General Discussion

Without a death penalty, people don't respect the environment, they don't approach combat with dread and fear as should be the case. Combat requires planning and probing in order to be successful. It's not realistic to rush in and attack anything without caution, but that is what you get when there are no consequences for your actions.

Ever heard the term zerging? This is when you throw waves of people against  foes knowing full well you will die over and over again but eventually sheer numbers will overcome the obstacle. It's considered by many to be a cheap way of winning. It requires no skill, no probing or planning, no execution of teamwork. This is what WoW's PvP is all about since there are no consequences for losing.

Since you mention WoW's lack of a significant death penalty I will use it for another example. When I played WoW I would often allow myself to be killed so I could port across a zone to save time. Others did the same. I prefer realistic travel and a significant death penalty but when the conditions of a game's environment allow a player to cheapen the experience, I unfortunately also find myself participating. What this leads to is my overall dissatisfaction with the game and my early exodus. I want developers to place boundaries and conditions in a game world that effect all players equally and foster immersion. Lack of a death penalty kills immersion.

Now having said that, I am willing to try a new approach, being open minded somewhat. Chronicles of Spellborn is approaching the scenario from the opposite view. They don't like death penalties but will be rewarding players who do not die with added experience and other rewards. This may accomplish the same goal, we shall see.

Either method will also allow gamers who play smart, to advance faster and reap rewards quicker than those who do not, which is a secondary desired result of a death penalty or non death reward system. MMOGs are competitive in nature and gamers who play well want to distinguish themselves among the masses who do not.  Death penalties give talented gamers the opportunity to do so.

Originally posted by cheshyrecat

Originally posted by itzit

Originally posted by Soraellion
If there's nothing to lose, what's the point in winning?

How do you Win any MMO.

you beat the big boss and complete the quest.  congrats you "won" (pick most any mmo)

You loot and pillage your opponents capital city.  congrats you "won" (WAR)

You capture x number of your opponents flags.  congrats you "won" (WoW)

deafeat your opponents in open combat.  congrats you "won" (Daoc, guildwars...ect)

 

does the game stop because you "won" a victory?  Nope.  or at least it doesn't have to.

Originally posted by itzit

Originally posted by cheshyrecat

Originally posted by itzit

Originally posted by Soraellion
If there's nothing to lose, what's the point in winning?

How do you Win any MMO.

you beat the big boss and complete the quest.  congrats you "won" (pick most any mmo)

You loot and pillage your opponents capital city.  congrats you "won" (WAR)

You capture x number of your opponents flags.  congrats you "won" (WoW)

deafeat your opponents in open combat.  congrats you "won" (Daoc, guildwars...ect)

 

does the game stop because you "won" a victory?  Nope.  or at least it doesn't have to.

I think you win by having fun.  So if having fun is winning, it is up to the individual. Which is why I think having a harsh death penalty is a bad idea. It is just not fun for me. I am the guy that plays Madden on easiest level and wins 150-0. Stupid? Maybe, but it is fun for me.

It's amazing how different people can be. I am the total opposite. I play strategy games like CIV4 on the hardest settings possible, losing 9 out of 10 trys, being frustrated as hell when I do, but enjoying the process and the prospects of winning. It's all about the journey for me.

As long as developers cater to all playertypes, everyone should be happy. Unfortunately I can't find a quality hardcore MMOG these days like early EQ1 was.

 if i beat you playin chess do you automatically start sucking and forget how to play? so why does it make sense that when you die in a mmo that you should get weaker? if we are playing laser tag and my team wins would it make sense to give your team weaker guns? no it wouldnt.

i dont know about you guys but i dont like doin quests over and over just to get my guy to max lvl to do the real fun stuff. loosin xp just postpones the fun stuff from you. i dont like that.  now if there is no fun stuff at max lvl then why you playin that game?

now for the no risk no reward, cant loose whats to win stuff. you already paid for the game and had to wait for it to install so your a looser at the beginning. playing it is the reward, winning, part because you are having fun with it.

for the get the noobs out of the game thing.  no matter what you do or where you do it there will be someone to mess it up.theres people who want to do somthing and others to mess it up its life get over it.

Originally posted by ASmith84

 if i beat you playin chess do you automatically start sucking and forget how to play? so why does it make sense that when you die in a mmo that you should get weaker? if we are playing laser tag and my team wins would it make sense to give your team weaker guns? no it wouldnt. Terrable examples why not try mine. If i ran you through with a sword then cut off your head what ahppens to you?

i dont know about you guys but i dont like doin quests over and over just to get my guy to max lvl to do the real fun stuff. Thats called A.D.D loosin xp just postpones the fun stuff from you. i dont like that.  now if there is no fun stuff at max lvl then why you playin that game?

now for the no risk no reward, cant loose whats to win stuff. you already paid for the game and had to wait for it to install so your a looser at the beginning. playing it is the reward, winning, part because you are having fun with it.

for the get the noobs out of the game thing.  no matter what you do or where you do it there will be someone to mess it up.theres people who want to do somthing and others to mess it up its life get over it.

 

Whats the point of PvP or PvE if there isant some sort of Risk? And no a crappy WoW penalty of finding your body isant a penalty.

Its pretty obvious that all you ahve palyed is WoW no wonder you made such a terrable post.

Originally posted by ASmith84 

if i beat you playin chess do you automatically start sucking and forget how to play? so why does it make sense that when you die in a mmo that you should get weaker? if we are playing laser tag and my team wins would it make sense to give your team weaker guns? no it wouldnt.