So this morning when I *should* have been updating civilian code, I got enamored with the idea of putting together a little video of my new level 32 Dual Pistols character in City of Heroes. The thing is, I *love* good animations, and this powerset has them in spades. So here ya go. Hit the break to see how I frittered away a perfectly good morning..
Diamonds in the Rough
The mmo design landscape is littered with mechanics that I like to think of as uncut gems. These are mechanics that, at first glance, appear to be plain ‘ol rocks – unwanted, uncomfortable, unnecessary, and for all intents and purposes best discarded without looking back. But the thing about uncut gems, is that once you look closer, and you try out some games without them, you come to realize these mechanics are actually very valuable. And that while a shorthand gain might be achieved by discarding them, over the long stretch you realize that the game is actually much better served, and players have more fun, by keeping them. Recognizing an uncut gem over a plain ‘ol stone is, of course, an inexact science. And there is much truth to the adage that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. And to make things even more complex, players attitudes and perceptions change over time, so today’s uncut gem might end up being tomorrow’s worthless rock. Enough analogies, let’s talk examples.
You too can be a Content Designer! You too can create compelling stories, lace them intricate and subtle subtext, fill them with engaging characters.. and have no one read them!
Okay, so the above is me waxing a bit cynical, but the truth is my hat goes off to NCSoft West (now Paragon Studios) for even attempting such a bold endeavor in the space of an MMO. For some time now, there has been a growing movement in game design and that movement says that user-generated content is king! At Ensemble when we were working on Titan we had long and drawn out debates over the subject of user generated content. Because while almost everyone agrees it’s something you want.. the extent to which you want it and what exactly you allow your users to do with it are matters of heated debate. Ultimately, we found that it really boiled down to two questions: One — Can we do it? and then two: Should we do it? After spending a half dozen hours or so (okay perhaps more) in CoH’s new system, and spending a fair amount of time sampling some of the wares out of that system, I think I can safely say Paragon Studios has answered at least one of those questions.
So, we’re going to drill down a bit here kids, but occasionally I’m reminded that specific elements from specific games deserve special attention. These are things that I think are brilliant in function, but have failed to be properly recognized. This particuluar topic came about as a result of another conversation with the illustrious Mr. Anderson, whom has just returned to Lord of the Rings Online. We were talking about LOTRO’s excellent quest log (which blow’s WoW’s away on several levels), but were lamenting the fact they still fail to do some of the things we love about groups and missions in City of Heroes. So without further ado, here are some of the things other MMO developers should absolutely be stealing for their group mechanics.
