Comments on: “You’re in Our World Now”: How Much Does Setting Affect MMO Enjoyment? http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/ A blog about MMORPGs like World of Warcraft (WoW) and Everquest 2 (EQ2) Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:55:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Khoram http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-12710 Khoram Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:29:41 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-12710 This is one area where I feel EQ1 just utterly blows every other MMO away. There are so many off the wall, "useless" locations that you really can explore for hours and see things not many non-explorers will ever see. And because of the non-trivial transportation (I'm talking pre-Luclin EQ here), people used these various places as landmarks. Who can forget the site of the wooden bridge between WK and EK, or the tunnel to Ro in Commonlands, or the diving board in Lake Rathe, or the Aviak treehouse in SK, etc. I loved all the out of the way places that made the game world feel like a world. Nowadays, there aren't many "unused" or "useless" areas in games; everything is cram packed with content and either quest givers or quest waypoints. In EQ, my friends and I used to meet at the inn by the waterfall in the most southern area of East Karana, just because we liked it, and no one was ever there. This is one area where I feel EQ1 just utterly blows every other MMO away. There are so many off the wall, “useless” locations that you really can explore for hours and see things not many non-explorers will ever see. And because of the non-trivial transportation (I’m talking pre-Luclin EQ here), people used these various places as landmarks. Who can forget the site of the wooden bridge between WK and EK, or the tunnel to Ro in Commonlands, or the diving board in Lake Rathe, or the Aviak treehouse in SK, etc. I loved all the out of the way places that made the game world feel like a world. Nowadays, there aren’t many “unused” or “useless” areas in games; everything is cram packed with content and either quest givers or quest waypoints. In EQ, my friends and I used to meet at the inn by the waterfall in the most southern area of East Karana, just because we liked it, and no one was ever there.

]]> By: What’s the Deal with Post-Apocalyptic Appeal? http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10847 What’s the Deal with Post-Apocalyptic Appeal? Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:05:52 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10847 [...] I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic settings, whether it’s games, movies, TV, or books. What’s your setting of choice? Like what you just read? Why not get free [...] [...] I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic settings, whether it’s games, movies, TV, or books. What’s your setting of choice? Like what you just read? Why not get free [...]

]]> By: What's my main Again? http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10748 What's my main Again? Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:27:57 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10748 Is it possible to have an immersive world that feels unique and different? Seems to me that a good portion of a world being immersive is the fact that it is familiar. You see the trees, grass, and plains that make you feel at piece. Yet you stumble on the ruins of an old farm and wonder what has happened? Compare that kind of emotion to being on an alien world. Everything stands out and grabs your attention because it is all different. You are drawn to the beauty of it all but you don't get that sense of curiosity and immersion that you would finding a farm. When you go to Outlands every fiber in your being tells you that hellfire penninsula doesn't seem right. I'm not sure it is possible for us as humans to take a completely abstract setting and still feel fully apart of that world. It takes time to get used to a new setting. It takes awhile to feel like a part of the world, to truely be comfortable with your environement. You mention finding ruins that could be the same ruins in any game. Is that a bad thing? Do you not wonder what is inside just because it looks the same? If you look at real life photos of castle ruins many of them look similar. But doesn't mean they have a similar story behind them. Is it possible to have an immersive world that feels unique and different? Seems to me that a good portion of a world being immersive is the fact that it is familiar. You see the trees, grass, and plains that make you feel at piece. Yet you stumble on the ruins of an old farm and wonder what has happened?

Compare that kind of emotion to being on an alien world. Everything stands out and grabs your attention because it is all different. You are drawn to the beauty of it all but you don’t get that sense of curiosity and immersion that you would finding a farm. When you go to Outlands every fiber in your being tells you that hellfire penninsula doesn’t seem right.

I’m not sure it is possible for us as humans to take a completely abstract setting and still feel fully apart of that world. It takes time to get used to a new setting. It takes awhile to feel like a part of the world, to truely be comfortable with your environement.

You mention finding ruins that could be the same ruins in any game. Is that a bad thing? Do you not wonder what is inside just because it looks the same? If you look at real life photos of castle ruins many of them look similar. But doesn’t mean they have a similar story behind them.

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10709 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:10:15 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10709 Why not just go bowling in RL? :) Why not just go bowling in RL? :)

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10707 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:06:36 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10707 A Warhammer 40k game could be fantastic and in many ways I wished Mythic had done that over standard WAR. Of course now that WAR wasn't the success that everyone hoped it to be, it's unlikely that we'll see WAR 40k for a long time, if at all. A Warhammer 40k game could be fantastic and in many ways I wished Mythic had done that over standard WAR. Of course now that WAR wasn’t the success that everyone hoped it to be, it’s unlikely that we’ll see WAR 40k for a long time, if at all.

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10705 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:05:39 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10705 I'd love to see either a Dead Space sci-fi horror MMO, a flat out Zombie MMO or a Lovecraft type MMO. Any of them would rock :) I’d love to see either a Dead Space sci-fi horror MMO, a flat out Zombie MMO or a Lovecraft type MMO. Any of them would rock :)

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10704 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:04:49 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10704 Damn, 1 year more than me! :) Not that I'm competitive or anything :) Doom wasn't technically a MMO was it? :) Damn, 1 year more than me! :) Not that I’m competitive or anything :) Doom wasn’t technically a MMO was it? :)

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10702 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:03:23 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10702 I know what you mean.... Fallen Earth is starting to appeal to me too! No one will shut up about it :D I know what you mean…. Fallen Earth is starting to appeal to me too! No one will shut up about it :D

]]> By: Gordon http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10701 Gordon Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:02:28 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10701 It's enticing isn't it. If only we could all band together and raise the funds to make the ultimate MMORPG ;) It’s enticing isn’t it. If only we could all band together and raise the funds to make the ultimate MMORPG ;)

]]> By: Professor Beej http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/10/12/you%e2%80%99re-in-our-world-now-how-much-does-setting-affect-mmo-enjoyment/comment-page-1/#comment-10697 Professor Beej Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:24:08 +0000 http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/?p=1914#comment-10697 A World of Darkness MMO would be great. Ever since Gordon posted a while back about his Zombie MMO, I've really been hankerin' for a good horror-themed MMO instead of a fantasy MMO with horror conventions in various zones. A World of Darkness MMO would be great. Ever since Gordon posted a while back about his Zombie MMO, I’ve really been hankerin’ for a good horror-themed MMO instead of a fantasy MMO with horror conventions in various zones.

]]>