Content in a MMORPG

[phradok]

I have seen a lot of messages lately complaining about the direction that certain game "content" is taking in the Saga of Ryzom and about the lack of "content" up until now. These complaints, in my view, stem from an unrealistic expectation of role-playing content intrinsic to a MMORPG itself. Real role-playing content must be generated from the player base itself, and can never be performed with much satisfaction by the game designers and GMs. Here's why.

1. In traditional role-playing games, there is usually one game master and a small number (1-10) of players. The ability of humans to interact and think on the fly make these games enjoyable from a role-playing standpoint. The GM is able to control the actions of a limited number of NPCs.

2. A MMORPG will never have enough money available to pay a ratio of GMs to players similar to a traditional RPG.

3. Computer artificial intelligence algorithms are not yet sufficiently advanced, and probably will not be for several years, to simulate real dialogue with NPCs. So what game designers are left with are canned dialogues, that generally seem stale to the players.

Solution: Stop complaining about the content provided by the Saga of Ryzom designers. Find interesting aspects of that game that you enjoy. Find a band of like-minded players and create your own content in the form of events, missions, or role-playing sessions, played off of some of the context and environmental content that is in the game (or invent your own). Someone must serve as a type of "GM" to guide and direct these events, but almost all current MMORPGs have the limitation that the GM has little control over the game environment. Still, enjoyable role-playing content can be found.

This is where Ryzom Ring, if done right, might be a giant leap forward in the MMORPG market. But it still relies on the players to create their own content, which will be a requirement for real interactive content in MMORPGs for many years to come.

[grimjim]

Use a non confrontational LARP model rather than a P&P one. It is very possible to provide the kind of content people want with only a few GMs.

[cloudy97]

I never LARP'ed so I don't know what that model means.

Yes I agree, Phradok, to some extent. But as this is a SAGA, a moving tale where the player's actions are said to have impact on the future I would be very happy if the content would be playable by all people.

If there was different ways to solve the problems than the arena of blue and red dots.

[katriell]

This is the best post I've seen in a long time. Thanks Phradok.

[grimjim]

I never LARP'ed so I don't know what that model means.

Yes I agree, Phradok, to some extent. But as this is a SAGA, a moving tale where the player's actions are said to have impact on the future I would be very happy if the content would be playable by all people.

If there was different ways to solve the problems than the arena of blue and red dots.

Alright, in quick summary.

LARPs are generally much bigger than tabletop games, ranging from 20 people involved in a scene/event to over a thousand.

The proportion of GMs to players is generally much different than in a regular tabletop game, 1/20 or more, up to about 1/50 is generally managable.

You might also have people playing NPCs for you, but the advantage of a computer game is that the 'mooks', the unimportant NPCs, the cannon fodder, the monsters and so on can simply be spawned or pre-programmed and don't require so much GM supervision or thought, making it far EASIER for a GM to - potentially - run an event for a large number of people on an interactive basis.

IMO it is more than possible to provide tabletop style interactive content on a wide scale. I think R2 may open up opportunities to do this, but it could also be done in the wider context of the 'real game'.

[sx4rlet]

Phradok,

I agree with you to some extend. The content can never be as a tabletop RPG.

One of the things that I like in MMORPG's (beside community etc) is the storyline behind it all, and the idea that something is going on in the world.
(more then just my toon being the center of the world)
For me this has always been the same with a good DM at a tabletop RPG.

As example, a nice little part of content would be a mission from an npc to check the kami temples in Fyros and Zorai for the karavan. (Espionage)
Which could be removed again after this episode.

But I agree with you that the players can do this too. Like making their own events and missions. (And it would be very nice if Nevrax would help with this, by using bulletin boards ingame for missions, etc)