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The Grinder
Archived Post
Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
One problem in an MMO is generating enough content to keep players engaged. No matter how hard the devs try eventually the content is burned through, and players have to either re-play missions or - gasp! - grind.
Grinding is a right royal PITA. It's monotonous, unchallenging, and makes no sense from a storyline POV. While I'm not sure grinding can ever be made completely unappealing, it may be possible to make it less dreary.
The suggestion is to create a zone dedicated to grinding that makes it a sensible part of the universe, and makes it more challenging.
Create an instanced "gauntlet" that players fight their way through. For the sake of illustration the initial levels are full of Level 10-13 baddies. Once the players fight their way through this they activate a device that gives an XP bonus and unlocks the next zone, say Level 14-18. When this lot is despatched they unlock the next zone, and so on, up to Level Mega. Each level provides more challenge and XP then the previous, and players can set themselves the goal of trying to get further than they did the previous time.
A few points:
1) The Grinder is intended to be unbeatable, but players can do better or worse. Think of it as the Kobayashi Maru of Champions Online (note I said "intended"; I have little doubt no matter how hard a challenge is some group of resourceful players will find a way to beat it).
2) It will tend to encourage teaming. Since there are no issues about sharing the same mission (everybody is there to grind) the logistics of forming and organising a team are simplified, and of course a team of players will have a better chance of clearing the zone and opening the next level.
3) Re-spawn points would be in the previous cleared level, minimising travel downtime (as withPvP arenas).
4) There could be bonus tasks as well, such as escorting civilians out of the area, or protecting firefighters, that would provide additional XP.
Backstory throughstarter:
Some criminal mastermind has stolen and modified the Qularr forcefield, which can now make a series of forcefields. Being a villain he's used it seal off an entire town and made it a haven for thugs and supervillains, who have moved into the area on masse. The villain now thumbs his nose at the world's law enforcement agencies and superheros.
UNTIL called on the assistance of Dr. Silverback, who found a way to bore a hole in the forcefield. He is now calling on heros who are willing to face impossible odds in an attempt to free the citizens and defeat the villains. He can outfit the heros with a portable device that can be placed next to a forcefield and create a small temporary hole that will allow up to five people to pass through...
Good idea/terrible idea? Can it be improved?
Grinding is a right royal PITA. It's monotonous, unchallenging, and makes no sense from a storyline POV. While I'm not sure grinding can ever be made completely unappealing, it may be possible to make it less dreary.
The suggestion is to create a zone dedicated to grinding that makes it a sensible part of the universe, and makes it more challenging.
Create an instanced "gauntlet" that players fight their way through. For the sake of illustration the initial levels are full of Level 10-13 baddies. Once the players fight their way through this they activate a device that gives an XP bonus and unlocks the next zone, say Level 14-18. When this lot is despatched they unlock the next zone, and so on, up to Level Mega. Each level provides more challenge and XP then the previous, and players can set themselves the goal of trying to get further than they did the previous time.
A few points:
1) The Grinder is intended to be unbeatable, but players can do better or worse. Think of it as the Kobayashi Maru of Champions Online (note I said "intended"; I have little doubt no matter how hard a challenge is some group of resourceful players will find a way to beat it).
2) It will tend to encourage teaming. Since there are no issues about sharing the same mission (everybody is there to grind) the logistics of forming and organising a team are simplified, and of course a team of players will have a better chance of clearing the zone and opening the next level.
3) Re-spawn points would be in the previous cleared level, minimising travel downtime (as withPvP arenas).
4) There could be bonus tasks as well, such as escorting civilians out of the area, or protecting firefighters, that would provide additional XP.
Backstory throughstarter:
Some criminal mastermind has stolen and modified the Qularr forcefield, which can now make a series of forcefields. Being a villain he's used it seal off an entire town and made it a haven for thugs and supervillains, who have moved into the area on masse. The villain now thumbs his nose at the world's law enforcement agencies and superheros.
UNTIL called on the assistance of Dr. Silverback, who found a way to bore a hole in the forcefield. He is now calling on heros who are willing to face impossible odds in an attempt to free the citizens and defeat the villains. He can outfit the heros with a portable device that can be placed next to a forcefield and create a small temporary hole that will allow up to five people to pass through...
Good idea/terrible idea? Can it be improved?
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