Creativity and Innovation = Failure.
This year, yet another "mainstream" MMO has met its end. I'm of course referring to Tabula Rasa. This is just another in a list of unique titles that has either failed to get off the ground, or fell off the face of the Earth after only a brief run. What is it that makes players shy away from these more unique games and their concepts? You often hear the cry from forums about "innovation", "change", and the need for more variation to MMOs in general. But when a game offers this, it's greeted with doubtful suspicion.
Tabula Rasa, the most recent "failure", offered a unique blend of Sci-Fi environment in a persistant world with a unique FPS-3rd Person blend of gameplay. Players often shout for more Sci-Fi MMOs, but if this is to be the fate of the games who try, it's doubtful many developers will follow in their footsteps. From the same developer you had Auto Assault. This car-driving MMO brought a VERY unique game that blended Sci-Fi with a post-apocalyptic world and destructable environment. Sadly, this game too survived for a very short time.
Before EVE Online there was Earth and Beyond. This space combat and economic simulation MMO was developed by EA Games, but lasted only a few years (perhaps it was less than 3?). The game was very similar to EVE, but was unable to garner the support of Sci-Fi or MMO fans. But even the well-supported fantasy genre is not beyond the grip of failed innovation. Turbine attemped to create a sequel to it's very popular Asheron's Call MMORPG, creating AC2. It offered skill-based advancement, unique races, and some very nice graphics for its time. But the unfamiliar skill system and unique gameplay proved too much for the average player, and the game was shut down.
Another example of difficulty succeeding with a unique game is Ryzom. Despite the fact that it has recently resurfaced in the MMO world, it has undergone numerous problems including various owners and bankruptcies. This game touts itself as being a "sandbox" game, where players can create their own unique characters based on skills and self-created abilities. This kind of gameplay has been shouted for by many vocal players, but has never shown itself to be a successful model for a game.
Players are all too willing to stick to the tried-and-true foundations of the genre (and their sequels/clones). Everquest, World of Warcraft, and similar games continue to be the defining games of the MMO universe (at least in the western world). Why is it that despite the cry for unique games, players shun them for the "same old, same old"? Perhaps people just "think" they want something unique, when in fact most players just aren't comfortable outside the box.
I for one hope that independant games (not corporately developed) can help pave the way and encourage players to delve deeper into more types of MMOs. It's not that EQ2, LotRO, or even WoW are bad games. It's just that they've been done, done again, and done once more in the ear, and it's time to move on...
It's not that creativity and innovation = failure. The problem is that creativity and innovation doesn't equel a good game. So no matter how many innovations u make in a game they have to work properly and be actualy good(playable). I can only say that tabula rasa didn't do those things. Atleast not at the time I played it wich was at beta and till 3 months after beta.
Sun Apr 12 2009 4:40PM ReportYou ign'ant foo'
Sun Apr 12 2009 8:04PM ReportHow did you learn what the majority of players want?
Mon Apr 13 2009 8:58AM Report
I got to disagree on your whole topic.
Mon Apr 13 2009 1:28PM ReportFirst Tabula Rasa was released in the shadows of many games (in other world, bad start with low population). Then after realising that the whole game had issues, the designers decided to start the game from scrap (in other words, even lower population). Now, even though with all the updates the game went through the lack of fund and support from players killed it.
As for "unique features" or innovation, it's not that players don't want them, it's only that designers are not always able to succesfully implement those features in-game simply because they are
1: Not in the players mind
2:Cannot base themselves on anything (because this is a unique features so no one else has it obviously)
3:Cannot satisfy everyone
When you say players don't want innovation, look at all those games with new features which are extremely successful (Dofus, Atlantica Online, Mabinogi etc). Basically, you are wrong.
I have to disagree with you Madness Realm. Mabinogi, Atlantica, and Dofus (though I know considerably less about that title) are just adaptations of Asian clone MMOs. They have the same grinding mechanics, Atlantica uses the same stereotypical Asian graphics style, and nothing is really innovative there.
Sure, Atlantica has the fact that it's turn-based, and you can have multiple "mercenaries" in your "party". But that game doesn't even fit the bill of an MMO as far as I'm concerned. There is little player interaction, or grouping. Most of the time players don't even talk to each other.
Mabinogi is just another Asian MMO with a cash shop. I don't recall, but I'm not sure there is even crafting in that game. And Dofus is another one of those copycat cash shop games as well. I haven't spent the time to delve into that game because of all the negative feedback I've gotten from people I know.
Granted, I'm not one who gravitates to Asian MMOs to begin with...
Also, with TR, the designers never started over with the game. They also didn't have lack of funds in terms of the corporate financing. They're/were part of NCSoft. The subscriber numbers just weren't enough for them to continue supporting or developing the game. And that means that people just weren't that interested in what the game offered.
Mon Apr 13 2009 4:20PM Report[Sure, Atlantica has the fact that it's turn-based, and you can have multiple "mercenaries" in your "party". But that game doesn't even fit the bill of an MMO as far as I'm concerned. There is little player interaction, or grouping. Most of the time players don't even talk to each other.
Mabinogi is just another Asian MMO with a cash shop. I don't recall, but I'm not sure there is even crafting in that game. And Dofus is another one of those copycat cash shop games as well. I haven't spent the time to delve into that game because of all the negative feedback I've gotten from people I know.]
Mon Apr 13 2009 8:02PM ReportClearly you don't know what you are talking about. First things first: Atlantica.
Atlantica does have a lot of interaction wether it be through PvP tournement, Dungeon party, Crafting, or simply helping and giving tips. There's also a mentorship system and many ways for players to learn new crafting skills by interacting with players who's craft level is above yours.
Mabinogi: The whole gameplay is completly unique (though was recently copied by Mega-Ten). And yes THERE IS CRAFTING. Wether it be blacksmithing, harvesting, alchemy, tailoring etc. The grind doesn't really kick in because you can still move on in the game as the story and quest are not level based. It is also possible to reborn without losing any stats, making leveling an easier task.
Dofus: It's not a cash shop MMO, it's a P2P MMORPG with a Free Zone. And no it's not a Copy Cat that game is 6 or 7 years old and was created and published by Ankama Game, a french company. Dofus gameplay is (was) also unique as it offers a similar experience as Final Fantasy Tactic for Gameboy Advance.
Before you talk about something you know nothing of, I suggest you look into these.
And so I will copy dcostello's post:
" You ign'ant foo' "
When my colleagues ask me which is the most successful mmo..I always answer EvE online and I`m not an EvE player.
The big let down in todays MMOs is that they are just generic games instead of being a living & breathing world and that's where EvE succeeds and all the others failed even if the subscription numbers say otherwise.
Players want innovation but with the latest releases all we have seen are innovative ideas/concept poorly implemented(WAR & AoC),lack of content and lots of bugs and flawed core design.
But the MMO world is also plagued with some megalomaniac game directors such as Brad Mcquaid,Richard Garriot,MarK Jacobs who are the only one responsible for their product demise.
The problem is not innovation,the real problem is that MMOs are turning into subscrition based single player games with Co-op.How many times we heard the lame excuses that XYZ game failed because of barrier language,if that was true how can it be that people all around the world is beta testing AION Chinese version?An English patch is available and people are using it so why the hellcan`t this be made for a live game?no more player segregation,while installing you just specify the language pack you want and this will make the game world more dynamic as people will be logged 24/7 from all around the world...One world,one client.
Tue Apr 14 2009 1:10AM Report@Ngeldu5t
Tue Apr 14 2009 7:25AM ReportPersonnaly, I've never heard anyone using the excuse of language barrier. And I also have to disagree that MMOs are turning into P2P. MMOs are slowly turning to the microtransaction mode even if that may turn off many players who will end up staying on WoW.
As for the language barrier itself, it never happened to me, probably because I play on NA servers. Which reminds me of FFXI. They have servers that host anyone in the world and have included some sort of translator so if you type something in english and the receiver is, let's say, chinese, he will receive the message in Chinese.
Games who are hosted by NA company don't see the point of offering multi-language platform as, NA, is an english part of the world (ok, excluding a little place called Quebec in Canada). If you take a look at some EU Host though, they offer support for their game in many language (english, french, german, spanish, portuguese, etc) so yeah....unless you play a game hosted in EU or Malaysia (RYL2), I doubt you'd meet a strong language barrier.
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