Originally posted by zaphar
the problem with having instanced dungeons in a game like this is: \"where does the dungeon begin and the rest of the game end?\"
Monsters may be found almost anywhere in the game with the exception of the cities. Are you going to make everything but the cities instanced? That would destroy the community of the game. If not then how do you decide what areas are dungeons and what areas are not. What if an area that would fit the description of dungeon for \"Good\" aligned players actually fits the description of home sweet home for \"evil\" aligned players?
No I tend to think for a game like this one dungeons should be kept in the community. If overcrowding is a worry then you can always set maximum occupancy but instancing I think would begin to turn the game into more of an FPS or Diablo type of idea. You log on find a group and then go off and play by yourselves. Doesn\'t really appeal to me sorry.
URGH!! The idea seemed like aces to me the way I thought of it, and the way I thought of it you missed the point entirely!
Outdoor areas and dungeons are very different. In an outdoor area (where there are monsters but they\'re spread about and instancing is not necessary at all), let\'s say you form the party. Then you go to the dungeon (thickly populated by monsters, where instancing is not necessary, but in this case is implemented). Your party is on their own. This would work if the rest of the game helped it work that way. For example, if you die in the dungeon and don\'t have a rezzer, maybe you get shot out of the dungeon and have to find your party again, but at no other penalty? The way I see it, if the dungeon is an instance for individuals and individual parties, that just opens up more possibilities for the dungeon\'s design.
When is a dungeon a community? When is a dungeon even a part of a community? When you\'re already in a party, you\'re enjoying the community of it. When you\'re soloing, and see another party, it only adds a community aspect if you want to join them. What are you doing soloing in a dungeon? You\'re either looking for a group there, or you want to fight alone with no one bothering you. The dungeon is instanced; here are YOUR monsters. Enjoy fighting them. Having the dungeon as your own or your party\'s own does not destroy the game\'s community aspect. It might limit it a little bit, but quite frankly I think MMORPGs nowadays sacrifice gameplay to focus too much on community. Besides, that \"destroying the community\" that you mention could be helped by adding good \"looking for group\" systems that cater toward dungeon exploring parties.
\"Good\" alligned players and \"Evil\" alligned players both deserve good gameplay. Plenty of world areas would be nice \"hang out spots\" for both of these people. When they get together, they might eventually decide they want to go to a dungeon. This is where it would get good if such an idea is implemented.
Implemented properly, this could prove to be a good idea. A BAD idea, however, is a maximum occupancy. Is there ever a maximum occupancy for dungeons in these types of games? This would make groups very disappointed when they get to a dungeon and can\'t even go into it. Think of the possibilities of an idea before you shoot it down, please.
