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Sir Markus
Counselor of the King
Joined: 11 Jan 2002
Posts: 369
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Whatever happened to single player RPG'S? |
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I swear, every time I boot up my computer and check the news, it seems some company is trying to put together yet another MMORPG.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out there is only so much market demand for these types of games, but lo and behold, we have about FORTY types of these games in development. The sad thing is, some of the companies developing these MMORPG's are talented, but have executives hell-bent on creating the next Everquest.
You know what's funny about all this fuss about MMORPG's? Most people I know don't even CARE about these types of games. I played Everquest for about two months and became so bored, I cancelled my subscription. Same story for Asherons' Call.
It's frustrating to see all the great design teams funneled into creating MMORPG's, when it should be completely obvious that it's a dead end (aka NO PROFIT) street.
Sorry for the rant, but I just had to go on record as one who despises online games, and feel they have collectively 'dumbed down' our hobby. Just my opinion.
ps richard garriot, jon van canegam, and others, please please please get off the multi-player bandwagon and give us more of the magical and creative games similar to the days of old.... |
Sat Aug 02, 2003 6:37 am |
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Hexy
High Emperor
Joined: 28 Jun 2002
Posts: 621
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In what way have MMORPG 'dumbed down' RPG's in general? Really, I'd like to know. Is it because they're generally more complex than ordinary single player games? Is it because they're not as repetetive or that they don't present you with lifeless A.I. constantly?
The only issue I can think of is that people don't use the 'thee's and 'thous' in online games, although NPC's still do. But, you can probably find people who role-play if you look hard enough.
Furthermore, MMORPG's are still a relatively new 'thing', which overall do pretty well. That's probably why many companies want to try it out. And it's still improving.
As for single player RPGs, how many have come out this year? How many are still upcoming? Pretty many.
Man, I hope more get going on making MMORPGs, they show a LOT of promise, especially the upcoming ones.
_________________
Like some bold seer in a trance;
Seeing all his own mischance |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 7:07 am |
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Sir Markus
Counselor of the King
Joined: 11 Jan 2002
Posts: 369
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA |
The games are 'dumbed down' because there are no puzzles to solve.
I put PLENTY of hours into Asheron's Call and Everquest, and quite frankly, found them so boring, I quit even before my 30 day free trial expired. If you like that type of gaming, all the power to you.
The bottom line is, after three years of 'new' MMORPG's there really is nothing 'new'. It's all wandering around and levelling, and that's it.
Give me my single-player games with a STORY and actual puzzles, and again, a plea to the game design companies: PLEASE get off the MMORPG bandwagon and start making actual computer GAMES like you used to. |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 8:06 am |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
I don't know that MMORPGs have 'dumbed down' RPG gaming but the answer on the number of them is simple: money.
It's the same reason that Microsoft (and just about everyone else) is trying to get into providing content - it provides a regular monthly income. The smaller projects can still be profitable with a relatively small number of players.
I suspect there's a limit to how many of these things the market can sustain but it will work itself out. Either new games will expand the market and there'll be even more or we'll reach saturation and developers will look elsewhere. |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 9:24 am |
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Hexy
High Emperor
Joined: 28 Jun 2002
Posts: 621
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quote:
Originally posted by Sir Markus
The games are 'dumbed down' because there are no puzzles to solve.
I put PLENTY of hours into Asheron's Call and Everquest, and quite frankly, found them so boring, I quit even before my 30 day free trial expired. If you like that type of gaming, all the power to you.
The bottom line is, after three years of 'new' MMORPG's there really is nothing 'new'. It's all wandering around and levelling, and that's it.
Give me my single-player games with a STORY and actual puzzles, and again, a plea to the game design companies: PLEASE get off the MMORPG bandwagon and start making actual computer GAMES like you used to.
Hahaha...
Yeah, because we all KNOW that the single player RPG has stayed so FRESH during it's long long existance, yes?
Because, today you fight monsters, level up, wade through dialogue and solve some riddles. COMPLETELY different from the ol' times, yes?
The occasional ORIGINAL puzzle is only a FRACTION of a percent of the game content, and basically irrelivant.
As for story, MMORPGs have various story lines, some WAY better than what you can find in single player RPGs.
Furthemore, single player RPG never offered the challenge to actually INTERACT with REAL people.
Anyway, long live conservatism!
_________________
Like some bold seer in a trance;
Seeing all his own mischance |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 11:09 am |
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Dinzy
Village Dweller
Joined: 26 Jul 2003
Posts: 19
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I have yet to play an MMORPG and I probably never will. Although the concept is intrigueing the way the games are set up is prohibitive. WHen I game I do it in spurts for a couple of weeks and then don't play for a while. Basically I get a good game, play through it and then resume my busy life away form the computer, ie grad school. If I were to play a MMORPG I would either be paying for time I don't use or end up playing because I am paying. Either option is unnatractive. Because of this everytime I see a MMORPG being developed I too think to myself, "Not another one" |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 6:43 pm |
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Nocturnal
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 30
Location: Vault 13 |
the problem with MMRPG its.. well, all the other people. i mean for every person that roleplay there are 10 others idiots who dont, theres qhere nwn shines, u can just band with ur friends and do some serious roleplaying |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 7:04 pm |
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hoyp
High Emperor
Joined: 02 Oct 2002
Posts: 501
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MMORPGS are "dumbed" down versions of crpgs because of the rediculously reptetative combat and the lack of interesting quests. And besides, all 95% of all MMORPGS are basically leveling treadmills with chat. All you do is click a monster and wait for it to die and if you have stronger stats, you automatically win, if you have weaker stats you automatically lose. |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 7:07 pm |
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Hexy
High Emperor
Joined: 28 Jun 2002
Posts: 621
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quote:
Originally posted by hoyp
MMORPGS are "dumbed" down versions of crpgs because of the rediculously reptetative combat and the lack of interesting quests. And besides, all 95% of all MMORPGS are basically leveling treadmills with chat. All you do is click a monster and wait for it to die and if you have stronger stats, you automatically win, if you have weaker stats you automatically lose.
Uh, yeah, cuz you can plough through everything at level 1 in all single player RPGs right?
And, of course, there are NEVER two equal battles in a single player RPG, right? Not EVEN due to the fact that single player games are linear, right?
Wait... or... could it be... that single player RPGs are just linear closed-up leveling-treadmills with a little dialogue options you plough through with mostly uninteresting and annoying quests?
Yeah... thought so.
_________________
Like some bold seer in a trance;
Seeing all his own mischance |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 7:28 pm |
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Iron Man
Dazed and Confused
Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 773
Location: Location Location |
quote:
Originally posted by Hexy
Wait... or... could it be... that single player RPGs are just linear closed-up leveling-treadmills with a little dialogue options you plouh through with mostly uninteresting and annoying quests?
Linear. Now theres a word which is being thrown around quite a lot at the moment. Personally, I LIKE a bit of linearity (sp?) in a game. I didn't like Morrowind, it didn't seem to have any direction in it. I reckon that non linear games don't have gripping storylines (isn't that why you play hames in the first place?) Besides, multiplayer rpgs never realy appealed to me, I like being the hero  .
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This box secretly turns into a picture and laughs at YOU personally when you're not looking. |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 7:36 pm |
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hoyp
High Emperor
Joined: 02 Oct 2002
Posts: 501
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quote:
Wait... or... could it be... that single player RPGs are just linear closed-up leveling-treadmills with a little dialogue options you plough through with mostly uninteresting and annoying quests?
Yeah... thought so.
Uh.. right......
Don't you realize how mind-numbingly repetative mmorpgs are compared to crpgs??
And about the "uninteresting quests",Thats just your opinion. And besides, are MMORPG's any different? Uh.. yeah , thought so.
MMOPRGS also lack one of the most important aspects in all games: athmosphere.
And what makes MMORPG's more complex than single player rpgs?
I do have to admit that there are some (actually, only about 2) promising mmorpgs out there.
And Hexy, you really should learn how to respect other people's opinions. |
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Sat Aug 02, 2003 8:13 pm |
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Korplem
Swashbuckler
Joined: 23 Dec 2002
Posts: 853
Location: Pearl Harbor, HI |
quote:
Is it because they're generally more complex than ordinary single player games? Is it because they're not as repetetive or that they don't present you with lifeless A.I. constantly?
more complex? oh... you mean because you can level up in whatever area you want? Not as repetetive... hmm... you mean to tell me that all those times i camped a spawn in EQ it wasnt repetetive??? Lifeless A.I.... so all of those npcs just standing around add life to the game?
Don't get me wrong man, i like MMORPGs just as much as offline rpgs but the arguments you used were way off base.
quote:
Wait... or... could it be... that single player RPGs are just linear closed-up leveling-treadmills with a little dialogue options you plough through with mostly uninteresting and annoying quests?
Yeah... thought so.
 wait till the fallout fans hear that!
EDIT: typos
_________________
If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.
-The Prince of Nothing |
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Sun Aug 03, 2003 1:23 am |
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ThouShaltNot
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 27 Feb 2003
Posts: 32
Location: New Zealand |
I, too, am a little annoyed that so many developers are diverting energy away from single player RPGs in order to make MMORPGs. I think it's been almost a year since the last big SP RPG came out (I'm not counting Gothic 2 because it's not out in New Zealand yet, and because I never really liked Gothic 1). The only promising ones that I know of on the near horizon are Lionheart and Knights of the Old Republic (oh, and Temple of Elemental Evil, but that looks too similar to Icewind Dale for my liking). I've got all this money just waiting for the next good SP RPG, but obviously no-one wants my money because they're too busy making MMORPGs. I suspect that due to market saturation, many developers who went over to the MMO dark side will make less money than if they had stayed with the light. |
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Sun Aug 03, 2003 5:39 am |
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Hexy
High Emperor
Joined: 28 Jun 2002
Posts: 621
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quote:
more complex? oh... you mean because you can level up in whatever area you want? Not as repetetive... hmm... you mean to tell me that all those times i camped a spawn in EQ it wasnt repetetive??? Lifeless A.I.... so all of those npcs just standing around add life to the game?
Don't get me wrong man, i like MMORPGs just as much as offline rpgs but the arguments you used were way off base.
Ok, let's see here...
Do single player games have as advanced and diversed character build up like MMORPGs like EverQuest? Do many single player games have so-called trade skills?
Are single player games as large as most MMORPGs?
Do single player games have, aside from the ordinary quests, special quests you can get from a GM?
Do they give you the constant ineraction with others?
Do they give you the choice of PvP and such?
Hmmm... I wonder...
quote:
wait till the fallout fans hear that!
Why? So they can confirm my statement?
_________________
Like some bold seer in a trance;
Seeing all his own mischance |
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Sun Aug 03, 2003 6:41 am |
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Northchild
Fearless Paladin
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 232
Location: New York, USA |
I have at times liked playing RPGs with others over the Internet - I remember spending many months hooked on Ultima Online and have more recently tried Asheron's Call 2. What ruins the experience for me is 20 people taking on the same quest at the same time (making the dungeons seem more like amusement park rides rather than something dark and spooky).
Also, I'll be minding my own business in town and some kid behind the keyboard will run past me, and will then run past me again, and again, and again and will type "HY DOOD U GOT NY ARMOR???" Like another poster mentioned, RPGs played online often seem a bit pointless.
I dunno. Maybe I'm just getting old. |
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Sun Aug 03, 2003 2:52 pm |
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