020

Same. Love getting 100% zone completion in ESO. Nothing beats it, I don't even care about being "competitive".

Po_gg · April 2020

Sovrath said:

That's not exactly true.

I remember once seeing a structure that looked imposing and quite awesome. It had alll sorts of mobs on the path/bridge, whatever it was (think it was a bridge) to it. So I ran, did some battle, dodged, got all the way to the door, with a train about to descend on me, and what happens?

Sounds like Carn Dûm... which is a different thing, and you're right with it. There are countless instances which you can't enter any the time.

However, the article was about open world exploration, reaching the land east of Misty. Which is totally possible, as opposed to what the article says.

In the open world there's only one content-gated barrier, which is (I'm surprised Picard ain't here yet, he used to cite it all the time

) the Rammas Deluon in Angmar. The dread line, which separates the two sides of Angmar, and you can't pass it before you finish the questline where you break it. Otherwise if you try to pass, the dread overcomes you.

You can even visit Moria without the lead-in questline where you open the gates, by circling around the Misty Mountains and enter from the other side.

Ungood · April 2020

the World or Map exploration in games like DDo was amazing, and GW2 took that idea and IMHO improved it.

pretty much any game without an explorer mechanic is just lack luster.

Sovrath · April 2020

Po_gg said:

Sovrath said:

That's not exactly true.

I remember once seeing a structure that looked imposing and quite awesome. It had alll sorts of mobs on the path/bridge, whatever it was (think it was a bridge) to it. So I ran, did some battle, dodged, got all the way to the door, with a train about to descend on me, and what happens?

Sounds like Carn Dûm... which is a different thing, and you're right with it. There are countless instances which you can't enter any the time.

However, the article was about open world exploration, reaching the land east of Misty. Which is totally possible, as opposed to what the article says.

In the open world there's only one content-gated barrier, which is (I'm surprised Picard ain't here yet, he used to cite it all the time ) the Rammas Deluon in Angmar. The dread line, which separates the two sides of Angmar, and you can't pass it before you finish the questline where you break it. Otherwise if you try to pass, the dread overcomes you.

You can even visit Moria without the lead-in questline where you open the gates, by circling around the Misty Mountains and enter from the other side.

I remember in closed beta there was a troll on the road to Rivendell. Loved that. So sorry it was removed.

Po_gg · April 2020

Trolls are still patrolling the road through Trollshaws, towards Rivendell - but only during the nights, for obvious reasons.

Their three fellows who had the unlucky encounter with a bunch of dwarves and a hobbit, are still in there in the woods as memento for what happens with trolls when the sun comes up

And they're pretty dangerous too, for on-level players. At nights it's safer to travel besides the road.

Belgaraath · April 2020

Po_gg said:

I ain't a "hardcore" player, but I indeed sneered both times when you mentioned it in the article...
I'm notoriously against scaling, One Tamriel included, which explains the first sneer.

The second could be a bit longer to explain, in a nutshell: exploration means nothing if it's just a "completely stripped down" sightseeing.
Especially in LotRO, where an entire deed section exists just for exploration, for the very reason to urge you finding places which are tucked away and/or dangerous to visit.

Not to mention, and Nebless was quicker to point at it, your statement of
"I want to explore east of the Misty Mountains, but I can’t because not
only is my character super low level, but I simply haven’t done the
content necessary to advance."
is fully inaccurate.
Just the simple fact of chickens have visited Mordor several times already, proves otherwise.

You're below level 50, but still you want to visit the world over the Misty Mountains? You totally can.
Is it a dangerous journey? Definitely.
Is it impossible? Not at all.
(it helps if you can sneak, or have a few good friends at hand)

Completely agree, about the scaling too. I remember when WOW came out I went all the way across the map from the Alliance to the Horde side just to tame a pet that most at that time didn't know about. It was very exciting and felt dangerous. Loved that feeling. That no longer exists in most cases with scaling. I don't feel like I deserve to go everywhere, yet I can and that reward for hard work linked to exploration is gone.

Anyway, despite that, just downloaded the Elsweyr chapter since it was about $9 on sale at the ESO store, resubbed with ESO+, and am very much enjoying myself. I forgot how much I love MMOs since my focus has been for the last few years on Virtual Reality and Single Player RPGs like the Witcher 3 and Divinity Original Sin 2. Hopefully despite my hate for level scaling, the overall improvements in the game will outweigh the cons. So far it is as I relearn the game, though I'm only a level 5 necromancer :-).

Iselin · April 2020

I still remember my first trek on foot from Bree to Rivendell with my Loremaster when I was way too low level to even handle the Lone Lands. No reason really to go there except I just wanted to.

It just wouldn't have been the same in safe exploration mode. The high danger was very much part of the fun.

I have always been a big supporter of level scaling in ESO mostly because levels were already a secondary advancement mechanic there but that feeling of being somewhere you really shouldn't be and needing to be super careful because of it is sadly something that got lost along the way.

I also got the Explorer achievement in WOW that required you to go to every distinct location in the game, I did it long ago before Cataclysm on Emerald Dream which was an RP/PvP server on a Paladin lol. That was also extra spicy.

So as a veteran explorer, I'll pass on the exploration mode. The danger of doing it in the core game world with all of its dangers is more than half the fun for me.

Hariken · April 2020

Portz said:

Same. Love getting 100% zone completion in ESO. Nothing beats it, I don't even care about being "competitive".

That's what i love about ESO also. The level scaling makes exploring so much fun. A TES game must have this. LOTRO on the other hand is dead to me with the cost to play it.

ChildoftheShadows · April 2020

For me an mmorpg is a virtual world and in this world there are no modes. No “options”. That means if you want to explore you can but you take the risk. This also means no difficulty settings either. You take the risk.

blamo2000 · April 2020

Wow, I thought the last article I read by a staff here was an outlier on bad takes (the one about mmorpgs going on filthy savage barbarian consoles), but you apparently didn't want to be outdone.

There really needs to be a split between the mmorpg and MMO general gamer community. You guys have done a great job destroying mmorpgs, ensuring few are made and the fewer released are rpg-lite trash for dummies who hate rpgs, and doing your damndest raving and frothing up the MMO community that some mmorpgs take the rpg part of the acronym seriously.

We should split this site into two - one site for just mmorpgs with mmorpg fans, and another for explicit MMO fans and RPGINOs.

Narug · April 2020

I'm EASK so I feel ya.

Funny you should mention LOTR Poorna. When in the lost annals of time this game was actually MEO - Middle Earth Online under Sierra - that world was going to be more open.

Your highlight of Asssasins Creed Odyssey is why I find myself spending more time in Skyrim & Morrowind these days. I'm free to explore my single player world, which seems to do exploration better these days, as I see it.

This is not a knock on LOTRO in case anybody's getting that idea.

I accept its form. To use an elder scrolls terminology I am CHIM to it.

I think where I Zero Sum is exploring in EQ2. The MOB placement doesn't seem to make logical sense & just feels like someone sprinkled & condensed monsters on the map which is frustrating.

Exploring has to mean more than sight seeing though. We need a way to become a part of the world's lore. We need to be able to maybe find a journal/item/structure about Poorna e.g. saying what he did in his part for Middle Earth or Tamriel.

Also what we need in these games are perhaps maybe the ability for players to generate maps themselves. To share/combine those with one another. I don't know how you do this without disrupting other players freedoms though so this one may not be feasible.

What I'm trying to say is perhaps exploration modes are irrelevant and we're the ones missing from exploration.

ScottJeslis · April 2020

I like games that reward me for exploring. ESO rewards with an occasional chest as does Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Howdy, Stranger!

OPINION: All MMOs Should Have An Open Exploration Mode

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Quick Links

OPINION: All MMOs Should Have An Open Exploration Mode

Comments