Do you want to see more Playable Races in future MMORPGs? Since 2007, there has been a large decline in the variety of races per popular game.

Playable species without a reason to play them is pointless. Take SWTOR, they are supposed ot be releasing a new species, but with no new story element (the supposed hallmark of that game) it is just a costume change. 

Then take for example STO, some might even argue that creating your own species and customizing the pre-made one's was a game in and of itself. 

I tend to like more variety, I tend to want more species choices out of my games, even if I have to pay for them. 

I would. And not just humanoid or bipedal races. GW2's Female Sylvari with breasts makes no sense as their young do not suckle, as far as I know. Do Sylvari even have sex? lol Reptilian races would fall under the same critique.

A true variety of races would be a welcome sight, in my opinion.

Since I don't look at my character when I play it, I don't care about appearance. So imo, there's no need for many racial choices unless it is related to faction, lore and/or racial bonuses.

I personally don't need any meaning or ancient lore to enjoy a vast variety of races. The more the better.

Star Trek Online, however, did do a fantastic job with the "Custom Race" option. It's just too bad that the game sucked (for me) after Character Creation.

"Custom Races" via Character Creation is a fantastic idea. If the creation process is deep enough, perhaps one day this is all we'll need for choice.

At the moment, I want to see 20+ races per game. I don't care if their origin has no meaning. I want variety.

Originally posted by mmoDAD

I personally don't need any meaning or ancient lore to enjoy a vast variety of races. The more the better.

Star Trek Online, however, did do a fantastic job with the "Custom Race" option. It's just too bad that the game sucked (for me) after Character Creation.

"Custom Races" via Character Creation is a fantastic idea. If the creation process is deep enough, perhaps one day this is all we'll need for choice.

 

At the moment, I want to see 20+ races per game. I don't care if their origin has no meaning. I want variety.

Well Vanguard obviously was the closest to what you are looking for at least in species variety of pre-made species. What was cool about their species though was each one had a starting area and a "style" and they had their own lore to different degrees. 

I only want to see as many races as "makes sense" to the world.

The one thing I truly appreciate is good design. Throwing in every conceivable race just for the sake of variety is not good design. Becuase then it feels like "everything but the kitchen sink".

In any case, that's just my opinion.

Originally posted by Sovrath

I only want to see as many races as "makes sense" to the world.

The one thing I truly appreciate is good design. Throwing in every conceivable race just for the sake of variety is not good design. Becuase then it feels like "everything but the kitchen sink".

In any case, that's just my opinion.

The flip side to this of course is a game like SWTOR, where so many species make sense in the game, but the developers limited the players on account of "story", but then made species have little to no impact on story. 

"Since 2007, there has been a large decline in the variety of races per popular game."

Ultima Online

Asheron's Call

EVE Online

Lineage

Depending how 'popular' is defined (yay, for vauge terms to be able to shift your goalposts if necessary) plenty more can be added to the list on both ends of the scale, but the point is the graph is utter horseshit.

If there has been a decline in the number of races present in the MMOs that players choose to play, then that would indicate that either players want less races or MMOs with less races prove to be better games, no?

Originally posted by AlBQuirky

I would. And not just humanoid or bipedal races. GW2's Female Sylvari with breasts makes no sense as their young do not suckle, as far as I know. Do Sylvari even have sex? lol Reptilian races would fall under the same critique.

A true variety of races would be a welcome sight, in my opinion.

(GW2 Lore Nerd Mode On) Female Sylvari has breasts because humans do, and since the pale tree modeled the sylvari the humans (since it was a human that planted it), then they had human shape. And BTW, yes, they do have sex... but it's a common theme among sylvari that since they do not procreate trough sex, it's mostly done for relationship purposes, which means that same sex relationships are almost as common as different sex ones. (Lore nerd mode off).. :)

Actually GW2 took a little more advanced stance when it comes to this, since the females of 2 out of the 5 races actually don't have breasts (Charr and Asura), even to the point where there are several armor models that if you equip them in a female they use the same model than the male ones, including a few that leave the chest area uncovered (NOTE: again, that is in Charr and Asura only, this isn't AoC.. :) ).

Back to the original topic... I'd definitively want to see more playable races in future MMOs, as long as they're well developed. What I mean is, I'd rather play an MMO with 5 or 6 playable raced, but with each one having their own starter areas and style than one with 20 or 25 where everyone share the same starting areas and are basically the same but with different models. Also, I'd rather see more variety between the races, not just the standard fantasy "human... big human... small human... small stocky human... thin human with pointy ears" bit.

EDIT: BTW, for the graphic to be more accurate, WoW should have 8 races since it's what they had around the time of EQ2 and SWG (where it's placed), and in any case it should be listed with 10 between Vanguard and AoC, 12 betwen Aion and Rift and 14 after GW2.

Not only more races, but ones with different strenghts and weaknesses imo.

Thats what makes a good RPG.

Originally posted by Demogorgon

Not only more races, but ones with different strenghts and weaknesses imo.

Thats what makes a good RPG.

What comes with this, something I love, but many don't, is the ability to knowingly gimp your character. 

Lots of races, yes please!

Due to a bit of sci-fi writing recently, I fell onto something.  A space setting allows for one of the biggest varieties in species, with a whooole bunch from each planet, which there would naturally be a ton of.  Whether accessible of course is arguable.

Fantasy has naturally been able to compete on some scale, definitely.  From humans, different kinds of humans, elves, different kinds of elves, dwarves and ... you guessed it, different kinds of dwarves... to dryads, half-animal folk of many kinds - werewolves and bipedal tigers for example, - demons and angels - which the game can say there is a zillion different kinds of cos Hell/Heaven/Underworld can be vast...  Oh that definitely includes different planes of existence and elementals.

What else... Hmmm...  I'm just enjoying myself a spout of creativity.

Underwater peeps, gotta have some.  Whether it's fishy people to straight up mermen and sirens, something works.

Rock people, I would like playable golem-like figures. 

Sky people!  Gotta have wings.  Maybe avians were partially already covered? Ah well.

And when there are organized groups a species as enemies in games, why couldn't we play those?  Because the adventureres love to kill them and playing one would mean constant trashing?  Eh.  Write a setting where it works!

And stuff.

Originally posted by Loktofeit

"Since 2007, there has been a large decline in the variety of races per popular game."

Ultima Online

Asheron's Call

EVE Online

Lineage

 

Depending how 'popular' is defined (yay, for vauge terms to be able to shift your goalposts if necessary) plenty more can be added to the list on both ends of the scale, but the point is the graph is utter horseshit.

If there has been a decline in the number of races present in the MMOs that players choose to play, then that would indicate that either players want less races or MMOs with less races prove to be better games, no?

Popular is a vague term but to be fair, how many games would you like him to list?  Of course there will be outliers on both sides.

Your last statement is probably true.  Fewer players appear to care about the race of their character so development studios just don't bother with a large selection.  Shiney gear is the order of the day.

It's too bad though, I really like variety in playable races.

Originally posted by Demogorgon

Not only more races, but ones with different strenghts and weaknesses imo.

Thats what makes a good RPG.

Yeah I miss that.

A lot of old games had "filler races" and "filler classes". Hell, Vanguard even had filler level-ups with filler skills. Why?- Well, partly because they are padding (atleast in Vanguard's case) but mostly because the balance was horrendous and few races and classes (as well as their combos) were simply better than some others.

Playing with those sucky classes or races means you are oblivious to balance (which is fine because ignorance is bliss), you are trying to be cool by playing with a disadvantage (which wouldn't score points with me) or you could be a hipster.

Its like with rogue-like games, after a while you'll notice that ogres make the best warriors or high elfs make the best mages. And soon you'll realise too that paladins and clerics are as good as warriors but better, so why play warriors in the first place? On the other hand, mages usually rock in nearly every game... but they sucked in Morrowind.

Originally posted by Quirhid

A lot of old games had "filler races" and "filler classes". Hell, Vanguard even had filler level-ups with filler skills. Why?- Well, partly because they are padding (atleast in Vanguard's case) but mostly because the balance was horrendous and few races and classes (as well as their combos) were simply better than some others.

Playing with those sucky classes or races means you are oblivious to balance (which is fine because ignorance is bliss), you are trying to be cool by playing with a disadvantage (which wouldn't score points with me) or you could be a hipster.

Its like with rogue-like games, after a while you'll notice that ogres make the best warriors or high elfs make the best mages. And soon you'll realise too that paladins and clerics are as good as warriors but better, so why play warriors in the first place? On the other hand, mages usually rock in nearly every game... but they sucked in Morrowind.

This is the min/maxer point of view. Nothing wrong with it, but it isn't the only one out there. To each their own, I don't see a lot of games on the horizon offering 20+ races especially not for free, and I'm not sure it is necessary, but there is without a doubt people who like variety, look at DnD's success, part of it comes from the fact that they appeal to people who want more variety, so every few months they publish a new book with new races or new classes and they make a boat load of money. 

Originally posted by dave6660

Originally posted by Loktofeit

"Since 2007, there has been a large decline in the variety of races per popular game."

Ultima Online

Asheron's Call

EVE Online

Lineage

 

Depending how 'popular' is defined (yay, for vauge terms to be able to shift your goalposts if necessary) plenty more can be added to the list on both ends of the scale, but the point is the graph is utter horseshit.

If there has been a decline in the number of races present in the MMOs that players choose to play, then that would indicate that either players want less races or MMOs with less races prove to be better games, no?

Popular is a vague term but to be fair, how many games would you like him to list?  Of course there will be outliers on both sides.

Ok, so let's just add those four. Doesn't just that four debunk both the graph and the premise?

EDIT: It's been bugging me for ten minutes now, so I have to ask: Other than "the data doesn't fit what we want to present' by what criteria are those outliers?