While combat and questing, PvP and competition, are the hallmarks of most MMOs, many also include so-called 'quality of life' enhancements to give players other things in which to participate. Housing, marriage, crafting all embody this notion. In today's The Secret World column, we opine on some things that Funcom could include in its MMO. See what you think and then leave your ideas in the comments.

I spent some time mulling over some ideas for meaningful additions to TSW that might shake things up a bit. While these ideas may have unintended consequences by virtue of their use and may not be easy to implement in TSW, they still should provide quite a bit of interesting discussion and quirky memories for players to think fondly of when they consider the game.

Read more of Victor Barreiro Jr.'s The Secret World: Meaningful Quality-of-Life Additions.

I'd rather see some open lands where players can create quests (think Foundry), as well as some places where there is open world PvP for those who want to engage in it.

The little additions mentioned here are good, but these guys need to start thinking about gameplay systems that are a bit more aggressive, in my opinion.  I look at the theater in London, and I can tell some lights are turning on at Funcom.  Someone there is thinking about emergent gameplay systems, but they need to take it much further than just RP systems only a small slice of the population will use.

(and yes, they need the RP stuff too!)

What an epic waste of a great idea this game will become if it tanks due to trying to be another also-ran themepark.  It could be so much more.

Originally posted by MindTrigger

I'd rather see some open lands where players can create quests (think Foundry), as well as some places where there is open world PvP for those who want to engage in it.

Player created content would be amazing for this game IMHO. There is so much "X-Files-esque" types of things this game doesn't feature that could be included with player made missions. 

As far as housing goes, this is a feature I absolutely LOVE and I would really like to see it in this game. That said, I don't like it instanced. I'm much sure how TSW could get away with adding non-instanced player housing though. 

They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting. I mean come on, i was combining metal scraps out in the woods and out pops an assault rifle...stupid.

Weapons and armor should have been relegated to faction rewards for doing pvp and pve content. Period. Crafting in tsw should have centered around enhancing social systems and housing. Fashion design, furniture, pet breeding, cooking, music, dance, horticulture, skateboarding, parkour, urban art, the possibilities were endless with this setting. But nope, drag n drop some essences and pop out a trinket. Theres your crafting system. Such a wasted opportunity.

Originally posted by Foomerang

They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting. I mean come on, i was combining metal scraps out in the woods and out pops an assault rifle...stupid.

Weapons and armor should have been relegated to faction rewards for doing pvp and pve content. Period. Crafting in tsw should have centered around enhancing social systems and housing. Fashion design, furniture, pet breeding, cooking, music, dance, horticulture, skateboarding, parkour, urban art, the possibilities were endless with this setting. But nope, drag n drop some essences and pop out a trinket. Theres your crafting system. Such a wasted opportunity.

Agreed, and a much deeper crafting system with lots of cusomization would be one of those systems I'd like to see in place.  I still view this game as a bit of a failure to understand the people who have been interested in it for the last several years.  It's clear to see that they took it in a more mainstream direction, probably to get more people interested in it, but the end result is a game that is amazing on the surface, but lacks any depth and longevity.

Originally posted by Foomerang

...skateboarding...

Now that would have been pretty fun and entertaining. I remember seeing the little skate park on Solomon Island and thinking the same thing. 

Originally posted by Foomerang

They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting.

 

Well Funcom is revamping AoC's crafting, no reason why they couldn't do it for TSW I suppose.

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Originally posted by ThumbtackJ

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Originally posted by Foomerang ...skateboarding...Now that would have been pretty fun and entertaining. I remember seeing the little skate park on Solomon Island and thinking the same thing. 

 

  Originally posted by Foomerang They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting.  

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Well Funcom is revamping AoC's crafting, no reason why they couldn't do it for TSW I suppose.

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Im very much looking forward to aocs new crafting system. I will be there on day one when it launches. It does give hope to tsw. But seeing as aoc is going on what, 5 years now? Im not holding my breath hehe

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Originally posted by MindTrigger

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Originally posted by Foomerang They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting. I mean come on, i was combining metal scraps out in the woods and out pops an assault rifle...stupid. Weapons and armor should have been relegated to faction rewards for doing pvp and pve content. Period. Crafting in tsw should have centered around enhancing social systems and housing. Fashion design, furniture, pet breeding, cooking, music, dance, horticulture, skateboarding, parkour, urban art, the possibilities were endless with this setting. But nope, drag n drop some essences and pop out a trinket. Theres your crafting system. Such a wasted opportunity.

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Agreed, and a much deeper crafting system with lots of cusomization would be one of those systems I'd like to see in place.  I still view this game as a bit of a failure to understand the people who have been interested in it for the last several years.  It's clear to see that they took it in a more mainstream direction, probably to get more people interested in it, but the end result is a game that is amazing on the surface, but lacks any depth and longevity.

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Originally posted by Foomerang

 

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Originally posted by ThumbtackJ

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Originally posted by Foomerang ...skateboarding...Now that would have been pretty fun and entertaining. I remember seeing the little skate park on Solomon Island and thinking the same thing. 

 

 

  Originally posted by Foomerang They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting.  

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Well Funcom is revamping AoC's crafting, no reason why they couldn't do it for TSW I suppose.

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Im very much looking forward to aocs new crafting system. I will be there on day one when it launches. It does give hope to tsw. But seeing as aoc is going on what, 5 years now? Im not holding my breath hehe

Theres a live stream here on MMORPG at 6PM EST today with Craig Morrison from AoC. Supposedly they're going to be talking about the crafting revamp. 

Perhaps if the crafting revamp of AoC goes well, and enough people voice they're concerns about TSW we may see it sooner. 

Originally posted by ThumbtackJ

Originally posted by MindTrigger

I'd rather see some open lands where players can create quests (think Foundry), as well as some places where there is open world PvP for those who want to engage in it.

Player created content would be amazing for this game IMHO. There is so much "X-Files-esque" types of things this game doesn't feature that could be included with player made missions. 

I'm a huge Foundry fan, but I think I disagree in this case. Let's just keep those player fingers away from Ragnar's work :)

I wouldnt mind open world pvp if beside that we'd get more cool stuff like the Albion. If not (I mean if it'd take too much dev resources) then rather not. But it's just one vote against it, and a biased one, since so far I spent exactly 0 minutes with pvp in TSW...

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Originally posted by ThumbtackJ

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Originally posted by Foomerang  

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Originally posted by ThumbtackJ

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Originally posted by Foomerang ...skateboarding...Now that would have been pretty fun and entertaining. I remember seeing the little skate park on Solomon Island and thinking the same thing.        Originally posted by Foomerang They shot themselves in the foot with that crafting system. They never should have gone with typical drag n drop weapons and armor crafting in a modern day setting.  

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Well Funcom is revamping AoC's crafting, no reason why they couldn't do it for TSW I suppose.

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  Im very much looking forward to aocs new crafting system. I will be there on day one when it launches. It does give hope to tsw. But seeing as aoc is going on what, 5 years now? Im not holding my breath hehe

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Theres a live stream here on MMORPG at 6PM EST today with Craig Morrison from AoC. Supposedly they're going to be talking about the crafting revamp. 

 

Perhaps if the crafting revamp of AoC goes well, and enough people voice they're concerns about TSW we may see it sooner. 

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Well looking at how they are updating TSW its quite possible all of these things could be added. They aren't just focusing on Questing, they seem to be simply adding new things to the game monthly. TSW still sits as the best themepark released in recent years, and their devs are very devoted to growing the game as a whole.

As i said i don't think Open PvP can suit the lore, In the lore the 3 factions said "the world is ending so lets work togeather and kill each other later" Unless a patch is released that crumbles that alliance open World PvP needs to stay away. The reason there are currently specific locations for pvp is because the council of Venice agreed to allow those points to be warfare points. Let's face it, we are not stupid Orcs and Humans who look at a dragon burning the planet to ash, shrug and then chase after some humans or orcs. we are secret societies, we are intellegent. We wont kill each other when the world is ending because they are there.  

That being said allowing player driven content in will work great, Specially with Themed Cabals

Some good thoughts.

The issue is, TSW never was a Triple AAA MMO. Aside from the totally clunky combat system, the world is WAAY to small and repetitive. All 3 factions have entire same content. Bad idea and zero replayability. No alternative level content it always bad.

Again, as so often: too less of a world and too much "merely a game".

This is a MMO where player content actually might work and help.

Originally posted by Elikal

Some good thoughts.

The issue is, TSW never was a Triple AAA MMO. Aside from the totally clunky combat system, the world is WAAY to small and repetitive. All 3 factions have entire same content. Bad idea and zero replayability. No alternative level content it always bad.

Again, as so often: too less of a world and too much "merely a game".

 

This is a MMO where player content actually might work and help.

This game would have been excelent as a single player rpg.

Originally posted by Rayshe
I disagree, if they released this as a SPRPG it would have been consitered very weak. THe content for a single player game isnt there. Hell the story isn't even finished yet, Keeping this as a MMO is a good thing. because if it was released as a SP game then all the additions that have been put in the game would not have happened. The story would have ended where it did, and Tokyo which is going to be added in 2013 would have just been a speculation or a payed DLC.

They would no doubt have to change things, because they wanted to build it as an mmo. But the sense I get from the game was mostly that I was playing a single player rpg. The story and settings are the best parts about the game for me.

Originally posted by Rayshe
Thats because Tornquist is the best writer in the gaming industry hand down.

Agreed wholeheartedly. And I think I'll repeat it:

"I'm a huge Foundry fan, but I think I disagree in this case. Let's just keep those player fingers away from Ragnar's work :)"