MMORPG Leveling -- A visual timeline. Predictions?

The leveling experience in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games

A Visual Timeline

1999: Leave town in a party of multiple players, and venture into an open world to grind mobs, free to set your own pace.
2004: Leave town alone, and venture into an open world to grind quests, free to set your own pace.
2009: Don't ever leave town, line up in a queue to enter a linear closed off instance with multiple players, pace is bottlenecked by controlled daily/weekly experience bonuses.
2014: ???

It's now 2014 -- time for us to settle into the next five year chunk. As we prepare for the new leveling standard that will usher us through the next half decade, what are your predictions about what we will end up with?

According to the trends above, we should expect to be left with "zero colors" for the new generation. On the other hand, last year showed some interesting hints of developers experimenting with open world, multiplayer grinding: a new "color combination", with FFXIV's FATEs being the most familiar example to those reading this.

So what do you think -- will the trend of the past 15 years continue, or will we finally start seeing the pendulum swing back toward the true definition of an MMORPG experience?

whatever helps get me my allagan weapon more quicker

"True Definition" huh? As someone who has played online games since before they were graphical I have to say that I'm quite pleased with the move toward open world exploration that happened with later MMOs. I'm ok with the stuff you absolutely need a group for being limited to small regions. That being said, EQNext has already announced that they plan to have no levels at all in their game, so I suspect we'll have to see what that looks like before we can guess if it will become a trend or not.

Accessibility has been the name of the game since 2009, and that hasn't really changed.

Don't get your hopes up for themepark MMOs becoming more like sandbox MMOs. If you want that kind of gameplay, go play a sandbox MMO. They do exist, you know.

More than likely developers will have to create phone APPs so people can sit in the classroom/work place/bathroom and level up their characters by connecting 3 like colorful objects in a row this way no one will be left behind cause they can play on their computer/console at home or phone on the go. Then again who has time to sit infront of a computer and play a game anymore between school, work, karate, banjo lessons, soccer, mcdonalds drive-thru, ignoring your spouse, ignoring your kids, re-runs of Top Gear..etc.

Solo grinding has been around as long as the genre.

Also, it's ironic that open world activity is inversely proportional to the incidence of pk. An untold world of QQ never would have taken place if you could easily disregard the open world in classic MMOs as you can in current MMOs.

Since now most of that generations player base from the old times, are now in the late 30's and 40's and some them working as heads at game companies I would say. Phantasy star online dungeons,borderlands weapons style,Real time battles, Full open worlds,User content added,One character does it all with many jobs,multiple choices to level,No rails it will be all community generated, developer just put there idea out there and watch it grow and keep eye on it somewhat so it stays on there vision, one true voice chat program, tv's will have the power to run the games build in at 70 inch paper thin(nano and fiber tv),cellphones be the controller and option to play the game,entire world will fiber optic, Data centers that run at nano fiber speeds,

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Accessibility has been the name of the game since 2009, and that hasn't really changed.

Don't get your hopes up for themepark MMOs becoming more like sandbox MMOs. If you want that kind of gameplay, go play a sandbox MMO. They do exist, you know.

---

Too much 'accessibility' can be a bad thing. MMO developers want to keep people paying so they want to keep people playing. Making too much available too easily kills revenue so time sinks are necessary.

And I'm not familiar with any true modern sandbox MMORPGs out there. Even ESO looks like it's going to end up being pretty theme-parky from what I've experienced in the betas.

EQNext will certainly be more open and encouraging of a sandbox style game but that's not due for at least another year. Additionally there is Brad McQuaid's Pantheon that is on Kickstarter now but that won't be likely to even hit alpha until 2015 either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Caraway

Too much 'accessibility' can be a bad thing. MMO developers want to keep people paying so they want to keep people playing. Making too much available too easily kills revenue so time sinks are necessary.

And I'm not familiar with any true modern sandbox MMORPGs out there. Even ESO looks like it's going to end up being pretty theme-parky from what I've experienced in the betas.

EQNext will certainly be more open and encouraging of a sandbox style game but that's not due for at least another year. Additionally there is Brad McQuaid's Pantheon that is on Kickstarter now but that won't be likely to even hit alpha until 2015 either.

---

EVE is the only true sandbox game so far.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stormblossom

" That being said, EQNext has already announced that they plan to have no levels at all in their game, so I suspect we'll have to see what that looks like before we can guess if it will become a trend or not.

---

2003 called. It wants its mechanics back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mindful

EVE is the only true sandbox game so far.

---

SWG was sandbox.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Raymeo

1999: Leave town in a party of multiple players, and venture into an open world to grind mobs, free to set your own pace.

---

FFXI, 2002: Sit in Jeuno for days, weeks and months LFG on whatever is loljob of the month.

Your rose-tinted spectacles need cleaning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KraggyKor

FFXI, 2002: Sit in Jeuno for days, weeks and months LFG on whatever is loljob of the month.

Your rose-tinted spectacles need cleaning.

---

I only pointed out that the principles which founded the MMO genre were all present back in the beginning. I never claimed that they were realized in an ideal way. Honestly, I'm still waiting to see the first perfect MMORPG, so I'd say that my glasses suit me just fine. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stormblossom

"True Definition" huh? As someone who has played online games since before they were graphical I have to say...

---

Touche, I did pass over the fact that MMORPGs go back further than 1999. Instead I began the timeline with the genre's first introduction to the mainstream, coinciding with the release of Everquest.

If you really want to be technical, I could see an argument for beginning the timeline with 1997 in order to coincide with the release of Ultima Online. Even if it didn't bring the genre to the mainstream, it was responsible for the creation of the term MMORPG, and as such was the first game to have the word applied to it. Either way, from Ultima/Everquest onward, what qualifies as an MMORPG is pretty black and white.

Going back to the games that you're describing though, things enter more of a gray area. I won't deny that you'd find some very similar genres in the 80's and early 90's. I'd just argue that they're not necessarily part of the same modern MMORPG genre that exists in the mainstream today. Those older games may have built the foundations for the modern MMORPG genre, but whether or not they should retroactively be included in this genre would be a fun topic for debate rather than obvious fact or fiction.

In any case though -- whether the timeline begins at 1999, 1997, or earlier -- the three elements of the "true definition" (massive, multiplayer, role-playing) would still be present at the origin. I think we can agree on that much. The illustrated point would remain just the same. ;)

(Before anyone picks a bone with my opinion that Ultima did not bring the genre to the mainstream, consider: Ultima had a two year head start on Everquest, and reached 100,000 players just before Everquest's release. Only a few months after Everquest's release, Everquest had reached 250,000 players. These numbers both grew over time, but even throughout their growth they maintained this same ratio relative to each other, both eventually peaking at double those 1999 numbers.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KraggyKor

FFXI, 2002: Sit in Jeuno for days, weeks and months LFG on whatever is loljob of the month.

Your rose-tinted spectacles need cleaning.

---

http://weyr.us/raven/icons/pri-5a.gif

MMO's evolve just like everything else evolves. And it is no supprise that MMO's follow same principal. FASTER STRONGER HARDER ... Relax man . Take a puff smell some roses :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Raymeo

The leveling experience in Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games

A Visual Timeline

1999: Leave town in a party of multiple players, and venture into an open world to grind mobs, free to set your own pace.
2004: Leave town alone, and venture into an open world to grind quests, free to set your own pace.
2009: Don't ever leave town, line up in a queue to enter a linear closed off instance with multiple players, pace is bottlenecked by controlled daily/weekly experience bonuses.
2014: ???

It's now 2014 -- time for us to settle into the next five year chunk. As we prepare for the new leveling standard that will usher us through the next half decade, what are your predictions about what we will end up with?

According to the trends above, we should expect to be left with "zero colors" for the new generation. On the other hand, last year showed some interesting hints of developers experimenting with open world, multiplayer grinding: a new "color combination", with FFXIV's FATEs being the most familiar example to those reading this.

So what do you think -- will the trend of the past 15 years continue, or will we finally start seeing the pendulum swing back toward the true definition of an MMORPG experience?

---

From what I heard, Everquest Next is trying to go to the old school style direction of "let the players do what they want".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KraggyKor

FFXI, 2002: Sit in Jeuno for days, weeks and months LFG on whatever is loljob of the month.

Your rose-tinted spectacles need cleaning.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Warlyx

http://weyr.us/raven/icons/pri-5a.gif

---

The only people who sat in Jeuno for months were those too lazy to form their own parties. 45min to 1h was the longest it took to form one if you were proactive. Some Duty Finder queues take that long or longer!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mindful

EVE is the only true sandbox game so far.

---

Admittedly it's not out yet, but Pathfinder Online is set to be a sandbox game as well

well everquest next is going the the more old school sandbox where you wander around but with new technology, best of all no endgame which means no linear grinding. you can build and destroy stuff in the world too.

also horizontal progress FTW.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by indira

well everquest next is going the the more old school sandbox where you wander around but with new technology, best of all no endgame which means no linear grinding. you can build and destroy stuff in the world too.

also horizontal progress FTW.

---

The popularity of/interest in RUST, LBP, MINECRAFT, Everquest Landmark, etc.. Should make it clear that the future of MMO's is more environmental interaction and player created content. It's no surprise that FC housing was one of the most anticipated features of FFXIV, and subsiquently one of it's biggest letdowns.


The future of MMOs is a balance of a rich, crafted world with a healthy portion of sandbox exploration and user-created/modified content. The path of high-speed grind sessions and linear gear progression is the trademark of yesterday's action platformers, not tomorrow's MMO games.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nahara

Admittedly it's not out yet, but Pathfinder Online is set to be a sandbox game as well

---

I always see it discussed as a hybrid sandbox/ theme park.

The trend will continue of older gamers thinking games are getting too easy.

Games will go social and be playable via apps, Facebook, etc. What current players like will be considered too much time wasting, and the cycle will continue.

2014: Log in at town which you cant exit. No levels , no combat. There is a big button which allows you to come to forums and troll which is the main part of the game



2015: Log in at town, spam a button over and over till some tokens appear ( It only works if you are tank or healer ). The Tokens can be traded in town for armor.



2020: Log in to town which is a huge maze. You see these tokens on ground which you pick up , every now and then you see a big token which gives you special powers ... these ghosts are chasing you in the maze until you pick up the big token.

Levels will be gone.
Roles will have less importance.
Players will continue to have less and less time to play mmos.
FPSMMORPG.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Caraway

Too much 'accessibility' can be a bad thing. MMO developers want to keep people paying so they want to keep people playing. Making too much available too easily kills revenue so time sinks are necessary.

And I'm not familiar with any true modern sandbox MMORPGs out there. Even ESO looks like it's going to end up being pretty theme-parky from what I've experienced in the betas.

EQNext will certainly be more open and encouraging of a sandbox style game but that's not due for at least another year. Additionally there is Brad McQuaid's Pantheon that is on Kickstarter now but that won't be likely to even hit alpha until 2015 either.

---

In addition to EVE, there is also Age of Wushu aka Age of Wulin.

What I think will be the future.

1. No Main Levels. Instead, you pick a skill, and level it. The skills become available as part of a tech tree or as something externally acquired.
2. PvP based. Everyone is free to gank you wherever you are. Other features of the PvP climate includes dungeon invaders, you sign up with a party and defend/invade a dungeon to gank another party doing their dungeon quest; faction raids, an instance that will involve a massive raid upon an opposing faction.
3. Reputation based Your work with your faction improves your reputation with them, and you gain benefits, but your work against other factions create a negative reputation, that enables these factions to put a bounty on your head, collectible by another player who is going to hunt you.
4. Destroyable items, armor and houses. In order to feed the crafting and gathering economy.
5. Regional domination. Your decisive victories can lead your faction or guild to control an area.

Quote:

---

1999: Leave town in a party of multiple players, and venture into an open world to grind mobs, free to set your own pace.
2004: Leave town alone, and venture into an open world to grind quests, free to set your own pace.
2009: Don't ever leave town, line up in a queue to enter a linear closed off instance with multiple players, pace is bottlenecked by controlled daily/weekly experience bonuses.

---

Your argument here is super skewed. You can "set your own pace" just as much now as you could then. Feel free to level slower by playing less or being bad. Feel free to level faster by playing well, playing more, and / or killing faster etc. You also set your pace by choosing different content. Bonuses are not "bottlenecks." I could just as easily say in FFXI that the pace is bottlenecked by EXP chain breaks.

Noboy's forcing you to stay in town, line up in a queue or enter a linear closed off instance. Nobody's forcing you to group, or do anything. You're just as free to set your pace now as you ever were before. I'd arge you have far more freedom now than you did before as well.

1999: Level up by waiting forever for an EXP party, locating a camping spot and repeatedly killing the same monster(s) over and over for several hours. The only thing that made it at all enjoyable was that you were sharing this long drawn out experience with others.
2004: Level up by repeatedly killing the same monsters by yourself, or by doing quests that award EXP.
2009: Level up by joining a group of people for dungeon runs or guildhests or grinding mobs, by yourself by killing things for the hunting log, by doing quests, by doing levequests, or doing Full Active Time Events.

In 1999 we had 1 key way to level up. That was the only way.
In 2004 we had two key ways to level up.
Today we have many ways to level up

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zantetsuken

The popularity of/interest in RUST, LBP, MINECRAFT, Everquest Landmark, etc.. Should make it clear that the future of MMO's is more environmental interaction and player created content.

---

Indeed. It would be nice if MMO developers could realize this, instead of leaving it to facebook/phone app developers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Doo

FPSMMORPG

---

I feel like that's been obvious since WoW. I know a few FPSs have tried it, but I'd really rather see it developed from a basis as an MMORPG instead.

2014: Insult multiple players in /sh, and teabag dead alliance members during raids, upload videos of teabagging to youtube with a Linkin Park song dubbed over them.