A simple question. It seems there are two dominant ways people are playing the game, and I just wanted to toss out a quick poll about it. I'm very curious to see the responses.
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Which of the two would you describe as your goal with STO:
The Journey - Playing the game for the story, the setting, visuals, and so on. You'd probably say that it is better to take your time and enjoy the game, and would consider yourself more immersed in the lore/universe.
The Destination - Playing the game for the mechanics, the combat, crunching the numbers, maximizing your stats, etc. You'd probably say that you want to get to endgame as fast as you can because you want your ship to be the best possible, and would pride yourself on your rapid progress and superior equipment/gear/BOs.
http://snappoll.com/poll/323461.php (Please forgive the ads, as I had to go to an external site since I could not find a way to create a poll here on the forums).
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I have to congratulate anyone willing to put the time and effort in to level quickly. I also respect those taking it slow and trying to take it all in. The player base as a whole is pretty amazing in this game, and my hats off to all who are enjoying it regardless of how you play.
Comments
From minute 1 should be fun with an exciting enough end game full of different things to do that you should not get bored. This is why I dont prefer games like World of Boredcraft and I do prefer games with a good siege system in place which gives the population as a whole endless months of enjoyment attacking, defending and capturing land and resources.
Agreed. Right now leveling.
Later the endgame.
And leveling an alt will become something I do as a change of pace for fun
both is great
Neither is particularily important to me. To me, leveling up is just an effect of playing the game, it's not really essential to my enjoyment. What matters to me is the story, the environments, the mood, the characters (no, not what skills they have - for me it's all about character concepts, personalities, roles) and the setting.
So, for the other question you asked, I'd have to say the Journey.
Same for me.
RedShirtedExtra, that's an interesting point... character slots are so extremely limited that you'll only be able to get so much out of the experience before you'll be at max level anyway. Personally it makes me want to savor the journey even more!
If the journey is fun then end game also becomes important. If your options are limited and you will not have a lot to do, then why continue to play if there will be nothing you want to do.
So it ends up both are imporatant. Early in the MMO life, the journey has more influence on players. So if you can capture a good umber of played with how fun the mechanics are. You will have a better base. Then players will be more apt to wait for better or more end game. The mechanics are there just not the content.
If I am in a rush to get to endgame, I am not having fun.
If I don't care about endgame, the game needs fixing.
Please add a "fun" option.
You know,I was thinking endgame,and when I read your post,I thought of CoH.
That was a mighty fine journey.
All the MMO's I have played have never had satisfyng end game content.
So removing ability for people to gold farm, and removing peer rewards for those that use exploits, pretty much becomes a regulating force limiting methods of reaching end game. Although groups will form with there own view of what is best, (for no shame groups, other steps have to be taken with those groups since they leave societal norms, sociopaths fit in that category.)
I think the Journeyers have a different look at things. If you do not need to be the best or on top based on some arbitrary standard like a level or xp in a game, then suddenly lots of other options open up, because you can find and do other things. You can actually in your own mind decide what is actually really best. What if best is fewest ship loses in PVE? or what if best is most helpful to other players? or best is most information stored and recorded about quests to set up a web guide page?
I think there are alot of endgames each having a different view of what is 'best', or where to get the most peer and ego reward from, journeyers get ego and peer rewards in a different way, then one of the ways many immediately recognize, like higher level means better. If you got rich by stealing, you would you be best? if you got rich while doing great things would you be best? If you got semi rich but did other things because rich is not what you prescribe as end game would you be best?
It is a huge question and goes to topics around many parts of society. Replace leveling with making money, and the exact same question in the same form is across most of society. Profit motive without regulation, either from self or society, leads to lawlessness, exploits that ruin society, because then everyone has to do them to compete, and everyone then must agree on the exploiters view of the world, 'any way you get there, no rules' So a regulatory structure, game rules, or societal laws is set up. Just like the game closes exploits, or exposes actions that are unjust or in contrast with methods that maintain the game viability.
Although then the game becomes a limiting factor on the players goal, and the game has to be the bad guy enforcing some set of rules ( 'The man') First thought for some, I cant do what ever I want, whaaa. Second thought for some, but it makes it better for more people, making game continue to exist, or in real world making economy or environment continue to exist.
But at the same time, some motive can push people to forget other motives that also exist, if that single motive is out of proportion then other motives. Simple thought. High level means good, grunt grunt. Any way to get to high level means good. Grunt grunt. That thought can miss the original items that were also in the intent of that motive. Getting to high level while being socially fair, and while still having a positive effect on community. (Example, Making profit is all that matters, grunt grunt. Sell derivatives that destroy economy grunt grunt. Ruin environment if it makes more money, grunt grunt. In both those cases it is the same things, some implicit rules of societal behavior are ignored when the only thing that matters is one motive, in the case of game for some it is highest level or strongest ship, in society it may be power or money.
What if the best player in the game is the one with the highest level, that got there in fairest way. But that is not easy to show, since powerful ships and high level is easy to see, (just like having money is easy to see) but if society, or the game makes those other possible motives, like how you get there and who you hurt or help on the way. If you include those motives in the leveling motive or profit motive, it changes what is best.
Its a good question. I would say for me its journey, not because I do not like the end game, but because I do not want someone else to arbitrarily set some 'what is best' idea. If you let someone else set what they think is best, they will usually pick something they are nearer the top at. So a top level character would say being the top level is best, and many times someone that uses no exploits would say getting their fairly is best, and a helpful person would say how you treat others is best. By being able to have your own choice and own standard, it becomes a weighing of many things. Sure I want to get to end game, but I wont exploit to do it, nor give up the enjoyment of trying to be helpful. Is that better, not really, just different.
Getting to endgame is the motivation, or goal. Then restrictions oh how that happens makes it so you enjoy the journey of getting there.
But there really is not an end game, just when you get there it changes from leveling, to usually something else, many times being the first or best. So the motivation changes a bit, but continues. The difference between End Gamers and Journeyers is how they see the end game motivation. Some think if you want to be on top you have to take the fastest way there, even if not fun. PLing in a no rules way. The fun for the PLer is the anticipation of being uber. They are capable of doing things that are not fun, for that anticipation they put or was put in there minds by repeated social norms.
If there was no endgame, then leveling up would not be as necessary or fun, since there would be no reward either real or perceived. You can actually enjoy the task of getting to end game, even if there was not one, as long as you perceive there is one. End game is the goal, to give a reason to journey.
The hard part about liking the journey, is you have to put restrictions on yourself that go against the motivation that is there, reach end game. So not using exploits is a self restriction most players put on themselves. And people that like the journey do not look for fastest, but put a restriction of following the missions and enjoying the content, including 'I should have fun now not just as an expectation of later'' as a secondary motivator along side other motivator of leveling.
The game company regulates the end game motive. An exploits fulfills the end game motive, but is lawlessness, making players that don't exploit forced to exploit or not compete. Same with things like environmental regulation, if one person can do it all have to do it to be competitive. So rules existing and evenly enforced is a hard task for game company because it goes against what most players are told, including by game itself, what is the motive, 'leveling' The game company sets the goals, look at the wins you get at high level, then turns around and sets rules limiting how you can get there, it is the same for society and why some do not understand why there are laws.
So although most people want to reach end game, the role of company is to make it easiest, or quickest (able to fufill goal) while also being enjoyable and being hard and taking time, so that the game continues to exist.
I think best way for that to be done is good cop bad cop, set up an enforcer in company that restricts the exploiters, but with equal justice and not with meanness but with explanation, while the good guys at the company comfort the players and explain and help them heal up wounds caused by penalties by offering something else to do. So you regulate when needed to try and keep things equalized and society running, then you comfort and offer a small reward to get them back on track knowing that things are not that bad, and still can be fun even with rules that limit some things.
Rule enforcers should not be up front, but only step up when needed to maintain order, restricting when needed, with a clear and easy to see set of rules evenly enforced (has to be fair justice). While Customer service then steps in to make sure players are still happy and understand why it had to be done to keep game running.
Or rush to endgame and complain there's nothing to do. Always suprises me how many go for that option.
Endgame is what will keep people playing. Without is robust endgame, this will be no more engrossing than your standard single player game. Play it for a month or two, then move on to something else when you have won.
I'd have to say I like them equally(though thats obviously without trying THIS endgame which when finished would give a much clearer perpective on the question).
Definitely the journey.
I know that in a more mature (longer-lived, not necessarily better behaved) game such as World of Warcraft the Journey isn't as important as the Destination for many. That is probably do to a population that has been playing it for a long time so they have "seen it all". I'm certainly not saying that is "wrong", but rather that some things that once were enjoyable have become neglected.
Zathurus, that was a pretty deep comparison of goal-based behavior in STO vs real life. True there isn't an "end game" by definition that the game ends (and you're done). I suppose a more accurate statement would be "high level content", meaning anything planned for Admiral (45) or above. I do have to wonder if the underlying drive of an individual would in some way mirror their drive in real life as well.
But hey I'm no psychologist!
It sounds to me like you are upset your poll didn't get the results you were looking for.
I think most of us are enjoying the journey specifically because we are Trek fans, and we like uncovering the story. They actually did write some very interesting quests and tied them into the series very well.
Oh, and btw....add me to the jpurney crowd too please.
Im all for End Game content and gearing up my toon. But i need to be gearing him up for something. Pvp in this game is a joke so no joy there. So I am hoping to find some goal and good end game content to shot for after reaching what is it now Ad. 5 or level 45 because they cut the last 5 levels out.
Thats most likely due to the poll not letting me vote on it. Said I couldn't vote multiple times...even though I never voted on it even once.