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Planetside 2... Will it bring FPS to the MMO table sucessfully?
Triadninja
Member Posts: 111
NOTE: If you want to read the question only, skip the part in the brackets, however it will explain where I'm coming from.
[ When the first true FPS, Wolfenstein 3D, was created by id software back in 1992, the game completely changed the game market, and with Doom soon following, the FPS genre was completely revolutionized and open a whole new world of possibilities. More and more FPS games were created, ranging from WW2 shooters to Sci-Fi, then starting to push into the modern combat setting.
I don't know much about UO, but from what people on this forum have said, it was the first true MMO, and was supposedly one of the best out there, and also started a genre that would completely change the video game world forever. More and more MMOs would follow, with the more dominate MMOs (In player size) arising.
However, in this gaming revolution that has brought us to what we are today, there was a game made that dared to put the two genres together. That game was Planetside.
Now, before I get to my point, I would like to state I have never played Planetside, however from what I have heard, it was the perfect mix of MMO and FPS elements, with persistant territory wars, players interacting in large scale battles, vehicular combat, and other things to do.
I had heard of planetside before when it was just starting, and never got the chance to play it. (I was involved in other games/matters.) After having heard how good of a game it was,(Note the keyword "was", I have heard of the complaints most people have of it) I was really interested in it, but not picking it up due to the lack of players and older graphics. With the announcement of Planetside 2, I was ecstatic, learning that the graphics were not only getting an overhaul, but that it would be built from the ground up, new gameplay, new ways to play, and yet the same things that made the original fun would be returning. ]
So heres my question: If given the combat is as great as the original's was, and the other MMO elements they want to add sucessfully fit into the game, could this game sucessfully pull in enough MMO players and enough FPS players to make Planetside 2 a truly sucessful MMOFPS game, or do you think this game will be for only a certain group of niche players?
Comments
It will depend on what's on the market at the same time. Fallen Earth is a FPS MMO, and pretty great at it. I can't play ranged, because I suck, but I melee just fine. It's also going F2P next month. However, it came out at the same time the market was being flooded with new MMOs to try out, so it didn't get the attn it deserved. Then we had some PvP scandals, and people claiming favoritism/lack of effort of devs to squash cheaters, and more of it died. I liked it, but was also playing a couple others at the same time.
It'll just depend on what's new that year. I figure SWTOR will have bored most people with it's themepark sameness by then, and GW2 will be something people play 1 weekend a month while scoping for a next new thing, when this comes out. People will pick it up just because it'll say Planetside on the box. They've already said there will be a fight for resources for crafting, a reason to fight for territory ALA EvE Online/Dust. I'll play wait and see myself.
I dunno man I have not played FE in a while, but when I did the FPS aspects were pretty mediocre. They did exist and were true FPS with headshots etc. But the controls and camera were not great at all.
Not really gonna comment on the gameplay/game world. But as far as the FPS part while it was functional it was not that high quality IMO. And for an FPS that is way more important than for a tab target game with slightly clunky interface.
Myself; I'm watching Planetside 2 and Prime for this category. http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/category/683
I'd like to see them both do well.
I don't know what you mean by people playing GW2 1 weekend a month, there are a LOT of people waiting for the game to come out, as well as the level of in-depth it will offer will have people playing it for a long time. I do agree with you on the SWTOR though, as it is the same themepark that most people don't want anymore of.
I also have to agree with you on when the game gets released. Planetside 2 will be pulling from both MMO buffs and FPS buffs, and if enough of both sides get interested, then it will pull in quite impressive numbers. The game can't be released at the same time as say, Bungie's MMO thats being worked on, but it might be able to be released at the same time as a bunch of FPS games/MMOs (But not FPS and MMOs together in the same timeframe, it would wreck it). If it is released at the same time as a bunch of FPS games, FPS players will either pick it up or pass on it, leaving the MMO players to pick it up. The same goes for if a bunch of MMOs get released.
Planetside already brought FPS to MMOs successfully, so the question is a bit odd. Planetside 2's success rests more in cleaning up the technical and gameplay smoothness issues of the original -- while staying true to the original game design -- than anything else.
The easy pitfalls threatening the game would be:
Adding distracting PVE. (Beyond tutorials.)
Not having population limits per-continent (200 pop limits were about perfect.)
Letting verticle progression creep into gameplay.
Letting battles become a hassle to get to (between quick vehicles with reasonable continent sizes, and instant action, battle was always pretty quick to get to.)
As long as they avoid some of these traps and deliver a fun (and smooth) FPS platform with plenty of vehicle/weapon variety, in addition to being massive, they'll carve out a strong niche. With smooth enough FPS gameplay, it can be rather mainstream even (as much as the AAA FPS space can be called mainstream nowadays >.> )
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
Pop limits 200? I thought this game was seamless with one persistent world.
Yeah I remember watching an interview at E3 with one of the devs, he said that they don't want just 10v10, nor even 100v100, but 1000v1000. Battles are going to be massive. I feel like its going to be sort of like a war simulator, where you might have to go capture a small outpost that has 10 guys in it, so it becomes like a small match of Battlefield or something. But then the fights for key resource points would be like tons of people with air vehicles and tanks and whatnot rolling in, coming from miles around to fight this epic war. So pop limits are a no go, but the fun factor will definitley stay. I do belive they have said they are trying to go for the setup that you can play and still be useful to your team, even if you dont have any special training. Just like any modern FPS, you can grab a gun and jump right in.