Games: Player vs. Player is the key to MMO longevity
I originally wrote this in the Metaplace forums, but it was long-winded and rambling enough that I figured I could just copy and paste it here and make it look like I’m active. A lot of this post assumes you’re familiar with Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMO’s) and other games.
So anyway, this is my argument as to why PvP is where you should look to give your game longevity, with specific reference to MMO’s like World of Warcraft and EverQuest.
AI Sucks
Without really sophisticated (and very CPU-expensive) AI, the best opponent you can ever face is another human being. NPC’s will always (well, until the singularity) be boring, repetitive obstacles instead of fun opponents. The proof is out there. Even the best single-player games have sucky AI, and they have CPU to burn that MMO’s do not. You can’t rely on your NPCs to keep players interested.
Raiding Sucks
This is a valid strategy for a specific type of player. Figuring out a strategy for an encounter and synchronizing the activities of dozens of players (“raiding”) is what keeps many MMO’s alive for years after their groupable content becomes played out, but many, many people don’t want to raid because that playstyle saddles the player with a lot of responsibility and stress that doesn’t cohabitate well with a “game.” Ok, so ignoring raiding, what other ways are there to produce content for your player to consume?
Quests and Skill Development
Yes, this is a valid strategy for extending player interest. MMO’s that want to survive long-term have traditionally had to have a LOT of content. Content that takes years to produce and requires 6, 7, and 8-digit development costs. How many thousands of quests are there in WoW? EQ1? SWG? MMO companies have development teams working year-round to develop new content (expansions) to keep people interested in their game. This is very expensive.
Player vs Player
Look at games like Starcraft, Warcraft (the non-MMO’s), Counter Strike, Team Fortress. These games have fans that play them for years because when you’re playing against someone else, the potential for unique gameplay (aka content) rises to near infinity. Add the ability to make new maps and mods to the game (graphics, weapons, new features, variations on gameplay rules) and the potential for variation and retaining player interest is enormous.
DAOC’s Realm vs. Realm and WoW’s Battlegrounds are two great examples of PvP that are limited in scope (on blue servers). We need more ways to compete with other people, without requiring the baggage that goes along with direct PvP (griefing, ganking, etc.)
I love the idea of competing with other people, but I don’t have the reflexes to participate in twitch gaming. I have the brains, but I don’t have the desire to micro manage my stats and memorize skill combinations. If you can come up with interesting ways to pit people against other people online, you are a goldmine. Most of the stuff in this diplomacy thread makes my eyes glaze over, but it’s an option that a lot of people might like, so go for it.
Ways to compete with other people that isn’t direct combat:
- Resource gathering. WoW has this, and actually required it for the quest to open up their first expansion.
- Diplomacy. I believe Vanguard does this? And there’s a big thread in this forum about it.
Well, that’s all I can think of for indirect (non-combat) competition. Direct combat competition:
- WoW battlegrounds
- DAOC RvR
- Typical free for all PvP
- Team PvP
Pirates of the Burning Sea has an interesting team-based pvp that I’m interested in seeing the outcome of 6 months after release.
We need more ideas for TvT (Team vs. Team). Rankings should play an active part in this, as community recognition can be an amazing motivator. Right now, very little is being done in this area, and I have a lot of great ideas.
- Periodic recognition: give short-term, near term, and long term updates on point accumulation (or whatever) on websites, and in-game
- In-game recognition for achievements. Town criers spread the news about your impressive activities and NPC’s greet you with words specific to your encounters. “Great job on killing the cyclops, Odysseus_05.” Some games list achievements on player web pages (Vanguard, EQplayers). That’s great, but most people don’t give a darn outside of the game.
- In-game job opportunities. No, I don’t mean becoming a wiz and being able to FOD people. I mean becoming a local sheriff, a mayor, a senator, a firefighter, an inspector — someone who can affect NPCs and other people with their actions on an administrative level. Vote to raise taxes. Change guard postings around the newbie areas. Conduct NPC raids on enemies. Decide where to build new structures.
- Earned character customization. Pirates o.t.b.s. allows for custom flags and sails on boats. Guild hall decorations (outside, so other guilds can be envious), custom housing, adornments, pets, vehicles, the list goes on. People don’t do this for themselves — they want to show off their creativity and accomplishments to other people!
- Systems. Build systems (like economies) that can be affected by player interaction, but don’t rely on players to function in a simplistic manner. Army movements, construction paths, resource lines (like caravans, trading routes, community expansion, sewage systems) etc. Let the players try to game the system to help it or sabotage it.
For example, let’s say City A has a caravan of goods on its way from City B. A player in City C who wants to sell their goods to City A at a higher price can sabotage the caravan, decreasing available supply of those goods with all of the subsequent effects that has on the economy (they can make a short-term profit, and maybe affect City C or their personal medium and long term rankings because of it.)
Whew, ok I’ll stop here. Anyway, thoughts?