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.
Mimi:
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.
Bluraven:
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!
Boz:
That would be great. There is nothing worse to me than the endless hours of grinding to level up.