Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
General: Community Spotlight: Fantasy Genre?
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
Jon Wood returns with a new Community Spotlight. This time, Jon shines the light on a thread about the fantasy genre, and gives his opinion on the subject.
Zindaihas started an interesting topic in The Pub the other day. He asked something that I hear asked time and time again whenever I'm talking about MMORPGs. "Are gamers really tired of the Fantasy genre?"
"When asked by other posters on this forum for new ideas," he said, "I consistently see people say they want to see a setting in a world other than a fantasy world. I can understand that. It is overwhelmingly the genre of choice for developers, probably because there are so many possibilites with it and it is probably about as far from the dreary world of reality as you can get. But after being done over and over again, it might get kind of old for some. Is this the case? Is it possible to create a different MMO with as many options as the fantasy genre?"
"I played City of Heroes for a while which is a very interesting idea, but has its limits. I was a little turned off by the lack of items you could acquire as you can in a fantasy world. For me, I don't care if they keep coming out with fantasy MMOs, I just want them to be good. When I think of new ideas, I think of new ideas to improve the already popular fantasy world. How about you?"
You can read the whole column here.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
Exactly. I'd play a Candyland MMO if the lolipop-longswords or marshmallow-grenade launchers had engaging mechanics behind them.
...Well no, I'd probably play it anyway, just for the novelty.
~ Michael
Fantasy settings have always been my favorite, and will continue to be. However, if a mmorpg comes out with an alternate setting but with some really innovative features that are fun, I would surely try it. I guess it's the wonder of a fantasy world that I prefer, but you can create that wonder in other settings with some effort and good writing and descriptions.
I find the setting in Auto Assault to be very interesting, with a well written background, but the gameplay just isn't entertaining enough for me. I think in the past, fantasy-based mmos have been designed relatively well and maybe that's why there are so many of them? Is it easier to design a mmorpg in the fantasy setting?
Fantasy will always hold a special place with me, but I will be looking for some new mmorpg that take place in different settings in the coming months. I think the most important thing is how well the gameworlds are designed and how deep the backgrounds and storyline go. Then, fun gameplay to make it lasting, will determine whether or not I'll leave the fantasy setting behind for a while.
But community however is a huge part, without a good community a good game will suffer.
I've played plenty of good and bad games, i've played with good and bad communities.
Currently i play a couple of games.
- Star Wars Galaxies
I love the Star Wars setting, i've played it as pen and paper too, and the pen and paper version is a lot better, in the West End Games editions.The community is pretty average, but there are some die hard roleplayers that lift the community to a acceptable level.
The game mechanics are mostly pretty bad, but the part that is used in roleplaying is the best i've seen so far. And the original game mechanics were innovative.
- World of Warcraft
I dislike the setting, i didn't like the real time strategy games either.The community is great, i have some awesome friends ingame.
The game mechanics are very bad, nothing innovative about them, nothing other games haven't done better. But they all work, and unlike most MMORPGs it feels stable and finished. Most others feel like they are beta versions.
- Dungeons and Dragons Online.
The setting is okay, but nothing special. I've played plenty of the original D&D, AD&D and some setting from the pen and paper games are more suited for MMORPGs then the one selected.The community is aweful, it's pretty much a singleplayer game with a few online features.
The game mechanics are pretty good, though not very original.
Star Wars Galaxies i play because i love the setting and the roleplaying is the best i've seen in any MMORPG.
World of Warcraft i play because of the social aspect.
Dungeons and Dragons Online i play because, well i wish i knew.
The problem isn't the genre, it's the lack of innovative developers.
Science Fiction environments have a great appeal to me. Maybe that's part of the reason I play EVE Online and love it. That game is good! Of course I also love the format and mechanics of the game as for I'm a semi-casual gamer who doesn't play more then 8 hours a week. The dynamics and the sandbox environment are unfortunately a doube edged sword since proof of success through simplicity can be seen in WoW.
Woudl I play World of Warcraft if it were reskinned to be World of StarCraft? Probally. But the simplistic nature of design and lack of dynamics would eventually turn me off. None the less, WoW is a good game.
It's too bad that the current thought process being exhibited is "if it works, copy it" in regards to World of Warcraft. Many studios are willing to produce a half finsihed sub-par product to shave basis points off thier budgets while overlooking that game dynamics and intriguing gaming environments is what keeps players coming back to the product.
Developers need to start looking at players rather then the market when deciding the path of building a game. Quality sells, not a theme. World of Warcraft is polished. It feels complete, it plays well, and is undeniabally "polished".
Identify these studios who prove more intent on profit marigins and less interested in quality products then avoid their games and projects. Reward the studios who take that extra step and think out side of the box. Know who the developers and lead designers are. It will make the choice easier when chosing new games.
And for the record, if Sci-fi doesn't sell in the asian market (a target for most publishers) look at StarCraft.
I agree.
Personally, I prefer it. However, I just haven't seen a Fantasy game that gives me all that I want. I want the graphics and sieges of Lineage 2, the diversity of EQ 2 and the "fun" factor of WoW.
I would love to have more individualized quests like DDO. However you need more than just running quests.
Essentially, I'm still waiting for a game that gives me what I want. L2 open pvp is tiring to me, EQ2 is essentially like the Harry Potter Universe (cutesy) and WoW is a cartoon.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.
I like fantasy quite a bit myself, but I am not to big of a fan of the high fantasy with 20 different races and so forth. While 20 different races may seem unique at first I think they often hinder the genre more then they help it. This may be why despite developers best efforts to step up the fantasy genre it still remains the same. Because all 20 of the races want unqiue looks, armor, quests, abilities, and there just aren't the reasources to acomidate that.
On another note I do think a sci-fi mmorpg could be fun, but I don't think a point and click sci-fi mmorpg would be fun. Due to current technological limits anything beyond a point and click system usually limits the depth of gameplay due to the hardware reasources it takes up.
Loved it from the age i managed to read it. Still i would never forget how my view point changed the first time i read "the hobbit"
There is something in fantasy , something ... well - quite fantastic
Sci-fi as a genre is always about society , and when it isnt , it is space opera. And what is space opera but a copy of fantasy.
In fantasy you are a character, a hero.
Being Conan ? Saying things like - "Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!"
That is something.
Being Ender ? A calculated superinteligent machine of destruction , conquering alien battlefleets ?
Nah... Rather give me a great sword and let me loop some heads of.
So all i am saying
Fantasy will always have place in my heart.
There is nothing else that gives me that heroic feeling.
And for some reason i think many other feel the same
"Before this battle is over all the world will know that few...stood against many." - King Leonidas
Agreed! One of the things I always liked about Asherons Call 1 was it didn;t have all of the expected fantasy races. No elves, no dwarves no dragons. All of the creatures conflicts and lore were fully unique to that world (well except for the cows chickens and bunnies).
Unfortunately one of the things that kind of keeps the fantasy setting alive is it is really the only one were a traditional game element is "beat things up and take their stuff". (With the possible exception of the GTA series of games, which is a whole other arguement). And that element is sort of crucial to MMORPG long term retention as it is the one that supports pH4t l3wtz. (Note the bigest complaint about CoH... no stuff!)
Probably the best potential other genre would be post apocalyptic sci fi one, such as a Fallout MMORPG. While some other scifi games have had limited success, such as Eve's Privateer/Tradewars type gameplay, most Scifi MMORPG's such as SWG and AO just always feel like they are missing something, or that they are fighting themselves in terms of gameplay.
Startrek and Stargate
are already on the way, some other ideas that pop into mind for popular IP's that are currently un-taped are:
Babylon 5, Dragonriders of Pern, Warhammer 40k, and Shadowrun/Cyberpunk.
I think any one of these has the potential, if devloped properly, to be an outstanding MMO with an almost limitless expandability and may possibly break us out of the sword and sorcery comfort zone.
Currently, I'm greatly enjoying CoX and EVE but am still looking forward to Vanguard, LotR, and Warhammer.
I would love to see a well-done sci-fi MMO different from EVE (a well-done Fallout MMO would be great (the main thing would be keeping the humor and atmosphere of Fallout)).
Active: D&D Online (alpha,beta,&unlimited)
Retired: Anarchy Online, Archlord (beta), Auto Assault (beta), CoH/CoV, Dark Age of Camelot, Dungeon Runners, Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest, EVE, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online (beta,live), Pathfinder Online (beta), Rift (beta,live), Secret World (beta,live), Star Wars Old Republic, Vanguard (beta), Warhammer (beta,live), World of Warcraft
I personally have never been into the whole elf, wizard, mage genre. That being said, I do enjoy MMOs but what I would love to see (and perhaps it is in the works somewhere) is more of a post nuclear earth... like a matrix meets grand theft auto meets mad max; you get the idea. Guilds are Gangs, Guild halls or more like territories within an area of a city (half destroyed of course). POIs would be things like the remains of Mount Rushmore or the Golden Gate bridge. You could of course make your home in an old abandoned home or apartment etc. Missions in a traditional sense wouldnt exist yet in order to survive you may have to continualy fight back mutated creatures or invading Gangs etc
just my cent
Heidi
Give me something completely unique, not just a variation on a theme.
Personally, I am sick of fantasy genre. I want anything but fantasy. I'll be holding out for when a good non fantasy mmog comes out.. I may have to wait a long time, but it beats playing another fantasy mmog.
Coffee247, just in case you haven't seen this one.. then you might want to have a look... http://fallenearth.com/
I have played fantasy games for over 10 years now and am not tired of it.. I look forward to more. I love to explore and get lost in alternate realities as my disabilities keep me from living life in the real world. I love being able to run and jump and be free of a crippled body wracked constantly by illness and pain. (That is why Eve doesn't appeal to me.. I am already too dependent on mechanical gizmos to survive.)
I would like to see something new though. Fantasy has so much possibility yet untapped. Its not new races I want though.. I would like to see new ways of doing things. The Chronicles of Spellborn looks promising.. it has some unique concepts for game mechanics and setting.
As for alternate setting variations that would appeal to me.. Stargate does have possibilities, and I would love to explore Pern. The worlds of Darkover would be cool too. Another possibility would be playing totally alien societies on other worlds - not technology based. That could open up tons of possibilities for abilities and classes. I also wouldn't mind seeing a shift away from class based systems to one that allows more freedom. FOTM classes do wear thin after awhile.
Post holocaust earth does not appeal to me in the least.. the concept is too frightening and too possible. I want escapism, not something that will make me more aware of possibilities I would rather not think of.
That said though, too much diversion from what people are familiar with can be difficult for players to accept or adapt to.
Personally, I like games to build and improve upon their predecesors.. jumping into a new world can be intimidating enough without having to learn totally new ways to interact with the world and make your character go.
A Fallout mmog could be on the way... http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4384&Itemid=2
But with Stargate Worlds & Star Trek Online coming out maybe we'll finally get some quality sci-fi MMO's to play around with. But if it's a fun & polished & quality MMO, us MMO players will be there no matter what genre it is. And if Blizzard brings out World of or Galaxy of Starcraft comes out I will so check that out as well
Retired - FF11 & WoW
Looking forward to - Vanguard, LOTR, WAR
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
maybe some are getting bored of typical high fantasy because it is becoming exactly that - TYPICAL. not only are the races become increasingly standardized, but the classes and gameplay too. basically the games are becoming increasingly "nothing new here - move along".
will WAR, AoC or V:SoH give us enough to 'feel new and exciting' and add life to the genre whilst also supplying a world full and diverse to cater to crafters, explorers, questers, socialisers etc?
a shining beacon on the horizon is Perpetual Entertainment's Gods n Heroes, going for many new and interesting developments
1. Historico-mythologic setting of ancient Rome, with all the beasts (Gorgons, Medusa, Minotaur, Hydra etc) that you would expect
2. Combat - mechanics look interesting with some grappling type moves, and the ability to 'hybridize' your character with the use of minions (originally i though oh no, i hate pets and stuff - but the concept winning me round, and adds another level of complexity both in battle and in 'keeping them happy' (like taking them to bath houses) - which to me is good)
3. Gods and their powers, everyone will have a patron god, who demands allegiance and completion of tasks on their behalf and donations to gain favour, and in return, grants the use of God Powers.
there will be gladitorial combat, and ladders documenting ranking in pvp, and future expansions for RvR
i am hoping (and the devs are suggesting) that there are going to be other things to do when not questing pvping or crafting (if or when it is included at some point after it is shipped) - chariot racing at the circus maximus anyone?
I can truly say that I am just sick of fantasy games. I am not a big fan of them period. Elves piss me off.
The thing that I am getting tired from is the lack of fantasy in fantasy games. Why do there have to be Elves involved? And why can I choose Dwarves again? I'd say kick em both, but developers say nah.....let make a dark elf and a wood elf and a whole plethora of other kinds of elves, dwarves, humans and other stereotypes of playable characters. I can imagine why most people want to play humans and I can agree with such choices(the game will be played less if people can't relate to the "normal" human species), but get rid of the standard choices.
Same goes for the scenery, although this could something more difficult. Forrests, barren lands, and all those are also common in RL and I don't think many real fantasy sceneries in one game are going to be accepted. Though I would still want to see more of those. I for one getting pretty tired of walking through a forrest, grassland or a dessert.
Though the current "standard" fantasy setting won't disappear completely I think developers should take some more time in creating something else. (or go sci-fi if I had anything to do with it
Hopefully they will get rid of the "you are the hero who saves the world" routine and instead go with the true "you are the grunt who slaughter your enemies" Warhammer feeling instead.