There is an issue floating around thats been on the back-burner since SW:TOR was announced, but it seems to be gaining steam following the recent release of in-game footage. (Even warranting a mention by developers at GamesCom in Germany) Its a debate that has the ability to be quite polarizing, but it has me both confused and perplexed so thats where YOU come in.
Why do so many people wish SW:TOR was going to be a single player RPG? The question is simple enough, but Im not sure the answer will be so easily discovered. On one side you have the MMO enthusiasts salivating at the thought of complete immersion in the Star Wars universe and potentially years of story updates and a plethora of other game additions/modifications. On the other side you have a seemingly growing number of people who just wish they could come home from work, flop down onto the couch/computer chair and throw in KOTOR 3.
This just doesnt compute.
I can understand peoples apprehension towards the possibility of doling out 15 dollars per month to play a game theyve already purchased, but if we can just look past that does anyone actually think a single-player RPG will render a more exciting experience than an MMO?
Im doing my best to look at this from both sides of the argument, but Im having a hard time figuring out why anyone would prefer a limited experience with a definite ending as opposed to a nearly infinite experience with an ongoing story and ever-changing world.
My hope is that someone can point out the err in my ways and tell me why KOTOR 3 would make more sense than SW:TOR. But if you're happy BioWare's latest jump into the Star Wars IP is an MMO feel free to point that out.
Why do so many people wish SW:TOR was going to be a single player RPG? The question is simple enough, but Im not sure the answer will be so easily discovered. On one side you have the MMO enthusiasts salivating at the thought of complete immersion in the Star Wars universe and potentially years of story updates and a plethora of other game additions/modifications. On the other side you have a seemingly growing number of people who just wish they could come home from work, flop down onto the couch/computer chair and throw in KOTOR 3.
This just doesnt compute.
I can understand peoples apprehension towards the possibility of doling out 15 dollars per month to play a game theyve already purchased, but if we can just look past that does anyone actually think a single-player RPG will render a more exciting experience than an MMO?
Im doing my best to look at this from both sides of the argument, but Im having a hard time figuring out why anyone would prefer a limited experience with a definite ending as opposed to a nearly infinite experience with an ongoing story and ever-changing world.
My hope is that someone can point out the err in my ways and tell me why KOTOR 3 would make more sense than SW:TOR. But if you're happy BioWare's latest jump into the Star Wars IP is an MMO feel free to point that out.
Comments
Personally, I think BioWare is strong enough that whether the game goes Guild Warsy or WoWy, the story will be strong enough to fill the gaps and keep players interested. Guild Wars was wack because the gameplay was lackluster and the storylines/quests were mehhhh at best. I'm really not that worried anymore. As soon as BioWare said the UI would be open to mods I decided that BioWare gets it and they would make this a proper MMO.
The smuggler, bounty hunter, and the first sith areas they showed are open-world areas. The only instance they showed was the ship.
I believe this system will turn out great. Variety = win. Open worlds are great, but when I'm planning a hard mission with some friends, I don't want to arrive there to find out another group just killed everything.
Also, people need to really remember what Bioware is about, and what their games are about. Yes, this is an MMO, but Bioware = story. It's going to be part of the game, we know that. I say this a lot on the SW:TOR forums, but Bioware does not have to go after traditional MMO players. This will not be a WoW Killer, because they don't have to go after that player base. They have a large following of fans already. What I see them as trying to do, is bridging that gap for people who really enjoy RPGs, but don't want to jump into MMOs, be it the monthly fees, lack of story, etc.. They are opening the genre to a whole new market. I really think people who enjoy the WoW style of play, are going to be disappointed with this game, because it's going to be very different. But people who are open minded, and enjoy RPG and story, will really enjoy it.
They have said we will have all the MMO type stuff, and I believe them. We will have open worlds in which we will see other players and interact with them. I viewed the flashpoint as simply an instance/dungeon.
EA wants a hit...they have yet to claim their piece of the MMO pie really. Warhammer was a total flop...they want millions of subscribers, and the way of doing that is making it more casual...making it so if people want, they can come home from work, flop down onto the couch/computer chair and throw in KOTOR 3. But you can also come home from work, flop down, and throw in SW:TOR, the MMO.