MMO on Rails

[Onisake]

How do you guys feel about a mmo being on rails?


"making sure players know where to go and what activities are there to do once they enter a new map."

I thought SWTOR was pretty much on rails. but this was because i was following the storyline. I could have at any point stopped doing the story and done something else to level up. (PvP as an example) to me SWTOR is the closest to being on rails.

I don't think an MMO on rails would be successful. but it also depends on your definition of 'rail.'

the flight missions in SWTOR were on rails. you had a set path. you could not deviate from it. all you could do was shoot at stuff. to me, this is what being on rails means to me. you cannot deviate from a given path. That being said I would be against rails in an MMO. it would be like playing the first half of FFXIII but multiplayer. >.> with no option to go and craft, go explore, or do anything but move the story along. it would be boring as crap.

that being said, in FFXIV currently you can craft, you can do story, you can grind, you leve, you can explore. so i don't think the game will ever truly be on rails.

Story, to a degree, must be on rails. IE: in the current story line we don't have the option of stealing magitek armor and using it in the final battle. we also don't have the option of stealing an airship and blasting our enemies from afar with artillery. we can't strike an alliance with the level 100 gobs and have them fight for us. the only option we have is what class we go into the final battle as. if you consider this 'being on rails' then I am all for it. if there are too many options people get confused.

If you remember the initial class system, you could make any role you wanted with any class you wanted. you could level MRD and THM/CNJ and turn yourself into a DRK wielding a greataxe. and throw elemental magic and swing your axe around.

Being able to use any ability on any class at anytime made the game very open. but people were too confused. so rails are needed to help give people direction and say 'this class is for DD/Tank/Support' Again, if this is your definition of rails I am all for it.