[MUD-Dev] Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...)

[Douglas Goodall]

Brad McQuaid wrote:

> I realize there are many MMOGs out there experimenting with
> Instancing to varying degrees.  A game like EQ can dabble with it
> with one expansion (Ldon) and realize some success -- it both
> offered a different style of gameplay (a good thing to introduce
> in a successful, yet older MMOG) and also accounted for probably
> 5% or less of the content of the greater game.  Games like AO,
> however, seemed to have relied on it a bit too far and suffered in
> the area of community building (this not only from observation,
> but also from actual core team members, later realizing its
> harmful affects).  Other future MMOGs in development seem to be
> focusing even more heavily on Instancing, to the point where I
> wonder if they really are massively multiplayer games (or, at
> least, in the traditional way).

Color me wierd, but I thought AO had one of the best communities for
an on-line game, at least prior to the release of Shadowlands.

AO's community was very helpful and friendly. Questions in-game or
on the forums were answered quickly. Many players spent alot of time
creating their own maps and tools (clicksaver, nanonanny, etc) to
help other people with the game. Guilds were based more on common
interests than on power-levelling or compatible time zones. There
was a small, but vibrant roleplaying community with frequent events
and parties.

Shadowlands, which ironically added the very timesinks, camping, and
non-instanced content that EQ designers apparently believe "builds
community" (perhaps by the same mechanism that suffering "builds
character"), ruined all this. Now the game is ruled by greed and who
can do the most damage on non-instanced mobs as soon as they appear.

AO's community used to be friendly and helpful... but also very
casual. AO today probably has more "barriers to departure," mostly
non-social, but it is also less fun and caters more and more to the
hard-core. I think this is a mistake in the current market. After
all, if you enjoy undisguised time sinks, low drop rates, camping,
slow progress, killstealing, and training, you can always play
EQ. Players such as myself who preferred the old AO have nowhere to
go (except, possibly, CoH).

I simply don't believe that forcing players to compete with each
other for boring content is a recipe for a fun and friendly gaming
experience.

But since EQ has more subscribers than AO, I must not be a typical
player.
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