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"Pure" classes typically make for cleaner role assignments and and more coordinated group tactics, but "hybrid" classes allow you to play the character you want to play. Which approach should developers cater to, and how is the next generation of MMOs handling the issue? That's the topic of discussion in today's Loading... Hybrids and Thoroughbreds.
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One of the veteran writers on our WoW site, Xerin, posted an interesting editorial on the rise of hybrid classes in World of Warcraft. The hybrid versus pure class debate is one of these interesting design level challenges that routinely crops up as MMOs mature. Purists want their class to do at least one thing distinctly better than any other class no matter the adaptive development (talent tree or alternate advancement) tack they take, and hybridists want their class to be sufficient for about every situation they'll encounter - group, raid, or solo.
Group or raid content will always mandate that a group contain x meatshields, y damage dealers, and z support classes (healers and crowd control) to be successful. Roles are simply how coordinated combat gets done, whether in MMOGs or in the modern military. The beauty of pure classes is that roles are clear: priests are healers, enchanters are crowd control. Stray from your role and not only will your group suffer, you'll perform poorly. When it comes down to it, chances that this is why you chose a particular class in the first place - you had a vague notion of the role you wanted to play.
So the mantra of class purists is know your role and capitalize on the strengths of your class. Hybrids, they argue, only want to complicate the already limited number of valid combat roles or make their character more powerful than it should be in what is, after all, a social game. But as more and more players hit level cap, suddenly there's scores of people performing your role par excellence and the sense of individuality is suddenly diminished. Everyone wants to be their own little snowflake, to be distinct in some way, so our solution has in turn created another problem... welcome to game development.
EverQuest developers realized this a long time ago and developed an Alternate Advancement system, a sort of talent tree available only to high-level players. It was a good concept which, like dungeons, World of Warcraft stole and made available to all level 10+ players. Final Fantasy XI introduced multi-classing, whereby you can combine two classes into a "hybrid" class (FFXI was the first time I heard the term "hybrid" outside of a seed catalog) by limiting the overall potential of either pure class.
The problem with both of these systems (and, I'd argue, with WoW's talent tree driven hybridization) is that these methods 1) aren't intuitive and 2) are expensive in terms of time or money to reset. It's too easy to make bad choices if you don't do a fair amount of research, and when a game smilingly allows you to make bad choices by obscuring the outcome ("bad" meaning you can't possibly use it to your benefit, no matter how creative you are with equipment, spells, etc.), the game is playing you, you're not playing it. Ideally, players should be able to choose between several good and interesting choices at every turn, not be constantly confronted with the opportunity to gimp their character.
Happily, several MMOs on the horizon are confronting the hybrid issue head-on, either through an emphasis on player skill and action-based "twitch" combat over character build (Champions Online, DC Universe Online, Global Agenda, Jumpgate Evolution), through a storyline that produces interesting character development choices at every turn (Star Wars: The Old Republic), through a completely new take on the multiclass system (Final Fantasy XIV and Heroes of Telara), or by redefining customization far beyond class and role (APB and Crimecraft). Which approach succeeds for you will depend largely on what kind of gameplay you value, but the good news is that the amount of sheer MMO gaming variety is still on the uptick.
How do you feel about the hybrid / pure classes debate? Do you agree that the next generation of MMOs is doing enough to address the issue? Comment in the Loading... forum, feel free to email me, and have yourself a great weekend.
Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day
From our Articles News and Events Discussion
Coyote Humor: They're Remaking WHAT?
Coyote Goes to Hollywood
Coyote's rant in It's All Geek to Me
is an open hate letter to Hollywood bemoaning its penchant for
making over movies that simply shouldn't be made over; movies like The
Highlander, Total Recall, and The Crow...not to mention Reservoir Dogs.
If Coyote's hate letter were a petition, I'd sign it. I'm still
wondering what MTV hopes to gain by making over The Rocky Horror
Picture Show. I mean, you just don't make over a cult classic that's
still playing in theaters over 30 years after its release. And you
especially don't make over that cult classic when theater-goers flock
to see it carrying newspapers, wielding squirt guns, and wearing garb
from raincoats to French maid outfits to full-on drag,
What's your opinion? Have Hollywood makeovers run amok? Talk about it!
==============================
Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread
"Hmm.
Maybe we could re-make RadarX. Think about it: it'd be like
Frankenstein, that big zombie guy with a rocket launcher from Resident
Evil, and Strongbad all mixed together!
Now to find some investors..."
- kageyfna
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Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? Tell us!
4 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 70 in June! 707 in 2009!
New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today
Features
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(Premium Only) Returning to Bind Point: Death Penalties in MMOs
We’ve all experienced it at one point or another; that sinking feeling you get the first time you realize that you’re staring down on the ragdoll body formerly known as your character. Whether you bit off more than you could chew or simply were in the wrong place at the wrong time, nothing quite compares to the sudden realization that not only has your beloved character died, but that there are... consequences. But how much punishment is too much?Ten Ton Hammer contacted two of the leading developers in the current MMO space race; Noah “Hammerhead” Ward, lead game designer for EVE Online and Hermann Peterscheck, lead producer for NetDevil’s upcoming Jumpgate Evolution. -
Comic: Geeked - "Silky-Smooth"
Ten Ton Hammer's very own satirical webcomic on all things geek-related is back with the continuation of Bill's dating escapades. For some unknown reason (masochistic, mentally-challenged, deranged?) a woman has actually agreed to come over to Bill's house and hang out with him. Behold the train-wreck that is his legendary wooing ability! -
WoW: Hybrid Play - Should We All Be Hybrids?
Hybrids are the rage now in World of Warcraft, but what does it mean for dedicated DPS classes like the Mage? Resident writer, David "Xerin" Piner, goes into the heated debate about hybrids vs. dedicated in his latest editorial about the hybrid monopoly. Do you have an opinion on this subject? Come on down to our forums and join our community on this hot debate. -
WoW: The History of the Paladin
Looking back, the Paladin has come a long way. From one viable raiding spec (healing) to a full compliment of options. The gear on the other hand hasn't faired so well - there have been some incredibly ugly armor sets over the years. Walk through the fields of yesteryear and take a look at how the class has progressed and changed over the years.
Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to:
- E3 2009 Portal
- Paul Barnett Sums Up E3 2009 (video)
- E3 2009 Torchlight Preview Video with Runic's Travis Baldree
- Ten Ton Hammer's Gamer Girl of the Month for June 2009: Vikki Wong
- E3 2009: Dragon Age Preview
- E3 2009: The Agency "Bergerbilder Estate" Preview Video
- Blizzcon Blitz 2009 Ticket Giveaway
- WoW: Hybrid Play - Should We All Be Hybrids?
- Global Agenda Hands-On Preview
- Final Fantasy XIV at E3 2009
Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!
-Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle and the Ten Ton Hammer team
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our EverQuest Game Page.
