As we begin to say our fond farewells to the WoW generation, we look to the future, wondering what it holds in store for us. For this segment, I will be looking into a couple of MMORPG's that have either come out since WoW, or will be coming out within the next couple of years.
First on our list is the much-anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic, by Bioware. Set in the Star Wars mythos (As the title suggests) this game takes place well before any of the movies, and even before many games that are placed in the universe.
While the game is still in development, and the release date changes depending on who you ask, most of the game's features are fairly well known and the community at large is eagerly awaiting the release.
One of the main features that will set TOR (The Old Republic) apart from other MMOs is the dialogue and player choice system. Players will be able to choose how their characters interact with the various NPCs (Non-Player Characters) that they encounter in the world, including how they speak to them. These dialogue options along with choices in how the players accomplish quests will open and close other quests further down their game progression, giving each player a unique experience that they themselves crafted through their actions. In this way Bioware is hoping to break the mold of linear quest progression, the idea that every player will do the exact same quests in the same order. While this does foster companionship with players working together to complete the same quest, I feel like the system in TOR will allow players to experience their own stories, and then help their friends in their own unique plots.
Another game worth mentioning is already out and has been doing well. It is called Rift, and it was developed by Trion Worlds. Rift is set in its own fictional world, creating a brand new universe and a brand new experience for players.
The core elements of Rift are similar to the standard MMO trends, but what separates it from others is the Rift mechanic. Throughout the gameworld rifts to other dimensions randomly open and special types of monsters begin to pour out of them. The players will have to rally at these moments to fight off the monsters and protect the area. If they fail, the area falls under the control of the rift-based beasts, and this causes long-term problems for the players until they can seal the rifts. I find that this is an interesting and spontaneous way to break up the standard monotonous questing, as well as a fresh take on the "random encounter" concept many RPGS rely on.
The last game we will be looking at is called DC Universe Online(DCUO). Set in the DC comic universe (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, etc) the game was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment and Warner Brothers Games. An interesting note about this game was that it was released for both the PC and the Playstation 3.
Unlike more traditional fantasy-based MMOs, DCUO takes place in either Gotham City or Metropolis from the Batman universe and the Superman universe, respectfully, based on player choices at their character creation. Instead of character "classes" players instead choose a fighting style (martial arts, magic, sword, brawling, etc) and a power base (fire, gadgetry, nature, etc) and finally a movement style (super speed, flight, etc) and they craft how their superhero (or villain) will play from there.
Another interesting aspect of DCUO is how the weapons and armor system work. Players create the look for their characters before entering the game world, customizing color scheme and many details of their character's appearance. In a lot of other MMOs, these looks would eventually be covered up by the different armor and gear the player would acquire. While the gear is surely designed to be appealing, the character's individuality is crushed. In DCUO when a player obtains new gear they may choose to equip it normally, or they may choose to equip it but keep the "style" of their old gear. This allows players to visually keep their character's setup, unless they would prefer the look of the new gear. Due to this design choice almost every character is completely unique in appearance.
Games have come a long way since the likes of Pong and Pac-Man Those in the MMO world have come pretty far themselves. The knowledge that the industry will continue to tirelessly work and improve upon the greatness of the past fills me with hope for the future. I can't wait to see what this next generation of gaming can produce, and even the generation after that.
No comments:
Post a Comment