Trends Emerging in the Next Generation of MMOs

Several trends for next generation MMO features have begun to emerge in most lists we have seen. The three that show the most promise I feel consist of the more interactive combat model, i.e. the evolution away from point and click; the ability of player factions to affect the game environment either through map control or semi-permanent environment changes and finally player-made content.

All three have been presented in various forms in prior games some very successfully. The interactive combat model from reports will be taking a huge leap forward with Age of Conan due to be released in May. EVE it can be argued has very successfully perfected the ability of player factions controlling territory and creating semi permanent environment content which also to me is player made content in the form of stations or in the case of Star Wars Galaxies the player made cities. Galaxies fault was in not allowing these structures to naturally decay leaving the infamous “ghost” towns on so many of their servers.

The player made content I feel has to have some limits to fit well within the MMO game. Though many don’t comment on this aspect but sadly most player-made content isn’t very good in my opinion. Games are fun because they have a set of limitations and shared rules. This to me is what makes them different from say Second Life which by most is admitted is interesting but not really a game at all.

I believe this next generation of games may see the first true innovation in the genre in quite a while. Any progress in these areas is to be encouraged; I for one would like to see even more. Many of us have our own ideas in these areas and I am looking for feedback on some of mine.

I really see the new combat mechanic in AOC to become a “must have” in future releases, as well as collision detection (where character models has mass and can physically block) both open up so many more tactical gameplay elements that they are hard to ignore. Collision detection has been successfully implemented in the past most notably in Guild Wars. The interactive elements of the enhancements help extend the enjoyment of the combat in-game.  The timer based wait and repeat the sequence in current combat mechanics are very repetitive and if the mechanic itself was more entertaining and required more player interaction that alone would reduce the amount of “grind” a player feels while playing through somewhat repetitive content. That is with us to stay because it has the long gameplay life to programming time required; the very definition of win-win to a developer.

I also believe the same principle could and should be applied to player crafting as well. I am intrigued by AOC’s approach to attempting to eliminate the crafting xxx to level grind by implementing a questing route we will have to see how successful it is but I believe it could be further enhanced with a change in the mechanics as well; applying the same non point and click features to creating items. It could also be enhanced by incorporating one of the other trends mentioned; semi-permanent environment changes such as forests that can be cut down that re-spawn in stages to reflect new growth even so far as if not allowed to re-spawn to full “health” or “age” they would produce less resources if harvested early. Stone or metals could have the same effect only have veins with a finite supply of material and have nodes randomly re-spawn to reflect new finds within any given terrain, such stone and ore nodes should only being found in mountainous areas or even dungeons, etc. One aspect of LOTRO I think was implemented very well was their farming mechanic although the crafting output itself was not implemented into the game overall very well. I thought it would have been much more attractive if they had made some foods have similar effects like health potions to increase their desirability. Also farming could be tied into the forest re-spawn as well by allowing players on a limited basis to convert a fully cut section of forest to be converted into a farmable field area. I say limited so this conversion would not be really permanent but only last while the field in being actively used. If the field was left unutilized for a set time the forest re-spawn would reset.  Possibly allow player made structures to increase output of these areas as well thus organically growing the content in a realistic manner. A granary could allow greater crop yield of adjacent fields, a smelter could increase the possible ore output or nearby nodes.

Some of the same principles could work for player structures as well. I think the guild structures proposed in the AOC are a good first step. Terrain in any one map could also be laid out in a way that could dictate where player-made structures could be constructed and would follow the same “degradation” as other non-upkept content.  For example stone towers, castles, or resource enhancement structures could have several levels or decay instead of complete wipe if upkeep is not maintained and the map would only have limited areas large enough to allow their construction. I also believe the upkeep would require monetary amounts of game currency as well as harvested materials. Taken one step further if the upkeep was not maintained, allow the structure to “degrade” to a ruin. At this point the ruin would not be usable by the players any longer but could become a random mob spawn point allowing to a limited extend for players to change the PVE encounters of a certain area.

The entire map would not have to be available for such player interaction you could have scripted NPC mechanics that accomplish the same routines in the new player areas and areas where the game lore dictated having permanent features that could maintain more concrete environments such as teams of wood cutters harvesting forests on static NPC mining the would reflect the presence of the permanent resource harvesting needed to maintain permanent NPC structures.

One flaw I see in current MMO world environment is the static nature of the NPC faction content. If the principles above were applied during development, the worlds would become more interactive and stay fresh. It could be taken so far and have NPC factions contesting certain areas of the map with either player controlled or other NPC controlled factions. If the same construction principles were applied to both the AI as well as players in these areas and we allow both to occupy constructed features of the map that would take the world one more step closer to a place that feels more immersive and editable to the players.