I hate to come the realization but we are all getting older and as trends change so do forums. Ie I used to remember gamepro forums which is now extinct.
Although these forums may not be here forever, the site owners for sustainability should find ways to innovate the forums to reach out to all generations including newer generations.
In reality forums itself are a liability sometimes for smaller staff, like they mentioned it’s a small portion of site traffic.
I don't buy the argument that gamers are more spread out. I think they are desperate for better games, and the total numbers actually appear bigger only because gamers have more games, all in search of something better and using more multiples of games to feed their overall desires.
Isn't that actually the definition of spread out?
Gamers have more games, and are playing more games...i.e. spread out.
I always thought a Point/Counterpoint feature would be fun and interesting. Where you have a topic and a series of points, and one writer takes the pro side and the other takes the con side.
So I've written those style articles and they are not fun, lol. But something to keep inmnd if the coverage dictates. Maybe a point/counterpoint on the Pantheon 247 messaging, or whether Star Citizen is still feeling vaporware-y after the S42 Feature Complete news?
The main problem with this format though is budget. Since we pay our writers, that ties up more budget than normal for the same topic. So it really has to make sense.
Couple more things....
mmorpg.com is a business, has to pay the bills, so totally understand anything that you do needs to be motivated to do that, and doing that is the result of traffic, clicks, and so on. From a few posts, I don't think people understand that, as they want the site to defend mmorpg's to the death. Evolve or get left behind. I've enjoyed 19 years here, and while I don't post much anymore, I DO come here every single day, read the new articles for things that interest me., so I hope the site is around for a long damn time.
As someone who was a journalism major, points to anyone who knows the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, and someone who hasn't written anything professionally in 25+ years, y'all do a good job coming up with topics. As I said earlier, it's hard to present new takes on something. The series about re-starts in older games is great, I actually installed LOTRO myself because I liked what Joseph had said about some aspects. The point and counterpoint could be fun, but again, that's a re-hash, I think, of some things we've seen discussed endlessly here. How many times are you going to discuss PvP being bad versus PvP being good?
If you really want a suggestion....
Start a series about random MMO, but invite the forum to come play the game with the writer, and have an actual MMORPG.Com guild/group. Suddenly instead of being a story you hear about, it's something that forum members and readers are active participants in. You'd get an awful lot more in the way of content, and you'd get different perspectives from members, also potentially increasing content.
Only thought of that because for me, stratics back in the late 90's and early 2000's, was essentially a guild hub. You had people treating it much like people would treat Discord today, and it not only built community, but increased content. (Yeah, I know they sold off, and died off, but that community hub perspective really was great.)
If I was jumping into a game today, and I mean it as a compliment, there are a few people here I'd like to jump into a game with, simply because I've enjoyed their perspective here, and the fact that they've contributed plenty of knowledge here.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
There is only so much to discuss unless some top tier mmo in development has some groundbreaking news. That, in itself, is rare.
Personally I've been a member on this site for 20 years next March and I probably visit daily. However I just stick to the articles and rarely visit the forums.
I suppose I just generally don't have much to say or contribute.
I always thought a Point/Counterpoint feature would be fun and interesting. Where you have a topic and a series of points, and one writer takes the pro side and the other takes the con side.
So I've written those style articles and they are not fun, lol. But something to keep inmnd if the coverage dictates. Maybe a point/counterpoint on the Pantheon 247 messaging, or whether Star Citizen is still feeling vaporware-y after the S42 Feature Complete news?
The main problem with this format though is budget. Since we pay our writers, that ties up more budget than normal for the same topic. So it really has to make sense.
Maybe get 2 volunteers for guest spotlights? Call the feature DOUBLETAKE
Make a list of possible topics like you started above. Make a poll to see what's most interesting and that becomes the DoubleTake of the month (or bi-weekly). Maybe bi-weekly is best because you can poll every even week and post every odd week.
Heck maybe even the 2 argument gladiators can be choosen weekly via poll based on volunteers.
--------------------------------------------
Or.. alternate concept:
You have volunteers contribute an article that you highlight and then they defend in the forums
Dunno.. I'm just tossing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Just thinking of ways to increase engagement.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
We could probably start with an article that defines some terms, even if those definitions only apply here.
Sandbox Multiplayer PvE PvP etc.
Take cover, definitions incoming!
I thought about this some more. A political piece would probably generate less heat.
That is actually what we have seen, at least a thread that got political would get shut down before it exploded...again and again.
The last time I tried to setup a gaming blog, the very first thing I did was create a glossary of terms. I felt it was important that when I said something or called a game something, people could look at my definitions and see exactly what I meant.
It wasn't so much about being right or wrong, but about consistency.
The same would be true of this site. They could write a glossary of terms and then stick to it, so at least there would be consistency between authors. I'm sure we'd all disagree with their definitions, but at least they would have been defined.
As things stand, I have no clue what the main authors of this site consider to be massively multiplayer. Destiny and The Division have long been called MMOs on this site, but they only support 12 players. That means by their logic, Mario Kart, every survival titles, every FPS is also an MMO.....except they would disagree.
(I had a similar issue with PCGamer recently. With all the Starfield coverage, they kept refering to Skyrim as being an amazing sandbox, and how starfield is an improvement on the sandbox design.....except skyrim is a themepark, so I've no idea what the hell PCGamer was going on about! undermined all authority of the website imo).
Currently Playing: WAR RoR - Spitt rr7X Black Orc | Scrotling rr6X Squig Herder | Scabrous rr4X Shaman
We could probably start with an article that defines some terms, even if those definitions only apply here.
Sandbox Multiplayer PvE PvP etc.
Take cover, definitions incoming!
I thought about this some more. A political piece would probably generate less heat.
That is actually what we have seen, at least a thread that got political would get shut down before it exploded...again and again.
The last time I tried to setup a gaming blog, the very first thing I did was create a glossary of terms. I felt it was important that when I said something or called a game something, people could look at my definitions and see exactly what I meant.
It wasn't so much about being right or wrong, but about consistency.
The same would be true of this site. They could write a glossary of terms and then stick to it, so at least there would be consistency between authors. I'm sure we'd all disagree with their definitions, but at least they would have been defined.
As things stand, I have no clue what the main authors of this site consider to be massively multiplayer. Destiny and The Division have long been called MMOs on this site, but they only support 12 players. That means by their logic, Mario Kart, every survival titles, every FPS is also an MMO.....except they would disagree.
(I had a similar issue with PCGamer recently. With all the Starfield coverage, they kept refering to Skyrim as being an amazing sandbox, and how starfield is an improvement on the sandbox design.....except skyrim is a themepark, so I've no idea what the hell PCGamer was going on about! undermined all authority of the website imo).
Many gamers call Skyrim a sandbox game.
I believe the confusion lies because while many (most?) sandbox games are open world in design, that doesn't necessarily mean all open world games are sandboxes.
Skyrim's open world exploration doesn't make it much of a sandbox as most all of its gameplay is created by the developers, there's just more freedom in what order the player can complete it.
It's why people have often said it's better to rate a game on how sand boxy it is since it's more of a matter of degree rather than hard and fast qualifiers.
<--------------Sandbox Scale-------------> Less More Themepark Sandbox FXIV WOW ESO EVE UO Minecraft
Now, where a game resides along the scale can be very subjective and largely in the eyes of the beholder.
I've seen some gamers sincerely argue that WOW is a sandbox style game.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I don't think you really can define any of this. For us old school MMOers. MMORPG will always have a deep seeded meaning. That we will always see as watered down by the current use of the label. Much like the RP games call them selves but have no RP to them at all. Language is just fluid.
I don't think you really can define any of this. For us old school MMOers. MMORPG will always have a deep seeded meaning. That we will always see as watered down by the current use of the label. Much like the RP games call them selves but have no RP to them at all. Language is just fluid.
You can define a term such that people can use it correctly or incorrectly. IF we cannot do that then communication become pointless.
^--- That is me, writing at length about the joy of gardening, because language means whatever we want now, I guess.
Whether you like it or not, you're playing a game about war and that is going to inspire political discussions. A lot of people love roleplaying politics in game. There should be a section in the forum for political discussion if the game does inspire it. What I miss from the old days was how much no one moderated websites and you could freely say what you want, and you learned to stop being angry and just let other people have their opinions. Now adays it seems everyone is offended and to sensitive and its annoying. Emotional development happens when you allow children to make and cope with conflict. we are teaching a generation of players, that there not allowed to deal with conflict. they can only solve a problem.
I don't see a section allowing political discussion happening. Some people seem to have trouble discussing even neutral topics with civility these days. Allowing the discussion of hot button issues would likely result in the need for more moderation than they would want to deal with.
You can thank people who couldn't leave politics, and worse, out of conversations. the bans were warranted.
I doubt the moderators care until a post is reported.
PRO TIP: If you find yourself reaching for the 'report' button the internet may not be for you.
They were banned for what they posted. End of story.
I was banned for saying wokeness is cancer.
unclear if the ban is because my statement is false or because my statement is true...
What is clear is that the statement was unwelcome.
I'm not surprised. It's one of those topics likely to lead to heated discussion that is probably better off snuffed out before it inevitably erupts into flames.
Gaming Forum boards are (sadly) a relic of the old ways of internet communication, and it's not just this website- frankly it's amazing we still have a forum board.
It feels like we gave ourselves too many options to communicate on the internet, and now we can't just pick one and stick with it.
Fishing on Gilgamesh since 2013 Fishing on Bronzebeard since 2005 Fishing in RL since 1992 Born with a fishing rod in my hand in 1979
I don't think you really can define any of this. For us old school MMOers. MMORPG will always have a deep seeded meaning. That we will always see as watered down by the current use of the label. Much like the RP games call them selves but have no RP to them at all. Language is just fluid.
It can be defined but the definitions won't have any weight if not derived though a natural overwhelming consensus as to their meaning developed over time.
That consensus does not yet exist so any definitions made will be ignored by those they don't suit.
Well as someone that has been given a lot of vacations, many of which I feel were undeserved, and even more so in cases where I was punished while the troll that was irking me on was not, I can say that kind unfair moderation goes a long way to ensure people find somewhere else to spend their time, and is really not something that "forums" can afford when there are a lot of other means and platforms for people to use to get the same experience.
Case in point, My last break from these forums I opted to check out Reddit again, previously I had not liked the platform, but it seems to have gotten better lately.
My urge to come back here and post, when I feel the moderation team and perhaps some posters here have a bug up their ass about me, has not been strong to say the least, and I wager I am not alone in that feeling
Not to mention this whole place is a depressing hell hole of people that just wax poetically about how great the old games where and how all the modern stuff sucks, which is in my mind, not conductive to a place where I want to talk about MMO's
Just like MMO's it's the players that make the game experience, if this place is dying, look in the mirror as to why.
Reminds me of GW2 players asking why Raids & PvP are dying, when the majority of the people that do that content are complete irredeemable toxic assholes, and yet they can't figure out why no one wants to deal with their bullshit to do that content.
Egotism is the anesthetic that dullens the pain of stupidity, this is why when I try to beat my head against the stupidity of other people, I only hurt myself.
I believe the confusion lies because while many (most?) sandbox games are open world in design, that doesn't necessarily mean all open world games are sandboxes.
Skyrim's open world exploration doesn't make it much of a sandbox as most all of its gameplay is created by the developers, there's just more freedom in what order the player can complete it.
It's why people have often said it's better to rate a game on how sand boxy it is since it's more of a matter of degree rather than hard and fast qualifiers.
<--------------Sandbox Scale-------------> Less More Themepark Sandbox FXIV WOW ESO EVE UO Minecraft
Now, where a game resides along the scale can be very subjective and largely in the eyes of the beholder.
I've seen some gamers sincerely argue that WOW is a sandbox style game.
WARNING! Gamers disappearing down a definition rabbit hole alert!
Mistaking an open world with many side quests and activities for a theme park takes the players biscuit, come on. I think this comes from the fact that true open world games are rare, if they are going to use that criteria you could call some FPS sandbox, likewise being linear does not mean theme park it just means being linear.
Well as someone that has been given a lot of vacations, many of which I feel were undeserved, and even more so in cases where I was punished while the troll that was irking me on was not, I can say that kind unfair moderation goes a long way to ensure people find somewhere else to spend their time, and is really not something that "forums" can afford when there are a lot of other means and platforms for people to use to get the same experience.
Case in point, My last break from these forums I opted to check out Reddit again, previously I had not liked the platform, but it seems to have gotten better lately.
My urge to come back here and post, when I feel the moderation team and perhaps some posters here have a bug up their ass about me, has not been strong to say the least, and I wager I am not alone in that feeling
Not to mention this whole place is a depressing hell hole of people that just wax poetically about how great the old games where and how all the modern stuff sucks, which is in my mind, not conductive to a place where I want to talk about MMO's
Just like MMO's it's the players that make the game experience, if this place is dying, look in the mirror as to why.
Reminds me of GW2 players asking why Raids & PvP are dying, when the majority of the people that do that content are complete irredeemable toxic assholes, and yet they can't figure out why no one wants to deal with their bullshit to do that content.
Comments
~Greatness~
Currently Playing:
Nothing
Sandbox
Multiplayer
PvE
PvP
etc.
Isn't that actually the definition of spread out?
Gamers have more games, and are playing more games...i.e. spread out.
What don't you buy?
Couple more things....
mmorpg.com is a business, has to pay the bills, so totally understand anything that you do needs to be motivated to do that, and doing that is the result of traffic, clicks, and so on. From a few posts, I don't think people understand that, as they want the site to defend mmorpg's to the death. Evolve or get left behind. I've enjoyed 19 years here, and while I don't post much anymore, I DO come here every single day, read the new articles for things that interest me., so I hope the site is around for a long damn time.
As someone who was a journalism major, points to anyone who knows the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, and someone who hasn't written anything professionally in 25+ years, y'all do a good job coming up with topics. As I said earlier, it's hard to present new takes on something. The series about re-starts in older games is great, I actually installed LOTRO myself because I liked what Joseph had said about some aspects. The point and counterpoint could be fun, but again, that's a re-hash, I think, of some things we've seen discussed endlessly here. How many times are you going to discuss PvP being bad versus PvP being good?
If you really want a suggestion....
Start a series about random MMO, but invite the forum to come play the game with the writer, and have an actual MMORPG.Com guild/group. Suddenly instead of being a story you hear about, it's something that forum members and readers are active participants in. You'd get an awful lot more in the way of content, and you'd get different perspectives from members, also potentially increasing content.
Only thought of that because for me, stratics back in the late 90's and early 2000's, was essentially a guild hub. You had people treating it much like people would treat Discord today, and it not only built community, but increased content. (Yeah, I know they sold off, and died off, but that community hub perspective really was great.)
If I was jumping into a game today, and I mean it as a compliment, there are a few people here I'd like to jump into a game with, simply because I've enjoyed their perspective here, and the fact that they've contributed plenty of knowledge here.
Again...semi-outsider perspective....
A political piece would probably generate less heat.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Call the feature DOUBLETAKE
Make a list of possible topics like you started above. Make a poll to see what's most interesting and that becomes the DoubleTake of the month (or bi-weekly). Maybe bi-weekly is best because you can poll every even week and post every odd week.
Heck maybe even the 2 argument gladiators can be choosen weekly via poll based on volunteers.
--------------------------------------------
Or.. alternate concept:
You have volunteers contribute an article that you highlight and then they defend in the forums
Dunno.. I'm just tossing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Just thinking of ways to increase engagement.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I believe the confusion lies because while many (most?) sandbox games are open world in design, that doesn't necessarily mean all open world games are sandboxes.
Skyrim's open world exploration doesn't make it much of a sandbox as most all of its gameplay is created by the developers, there's just more freedom in what order the player can complete it.
It's why people have often said it's better to rate a game on how sand boxy it is since it's more of a matter of degree rather than hard and fast qualifiers.
<--------------Sandbox Scale------------->
Less More
Themepark Sandbox
FXIV WOW ESO EVE UO Minecraft
Now, where a game resides along the scale can be very subjective and largely in the eyes of the beholder.
I've seen some gamers sincerely argue that WOW is a sandbox style game.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
IF we cannot do that then communication become pointless.
^--- That is me, writing at length about the joy of gardening, because language means whatever we want now, I guess.
I don't see a section allowing political discussion happening. Some people seem to have trouble discussing even neutral topics with civility these days. Allowing the discussion of hot button issues would likely result in the need for more moderation than they would want to deal with.
What is clear is that the statement was unwelcome.
I'm not surprised. It's one of those topics likely to lead to heated discussion that is probably better off snuffed out before it inevitably erupts into flames.
It feels like we gave ourselves too many options to communicate on the internet, and now we can't just pick one and stick with it.
Fishing on Gilgamesh since 2013
Fishing on Bronzebeard since 2005
Fishing in RL since 1992
Born with a fishing rod in my hand in 1979
That consensus does not yet exist so any definitions made will be ignored by those they don't suit.
Case in point, My last break from these forums I opted to check out Reddit again, previously I had not liked the platform, but it seems to have gotten better lately.
My urge to come back here and post, when I feel the moderation team and perhaps some posters here have a bug up their ass about me, has not been strong to say the least, and I wager I am not alone in that feeling
Not to mention this whole place is a depressing hell hole of people that just wax poetically about how great the old games where and how all the modern stuff sucks, which is in my mind, not conductive to a place where I want to talk about MMO's
Just like MMO's it's the players that make the game experience, if this place is dying, look in the mirror as to why.
Reminds me of GW2 players asking why Raids & PvP are dying, when the majority of the people that do that content are complete irredeemable toxic assholes, and yet they can't figure out why no one wants to deal with their bullshit to do that content.
Mistaking an open world with many side quests and activities for a theme park takes the players biscuit, come on. I think this comes from the fact that true open world games are rare, if they are going to use that criteria you could call some FPS sandbox, likewise being linear does not mean theme park it just means being linear.