Permission to launch

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am in fairly regular contact with one of my friends from my Star Wars Galaxies days. We've discussed many things over the course of the years, especially our mutual appreciation for MMOs.

It turns out that, this conversation we've been having recently about what makes a truly amazing MMO has spiralled out in different directions. It is now being discussed in various other forums and suchlike around our respective communities. I don't for a second allow delusions of grandeur to seep in, letting me think that we are responsible for the birth of this topic. But it's nice to see people actively using their imaginations and spilling forth with what they want to see. We may not always agree on what makes these games so addictive but that just adds to the mix of opinions presenting themselves in these threads.

So without further ado, I'd like to present to you the ramblings of man who has probably forgotten more about PvP in Kessel space than you will ever know!

"As gamers we're in a persistent dilemma when it comes to MMOs and which ones are worthy of us investing the amounts of time necessary to really get established. The problem is that every game will get some things right, other things wrong, and just never be flat-out "perfect". Instead, we get a slew of games that we end up trying out or drifting between based on our own boredom.

We'll never see a game that offers all the elements we want, much less enough content, depth, and replayability to keep us playing it exclusively forever. But what elements have you seen that you've liked, and in what kind of combination would they create a game that you'd drop everything else for?

I'd like to see something (obviously sci-fi, not fantasy) with...

~ The ground combat of Unreal Tournament 2004
~ The character appearance customization of SWG (or better)
~ The space vastness of EVE Online (yes, complete with the travel times) with...
~ The planetary vastness (and inhabitability) of SWG.
~ The open-ended, player-created factions and territories, along with the quieter "starter/NPC-controlled" regions, of EVE Online
~ Also the capital ship combat of EVE Online, but with...
~ The fighter ship combat of JTL playing a serious role as well.
~ A mix of all these combat systems playing a crucial role in every territorial engagement (soldiers storm stations, capital ships lay siege, fighters assist the fleets). An alliance that doesn't grow and specialize in all aspects would never hold its territory.
~ A complete abscence of any force, magic, or crossbred fantasy/anime weirdity."

I'll jump back in at this juncture to expand on some salient points brought up by the honourable gentleman.

First off, I'll start at the end. The author is steadfast in his dislike for the Jedi class. He has his reasons and can hold an informed debate on the subject. I may even bring him on here sometime in the near future to discuss his viewpoint on the matter. He simply has 'balance-envy', a common afliction from veteran SWG players.

Secondly, although he has played WoW amongst others, Sci-Fi is his genre of preference as opposed to Fantasy.

I know.

Hard to tell, right?!

Anyway, I'll let him continue...

"Basically, I think on a large scale, EVE Online has the idea of a galaxy and how it's controlled by numerous entities mapped out perfectly. I just don't like that all of the combat is large-scale oriented (many people, it seems, get suckered into the game thinking they're going to be "flying," when they're actually going to be commanding ships. It's not a bad combat system. It's just not what they're expecting).

A really appealing game to me would expand the combat to include much more, and in the process, also integrate other concepts (player-built stations and planetary cities).

So, in short, let the dicerollers have their traditional RPG play with the capitals system, the flight sim buffs have their furball combat with the flight system, and the FPSers blow stuff up the way they know best...but make all three playstyles rely on the other two for true success.

But EVE's greatest triumph is in truly letting players decide what they want to do, and in letting the results of those decisions impact them. You can be a mercenary force hired on by a larger alliance...and your performance and loyalty while hired by them will determine your chances of being hired by others. You can be the largest, most powerful alliance in the game...but the way you interact with your neighbors will determine whether or not they put their differences aside long enough to deal with you. Hell, you can even be a pirate or smuggler, running goods through systems that don't like your presence. How good you become at it could determine how many people seek you out for help...and how much they're willing to pay. It's all there"

Now, as a player who migrated to the fantasy genre and recently returned home only on the promises of Richard Garriott's crew finally making some important changes, I can understand where he is coming from.

For the most part.

These are the sorts of concepts that would strike at the heart of any Sci-Fi lover. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to be able to carry out a huge fighter sortie against a battle station (of the non 'Death Star' variety) and be able to land and help try to capture it?

On his advice, I attempted to take up EVE towards the end of last year. The screenies were alluring and, with the whole left in my gameplay due to no longer having access to the JTL expansion of Star Wars, I thought it might be my thing.

Again, how wrong can one guy be?

Are we noticing a trend yet?

I think if a game were to come about which incorporated the ability to command or pilot ships into battle, but also had a strong land-based element, you wouldn't see me for dust.

SWG made a bold move by adding a spaceflight sim to their MMO and, although it attracted a smaller percentage (initially) than they had hoped, it brought something to the MMO community which hadn't been seen previously.

I have a dream, that one day, game designers will listen to the people that matter. Let them understand that progress for the sake of progress isn't always a good thing. Before they start jumping ahead to try to make the next ground-breaking discovery in MMO concepts, take a look back at what has gone before.

Learn from the mistakes and advance from the success stories.

Someone wise once said "Those who fail to learn from History's mistakes are doomed to repeat them".

Although they were words intended to reflect on loftier ideals, they can equally apply in this case.

Here endeth the lesson.