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Zone thoughts...
prometheusen
Member Posts: 63 Arc User
I think most people can agree that the zones as they stand feel very formulaic. They span a very specific level range, and when you've completed the content in that zone (to the exclusion of other activities that net xp) you graduate on to the next zone. Since my playing Neverwinter, I've always felt like there was something "off" about that arrangement. It's more aRPGish than MMORPGish... (I admit I'm pretty biased in my love for a sandbox experience)
Hypothetically speaking, what if there was enough content in each zone that it spans the entire growth trends of a character? Instead of Blacklake District being 5-15, it's 5-60+? Then it's not a question of "let me finish this so I can get on with the next..." but instead a more invested relationship with a region. And of course, each zone theoretically would offer different awards and appeals such that there is a "hard choice" to be made in terms of where you are going to be spending your time (for the reward-motivated).
I'm not necessarily suggesting this idea as a solid plan that should be considered. I'm just curious what people's thoughts are on both the present and hypothetical situation.
AND of course, there are the challenges of creative room to generate that much content and to make sure they maintain their hooks and appeals for such a duration. But let's assume the time and imagination needed to make something like that isn't a factor. Best case scenario: what do you think?
Hypothetically speaking, what if there was enough content in each zone that it spans the entire growth trends of a character? Instead of Blacklake District being 5-15, it's 5-60+? Then it's not a question of "let me finish this so I can get on with the next..." but instead a more invested relationship with a region. And of course, each zone theoretically would offer different awards and appeals such that there is a "hard choice" to be made in terms of where you are going to be spending your time (for the reward-motivated).
I'm not necessarily suggesting this idea as a solid plan that should be considered. I'm just curious what people's thoughts are on both the present and hypothetical situation.
AND of course, there are the challenges of creative room to generate that much content and to make sure they maintain their hooks and appeals for such a duration. But let's assume the time and imagination needed to make something like that isn't a factor. Best case scenario: what do you think?
Post edited by prometheusen on
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Not all players level multiple characters but yeah that's one reason to revisit them, personally I only ever play one character in these types of games.
I'd like to to go back to scaled up versions of the zones perhaps in the form of treasure hunting type events as an example.
Come now, I never said it was realistic :P This is like the fantasy football of nerds (I think? How the hell does that rubbish work? Wait, don't answer that...)
Although, maybe as a large scale, gradual process it could be realistic. But as I mentioned earlier, I'm not necessarily investing my heart and soul on the slightest iota of chance that it could be. I'm merely wondering where people's preferences lie on the matter.
Linear progression with a change of scenery? (STATUS QUO)
Or investment in the region producing deeper and more complicated developments? (THE WHAT IF)
That's all I have to say.
Not terribly fond of Hotenow myself. But let's say that the proposed possibility were in place. Hypothetically speaking, you could go to Hotenow, Rothe, Chasm, wherever you want at level 5 and there's content existing from 5 all the way to 60 with each region having their own intricate unfolding. Hotenow may be unpleasant on the surface, but, what if on account of its grit the rewards were particularly attractive throughout the entire experience of character development in that region? The grit, tedium or difficulty then could be well justified.
Instead of zones having a strict level range that they're encouraging, each zone could characteristically be harder or easier. And of course, you wouldn't be confined to one zone for your entire character development. If you wanted to take a trip over to Blackdagger after doing 20 levels of Hotenow hell, you could do just that and revisit your original relationships at a different time.
Hmm. Honestly, outside of games like Elder Scrolls (and other Bethesda open-worlders), that sounds like most MMOs and RPGs I've played. Story-based RPG? You progress from one area to the next, with higher level monsters & quests in the next area. JRPG? Ditto. MMO? Yeah (WoW, for instance - you start in your racial beginning zone, then move on to the 10-20 zone, then the 20-30 zone, then the 30-40 zone.... only difference in WoW being that there were multiple zones in each bracket, so you could go a different route on an alt for variety. But it's just not WoW, I'm pretty sure most MMOs I've played have had zones with level ranges. /shrug)
Hmm... I guess you're right. I can't think of a counter-example aside from Bethesda games... Mmmm all right, so then the original post is a musing without a precedent! It's a plausible system... is it a system people would want to play or be a part of? That's what I'm wondering.
If it looked as it does in my imagination, I personally feel as though I'd enjoy it quite a bit.