Slashdot Mirror
Ask City of Heroes Lead Designer Jack Emmert
Massively Multiplayer games have grown increasingly popular in the last few
years, and one of the hottest products out there today is NCSoft and Cryptic
Studios' City of Heroes. City of
Heroes is currently hovering around the 180,000 player population mark,
with a European launch for the game coming up fast. The lead designer of the
online super hero game is Jack Emmert, veteran of the video game and
roleplaying game industries. He has written gaming supplements for Deadlands and All Flesh Must Be Eaten, reads
several dozen comics a month, and saves the world on a regular basis. Jack has
kindly agreed to answer questions from Slashdot readers about game design,
massive games, and what it's like to be a superhero, so go
ahead and let em' fly. One question per post, please, but as many questions as
you'd like. We'll forward the best on to Jack to answer and post his responses
when we've got them.
(This comes from someone who has never played an MMPORG, as I've got enough subscription-based services to take care of, like electricity, food, web access, and smokes.)
Every second you spend in a game, you are wasting your time, that is indeed the point of games, a usually fun way to waste time when you have nothing better (or more fun) to do. To think that the game will be forever forfilling, that when you reach the top level you'll suddenly get access to a trust fund or a blast of enlightenment might be a bit of a wishful dream :] Luckily you realised it before you actually had to experience it.
All MMOG's suffer from this same problem with levelling, the game makers need some way of keeping people engaged in the game (time == money in pocket) and the obvious answer is levelling, they are purely timesinks, you can base the levels on a logarithmic scale, so it's nigh-on impossible to reach the upper echelons, but there has to be an end somewhere, otherwise the devs would spend forever coding additional quests, spells, badges, whatever (which costs them moola, so bad!). The developers hope that by the time you've spend so long in game you would have created friends/aquaintences that would take over from the timesink aspect and you'll essentially become addicted (through habit) to playing the game.
When players themselves can create quests like the good old text based MUD's you'll see something that doesn't need this boring levelling basis to power it. People generally (I hope) play these mmog's to play with like minded people who they can have fun with, but I feel that developers don't tend to build off this aspect of MMOG's and focus on 'if we dangle this carrot of fire shielding VII at level 50, then they'll force themselves to play through the crap times.' I'll stop before I start comparing it to religion.. :}
FF.
I bet the reason is the same as it is with just about every other game. The cost of a Macintosh port and support would be more then the money made from the Macintosh market.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
I'm an active COH player and an ex-everquest player. I must first give you kudos for making a really polished, fun game. It's really a great take on the MMORPG.
The game has a bus-load of fun ideas. The badge system is great. The costume system and character creation are amazing. Technically, the game is top notch- great mapmaking, great animation, etc...
One of the best ideas is simplicity. Starting players don't have to worry about complicated inventory systems. They just go out there and start kicking butt. Kicking butt is not to difficult, because the player is quite a bit stronger versus the environment compared to previous MMORPGs.
But that simplicity becomes a drag in the later game. I've got 3 characters approaching the high end (mid 30s) and I'm starting to dislike the slow experience grind, with nothing to look forward to but a new ability every 3 levels.
Missions are fun, but they get a bit formulaic. With one huge exception, they offer uninteresting rewards and have cookie cutter goals. (The exception being the wonderful respec mission)
I'm sure it was a conscious design decision to have no inventory system, no armor, no weapons. And I think that's a great idea, at first. But by the time you're level 30 and you've played the game for a couple of months, you really start to want MORE. The enhancement system doesn't cut it. That's just a trip to the store every 5 levels. I'd like to get a cool piece of (origin specific) armor when I complete a task force.
Even baby steps in this direction would great. A way to distinguish myself (other than aesthetically) from other players would be nice. This could also give origins a chance to actually matter.
So the question in all of this is- why the aversion to traditional RPG elements, even at high levels? Is this going to change?