What grim is talking about imo is player vs. player interactivity, with SoR as a background and setting, where what we (as in me) really want is some form of player vs. game interactivity besides that of leveling and dying.
There are already some of these player vs game interactivities (besides kill mobs or be killed by mobs).
Getting spawn points. That's a major player vs game interactivity right there. And we all have a BLAST getting them
But once we visited all the lands and got most of the spawn points, then it no longers have the luster it did when the whole world was still unknown and inaccessible. Helping other players get their spawns can still be fun, definitely, and that's why there are still so many world tour events and such, because we like having that sense of achievements (beside leveling). But it seems that it's the only PvG interactivity out there.
Well no, there're also buying apartments, killing named boss, aen/npc boss, and a few easter eggs like that knoll thingee.
But we need more dang it!
There is one thing that they can easily do to make at least a small sense of achievement.
- Turn the spawn triggers off for all mobs. Like for the named boss (e.g ocyketh). So mobs do not respawn and "pop" on you. That's arcade, not immersion! And we do get a sense of achievement for clearing out a named mob or aen too. Why not turn it off for all mobs, for that season?
When mobs died, they stay dead, and will only be repopulated after the season is over and a new season arrive (new herd "migrated" or "repopulated", if you will).
Just that small little thing would do major for game interactivity and immersion.
Imagine all they roleplay events you can do.
- npc characters saying different things base on your fames. If fames actually do more than just (will those npc attacks me), wooo. Even just a 'greeting friends of x!' dialogue would be nice.
- npc characters saying different things to each other and having conversation between themselves, wandering tribes saying hi or insulting each other. Dialogues/sentiments depending on how the "devs" want the current state of world affair to be in.
- I read that the Matrix have these "newpaper" thingee where the GMs regulary post "news article" pertaining to where the story is heading, and also minor events. Wouldn't it be great if Ryzom have something like that? Some sort of general bullentin board where the GMs (like say Lawrence*cough*) would regular just post little "news" of the world and such, ingame. Like say a big sign at the entrance to each capital. Or a "town cryer" person that give you the current news if you talk to him, but the message isn't static and would change regularly (like how they do on the forum event board). They can even post players accomplishments/achievements from events, both official, gm run, and scripted.
That? Would so rock.
[edit to add:]
but I have a feeling the addition of Outposts will be a great PvG interactivy content. I don't see Outposts as just being guild vs. guild content. We are suppose to be building these defending post for guard against the kitins, 'rebuilding' Atys, if you will. So Outposts is a pretty big deal, at least to me
).