01-06-2004, 05:37 PM
The pen and paper game I play (HERO system) doesn't even have the concept of levels. It is all about the adventure... Part of the adventure is learning new powers and spells and abilities, but the story is what matters, not the level. I've been playing that game for 3 years and it is still as interesting as it was the day I started.
I've never been able to make the connection between pen and paper and MMORPGs because so much of fun table top gaming has to do with your gaming group and the GM. Now that I think about it, games like EQ were fun partly because of the cool people you go to meet and "hang out" with, but the GM had to be the "computer"... What a shitty GM
Our HERO game is paced by the GM. No matter how much Bob decides to make up wacky abilities or research basket weaving, the GM can alway find a way to involve the character in the story. Even if he is not directly involved in the plot, the player can role-play the part of the half elven brewer, scythe specialist, basket weaver and it will be fun. No mysterious power would keep him from grouping with his friends for some adventure, and there is more to the story than "go here and kill this".
Siggy's idea about an aging system replacing experience is an interesting one. I've never considered something like that... I'll have to think it over some.
What I do think is that players will play whatever system they are presented with as long as it is FUN. EQ was fun because you wanted l33t armor and weaps and had cool friends to hang out with.
The word "fun" is too often replaced with "addictive" when describing MMORPGs. I don't want a crack habit, I want some damn fun. Addictive gameplay can be fun but often times just turns into zombie gaming... 2 AM, gotta work the next day, staring at the screen from 8 inches away waiting for the damn mob to pop so you can gate out and go to freaking bed. Maybe that's not even addictive, maybe that is just dumb... Hmmm.
I've never been able to make the connection between pen and paper and MMORPGs because so much of fun table top gaming has to do with your gaming group and the GM. Now that I think about it, games like EQ were fun partly because of the cool people you go to meet and "hang out" with, but the GM had to be the "computer"... What a shitty GM
Our HERO game is paced by the GM. No matter how much Bob decides to make up wacky abilities or research basket weaving, the GM can alway find a way to involve the character in the story. Even if he is not directly involved in the plot, the player can role-play the part of the half elven brewer, scythe specialist, basket weaver and it will be fun. No mysterious power would keep him from grouping with his friends for some adventure, and there is more to the story than "go here and kill this".
Siggy's idea about an aging system replacing experience is an interesting one. I've never considered something like that... I'll have to think it over some.
What I do think is that players will play whatever system they are presented with as long as it is FUN. EQ was fun because you wanted l33t armor and weaps and had cool friends to hang out with.
The word "fun" is too often replaced with "addictive" when describing MMORPGs. I don't want a crack habit, I want some damn fun. Addictive gameplay can be fun but often times just turns into zombie gaming... 2 AM, gotta work the next day, staring at the screen from 8 inches away waiting for the damn mob to pop so you can gate out and go to freaking bed. Maybe that's not even addictive, maybe that is just dumb... Hmmm.
WAR = Zeel, Zeelio, Sheldon
WoW = Zeelio
EQ = Sheldon
RL = Sean
WoW = Zeelio
EQ = Sheldon
RL = Sean