Many people seem to claim they want customization, talent trees, and features to make their character "unique".
They want to pick between berseker, defensive, and pets master in order to feel unique and special.
Then a new game releases, while their previous game allowed them to have 30 skills and 5 specialization skills, this new game offers 45 skills with no talent trees.
First thing you'll see in forums: Your warrior will end up using the same skills as every single warrior, do not want.
So, I go and try to find out by myself what those 45 skills of that new game are, and, what do I find? Pet skills, offensive skills and deffensive skills, added to the common profession skills.
What I'm trying to state here is that specialization in MMORPGs is putting limits to your gameplay variables, it's not customization, it's limiting.
In game 1, you go to a raid, and your mates tell you they need a tank, pity, you've specced berseker, so lets try with someone else.
In game 2, you go to a raid, and your mates tell you they need a tank, you use to play offensively, but hell, a day is a day, you get those deffensive skills, place them on your skill bar, and you become a tank in a matter of seconds.
Can you see where I am going? The idea of customization sounds good, but it only limits your style, instead of focusing in giving your character more uniqueness, devs should focus so people can choose between many different playstyles, to choose 1 each day, depending on the situation, without needing to go to a town or spending money respeccing.
So, whenever I see posts complaining about the lack of talent trees in upcoming games, I can do nothing but think that our current community doesn't know what they want.
I think what you are confusing is:
Customization verses having roles.
for me customization = making my character unique in and of itself. Meaning my skills are slightly different but I can still serve a similar role. For me it also means not every high level warrior looks the same (I hate that so much).
But having predescribed roles is limiting if you get bored . . . in all the games i've played (EVE aside) I get bored with a non-tank melee warrior or a hunter character.
I think MMO's should work hard in not mandating certain group formulas to do quests. Imagine doing a quest in WoW without a tank/healer.
Nice post,
Cryomatrix
Fri Jul 10 2009 12:42AMI agree with the OP for the most part. Customization for me is mostly aesthetics and the ability to pick and choose from a pool of every ability in the game.
Sat Jul 11 2009 3:21AMMMORPG.com writes:
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