by Garrett Fuller
Customization in MMOGs is absolutely critical for players. Players love
to stand out in a virtual world full of millions of other gamers. Yet
it seems that recent games have turned a blind eye to player
customization. Why are we forced to color within the lines? In standard
MMOG and RPG development, we have adhered to the same traditions for
decades. We are still seeing old traditions that keep to the standard
template laid down by our gaming elders and never give players anything
new to think about. I have my sword, shield, and heavy armor;
I must be a front line fighter! When will the norm be broken?
border="1">
title="A Battle Scene">
width="200">
style="font-style: italic;">Everquest started a
standard in player customization that has since seen very little
advancement.
For the most part, I am talking about traditions that have been set
down in the past that future generations adhere to simply because they
are afraid to go outside the standard thought process. In the current
RPG game design, we have fallen into systems that mirror traditions set
down back in the 1970s. The same tradition was revitalized (with loads
of money) in 2004 with the launch of
style="font-style: italic;">World of Warcraft.
World of Warcraft is not a bad game by any means, but how much of the
player customization works outside those standard adventuring rules set
down back in the early days of Dungeons
& Dragons?
Gaining experience, level advancement, weapon and armor upgrades,
questing, combat, and even crafting have become the norm in MMOG
design. Journalists ask these standard questions in every interview
when looking at a new game. MMOGs have gotten to a point where these
concepts are now needed or the game will fail. The audience is so
dependent on the standard that even offering something new might be
seen as a risk. Yet, game designers are always thinking about ways to
make better games.
MMOGs follow a template, a template that was set down by
style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest and
style="font-style: italic;">Ultima Online and
was perfected by World
of Warcraft. So where do we go from there?
One of the best ways to break any standard is customization. SPORE is
currently set to launch in Spring 2008 and offers players a huge amount
of customization on their little monsters and animals. There's a
database that houses all these designs. You can spend hours molding
your creature to look just the way you want it. This is an
area sorely lacking in MMOGs. Unfortunately while WoW gave us a ton of
item options, they gave players very little customization. If you found
a suit of high level armor, you were probably wearing the same suit as
everyone else.
border="1">
title="Character Customization with Broad Sword">
width="200">
style="font-style: italic;">City of
Heroes/Villains allows players to create the sort of character "look"
that people are striving for.
New games coming out should look at customization very carefully. A
game like Webkinz
that is designed for kids offers loads of options to players who want
to build their pet’s own room. Designs in flooring, tiles,
wallpaper, furniture (the list goes on) all give players customization.
Why can't this level of option be given to players?
style="font-style: italic;">Dark Age of Camelot
allowed players to dye their armor and cloaks. Even this small level of
change gave players a canvas to set themselves apart. Taking this to a
higher level, perhaps a player would want to design and create his or
her own epic sword when they reach the end game. The blade can be
shaped and changed; the pommel can be jeweled or carved. This level of
detail will give players a more personal option and allow them to use
their imagination when playing the game.
The carrot on the stick loot system that games use always has players
going for the next best weapon or armor out there. What if instead of
making players grind for weapons and armor we give them an epic quest
to find and build their own? Crafting is already a huge part of MMOGs,
but it is limited by allowing you to only craft items that the game has
set up in advance. Why not bring crafting to a level where player
imagination breaks the norm and allows players to create their own
items? With design options and colors, players can do wonders with
their characters. This is certainly an area where imagination could be
brought back into games.
As games become more in depth in the future we can only hope to see
more levels of customization to players. Maybe one day you’ll
be able to invent your own skills or fighting style. Until then,
I’ll be wearing my standard epic suit and wielding my
standard epic sword.
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