This is somewhat an extension of the discussion going on over in the Poll "does TSW have the best questing to date" I figured I would start a new thread for this subtopic , and I am sure a few of my fellow game reviewers who had differing opinions from the other thread will join in.

The part of the discussion that was interesting me was about TSW basically offering nothing "new" and being the same old same old, just repackaged slightly.   I got to thinking about this, and for last nights game session , had that in mind .. what about this is really *new* or different for an MMORPG ?

And I think that is part of the key, we are talking the MMORPG space here, not single player RPG games, which there have probably been insane amounts of that cover in one way or another a lot of these.

I am talking UO, EQ, EQ2, DaOC, WOW, Rift, Aion, WAR, EVE, DCuo, COH etc)

So beside the fact that despite playing all the games above and not recalling anything exactly like the skill wheel, or getting quests via cell phone, or even really having too many of the puzzle quests, I will concede that it could be argued that many of the underlying game systems,  chance to hit, health , resources   are just packaged differently... I suppose.   still feels different to me but ok I see where you are coming from.

In the Original EQ, quests (although we joking called it Neverquest, because really besides the epic quests and ones required for raids like the SSRa ones etc.  the game was more grouping and grind focused than questing) but  there were no ! and ? to guide you, you literally had to talk to everyone.

Getting off track .. anyway  the cinematic and voice acting quests could be argued that SW:TOR came first, but another difference from the other MMO I have played, is  I feel to need to skip the quest dialoge, and enjoy every minute of it .. but thats still nothing new I suppose.

But last night I think it hit me what TSW brings ... Atmosphere ...   was doing the Templar Parking Garage quest, and not to spoil for anyone, you basically sabotage the ligthing system, and have nothing but a flashlight on your head basically for light,  couple that with creepy zombies and specters being in that garage while you decsend into it with limited view, really set  a tone I dont recally ever experiencing in another mmo.  then there is the part where the naggy British lady calls to scold you and you are litterlly fighting with one hand so you can hold the phone to your ear to listen ...lol

anyway for me thats whats new, the setting and atmosphere

that said,    I wish they could find a way to make the quests involve more people, instead of being a personal story or single player RPG embedded in an MMO, but  either way , for the time, I am being entertained and will continue to play.

fire away

syco

IT is more adult themed, is one thing....I get a laugh out of some of the quest wordings and grumpy old man stuff (old guys note to the cops complaining about the hippies)....I am enjoying it, lasting power, don't know....

I will easily get my money out of it, as I think I am well on my way already...Even if it turns stale for me soon, I don't think I will regret my purchase (Especially since it was only $35).

There are very few things that are truly "new" in ANY game these days.

The skill wheel certainly isn't.  The system is very similar to EVE online, except points are earned via in-game tasks as opposed to time spent. 

The modern world setting is pretty novel.  MxO was kinda set in the real world - although technically it was set inside The Matrix, which takes place in the future.   So a setting of "today" is somewhat new.

Investigation quests are new to the MMO genre as far I can recall.  There may have been a quest or two in other games that was focused on puzzles and doing external research, but TSW has made this an on-going mechanic, so that's pretty new.

Sabotage quests are also somewhat new.  Although stealth quests have been done before, they're not very common.

The idea of mixing Actives and Passives is somewhat new.. but i think it's more because other games set things up differently in their combat, the end result is pretty much the same. 

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

To be short....yup.

Originally posted by arieste

There are very few things that are truly "new" in ANY game these days.

 

The skill wheel certainly isn't.  The system is very similar to EVE online, except points are earned via in-game tasks as opposed to time spent. 

 

The modern world setting is pretty novel.  MxO was kinda set in the real world - although technically it was set inside The Matrix, which takes place in the future.   So a setting of "today" is somewhat new.

 

Investigation quests are new to the MMO genre as far I can recall.  There may have been a quest or two in other games that was focused on puzzles and doing external research, but TSW has made this an on-going mechanic, so that's pretty new.

 

Sabotage quests are also somewhat new.  Although stealth quests have been done before, they're not very common.

 

The idea of mixing Actives and Passives is somewhat new.. but i think it's more because other games set things up differently in their combat, the end result is pretty much the same. 

 

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

What he said. Love the fact that is is more adult themed. So glad this mmo is not full of sunshine and rainbows! 

Yes

I mean techincally nothing is new. Honestly you can say that for any mmorpg thats been released since 2003.

It does however deliver its mechanics in unique ways, in a completely unique setting with a storyline that isnt predictable and "saturday morning cartoon" in depth.

Its also attracting a whole lot of people who want to enjoy their mmorpg rather than race to the end for pvp queues and gear grind...so right now the community is relativly adult like, polite, and helpful..which i guess is pretty groundbreaking in todays games.

Play TSW because your interested in the lore/story, because you like theorycrafting with skill builds, and because your sick of quest hubbing and quest spam.  Play because you like boss fights in dungeons but hate clearing lame trash for hours. 

Originally posted by arieste

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

Seriously? Go play The Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows. TSW is like a kids party to me compared with that and games like Bioshock2, Dark Corners of the Earth (outrunning the fishmen especially) and even Silent Hill.

Word to the wise, TSW isn't hard and it isn't scary.

Originally posted by Mephster

Originally posted by arieste

There are very few things that are truly "new" in ANY game these days.

 

The skill wheel certainly isn't.  The system is very similar to EVE online, except points are earned via in-game tasks as opposed to time spent. 

 

The modern world setting is pretty novel.  MxO was kinda set in the real world - although technically it was set inside The Matrix, which takes place in the future.   So a setting of "today" is somewhat new.

 

Investigation quests are new to the MMO genre as far I can recall.  There may have been a quest or two in other games that was focused on puzzles and doing external research, but TSW has made this an on-going mechanic, so that's pretty new.

 

Sabotage quests are also somewhat new.  Although stealth quests have been done before, they're not very common.

 

The idea of mixing Actives and Passives is somewhat new.. but i think it's more because other games set things up differently in their combat, the end result is pretty much the same. 

 

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

What he said. Love the fact that is is more adult themed. So glad this mmo is not full of sunshine and rainbows! 

In what way is it adult themed, it has monsters and a few swear words? I'm 46 years old and most stuff in it is pretty juvenile. My kids are 8 and they don't even find it 'adult'.

Originally posted by MMOSavant

Originally posted by Mephster

Originally posted by arieste

There are very few things that are truly "new" in ANY game these days.

 

The skill wheel certainly isn't.  The system is very similar to EVE online, except points are earned via in-game tasks as opposed to time spent. 

 

The modern world setting is pretty novel.  MxO was kinda set in the real world - although technically it was set inside The Matrix, which takes place in the future.   So a setting of "today" is somewhat new.

 

Investigation quests are new to the MMO genre as far I can recall.  There may have been a quest or two in other games that was focused on puzzles and doing external research, but TSW has made this an on-going mechanic, so that's pretty new.

 

Sabotage quests are also somewhat new.  Although stealth quests have been done before, they're not very common.

 

The idea of mixing Actives and Passives is somewhat new.. but i think it's more because other games set things up differently in their combat, the end result is pretty much the same. 

 

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

What he said. Love the fact that is is more adult themed. So glad this mmo is not full of sunshine and rainbows! 

 

In what way is it adult themed, it has monsters and a few swear words? I'm 46 years old and most stuff in it is pretty juvenile. My kids are 8 and they don't even find it 'adult'.

I find it fairly adult themed and I'm 54, does that mean "I win?"  And I would be a bit uncomfortable letting my 8 year olds play this title.

Originally posted by MMOSavant

Originally posted by arieste

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

 

Seriously? Go play The Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows. TSW is like a kids party to me compared with that and games like Bioshock2, Dark Corners of the Earth (outrunning the fishmen especially) and even Silent Hill.

 

Word to the wise, TSW isn't hard and it isn't scary.

Originally posted by BigRock411

I mean techincally nothing is new. Honestly you can say that for any mmorpg thats been released since 2003.

It does however deliver its mechanics in unique ways, in a completely unique setting with a storyline that isnt predictable and "saturday morning cartoon" in depth.

Its also attracting a whole lot of people who want to enjoy their mmorpg rather than race to the end for pvp queues and gear grind...so right now the community is relativly adult like, polite, and helpful..which i guess is pretty groundbreaking in todays games.

 

Play TSW because your interested in the lore/story, because you like theorycrafting with skill builds, and because your sick of quest hubbing and quest spam.  Play because you like boss fights in dungeons but hate clearing lame trash for hours. 

If technically nothing is new then please list other MMOs with Investigative and Sabotage missions please.  Neither of those are delivering a specific, well used mechanic in a different way. 

It brings in mechanics that aren't new to gaming per say but as far as I'm aware haven't been used in mmo's before. I think they have giving the industry something to think about in terms of questing that I hope other companies take inspiration from. It reminds me of fallout in many ways with the computer hacking and sentry dodging, sneaking past perimiters and such. I find myself treating other missions in the game very much like the espionage missions, trying to avoid the fight and sneak in the vamp camp to get to the supplies. 

Anything new? Thats a bit of a difficult question really.

It does a few things differently, but nothing is really innovative or new as such.

It also does a few things really well, such as the atmospherics and art style, but essentially it's a lot like Rift, WAR, Aion etc, it has one hook that it hangs it's hat on, the investigation missions, the rest is all the usual mmorpg fare or has been done before somewhere else.

Even the modern day setting has been done before.

There is a fundimental flaw in the question though, there are many thousand mmorpg's now, to do something truly original is almost impossible.

Kind of a loaded question.

The investigation missions are definitely new to the genre. At least I've never seen anything like them in any other mmorpg.

Nothing else might not be exactly new but the total presentation is pretty refreshing.

In order to do one of the quests I needed to do a crash course in logic and I am now going to do some further reading because it peaked my interest. The game forced me to learn. I haven't played a MMO that has done this so far.

To me, that is new for a MMORPG.

It puts "rpg" back in mmorpg.

I haven't seen a game within the genre do this is many years.

I never look to see if a mmo brings something entirely new. I look to see if it actually manages to be a good game worthy of the history of the genre instead of a collection of copy and paste mechanics that never manage to coalesce .

What is sad about this however is that TSW is being called a niche game for trying to reintroduce what was lost in mmo's.

IF they manage to actually accomplish their plans for an evolving world based on what happens live, they will do a great thing to the genre, if they do it well.

Not a "phasing" world wee your actions affect you, but a world that actually changes over time and reflects what has been going in-game.

Imho, TSW doesn't have overall anything huge and ground breaking as far as mechanics

,..BUT  they manage to do some funky things and tie it in with it's world setting that makes it hugely enjoyable to me.

If I had to point to one thing,.I'd say the google investigation missions are new( to me) 

The skill wheel is a close second,..

Crafting is ala minecraft,..I've seen active dodging in games like DDO and DCUO.

The 7 slot hotbar reminds me of early EQ's spell bar, where you had to choose.

I'd like to see Tabula Rassa/ Rift  dynamic events play out in the world here too to spice it up.

I made a video of all the little fun mechanics I encountered to share, so here is a shamless link,.

youTube link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7pw7xPsMMM&list=UU4QG1na0hELXPsmgpQn6QBg&index=1&feature=plcp

-cheers

Originally posted by MMOSavant

Originally posted by arieste

"Horror" themes.  More scary (by design) moments in TSW than any other game i've seen.

 

 

 

Seriously? Go play The Cradle in Thief: Deadly Shadows. TSW is like a kids party to me compared with that and games like Bioshock2, Dark Corners of the Earth (outrunning the fishmen especially) and even Silent Hill.

 

Word to the wise, TSW isn't hard and it isn't scary.

This was in the context of MMORPG games, those games are not in that category