tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352155589322140093.post8517602850703859176..comments2015-08-13T13:23:23.270-04:00Comments on That's a Terrible Idea: Boy am I sick of time sinksmotstandethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06296441082624422375noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352155589322140093.post-72044183938179311142009-07-01T15:30:59.413-04:002009-07-01T15:30:59.413-04:00If I'm going to be paying to play a game, I...If I'm going to be paying to play a game, I'd blasted well better be able to <i>play</i> it, not have to do a laundry list of grindy things or wait for weeks before I can play. That's one of my biggest beefs with MMO design; they are more about using time sinks to garner subscription money than providing ways to play.Teshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11760350503235227686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352155589322140093.post-84069240076316508492009-07-01T09:44:39.261-04:002009-07-01T09:44:39.261-04:00Imagine EVE without the training nonsense. You sti...Imagine EVE without the training nonsense. You still have to figure out which ship to fly, which modules to fit, when to activate modules in combat, when to engage & retreat, how the galaxy is laid out, where the safe spots are in travel, how to use the scanner, how to fly in a fleet, and how to do just about anything.<br /><br />Acquiring actual player knowledge is advancement. So is accumulating a player reputation, player contacts, networking, gaining ranks in your corp, and amassing the wealth needed to purchase a ship fitted to pursue your endeavors.<br /><br />I'm not bounded by some arbitrary game rule intended to stratify the player base, but primarily prolong (and ultimately frustrate) my stay in New Eden.<br /><br />Regardless if newbies have the ability to access everything veterans have, they do not have the resources to actually get them. I certainly don't have the ISK to buy and fit a Mothership. Many first-time WoW players don't have the gold even at level 40 (or 30, or 20) to purchase a mount. <br /><br />Removing the leveling progression in theme-park MMOs is very difficult because those games are designed in a way that leveling is the primary concern for a long time. Would Darkfall be better or worse if players didn't have to macro to gain skill points and only had to learn how to aim, dodge, flank, fight in melee, use a bow, work as a team, etc.?<br /><br />I'm definitely not the average gamer, but I would enjoy EVE much more if I didn't have to wait days to learn how to play. The world is still massive and alive and filled with human agents all pursuing their personal agendas. That is what I'd pay $15/month for.motstandethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06296441082624422375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352155589322140093.post-71545328050438013802009-07-01T04:02:25.103-04:002009-07-01T04:02:25.103-04:00Removing "time sinks" runs into a classi...Removing "time sinks" runs into a classic chicken-and-egg problem. The compelling part of MMOs is the cumulative character. If I wanted a character that was the same as everyone else, I'd go play a subscription-free game like TF2. So, unless you can figure out what people will pay a subscription for (or, at least, some microtransactions), you're going too be stuck with a time sink of one type or another.<br /><br />After playing around a bit with EVE's skills and reading this post, I can see the brilliance of EVE's system from a business point of view. After you get "hooked" into the main game, doing something bigger and better requires you to wait in the game. You're essentially paying for a week. You're unlikely to give up, because you've made up your mind. It'll take a lot to frustrate you away from that goal since you made the decision.<br /><br />So, consider what you can offer a player besides a cumulative character to keep paying a subscription to keep advancing.Psychochildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06066038436696697892noreply@blogger.com