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How does your MMO fare without combat?
Foomerang
Member UncommonPosts: 5,628
I'm curious about this. This isn't a "my mmo is better than yours" thread. I don't get to play as many different MMOs these days as I used to.
Proposal:
Remove combat from the MMO you are currently paying. What is left? Are the other systems robust enough to add meaningful progression? Would you still play it long term(assuming you do now)? Or is what's remaining a husk of a game. Maybe it's all mini games with no lasting appeal. Maybe it's all mini games with long term goals. Perhaps it is more or less than you previously had thought.
Thanks in advance for keeping this civil and for the sake of wanting to know more about what is out there.
Comments
In several of the MMOs that I enjoy, I don't take part at all in PVP combat and rarely engage in the PvE combat. However, if the combat was removed, it would negatively impact the content that I enjoy - playing the market, crafting and resource gathering. So while combat falls into that 'I can take it or leave it' category, I am glad it is there because it is what makes my side of the gameplay far more meaningful and enjoyable for me.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
How are you supposed to "win" if you have no combat?
Interested to hear your reply, or if you will just call me weird.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
None of the MMOs I've played would fare well without combat in them.
Is that what you were after?
I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky
I play the same way. And yes even in the most heralded nonlinear MMOs, if you remove combat, other systems fall like a house of cards.
Let's say purely for arguments sake, that combat existed as an NPC activity only. And payers supplied their demands via the market.
For instance, if I did not do any combat in ESO, what would my play sessions look like? What type of character advancement is available to me? How diverse are the activities. Things like that.
Games that give you xp when off line would allow you to level without combat. Eve you can go straight to a station and never leave and just level and trade. Most MMO's you would be stuck at level one but could make it to an auction house and become a trader. GW2 and probably some other games give good xp by just crafting which would allow you to level up to max without fighting and just exploring and harvesting to make additional xp and gold.
But it's kinda like asking who's good at fighting with one hand tied behind their back.
PS
I also forgot. As a level one in any game you can become a beggar and get gold and items just from handouts. Except games that start you out instanced and you have to fight before getting to a village and out of your instance like AoC, and game like STO that start you in the middle of a battle.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
If that was the case then there would need to be some replacement decay/destruction system to create the market and demand for what I trade, gather or create.
I don't understand that last sentence. Could you clarify what you mean there?
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
What are you trading? Who is buying? Remember that the OP isn't presenting a scenario where you don't personally engage in combat, he is presenting one where combat is no longer gameplay.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Then you're talking about a trading or investment only MMO. Your building wealth by buying and selling only. Also in a game with no combat your exploring, collecting resources for building, and naming planets and new areas you've discovered after yourself.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Then you're talking about a building, trading, or investment only MMO. Your building wealth by buying and selling only. Also in a game with no combat your exploring, collecting resources for building, and naming planets and new areas you've discovered after yourself.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
I thought it was a rather clear question. Evidently not.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Well I think if the OP is looking for something like this he could try the Repop. The crafting in that game would consume a lifetime without ever touching combat. Although you do have to make money to get started and combat is a pretty easy way to do it.
In any case the sarcasm, as well as the relevance of my first post here went over his head.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
Ok I will give an example from when I played swtor. Assuming that combat (as in my characters combat class abilities and activities related to them), was not available to me, I still was able to engage in gathering, crafting, space missions, and companion activities. Now swtor has added housing and I think some gambling? I could be wrong on that. But anyway, there were a decent amount of activities in place where I felt my character was progressing for at least a little while.
That's what I would like to know about other MMOs.
A single player game could do without combat and still be fun, but less so for an Mmo. You need conflict for anything to be viable to play, and it's difficult to have conflict without some sort of combat going on somewhere.
Someone cited EvE, while it's true that you can play without PvP or PvE combat, the combat in the game is vital for all the other avenues to even make sense or be useful.
Other than a Second Life or Sims type Mmo, I doubt there are many out there that would 'fare' well.
Case rested.
I was just waiting for this!! LOL
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I was just waiting for this!! LOL
Yeah this is kind of surreal lol
For not being a real sandbox ESO offers a hell of a lot to do without killing a single thing.
If one makes a Nightblade they can:
1. Sneak and steal/pickpocket most everything they need for some professions while making coin.
2. Travel the world dodging all mobs using invisibility, unlock chests and looting resource nodes.
3. Enter most dungeons using sneak/invis and obtain nearly every skyshard and chests (if near mobs wait for others to kill mobs near them).
4. Manage a trade guild and store.
As far as I know you can level your craft to significant levels simply by crafting that has no connection to killing mobs. There certainly could be a few blocks to content at the highest levels so you would have to obtain certain items from others but that is part of non-combat living.
It works quite well for a game not really designed completely around crafting like so many upcoming sandbox games. In fact I sort of hate the heavy connection to crafting with combat as almost a secondary priority which can often make that the least fun component of those games.
You stay sassy!
Well, it's what I got out of the your OP. I apologize if isn't what you asked for. Old age and all that comes with it.
I just recently played the game "Brothers" on my X360.
I have to say that was one of the most unique and intriguing games I have played in any genre. If you haven't played it I highly suggest you do. It is certainly a short experience that leaves you wanting more so not a huge time commitment.
If more of the features of that game could be implemented into an MMO, I would be ecstatic! ( I think)
Amazing what games can be when you take combat out of the equation!
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I've leveled all my alts via crafting in Rift, and spend most of my time in Dimensions, which will not give me any xp or progression but is a mainstay for my fun.
It's OK, Whisper, we get where you are coming from and you are not alone.
Unfortunately it seems to be the mindset of most MMO players these days however, and it might be nice to see a change now and then.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I don't think I would be playing any of the games I play if they didn't have combat anymore. I primarily play games for the combat/PVP.
Obviously you could still do things like grind crafting or build a house, but that stuff is boring, especially when it no longer has a purpose (because combat is gone).
Waiting for:
The Repopulation
Albion Online
I can most definitely agree with you on that. I'd love to see change with the genre.
I guess I really didn't get the intent of the OP, I can live with being clueless from time to time.