[MUD-Dev2] [Media] Informal poll on MMOWatch

[John Buehler]

Mike Rozak writes:

> John Buehler wrote:
> > I've just duplicated that completely-informal poll in the mmorpg.com
> > general discussion forum:
> 
> With 46 votes, it's looking like character development (47%) and
> exploration (28%) win out. Questing and combat are both around
> 10%. And NPCs and Puzzles at 2%...
> 
> Which is closer to what MMORPGs actually offer today than MMOWatch's
> poll... but not quite there. IMHO, I'd put a typical MMO design at:
> 
> NPC interaction                        2%
> Character development             24% (higher for UO)
> Combat                                    40%
> Exploration                               10%
> Puzzles                                     0%
> Questing                                   24%

If I asked a bunch of republicans their opinion about certain topics, they
would run to a form.  That's because they are republicans.  I pre-selected
my respondents.  So too if I ask a bunch of players of current MMOs their
opinion about their enthusiasms over the games they play, they also will run
to a form.  They play the games because they enjoy what they find there.
The puzzle enthusiasts are elsewhere.  As are the combat enthusiasts and NPC
enthusiasts.

When I look at the results, I see people who are saying that they like a
game with levels, gear, reputation and ranks.  "Character development" means
"personal achievement" to them.  To a classic role-player, I think it means
something more akin to "depth of character fiction".

The Combat number is low because players aren't actually combat enthusiasts.
Combat is simply a means to an end.  The combat enthusiasts are off playing
some FPS game.  Perhaps even Eve Online.

When I think about departing from the recipe suggested by the voting at
MMORPG.COM, I realize that it's going to take some doing to entice folks to
that new recipe.  Either they'll have to be educated that not all MMOs have
the perceived negatives about current MMOs, or that it's possible to have a
good MMO that lacks the perceived positives about current MMOs.

For example, a game without levels as the mainstay of the game would have to
be presented such that players who won't play an MMO because of a level
grind will trust the message while at the same time players who like a level
grind will consider the possibility that there are other ways to be
entertained in an MMO.  I've been surprised at the number of players who
insist that levels are inherent to MMOs.

JB