Comments: 3 Comments (Go to Comments)
Categories: Commentary
Tags: fallout, mmo, mmorpg, npc, rpg
I was playing Fallout 3 the other day and came across a city overrun by Deathclaws. For the initiated, Fallout 3 is a role playing game set around post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. and Deathclaws are self-explanatory.
After fleeing to a safe distance, I had the thought that If this was an MMORPG, I’d make camp where I was just to warn others away from the city of doom. And then I thought, that’s an interesting thought.
One of the reasons why MMORPG’s haven’t gripped me is that – from what I’ve seen – the massively multiplayer aspect overpowers the role playing. I’ve seen WoW and the like and the gameplay strikes me as being stats and loot based, not narrative. If I were to play an MMO, I’d want the Ren Fest experience – a level of immersion I have yet to see.
Fallout 3 and other RPGs are considerably more immersive but there’s still the NPC issue. Granted dialogue has progressed since the “This is a bank!” days, but I want more.
So here’s my idea – I want to be an actor in a game. I’m not talking about recording lines of dialogue or doing motion capture. I want to be a living, breathing NPC. People wonder where games will go next. Why not have persistent, professional actors?
I would gladly enhance someone’s gaming experience by fleshing out the local color. I’d gladly wander the wastes looking for players I could trade with and I’d be glad to talk to you as long as you wanted. I’d survey the blasted landscape and say, “Why I remember when all this was something! Would you like to hear a story about the old days?” And we could talk or you could shoot me and loot my corpse – and that would be fine because it’s your game.
And it doesn’t have to just be Fallout. I could be in the bleachers of Madden cheering you on. I could caddy for you in Tiger Woods. I could be in the cantina yelling “No blasters!” while you mow down stormtroopers. I’m willing to walk the streets of Liberty City just so I can yell out, “I’m dying, Jimmy! I’m dying,” after you run me over.
On November 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm, Mimi wrote:
That is an awesome idea. I’d be completely on board for something like that. And I completely agree with you about current MMO’s being not so much about the immersion and more about the stats. After you’ve played a bit, it becomes the same old thing. Granted, there are a few players on there who do try to spice things up and make them interesting, but there’s only so much you can do.
On November 25th, 2008 at 12:45 am, Bluraven wrote:
I would love to be an NPC as well! I think D&D offers the closest experience to being a full on NPC as I’ve seen, though not in the way you’re talking about. Wow…I really hope someone sees this and takes you up on that offer!
On November 25th, 2008 at 9:57 am, Boz wrote:
That would be great. There is nothing worse to me than the endless hours of grinding to level up.