05-29-2009, 08:28 PM
One of the best features I encountered in EQ was purely an accident: the make-shift auction house in the East Commons tunnels.
"WTS Lammy 10k 2nd torch!"
I just remember the community that built up; it was awesome. Not only were there auctions, but since it was in a newb zone, you'd have high level toons helping out the lower levels with snakes and zombies, and handing out crap gear, though great for the newb, especially when the newb is down to 3s in cash. People would always meet up there LFG, or after a long night grouping, they'd head back to the tunnels to sell their loot and unwind. The zone's chat channel was always funny as hell. Lots of good times and people to be had and meet there.
But when Sony created the official Auction House in EQ, that entire community aspect was destroyed and neer recovered.
I've always believed since then that games should be more open ended in the sense that we should give the players utilities or tools to, for example, help with auctions, but only to an extent, and do not designate an official location. Let the community decide for themselves where to create their Home Base for these sorts of things. And don't make the tools too helpful - if they can check their auctions, buy, and sell, all from a pop-up window from anywhere in the world, then there is no need for people to gather together into a community.
Make them work a little, and make them walk a little, to form a community. They may bitch about it a bit, but unknown to them, because they are working a little to form the community, it will mean that much more to them.
"WTS Lammy 10k 2nd torch!"
I just remember the community that built up; it was awesome. Not only were there auctions, but since it was in a newb zone, you'd have high level toons helping out the lower levels with snakes and zombies, and handing out crap gear, though great for the newb, especially when the newb is down to 3s in cash. People would always meet up there LFG, or after a long night grouping, they'd head back to the tunnels to sell their loot and unwind. The zone's chat channel was always funny as hell. Lots of good times and people to be had and meet there.
But when Sony created the official Auction House in EQ, that entire community aspect was destroyed and neer recovered.
I've always believed since then that games should be more open ended in the sense that we should give the players utilities or tools to, for example, help with auctions, but only to an extent, and do not designate an official location. Let the community decide for themselves where to create their Home Base for these sorts of things. And don't make the tools too helpful - if they can check their auctions, buy, and sell, all from a pop-up window from anywhere in the world, then there is no need for people to gather together into a community.
Make them work a little, and make them walk a little, to form a community. They may bitch about it a bit, but unknown to them, because they are working a little to form the community, it will mean that much more to them.
~ The Duskwood Gankster ~
WoW & Beyond: Grizzle / Grizol
EQ/SB: Rafkin / Kriticos / Dudain
WoW & Beyond: Grizzle / Grizol
EQ/SB: Rafkin / Kriticos / Dudain