I really want a good MMOFPS. I am hoping that the genre is going to come up big for us the next few years. I really want to find such a game that I can sit down and play for 2-3 years like I did with WoW, but one that is NOT just an RPG. I want to use my twitch skills and have some nice character development via traditional rpg character development. I want a world with rich lore. One that you can get engrossed in. I am hoping that someone can get the formula right with a blend of the fast action of say COD:MW, CS:S, or whatever fillintheblank good fps you can think of coupled with a rich persistent world experience.
Overall, I think as far as innovation in the MMO genre as a whole, the trick is to see what type of games are currently highly successful in the non-mmo realm and look at how you can adapt them into clever, fun, and most importantly, lasting gameplay experiences. Something needs to grab you and make you feel like you are taking part in a very epic adventure. I dunno, but for me, if a new game comes out and is simply just another WoW clone with out anything truly innovative, then I am very reluctant to play it. There needs to be something that differentiates you from the crowd in a very REAL way. Not just some small incremental improvement.
MMO Gameplay: Time For A New Approach?
With so many MMOs coming out in 2010, the ZAM team gives some examples of how fresh new gameplay in an MMO could really set it apart.
It's no big secret that 2010 is going to be the year for MMORPG fans, and if you've read our brief round-up of MMOs on the way, it's really not too hard to see why. One interesting thing about these MMOs, however, is that, for most of these 2010 blockbusters outside of Star Trek Online, there doesn't seem to be much experimentation planned for gameplay mechanics themselves. If you think about it, most mainstream MMOs currently out, and due to be released in the near future follow that standard Everquest / World of Warcraft style of auto-attack combat with hotkey abilities thrown into the fray. Star Wars: TOR, Guild Wars 2, Allods Online and DCUO all look like they'll follow this system and everybody's already assumed that future titles, like Funcom's The Secret World, or NCsoft's Blade & Soul, will probably take up this style as well.
Of course, MMOFPSs are coming out in a big way with Dust 514, Global Agenda, The Agency and Fallen Earth, but aside from that, there really hasn't been much, in terms of mainstream development. It's not that we don't like the familiar MMO mechanics that World of Warcraft employs, but for any adventurous developers out there, there are a lot of innovative gaming styles that have yet to be adapted really well in the MMORPG setting. So, in keeping with CES's theme of innovation and new technology, we here at ZAM have decided to throw out some innovative gaming concepts that may be present in the MMO world, but have yet to really catch the eye of high class development teams.
Multi-Unit MMORPGs
Who did it first: Sword of the New World
What it is: We covered this briefly in our speculative Dragon Age MMO article, but the concept of a well developed multi-unit MMO is still one that tickles the interest of many gamers in the market. What we mean by a multi-unit MMO is something akin to Final Fantasy XI or Dragon Age: Origins, where players can manually micromanage up to three characters at a time, or they can set their teammates up with A.I. directions, so that their team is constantly fighting, even if the player is not manually controlling the unit.
Why it would work: What we really want to see here is a well developed MMO that truly incorporates the spirit of multi-unit combat while also offering the depth that only well funded development teams can offer. Sword of the New World was fun because the depth of team customization and the wide variety of units that could be added to a team really created a lot of strategy and uniqueness. Unfortunately, since Sword of the New World is a dated free to play MMO, it's difficult to expect much depth from it. A current-gen MMO developed with a solid infrastructure and responsive controls would spice up combat in a unique way, and, if done properly, could pave the way for some seriously entertaining PvP.
Shoot 'Em Up MMORPGs
Who did it first: Valkyrie Sky
What it is: Shoot 'Em Ups are games like Gradius, R-Type or Space Invaders, where players control a single unit that flies through the air and blows stuff up via a plethora of bullet or laser based weaponry. Newer Shoot 'Em Ups also introduced power-ups and special abilities that allow players to customize their ship's capabilities and weaponry, thereby allowing for a great deal of customization in what was originally a fairly simple gaming genre.
Why it works: Players who try out Valkyrie Sky tend to come away with a sour taste in their mouths because the game requires a lot of repetitive grinding, and it definitely feels dated, despite only recently coming to North America. While the game itself may be repetitive in nature, the gameplay concept, however, is definitely fresh. Valkyrie Sky took the Shoot 'Em Up genre and really spruced it up by allowing players to choose special abilities that can be used during combat, as well as unique equipment that bolsters the characters' stats and attack style. Just like the potential of a properly developed multi-unit MMO, a well developed Shoot 'Em Up MMORPG would provide some fast-paced action that actually incorporates movement and timing in combat, instead of just sitting there auto attacking.
Tags: Editorial