[MUD-Dev] Blog about GDC implies changes to MMORPG population

[Shelkey, Doneld]

I think the loss of retention is the result of the newer generation of
MMOGs loading up on early, easy content at the sake of longer, more
challenging content.  Also, new features reduce the necessity for
community interaction. =20

The newer games bill themselves as "fun" (loads of quests, fast leveling
curves, cycling through gear quickly, easier, etc.)  Life in UO and EQ
was very Hobbsian, simple, short, brutish and cruel.  That type of life
forced you to interact to survive.  Every player in EQ lost his or her
corpse and needed help finding it.  Every single player and guild died
at a raid, leaving themselves to make connections with other people and
guilds to help them out.  Resources were limited (especially in EQ), so
rotations were set up, drama ensued and relationships developed.  People
became heroes because they could do things others could not, whether
organizing a raid or stopping a group of griefers.

Less of that exists in the newer generation of MMOGs.  The games are fun
and easy.  Who needs relationships...group for this quest, check your
LFG tool to grab a cleric, and be on your merry way.  You, too (at the
cost of 10 days played), can own the neatest gadgets in the game...who
needs heroes?

Players, including me, logged in, played up and quit, never being
noticed and not being remembered.  I grouped often, but never could tell
a good player from a bad player.  I never found myself in a compromising
position.  No one could interact negatively to me, so I couldn't tell
who was interacting positively.

Even the non-controversial "advances" have contributed to the overall
lack of interaction.  LFG tools, auto loot distribution features,
private chatrooms, greater penetration of third party voice programs,
and locked encounters.  Each of these things is an advancement to be
sure, but each also serves to replace what was once an opportunity for
interaction between players.

The bottom line is that the community keeps people playing MMOGs, not
the gameplay.  No matter how you slice it, 200 hours of the same game
gets boring.  I've been hanging out with friends, however, since I was
born and it never gets old.

The new game games seem to have chosen larger box sales at the cost of
subscription retention because of their design decisions.  I do not
think that the market (the players) has changed at all.

There just hasn't been a game that I can call home in a long, long time.



Don Shelkey




-----Original Message-----
From: mud-dev-bounces at kanga.nu [mailto:mud-dev-bounces at kanga.nu] On
Behalf Of Travis Nixon
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 2:36 PM
To: Mike Rozak; Discussion of MUD system design, development,and
implementation
Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Blog about GDC implies changes to MMORPG
population

Mike Rozak wrote:

> I was just reading Grimwell online,

>  http://www.grimwell.com/index.php?action=3Dfullnews&id=3D248

> and noticed an interesting factoid from the GDC... "Vogel reported=20
> significant changes in gamers' habits. Previously, game retention was=20
> on average 10 months. This is now down to six months, Average time per

> week played was 20 hours; this is now down to 12."

> This implies the following: 10 months x 20 hours =3D 200 hours of=20
> content. 6 months x 12 hours =3D 72 hours of content. Thus, the number=20
> of hours of content a virtual world should support is 1/3 of what it=20
> used to be.

> For anyone attending the GDC: Is any more information available about=20
> changing play styles?

Your numbers are a little low.

  10 months x 20 hours =3D ~800 hours of content, not 200.

  6 months x 12 hours =3D ~288 hours of content, which is still way
  more than any game out there I've ever played actually has.

Of course, I don't consider killing the same things over and over for 3
hours is actually equal to 3 hours worth of content.  It could be argued
either way, although if you disagree with me you're quite clearly wrong.

:)
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev


Above email is for intended recipient only and may be confidential and prot=
ected by attorney/client privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender immediately.
Unauthorized use or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.



_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev