What makes an MMO Successful?

[Balbanes]

Other than the specific announced changes?

What makes any given MMO a success? What are some of the key factors that keep players playing, and more importantly, how can FFXIV incorporate these concepts in such a way as to have what other MMOs have, but in a unique yet functional way?

I have been playing MMOs since about 1998. I started with Ultima Online, then Dark Age of Camelot, Star Wars Galaxies, FFXI, Everquest 2, FFXIV and currently Rift while I wait on the major changes to Xiv. I've been around the block, but certainly don't consider myself an expert. I have gained a lot of insight as to what works well in various games, and what does not.

Tangible Feeling of Progression

More than just progression in terms of leveling up, progression should take you all over the world. Currently, the only thing we have are Guildleves, which only really send us around the starter zone.

* Aetheryte camps should be expanded into larger encampments, which have quest giving NPCs on top of the option of Guildleves. These quests should be more than basic fetch 10x item or kill 10x creature. Currently, the camps are far too similar. It doesn't really give an immersive feeling of progression moving from one to another.

* Coerthas and Mor Dhona need to be more utilized in higher level quests and leves. Levels 40-50 should not be using the initial zones at all.

* Quests at camps should be story based, and level appropriate. However, they should be fun enough to do that a rank 50 would still get enjoyment out of any of them -- even though the rewards (if gear) should be rank appropriate.


Variation of Content

All Guildleves really have a repetitive feel to them. All battle leves are the same overall.

* Guildleves should have their overall scope expanded to include more than just killing. We should have to sometimes interact with our targets in more ways than only fighting. For example, a leve (or quest) could give us a temporary ability or item to use on monsters in a certain manner which would be required to defeat them -- maybe even capture them to bring back to the NPC.

* Guild Tasks should be expanded to Dow / DoM in a FF12 style Mark Board. These marks should work a lot like 12's, in that there are unique mobs specific to the Task, and varied in difficulty (from solo to alliance).


I have more, but it's late...



*****edit****
A Sense of Urgency

In many of the MMOs I've played, there is almost always something important going on. These things would have real benefits & consequences for success or failure.

- Rift has rift invasions (PvE zone-wide events) as well as more group/solo friendly Rift events.
- DAoC had PvP frontiers in which 3 factions fought to control relics, keeps and even a massive dungeon
- SWG had a constant PvP/PvE struggle between the Rebels and Empire
- Ultima Online had GM events as well as PvP faction control of major cities. Also PvE monster invasions of cities
- FFXI had a weekly nation conquest of zones as well as PvE invasions in Al-Zahbi (Besieged).


* There could be monster/NPC invasions of the 3 City-States as well as minor invasions of te Aetheryte camps.

* Bring back XI style nation conquest, but make it dfferent so that it adapts to XIV.
- Create outposts throughout the zones which serve the nation that controls the zone. These outposts could have Crafting Support, vendors, even special quests. Maybe even teleport/chocobo services?
- Create unique bonuses for the nation which is in "1st", but also incentives for underpopulated nations to give them a chance to compete (think Gridania here).
1st place: A small bonus to XP/SP
2nd place: NPCs sell items/services cheaper
3rd place: A small but noticeable bonus to attack power / defense

Now obviously, everyone at endgame will want #3, right? However, the more people that join the losing side, the less they lose! These bonuses are only suggestions, of course.


* Conquest systems should divide the 5 major zones into their sub-zones. Northern Shroud, Southern Shroud, etc etc.

[AngryNixon]

These are good suggestions for improving the experience while leveling. I agree with them on the whole but would note that if leves were properly balanced/normalized (which I think they're working on?) in such a way as to not necessitate constantly failing the same 7-8 leves, that that in and of itself would already push you to other areas to do all your 8 leves in a reset.

In addition to this, including leves to do in the other two already existing areas (which I agree completely, are underutilized) would add further variety allowing parties to do yet more leves in more areas.

Finally, I simply add that the "leve link" system adds yet another disincentive to ever doing more than the same 7-8 leves even after they've been normalized for obvious reasons. But as you said it's late... Hopefully whoever reads this can infer the full story with those problems.

Again, on the whole those would all be positive additions/modifications and I apologize for not commenting in a more dialog or conversation evoking manner on your points not directly dealing with guild leves but I'm tired lol.

[Xeno]

Not being FFXIV

[Rinoa]

I could think of only one thing when you mentioned items that help you capture enemies, Poké Ball Go!!!

I like your ideas, and yeah it is late.

[Balbanes]

I could think of only one thing when you mentioned items that help you capture enemies, Poké Ball Go!!!

I like your ideas, and yeah it is late.

Its actually pretty fun. Another idea would be to disguise onesself as a beastman to infiltrate their area/spy on their plans.

[viion]

Listening to Fans/Customers.

[Evangela]

Don't listen to oldschool gamers

[Kilta_Firelotus]

Honestly, those suggestions are what make any game successful. Even once ffxiv gets better. There is still something it needs to be a success. And that is a great community. Most people will not play a FUN mmo if it has a crap community.

But basing what you say, more so about levequests. Is They are job orders/ mercenary orders. And are based on how each diciple levels. Pretty much war/magic = kill quests. land= gathering, hand = crafting. They fit their purpose of what is based on lore. Pretty much there are there story wise to give people things to do while keeping prepared for a possible garlean invasion. AkA we use them for leveling up. Pretty much leve= level quest.
IMO the game can be fixed and be so much more better and it still wouldn't last long if the community stay the way it is.

[Xatsh]

What does a MMO have to have to be successful

1) A strong community
2) Longevity (A mmo that you can beat in a few month will not last)
3) Challenge
4) Goals
5) Original Concepts (People will not leave an existing mmo if a clone comes)
6) Not be WoW (Ever mmo that has tried has failed, even rift is starting to bleed numbers and they almost perfectly copied it)


People say listen to the casuals only, well every mmo that was designed for casuals has failed in the west so far except WoW.... So I say listen to both. Rift is still on the trial period in my opinion.

[MeowyWowie]

What does a MMO have to have to be successful

1) A strong community
2) Longevity (A mmo that you can beat in a few month will not last)
3) Challenge
4) Goals
5) Original Concepts (People will not leave an existing mmo if a clone comes)
6) Not be WoW (Ever mmo that has tried has failed, even rift is starting to bleed numbers and they almost perfectly copied it)


People say listen to the casuals only, well every mmo that was designed for casuals has failed in the west so far except WoW.... So I say listen to both. Rift is still on the trial period in my opinion.

This.

And yea, even RIFT is bleeding subs. They're already adding shard transfers and will likely start mergers very soon as well. WoW did something that will never happen again, developers have to learn to accept that.