10-14-2009, 02:30 PM
I think what makes WOW (and EVE and most other MMOs) appealing long term is the fact that it's based around loot and levels. That's your real personal goal, with quests simply providing a better way to see bite sized progress that doesn't involve watching your XP bar slowly fill up.
But ultimately I think that's a shallow mechanic that turns off long term gamers, like us. We want more substance.
So I think the elements we need are:
1) Long term character improvement goals (levels? loot? faction? what can we come up with here?) accomplished via
2) Short term character improvement goals (quests?)
and this improvement must not conflict with:
3) Good PvP, even in the case of veterans versus newbies
4) Always being able to benefit from grouping with your RL friend, regardless of difference in /played time.
5) "Big picture" team goals
Our problem, as PvP gamers, is that most games focus on #1 ends up destroying #3, and #2 usually ruins #4 and #5 usually just doesn't exist.
Mass appeal games so far have basically dropped #3, #4 and #5, which is why we eventually quit.
But ultimately I think that's a shallow mechanic that turns off long term gamers, like us. We want more substance.
So I think the elements we need are:
1) Long term character improvement goals (levels? loot? faction? what can we come up with here?) accomplished via
2) Short term character improvement goals (quests?)
and this improvement must not conflict with:
3) Good PvP, even in the case of veterans versus newbies
4) Always being able to benefit from grouping with your RL friend, regardless of difference in /played time.
5) "Big picture" team goals
Our problem, as PvP gamers, is that most games focus on #1 ends up destroying #3, and #2 usually ruins #4 and #5 usually just doesn't exist.
Mass appeal games so far have basically dropped #3, #4 and #5, which is why we eventually quit.