Constant Progression
Monday
Mar 30, 2009
Why is it that in order to feel as though we are not wasting our time (even though in the end that’s probably exactly what we’re doing to some extent at least) we as players require some sort of forward motion, some sort of linear progression that we can physically see. When you get to the point that there is no more progression players tend to wander away and find something else to do with their time. You can see this all of the time in EverQuest II, where players have become bored with their progression and feel as though they have ‘beaten’ the game. When I first started playing, there was no such thing as ‘beating’ an MMO, it was unheard of. They were mass stories that never ended. Now though, it seems they have an ending.
Each ending differs based on what that particular person feels is their ‘final goal’. It could be taking down the most difficult raid encounters and gearing up a character as well as you possibly feel that you can, or it may be something simpler like hitting the level cap. For others it may not even come to that, but is simple a ‘feeling’ you get at some point during the game that you have done all there is for you to do. Because everyone’s play experience is different, the ‘end’ of a game is also different.
In EverQuest, this need for progression can be seen through the years if you take a look at each expansion. Sure there is the very basic upgrade that includes gear and new achievements to be unlocked, an increase in levels to obtain – but even the very basics of the expansions themselves all follow this line of upward movement.
Think back to The Omens of War. There was only one zone that required and sort of progression per say, and that was Asylum of Anguish (which has since been reduced and you now only need a level requirement met to enter). You had to collect seven signets from groupable NPC’s and then complete six raid trials within Muramite Proving Grounds. There were ways to piggy back into the zone, but it was still difficult. Now move forward to Seeds of destruction where there are themes to be completed in a particular order, items unlocked on vendors if you complete these quests, and you gain access to more versions of The Void as you complete the themes. In previous expansions there was also this method of progression that players could follow in order to ‘unlock’ the harder content.
While I personally don’t mind this type of progression, I can certainly see how over time it may become boring to players. The story may be different, but you’re basically doing the same thing over and over. You’re doing tasks and missions in order to unlock future content and gear. You’re gaining alternate forms of currency (chronobines anyone?) and since The Serpent’s Spine released back in September of 2006 even spells are tiered towards progression. While players are quite used to this in EQII as the game released with different tiers of spells to obtain, EQ started implementing it 7 years after the game had been out.
Thinking about it, I don’t know if I’d be comfortable playing a game that didn’t have some sort of progression of some sort. There needs to be a ‘point’ to a game (at least for me). If you’re not bettering your character, what exactly are you doing? Am I alone in this thought process or do others feel that in order for a game to be satisfactory to them, they have to be working towards some sort of laid out progression? Are there gamers out there who toss aside what ‘rules’ the game has come up with as far as progression and wandered down their own personal paths of what progress is to them? Are there games out there that even allow you to do that? Inquiring minds wish to know!
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Comments
Timothy Cash
March 30th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
While I will agree that there needs to be some manner of progression within an MMO, it is up to each person to decide the manner of their progression.
When I played EQ, I had two goals: Become at least a Journeyman Artisan, and get my Druid Epic Weapon (before the days of Epic 1.5 and Epic 2.0). I accomplished both.
Afterward, I had to come up with new goals. One goal was to visit every plane that my level (56 - when 65 was the max) could visit. I achieved this. Another was to learn every language in the game. This proved to be more elusive.
Finally, with the impending birth of my second child on the horizon, and greater responsibilities at my job, I had to stop playing, and concentrate on real life.
Then, a couple of years later, with my child being able to walk and communicate, and my job becoming somewhat less time-consuming, I was able to start playing MMOs again.
I realized that what had kept me playing Everquest would likely not be there anymore, as my friends and guild members had left for other games, and the sense of community that I had felt would not be there.
A friend at work, told me that he had started playing EQ2, so I went to the store, purchased the game, and haven’t looked back since. There are a lot more ways to progress in Everquest II, but the fact still remains - progression is up to the individual player.
When the RoK expansion was released, I quickly made it to the level cap with my main character. Upon reaching that goal, I then proceeded to max out my Harvesting skills. Next, I worked at maxing my spell-related skills, my weapon-related skills, and finally, my tinkering.
Currently, the only skill that I have, that is not at its maximum level, is Alcohol Tolerance. I don’t really have a viable reason to increase that, so I moved on to improving my gear, then my spells.
The point of this, admittedly long-winded, comment still remains: It is up to the player to decide how he or she will progress his or her character.
Timothy Cash’s last blog post..My Mythical