Well it appears that the cat is out of the bag when it comes to the Wow expansion. Now I’m not going to really discuss it here as others have done a much better job at it than me, and to be honest, I’m really not the enthusied about it anyway. Its the same ole same ole, nothing ground breaking or innovative here. Which is odd considering the competition that is coming out over the next six months. However i did notice the siege and destroyable buildings part of the releases that have been floating around …. hmmm you think they are feeling the pressure from War already …. anyway on to more pressing things ..
I joined EQ2, yes I know the horror of it, but seeing as everyone and there mother seems to be playing at the moment then I thought I better take another look. So far so good, nothing exceptional, solid game play …. I’m playing a necro, which for me is unusual as I usually play axe weilding manics who make leroy jenkins run in terror …. but the necro is a nice change in a emo fiary kind of way …
What else, well you have heard the phrase when it rains it pours, well this is currently my beta life, not that I could tell you anything about it. But needless to say I havnt had a good beta for a long while and then saturday my email box is alive with beta invites …. which brings me nicely to my next point and really the heart of this here post ….
Why on everything that is pink and fluffy do the current fare of mmorpgs and those current betas, which shall remain nameless, insist on taking a step backward in character creation. Where is my customization, where is my uniqueness, where is my metal bikini clad warrior chick with impossibly over sized tits option ?
Ever since CoH stepped up to the plate and brought us probably the best character customization tools have we regressed back to 5 hair options and a height slider (ok I’m over stating this a little but you get my point). I mean, to me the most important bit of a mmorpg is how good is the character creator and how good is the first 30 mins to an hour of gameplay. If it falls short in either of these departments typically my excitment is turing in to disgust … they say first impressions are important and this I beleive goes doubly so for mmorpgs and wether or not they get my subscription.
Yes I know this might seem shallow but come on this is 2007. the year of the next generation mmorpgs, and yet we are still being fed the same ole crappy character tools and lack lustre intoduction to the world we are about to step into … So far the only game that I know of that is making a concerted effort in addressing this is Tcos and maybe Aoc.
Anyway the point behind this little rant was to see what you think is the most important feature of a mmorpg if you were allowed to develop one … is it the character tools, the first hour of game play, the story or just get me into the action straight away ….
PotBS actually is supposed to have a very robust creation system. They’re aiming to have something on par with CoH’s system. I hope it’s true.
Conan is supposed to have some hefty looks options as well. Even the point of making your character’s nose broken one way or the other.
But you’re right, these games are the minority. I’m sure a lot of MMOers want to get attached to their avatars. The best way to do this and right from the get go, is to give them the options to to make them their own.
yeah I forgot Potbs, from what I have seen there character generator tools is on par with Coh / Cov.
I personally think ‘ to get attached to there avatars’ is probably one of the best ways to immerse the player through your avatar into the game. I’m shocked not more mmorpg’s see this as an advantage. Maybe its a logistical thing, server or client side … with so many variations of character will it cause lag etc.
Another thing to consider is that since we are entrenched in the skinner box attitude of armor, weapons upgrades with flashy graphics that we will be happy with just that level of customization … although that does lead to everyone looking the same in the same armor … maybe character customization should go beyond the avatar and apply more to in game loot. Let us the player decide on what model we want to use for the representation of the item on our avatar ….
I a huge proponent for heavy character customization as I too believe it’s a major factor in attaching players to their respective MMO and keeping them subscribed. An immersed player that’s totally enamored with their characters look, feel, style and presentation in the game world is going to play a huge role in their enjoyment of that game.
If you just hand them the equivalent of a plank of wood with a charcoal drawn happy face on it and tell them thats the extend of their customization.. well you better have some damn good gameplay. 😉
Although I wasn’t nuts about the game itself, I absolutely loved CoH’s character creation. I really dislike the whole slider thing like you see in EQ2 and Vanguard. In order to look normal, you just keep all sliders in the middle anyway, and everyone looks identical with a few hair changes.
I don’t care about next generation graphics. Just give me lots of face and hair options and I’m happy. If I’m not thrilled with how my character looks, odds are I’m not sticking with the game (EQ2).
It does make a difference to me, but usually seems to be the last focus they put into a game.
Yeah, for all my love of EQ2’s gameplay, the art style really brings it down for me. I wish I could have the art style of WoW or LotRO with the customization of CoH… wait a second. That sounds like PotBS again (I kid, because I’m just psyched for that game).
But yeah, I think one of the reasons it ends up being so hard to let go of an MMO is become one becomes attached to their avatars through either visual or otherwise distinctions. In a game that doesn’t let you do either, most players won’t stay for the long haul.
I’ll point you to LotRO on that one. Barely any customization on looks, and hardly any in the way a character plays. Deeds or not, they’re very minor. It’s part of the reason I have no issue abandoning my level 36 Champion… he looked and played the same as my level 5 champion, or someone else’s level 50 champion.
look and play like they are lvl 5 when they are lvl 50 is something that has bugged the piss out of me for a long while.
I think War is addressing this with there ‘throphy’ system and how characters grow and change as they get higher in lvl.
I think lotros deed system was a little step in the right direction but still lacking in the bigger picture of things.
I think Chronicles of Spellborn is on the right track with there character generation system .. However I see any major makeover on this connection to the character to come from not big ips but a small independent mmorpgs … Fallen Earth for example.
Its a stagnant cess pool of character generation and the connection between you, your avatar and the environment currently …. lets hope potbs, aoc and war can deliver on this
“where is my metal bikini clad warrior chick with impossibly over sized tits option”—Isn’t this the default option in most games?!
I’m just sayin’…
he he Heather, was waiting for that point to be brought up, and it is a valid point.
I would tend to agree with you, however there does seem to be a trend in more recent mmorpgs to tone down the chain mail bikinis and bust sizes.
Is it the right option, probably, bearing in mind the ever expanding female player base and potential for much larger subscription base (read evenue)
Gone are the days of geeky males and there wet dream avatars.
However the question is should, the option still be available for those who wish to create a character the way they want, and if it happens to be a chain mail bikini clad warrior with an oversized bust then why not. They are paying as much as the next person for the game.
Lol, true. In CoH/CoV you can make your avatars as clothed or unclothed as you like, and I think that’s a grand thing!
yep, i think customization is a big thing that should cater to all tastes. even if it flys in the face of current political correctness. and coh / cov is the best example of a very good customization system that helps connect you to “your” avatar … individuality for the win …
Aye. When it comes to metal bikinis, my biggest gripe is that most games don’t let me choose to wear something else if I want—not that they exist. I’m fully capable of rolling my eyes and looking at something else if someone chooses to clothe their character that way. *grin*
thats true and I of corse I look the other way as well *wavs at mrs pixie styxs*. however if they can provide one choice they really do need to provide other choices as well. maybe over time designers will understand that need as well
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