On the most recent episode of SUWT, one of the stories brought up was about Darren’s recent experience in Eve. The guests on SUWT talked just briefly about how those types of “risky” moments can really add to a game and build some great memories, even if you don’t come out on the winning end of the encounter. The SUWT gang went on to say that a lot of MMOs are very predictable nowadays and just don’t have any real risk or danger associated with them. You don’t really seem to find those moments anymore that make your hair stand on end and your palms sweat. When death no longer has any sting, when there are really no penalties and consequences for your actions, and when everyone is “safe” all the time - haven’t we lost one of the main emotional drivers that, while frustrating at times, also gives us an excitement and vivid stories that really stick with us?
PvP can obviously bring a lot of this element to the table. Playing with and against other human opponents is always more tense than even the most carefully crafted NPCs. It’s unpredictable and fresh pretty much every time and there can be a real rush from beating your opponent. Likewise, other game mechanics can add risk into the equation and make us be a bit more cautious in our gameplay. In a game like WoW, there really is no real risk of anything bad happening to your character. Consequently, you can play fast and loose and at the end of the day, there is no real price to pay. But that also means there’s never any real tension (and yes, I raided a lot in WoW and even there tension was lacking).
Yes, sometimes those moments can be frustrating and really suck, at least at the point in time you experience them. I’ve been through a lot of them - dying in a really bad place, with tons of mobs and a late night trek back to recover your body and your stuff. Dying in a PvP ambush. Running through a really dark zone, feeling a bit nervous, and getting my clock cleaned by a ghoul. But when I look back at many of those times, I now feel like I have stories that stick with me versus a litany of times I’d rather forget. I think that, like in real life, the times where things are harder, riskier, and possibly went bad, ultimately help to shape us and imprint on our minds these terrific stories we’ll never forget.
I just wonder if we’ve forever lost that sense of risk in MMOs - will we ever truly feel in danger again? Will we ever struggle for anything again? Will anything ever be epic because we overcame terrific odds and terrible foes? I truly hope that future games will deliver this - whether they be mainstream or niche. I want that risky feeling back - I want that sense of danger. And maybe that fear is already present with me - the fear that we may never see those elements again in an MMO in a way that really means anything. Now that’s scary.
Tags: Editorial
Entries (RSS)
November 30th, 2007 at 12:36 am - Edit
This is a big reason I really enjoyed DAOC. There was that constant looming threat of attack from another realm. Roaming the frontier was a constant risk. I’m looking forward to hopefully feeling that again in Warhammer.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:48 am - Edit
If there’s one MMO that I regret never playing, it DAoC. Maybe there’s still time, but I figure I’ve played too many MMOs that came after it to really appreciate it. What do you think?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:26 am - Edit
Yep. It’s true. Suck factor = excitement because you have something on the line.
November 30th, 2007 at 12:17 pm - Edit
I’m not sure Aaron - at this point it will probably seem dated and perhaps clunky compared to what people have gotten used to with WoW. That said, I haven’t been in the game in several years now, so I know there have been graphical upgrades and all sorts of patches and improvements since then.
If you have time to kill and are looking for something to do, then sure, give it a shot. If not, just wait for WAR and you’ll get a very similar feeling I think.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:29 pm - Edit
Players have unfortunately shown that risk is something to avoid in their playing preferences. In today’s market, if a game over reaches on risk, even if it makes the game more exciting, it will lose players to a game that rewards for little risk.
Risk can be a niche product to sell, and works in smaller games. On a large scale though, most players play in a manor that negates risk as much as possible and choose games that play to that fact.
I’m a hardcore PvP or else kinda guy, but I can’t help but admit I love games that minimize risk to a fun level. If there are really big risks to be taken, I am at a point in my gaming career where I’ll just go play another game. My time is too valuable.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:31 pm - Edit
I forgot to add. In a risk heavy game, risk becomes trivialized as the non-risk takers leave for greener pastures and the risk-takers find out that “everyone is taking the same risk as them”. Therefore, risk is a real challenge to effectively balance and keep players of various risk-taking levels engaged.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:39 pm - Edit
I think you have a valid point - most folks like to play it safe, myself included at times regardless of the fact that I do think risk in MMOs brings out something in the game that can’t be had any other way. And maybe risky games will become a niche item - and in fact I’m completely fine with niche games. In fact, let’s have tons of them if they can actually make their devs and publishers money. More games and more diversity will appeal to more players overall.