- Nov 8, 2020
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I've seen several people discuss that it has been discussed that between game seasons (ages) characters will age and gain a bonus for being from a previous age.
This presents a few problems to me that I believe I've found a solution to that also solves another traditional MMO problem.
The first problem I am looking at is this presents an unfair advantage from a new player's perspective to an older player.
That said, it's also thematically consistent and logical that this should be the case, but this is also a video game so sometimes reality needs to bend in certain ways to remember the game part of the game also needs to be fun to play for everyone.
This is my proposition that also solves another long standing issue of "how do you keep old content relevant?"
First as each age changes various things change presumably, and this has been done to good effect by say, world of warcraft over the years, less so in early years more so lately. They even recently added a mechanic that lets you go back and play as the world once was (in standard, not classic, the chromie thing), which not only makes their old content relevant again, and a nice hit of nostalgia for those that crave it, but our case this solves a huge problem for player power disparity.
So here's my thought:
When an age is retired, grab the base campaign progression however that is defined, cut all the extra side missions and stuff, just the baseline experience.
New players have the option of playing through just the base campaign for each age in single player mode (probably single player mode, but could be MMO style if it's popular enough), meaning they completed the minimum amount of content to qualify for characters of that age to be considered relevant to the modern day world.
This also trains newer players on how the current situation has come about and teaches them the history, bringing them up to speed with older players about what is going on.
Once all prior ages are complete they can then build characters with the aged templates afforded to vets.
This allows that yes, while their progression was faster and easier, they did at least play that content. Them being new will still very much be reflected in their gear, wealth, and social standing in the world, so they don't get free progression, they just get even footing.
They also, still miss out not just wealth and social standing, but the opportunity to have an effect on that age.
Additionally new players aren't required to do this, they can just jump in at the newest era and have a fledgling and start affecting the world now.
I do think however that once someone has completed all the prior ages that they should be able to unlock all current bonuses as well as make a character from any of the prior ages they choose.
All in all this sets up so that:
A) veteran experience is respected
the story isn't changed by new players coming in, and they will have accumulated more wealth and influence in that time than a newer player.
B) new players aren't forced to take a mechanical disadvantage
C) people can still opt to play newer or older characters as they choose for RP purposes to fulfill their fantasy regardless of being a new player or veteran
For some quick lore explanations:
Why does a newly created character have the advantages of former ages if they just showed up to the current age?
This can be a lot of reasons.
Firstly, maybe they weren't "as sentient" earlier on, and instead just operated as a more or less mindless undead existing on the periphery and are only recently more cognoscente.
Second, maybe they were cognoscente, but from elsewhere or preferred to keep to themselves for all those years and are just coming around to participating in modern society.
Thirdly, perhaps they are a fluke and were just made stronger in unlife than is typical, a prodigy of sorts.
This can go on for quite a bit, but the end result is that the proposed solution:
1) makes older content relevant and instead of "throwing it out" retires it only to be used when needed/desired.
2) solves an unnecessary power disparity that while logical, puts new players at a distinct disadvantage which will turn them off from the game. (new life blood is crucial to MMOs, while the vets have paid to keep the lights on, some of them will move on, and dollars need to come from somewhere if growth is to happen)
3) is lore friendly while upholding the logical power disparity.
What does this solution entail logistically?
Not too much (he said completely ignorantly), basic maintenance on the old content and probably 1-4 weeks or so where it's down and not available during the new age launch while that age is streamlined to cover just the basic plot beats to get players current for that age and the new age is getting hotfixes and such. FYI: Those are numbers I pulled from my butt without understanding anything about the budgeting or staffing in the hypothetical future.
This presents a few problems to me that I believe I've found a solution to that also solves another traditional MMO problem.
The first problem I am looking at is this presents an unfair advantage from a new player's perspective to an older player.
That said, it's also thematically consistent and logical that this should be the case, but this is also a video game so sometimes reality needs to bend in certain ways to remember the game part of the game also needs to be fun to play for everyone.
This is my proposition that also solves another long standing issue of "how do you keep old content relevant?"
First as each age changes various things change presumably, and this has been done to good effect by say, world of warcraft over the years, less so in early years more so lately. They even recently added a mechanic that lets you go back and play as the world once was (in standard, not classic, the chromie thing), which not only makes their old content relevant again, and a nice hit of nostalgia for those that crave it, but our case this solves a huge problem for player power disparity.
So here's my thought:
When an age is retired, grab the base campaign progression however that is defined, cut all the extra side missions and stuff, just the baseline experience.
New players have the option of playing through just the base campaign for each age in single player mode (probably single player mode, but could be MMO style if it's popular enough), meaning they completed the minimum amount of content to qualify for characters of that age to be considered relevant to the modern day world.
This also trains newer players on how the current situation has come about and teaches them the history, bringing them up to speed with older players about what is going on.
Once all prior ages are complete they can then build characters with the aged templates afforded to vets.
This allows that yes, while their progression was faster and easier, they did at least play that content. Them being new will still very much be reflected in their gear, wealth, and social standing in the world, so they don't get free progression, they just get even footing.
They also, still miss out not just wealth and social standing, but the opportunity to have an effect on that age.
Additionally new players aren't required to do this, they can just jump in at the newest era and have a fledgling and start affecting the world now.
I do think however that once someone has completed all the prior ages that they should be able to unlock all current bonuses as well as make a character from any of the prior ages they choose.
All in all this sets up so that:
A) veteran experience is respected
the story isn't changed by new players coming in, and they will have accumulated more wealth and influence in that time than a newer player.
B) new players aren't forced to take a mechanical disadvantage
C) people can still opt to play newer or older characters as they choose for RP purposes to fulfill their fantasy regardless of being a new player or veteran
For some quick lore explanations:
Why does a newly created character have the advantages of former ages if they just showed up to the current age?
This can be a lot of reasons.
Firstly, maybe they weren't "as sentient" earlier on, and instead just operated as a more or less mindless undead existing on the periphery and are only recently more cognoscente.
Second, maybe they were cognoscente, but from elsewhere or preferred to keep to themselves for all those years and are just coming around to participating in modern society.
Thirdly, perhaps they are a fluke and were just made stronger in unlife than is typical, a prodigy of sorts.
This can go on for quite a bit, but the end result is that the proposed solution:
1) makes older content relevant and instead of "throwing it out" retires it only to be used when needed/desired.
2) solves an unnecessary power disparity that while logical, puts new players at a distinct disadvantage which will turn them off from the game. (new life blood is crucial to MMOs, while the vets have paid to keep the lights on, some of them will move on, and dollars need to come from somewhere if growth is to happen)
3) is lore friendly while upholding the logical power disparity.
What does this solution entail logistically?
Not too much (he said completely ignorantly), basic maintenance on the old content and probably 1-4 weeks or so where it's down and not available during the new age launch while that age is streamlined to cover just the basic plot beats to get players current for that age and the new age is getting hotfixes and such. FYI: Those are numbers I pulled from my butt without understanding anything about the budgeting or staffing in the hypothetical future.
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