What an MMO means to me.

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Originally Posted by ironhands

Depends on the complexity of the MMO. MMO is such a broad definition that there is no single solution. An MMO like Planetside may not need much beyond macro based "hack the control console" and "i need a medic" and "we go on 3", where a complex raid, may of course require substantial dialogue.

If a player needs help, it's likely a complex game, and would therefore have a complex communication system. A game like Defiance, is relatively simple. Shoot everything, hold E to activate the quest item, and follow the mini-map compass. It's not like we have to hunt down a specific named enemy "somewhere" in the zone and solve a riddle like we've seen in many MMORPGs.

The level of communication should scale to the level of difficulty of the game, in order to best communicate to facilitate the cooperation. In a fast paced game, that means macros, and voice at the core, so we don't have to stop shooting to type a lengthy response.

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You debate well, ironhands. So it boils down to what does a game need. I think that depends more on its users than its designers or individual preferences. Whatever draws the customers in big numbers. I see that they messed up and included a PTT in the Menu keybinds for some people. It didn't end up in mine for some reason. Which turned out to be good since it blew up and made a mess and had to be disabled again. But the intent seems to be there to some degree to make voice chat much more effective than it now is. I hope they do that by requiring that PTT be used with a keybind instead of without one, because open microphones are a Big Issue for some people and have already caused wages to have to be paid in result. I also hope they have a more global channel for people to find others when they are not in the same area and don't even know each other yet. Yes, jerks will abuse it so I also hope they include a keybind that lets people ignore the current voice speaker - or it's just asking for more wages to be spent. And I hope it all happens sooner than later, because I do believe it will impact the bottom line.

Now I will let it go because I have nothing more to add. Except to say that social activities are integral to any MMO, no matter what kind of MMO. I need to go shoot a big bug right now.

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Originally Posted by Skeety

You debate well, ironhands. So it boils down to what does a game need. I think that depends more on its users than its designers or individual preferences. Whatever draws the customers in big numbers.


Now I will let it go because I have nothing more to add. Except to say that social activities are integral to any MMO, no matter what kind of MMO. I need to go shoot a big bug right now.

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It is definitely what a game needs that trumps everything in the design/development phase, as you won't have much user input until after the fact, but, I don't think it should be "whatever draws in the users" necessarily, because often times, the majority like the look of something in theory, but less when it's actually done. Some games need complex open communication, and to others, it's an unnecessary hindrance.

One aspect as well that I haven't touched on, is the technical one. An MMO shooter requires a much lower latency than the typical MMO, chat data is a lot less important than player position and shooting. Idle players chatting would bog down the servers - unless they're given their own isolated areas.

Not much more to say, I agree, but I do disagree that social activities aren't integral. Cooperation, or conflict, certainly is, but many MMO games aren't designed with social activities, for a variety of reasons, technical, aesthetic, and safety. If you were to say MMORPG need social, I'd agree, completely, but when MMO can also mean lobby shooters, maple story, adn the like, the social aspects becomes pretty cloudy.

Summary - If Defiance needs better/larger chat options for core game play, it needs challenging content to go with it, otherwise the effort is wasted.

If Defiance needs more social functionality, it needs its own server/shard/instance where it won't impact anything, it could likely even be used when the main game servers are being patched, as a lobby.

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Originally Posted by ironhands

Summary - If Defiance needs better/larger chat options for core game play, it needs challenging content to go with it, otherwise the effort is wasted.

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Very well said, and I agree with all of it.

I have not communicated with another player on this game in weeks

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Originally Posted by Inda Skies 01

I have not communicated with another player on this game in weeks

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I did and it was scary 0_0

Soooooo I've been over to the destinys site the game set up is much like defiance and guess what there not stupid enough to mention the word MMO with there game. It's a shared world shooter which is how this game should have been sold

Marsy does it really matter now? we can all agree to disagree and let this go :)

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Originally Posted by WarDawgUk

Marsy does it really matter now? we can all agree to disagree and let this go :)

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Am just posting a fact in the relevant thread of what a mmo is and is not

Sorry I just didn't see how this makes Defiance any less of an MMO as it's been stated what an MMO is and is not. If another company has defined their game as something else that's their choice. That doesn't mean any other similar game is the same and should also be defined in the same manner.

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Originally Posted by marshy

Soooooo I've been over to the destinys site the game set up is much like defiance and guess what there not stupid enough to mention the word MMO with there game. It's a shared world shooter which is how this game should have been sold

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Woot for them!