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Gamspy has the 14th Stratics MMOG Weekly Editorial, entitled A Brave New(bie) World online. It deals with the gact that it nearly always sucks to be a newbie in an online world. Read this:
I'll give you a perfect example. Now, before we go any further, keep in mind that I am not judging any of these games. We've, uh, been through this before, and I don't want to create that illusion here. I'm simply commenting on one aspect of those games in order to prove a larger point.
Anyway, on to that example... I've been playing a fair bit of Multiplayer Battletech 3025, which currently is in open beta. I think this game is a lot of fun, and has a lot of potential - I've been a fan of the battletech universe for some time now, and a MMOG battletech game is a fantastic idea. There is, however, one thing that stood right out at me as soon as I started playing.
The newbie levels are absolutely atrocious.
Here's how it works: In MPBT3025, you start off as a level 0 on the training planet of Solaris. Experience points for gaining levels (or Ranks as they're called) are obtained by destroying enemy 'mechs, helping your team win a battle, causing damage, and other various things. As you gain rank, you can afford better mechs, which makes it easier to fight the higher levels, that have also bought better mechs.
Herein lies the problem: To advance, you have to kill people. To kill enough people to get to a respectable level, you need to fight tougher opponents. Of course, all these opponents are in 'mechs three times the size of you, and often can wipe you out with one or two good strikes. This makes it extremely difficult to level as you get minimal experience for being destroyed and no money. Not to mention the fact that no one, and I mean no one, wants a level 1-3 newbie on their squad. I had more people tell me "go away n00b" or "haha look a level 1" in MPBT3025 more than in any other MMOG I've ever played. |
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Brave New(bie) World
