How does an MMO satisfy the needs of both the hardcore gamer and the casual one? This is both a question for the developers as well as the people assigned to marketing the game. Sure a game can have great graphics and an immense world, but if the content in that world is lacking the game is doomed from the start.
Both of these players crave essentially the same thing. They both desire content that is immersive and also challenging. While the hardcore gamer typically blows past lower level content to reach the challenges at endgame. The casual gamer on the other hand expects the early level content to be just as engrossing all while being able to log off after a solid 30-60 mins of play feeling that they have accomplished something.
I know personally that I exhibit some of both the casual and hardcore qualities. I typically blast past early level content so that my character gets stronger. The stronger my character gets the more likely I am to continue playing. I enjoy the challenges of testing out a character learning the ins-and-outs of the class and mastering the content. I also don’t have 3+ hours to sit at my computer and grind. Back in the day, which was like four months ago, I could log in some solid hours to gaming. Now I generally get about two solid hours of gaming each night. In the time that I get in I expect my game to provide me with some challenging quests and test my character and my skills.
It is all about entertainment, keeping the player involved in the game from character creation to end game content. Here are some other aspects that I find keep players entertained and informed about thier games.
Integrated character development web page : site that shows gear, stats, achievements, progress, skills. Over all just a site for players to look up their character and compare themselves to other players.
Guild web pages – mainly a forums so that guilds can communicate and organize offline.
Use social networking as other mediums: IE facebook twitter etc. keep the players updated and allow for feedback, even through it might just be flames and trolls.
Free content upgrades – I say boo to expansion packs. Anyone who ever played EverQuest knows the pain of having to pay for expansions that should just have been free content.
Friend/guild offline status - a tool that would allow you outside of the game to see if your friends/guild mates are on.
To accommodate both types of players devs must create content that from day one challenges the player. They also must make players feel powerful from day one. No more of the all too common slaying rats in the courtyard BS. Lets get out there and let the steel and spells fly from level one. Provide content that gives players a great experience at both the start of their career and their one year anniversary.
1. Agree that there should be content not just for endgame. Among the top reasons most games suck and feel empty for the vast majority of non-hardcore players.
2. Integrated char pages... nice to have, but would rather this be optional.
3. Guild pages, yeah this would be nice. Can be easily tied in with #2.
4. Social networking, eww, just eww. I don't understand this mindless fascination with up-to-the-second updates that tell you whether the developers are or are not picking their noses at that very moment. Jesus Christ, people. i don't want to have to wade through scads of useless information. Just provide well-written, detailed updates on forums. Yes, forums. A well-run forum which has regular admin posts shows that the company is actively listening to feedback and managing information updates in a timely manner. We don't need useless fluff like "picking my navel right now, 4:00pm" twits.
5. Free content, lol. This depends on the company. You work to get paid, they do the same too. If the company can afford to provide free updates, fine. If not, not. I'd rather not have them just pump out stupid meaningless shit all the time merely to satisfy greedy players with an entitlement problem that yes they are producing free updates.
6. Yeah, we need better frackin' communication tools. Many games are missing basic features IRC had back in the goddamn 1990s.
7. As long as people are stuck in the same levelup mindset they'll never get away from viewing early game content as annoying hurdles to get past.
Sun Sep 20 2009 3:34PM Reportthanks for the imput on the post.
My main reasoning behind 2 & 3 is that it allows the player content offline to stay connected to the game.
Also #4 i agree with you on some points. there is a lot of overload and over use of these social networking sites. But it would be foolish for a company to ignore the power and social value these sites have.
#5 is just wishful thinking. I know it takes a lot of man power to keep an MMO running hell just look at CoX they have 1 expansion with 16 free content upgrades, and to me that is amazing. and yes i know they have a new xpansion coming.
Look for another post i am creating called "content discimination" that i should have posted by sunday
Mon Sep 21 2009 12:10AM ReportMMORPG.com writes:
Login or Register to post a comment