In an interview over at GameSpy, Blizzard's lead content designer Ion Hazzikostas explains why Blizzard hasn't adopted the full open-tagging feature for World of Warcraft.

Open tagging, which has been popularized by high-profile MMOs such as RIFT and Guild Wars 2, refers to the ability to earn kill credit and experience simply for doing X% of damage to an enemy, regardless of whether or not you first tagged it. In World of Warcraft, the first player to tag an enemy gets full experience and credit, though Blizzard has made some exceptions recently for named quest targets and world bosses (tagged by your own faction).

"Part of the concern with open, free-for-all, open-tapping is that a lot of the game becomes more about tapping everything and tagging everything a little bit, especially when other players have already tapped them" he said. "Thirty seconds later, your quest completes because the other people killed them all. That's not an ideal way to feel like you're engaging in combat."

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They are basically saying that they don't want to actually put effort into designing this kind of system so that it rewards you more for helping other people as opposed to hitting a mob and running away. I feel like Blizzard wants people to not like seeing other players around. People are just as anti-social with tagging as they are without it. Thats a pretty terrible excuse Blizzard. 

It all boils down to this: You should like seeing other players. The old tagging system that everyone is starting to throw away except Blizzard makes you not like seeing other players. The resource gathering system currently in most MMOs is also a reason to not like seeing other players. I like how he claims that fighting over tags can lead to good player interaction. That doesn't even make any sense. I don't remember the last time I tagged a mob before someone else did and they interacted with me in a good way..or vice versa. It just does not happen. 

This interview makes me think Blizzard likes people being jerks to eachother. I mean, I know they don't, but thats what they are encouraging by keeping dated systems like this one.

I'm really glad you guys have come to the point where you realize it's a good thing to briefly describe the feature you're talking about as an explanation of exactly what it is (for those who didn't know). This is a step forward.

However, please go ahead and re-read what you've written, as a sort of "editing" process, before posting it. After reading, "...regardless of whether or not you first tagged it or not," I had to stop.

Some will see this as nit-picky, but you know, I like to be able to read an article without sighing.

Originally posted by Heretic451

I'm really glad you guys have come to the point where you realize it's a good thing to briefly describe the feature you're talking about as an explanation of exactly what it is (for those who didn't know). This is a step forward.

 

However, please go ahead and re-read what you've written, as a sort of "editing" process, before posting it. After reading, "...regardless of whether or not you first tagged it or not," I had to stop.

 

Some will see this as nit-picky, but you know, I like to be able to read an article without sighing.

 

Fixed. Sorry! I'm covering for our associate editor Suzie Ford (who is out sick, wish her well!) and juggling other things! :)

In GW2 I see people with this kind of attitude.

During events I see people doing whatever AoE they can to Tap mobs rather than focus on killing anything.

Also, when someone is fighting a mob I see people run up attack it once then run off.

Its probably best that Open Tagging stays in GW2.

Originally posted by Xiaoki

In GW2 I see people with this kind of attitude.

During events I see people doing whatever AoE they can to Tap mobs rather than focus on killing anything.

Also, when someone is fighting a mob I see people run up attack it once then run off.

Its probably best that Open Tagging stays in GW2.

You have to do X percent damage to a monster to qualify, though. Just tagging it isn't enough.

Originally posted by Xiaoki

In GW2 I see people with this kind of attitude.

During events I see people doing whatever AoE they can to Tap mobs rather than focus on killing anything.

Also, when someone is fighting a mob I see people run up attack it once then run off.

Its probably best that Open Tagging stays in GW2.

...hope you don't ever try to play rift, lotro or teso then.....btw tag and run is solely for geting a minimal event credit for exp/karama purposes...NOT LOOT which is what this article is about. also, many many more people in GW2 help others fight mobs throughout events and hearts and just in general in passing(and resurrect) than tag and run. it's about cooperating with a supposed ally instead of saying FUCK ME when you see another person.

conversation..so overrated(and misconstrued to make a weak point). as long as you're playing together. lol, (mod edit) is the lauded conversation you want to have when seeing another player? rofl.

The problem is solo'ing in a massive MULTIPLAYER game.

As for tagging, they could have made it so that if you attack a non-agro mob while you already have a mob tagged that they new tag replaces the old one, or the new one simply isn't tagged until the old one is dead.

FWIW, I don't necessarily agree with Blizzard's tepid approach here. Sure, open tagging isn't perfect in terms of how it's been implemented in other games, but the idea is definitely in the right direction. MMOs should always encourage playing with other people and creating a sense of anxiety when other players show up near your quest objectives is counter-intuitive to this.

Sure, Blizzard has struck a middle ground of sorts as far as named quest objectives go, but they should really just jump in with both feet.

Obviously, drive by tagging and gaining experience is silly, but I think committing to properly figuring this one out would be of great benefit to the game's playerbase.

Originally posted by MikeB

FWIW, I don't necessarily agree with Blizzard's tepid approach here. Sure, open tagging isn't perfect in terms of how it's been implemented in other games, but the idea is definitely in the right direction. MMOs should always encourage playing with other people and creating a sense of anxiety when other players show up near your quest objectives is counter-intuitive to this.

Sure, Blizzard has struck a middle ground of sorts as far as named quest objectives go, but they should really just jump in with both feet.

Obviously, drive by tagging and gaining experience is silly, but I think committing to properly figuring this one out would be of great benefit to the game's playerbase.

Open tagging isn't perfect and doesn't solve every social problem when playing overland, but you're right it does encourage people to work together.

I think how well it starts off working can depend on the community and the game.  It will take time for a lot of players to adjust to this different sort of mentality when for so long they've been in the strictly competitive mindset.

I've experience far less drive-by behavior in GW2 than I had in say Rift or LotRO where it was implemented as a change rather than the initial behavior.

In a purely open ffa pvp world then this sort of mechanic also wouldn't work well, but in faction based pvp it could do wonders to lend unity and cohesion to that faction.

Originally posted by MikeB

FWIW, I don't necessarily agree with Blizzard's tepid approach here.

Mike, you may not be familiar with how forums work. All right or all wrong (and you'll be deeply offended by what the company chooses, either way).

Forums don't do well with shades of gray.