The Perfect MMORPG...?

[Maulus Octir]

I have a question for the people of Planeshift...Riddle me this:

Can one make, in theory, the "perfect" online game? One that includes intense and involving gameplay, but is also deep, rooted in roleplaying? A tightly knit community and a massively immersing leveling and PVP system?

If you say no, why? And what then, do you expect Planeshift to become?

If you say yes, why? And TELL US HOW!!! 

My answer, is no. It is impossible to create such a game that has these two elements. Why? Because with a massive player and leveling system you get people who "sp33k liek thiz, lol n00bz" And with roleplaying you get people who talk with their brains, not their stats.

Now, I cordially invite your flaming, blamming, and perhaps even the occasional agreement!
 

[Earl_Listbard]

http://www.planeshift.it/


nuff said... noob

[Maulus Octir]

*sigh*

.....people these days

Anyone else?

[Earl_Listbard]

maulus... you fail....


PS is the best... (honestly I can't find many good mmorpgs :s )

And the IDEA of ps itself is the perfect idea... hence why its a project

[Duraza]

I must disagree. Yes the idea of ps would be to bring about perfection in leveling and rping together and have a community that uses both. However PS, nor any other game, will ever reach that perfection. The reason why is because its simply immposible. Nothin is perfect. There will always be a flaw in the system or a few members of the community who will refuse to play by the rules.

Am I saying that PS isn't a great game or that it doesn't have a good future? No. Personally PS is still the best game I've run into where I can level when I want and find people to rp with when I feel like it. However its far from my ideal of a perfect game. Sadly I don't think anyone can create a perfect game unless they create it using their imagination in their head 

[Jeraphon]

You make a few premises that might be flawed.

Because with a massive player and leveling system you get people who "sp33k liek thiz, lol n00bz"

Not necessarily. The only reason you get people who speak like that is the game began with that inherent culture. People who don't use leet but consider those who do cool will emulate. Create a culture that frowns on leet, and you can have all the players and levelling you want.

Also, you assume a game has to have a balance of gameplay and roleplay. That's based on a personal choice. Some don't want roleplay, and some want mostly roleplay. But there you go.

[Waylander]

Can one make, in theory, the "perfect" online game? One that includes intense and involving gameplay, but is also deep, rooted in roleplaying? A tightly knit community and a massively immersing leveling and PVP system?

Not at all.  "Perfect" is a relative term and depends wholly on opinions.  And seeing as how those change from person to person and time to time...

[Rayken]

In the perfect MMORPG, 99.9% of deaths would be permanent.  This would annoy everyone to no end, and hence it wouldn't be perfect.  So no such thing as the perfect MMORPG.

[Silavur]

I agree that perfect is hardly the right term. I think we should be looking more along the lines of "good" or "great"  I think it is well possible to bring a balance of leveling and roleplaying together. Maybe even the occasional OOC conversation!    I know, shocking. But look at us even now, if as much as a single "lol" gets thrown out in the plaza, we freak out. USE [][][][][][][][][]!!!  I remember coming here my first time never having played another MMO. I was expecting to be laughed at, picked on, made fun of for being a n00b. But my experience was quite the opposite, I was quickly shown the difference between my character and me and how to forget that there was one! And even then when I wasn't doing ny major or epic RPs I was still roleplaying my life. As a complete and utter n00b. I think that balance will remain in PS as long as players run it.

[minetus]

notting is impossible i would say.. 

and the combination of both gameplay with roleplay its quite possible, while technology doesnt quite give the right platform for a true immersive experience (100% virtual reality) id say things are walking on the right path

--

In the perfect MMORPG, 99.9% of deaths would be permanent.  This would annoy everyone to no end, and hence it wouldn't be perfect.  So no such thing as the perfect MMORPG.

id say that has notting to do with it since death can just be the begining to a new world (for example death realm in planeshift)

[Under the moon]

Gameplay will become roleplay. You will see.

[Zan]

Yes, it is possible but only with a strict player admission. Filter out all the people who aren't serious about roleplaying.

Will Planeshift ever take this course? Not very likely, you'll end up with a tiny player base and I doubt the Devs want to go down that path.

Personally I'm content with Planeshift and the direction it is taking. Roleplaying is encouraged but not enforced. I give everyone in the game a chance to RP with me and would gladly teach them how to be better at it but if I find out someone has a completely different interest, I simply walk away.

[Dajoji]

PS will be perfect once it achieves all the standards expected by its developers (will it ever?). Whether players consider it the perfect game or not is not relevant. In fact, some players will find it is the perfect game until new implementations change their favorite mechanics and then they'll fill the complain forum with "why did you change this or that?" and "you screwed up PvP" threads. When players see that the game trails off their ideal concept they grow frustrated ("now they've ruined this too...") but that is because they assume their priorities are same as the PS team (no wonder it seems like they are not doing things right).

On the other hand, the more players know about the goal in the long term, the less frustrated they'll be because then, they can either adjust their expectations to a realistic and well-informed position or leave the game if they find it is not really for them (and thus avoid waiting and waiting for something that will never come or worse, staying and witnessing how the things they like change). How can players learn more about the long term objectives? That's actually rather easy. Just ask.

[Leama]

As someone the loved to role play, I cannot think of any reason that role play cannot be used in any circumstance. It might take a bit more thought, but it can be done. I think PS is as great as the people in the game. So if you are looking for perfection, I ask you to show me a perfect person and then you will have it. Though PS is fun and can be anything you want it to be. That is why is so great.

[Maulus Octir]

Hmmm....after reading Dajoji's post I want to make perfectly clear that this topic was not made to bash or point out any flaws in Planeshift.
I started this so that the community might come together and discuss not only the question that I proposed, but the idea and image
as well.

In contemplating the "perfect" game perhaps we might contribute our own idea of a "perfect" game as well, and in doing so we would, I hope, be bringing into one topic some of the many ideas spread throughout this forum, and that can only help our beloved game. 

And so, I restate my question, and add a new side to it as well:

Can one make, in theory, the "perfect" online game? One that includes intense and involving gameplay, but is also deep-rooted in roleplaying? A tightly knit community and a massively immersing leveling and PVP system?

If you say no, why?

And if you say yes, don't tell us why, tell us what it is in your head.