As of today the model that is ever present in MMORPG's is the loot model, players get exited because they found the Sword of thunder ..It's an easy way of making a MMORPG fun without making a great effort..
So..Should not something that is fun be in a game ? Yes ofcourse it should, but maybe not as the prime feature..
Well..I have given these things many thoughts and it's basically the loot that makes these games boring in the end aswell..I won't deny that I'm not finding it fun to get a nice sword or chestpiece in EQ2 or better my STATS with it..But..If the game is better in the most common thing it does, will it not outshine the loot or the urge to get better loot as a nr one feature in MMO's..
This is also the prime reason for it being there, to better your characther. Roleplaying games has been like this forever..So Why change it ?
I will try to answer why we need to change this or atleast divert focus of the "loot" and make the MMORPG's fun without having the focus on loot.
First... I think it would be hard to make such a game, aspecially in todays market with World Of Warcraft that has set a developers frame on how a MMORPG model is going to look like...Most MMORPG's was like this before aswell, but WoW has made sure the rest will be looking the same aswell for years to come...It's not hard to see this...This is where the money is, this is what we want, 9 milj people can't be wrong , can they ?
Secondly...It would also be hard to make such a game since it would mean that this game has to be fun in other ways than finding loot..
In the beginning of computer roleplaing games, most such games had a strategic ground, making it good because the combat was interessting, with tons of options you fought with your avatars in mostly "turn based combat" ..The TBC is today more/less gone or it's a niche market at best..These games also had "hot loot" ofcourse, but there was something to play for more than just "loot"
As I see it todays games has none of the combat dept that was present in many of the older CRPG's..Games like EQ2 or Final Fantasy Online(Haven't tried this one) has tried to create interessting combat models with heroic opertunities, but sadly atleast EQ2 has failed in such an attempt, the combat is not interssting enough, most players do not even use this feature...Basically it was/is a failure
My belief is that if a developers would come up with a GREAT combat model, that involves the dept of the older CRPG mixed with todays fast action, much like the one in EQ2 , but only so MUCH better..It has to be THE SOLE REASON for why you fight, the fights has to be FUN, so fun that it takes away all focus from the loot urge..
Today we have a model that works the opposite way, it's the loot that makes it worthwhile most of the time..Thats the reason we will put up with endless "GRINDS" , and thats also the reason why "gold sellers" has their buissness set in stone.. And this is also the reason many write angry posts about Chines Goldfarmers etc..But who can blame them for trying to make money..And in the other end there is the buyers that tries to compete with less gametime but buys the loot instead..
Loot is the root to all evils in these games today..If they found a way to change this,,MMORPG's would be a better place for most of us...But again..It's fun to find something "rare" or something that your friend doesn't have, it's almost part of human nature..So how do we change this ?
/Junker
MMORPG.com writes:
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