Comments on: What Mass Effect 2 Could Teach MMORPGs

By: Aeschylus

Aeschylus — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:51:11 +0000

This sounds like Guild Wars 2, story telling, visceral combat, choices that will actually effect how things play out.

However I’m still waiting for a Mass Effect MMO

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:35:45 +0000

It won’t be too long before BioWare starts with murmurs of an Mass Effect MMO. After Mass Effect 3 is launched, Commander Sheppard’s storyline will be played out. With a cult of die hard fans and a MMO of their own already out (by then SWTOR will have been released), the next logical step would be to combine the two.
If SWTOR lives up to its hype there is no doubt in my mind that there will be a MMO based in the mass effect word, possibly earlier in the storyline than the current game is. I would not be surprised to see one based on the krogan wars.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:47:17 +0000

Indeed, I felt much the same way after playing DA:O over the Christmas period. I came away wondering if I’d ever get the same sort of RPG interaction in a MMO.

I think MMORPGs offer a very different appeal though. I find I enjoy them a lot more when I’m playing with people I know and friends and grouping and chatting with them. Soloing just makes them feel like bad implementations of good single player RPGs.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:45:50 +0000

It definitely helps build immersion and commitment to the game.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:44:16 +0000

It’s a good question and one I’m curious about aswell. I’m hoping that the design and success of DA:O and ME2, for instance, influences SW:TOR for the better.

By: Occam

Occam — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:41:27 +0000

I haven’t started ME2 yet…I’m still pretty engrossed in Dragon Age: Origins. But it’s sitting on my shelf unopened. But I think many of those points could be applied to DA as well.

In fact I think Dragon Age has finally taught me that what I’m looking for might not be able to be found in any MMORPG. Those games have stories, but it’s all generalized world-wide stuff. I suppose it kind of has to be. I don’t think it’s the fault of Sony or Blizzard or anyone, just the reality of the situation. They can’t really provide the kind of personal, emotional drama kind of stories that a single-player game can.

I absolutely loved the dialogue and friendship/romance dynamics in Dragon Age. They made the game way more immersive than an MMO could ever be. They also made me a huge Bioware fan; even though I prefer the fantasy genre to sci-fi these days, I know ME2 is going to be great as long as the same kind of depth is available.

By: Sithinious

Sithinious — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:43:29 +0000

I agree that ME2 is a very well done game. Unfortunately, playing it has rather taken a back seat now that I’m playing Star Trek Online. But that brings me to the point of this comment… I think STO is an MMO that has gotten your “comrade care” point right. In STO you build a bridge crew to go along with your main character, and I’ve definitely found myself growing fond of them. Especially the gruff, no nonsense security chief who, after a particularly violent battle, will whip out a tribble an gently pet it to calm his nerves.

By: Brian Inman

Brian Inman — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:52:17 +0000

I am not sure why it isn’t already happening. How many companies out there like EA have bought other companies that make different types of games. Do the Bioware guys talk to the EA sports guys, or the Mythic guys? Do they give each other feedback, or ideas? Is there Bioware devs who play Warhammer that may know how to fix the game?