I dislike people running around with names that contain numbers and symbols. I don't understand why MMORPGs allow numbers in names... Usually, they block symbols like % / " [ ] and so on, but they leave in underscores. Who's brilliant idea was it to block spaces from names, and put in underscores instead? They can't escape a simple space?

I wouldn't mind at all, to come across someone named(for example) 'Sir Francis', and even 'SirFrancis' is acceptable. But 'Sir_Francis' I wouldn't like as much. Likewise, 'Sir Francis22' is also irritating. I honestly don't mind names like 'Fsdcf', at least you can pretend it means something. It's harder to do with a name like 'f2cs5', however.

Quote:Original post by Telastyn
Dislikes: ... only controlling 1 character, ...

Is that, you want to control more than one character as part of the game (Like, a pet, or command NPC warriors)? You want to be able to run two clients at once (with different accounts)? Or you want to be allowed to have more than one account?

Quote:
want an MMO with no NPCs at all, where everything that gets done, and made, and sold, is handled by people.

It has been done, just look at second life.
I think though that the hardest part of having an mmorpg without trivial quests and repetitive leveling of near useless stats (ie. a mining stat) is that without them, it leaves little to do. Without such meaningless activities you are really only left with walking around and leveling, which can get really boring, really fast.

I think this however would be fine if the fighting sytems were already interesting. I think part of the problem is that most MMORPG's today have a very weak character model. There is always a tank, a damage dealer, a healer, a buffer, and some solo type (think beastmaster) characters. I think this is fine too, but there are almost always only a few builds for the optimum tank, or damage dealer. When your playing near end-game, a cleric type character will always have the same armor (or is currently working to acquire them), will usually have the same or similar spell lists, and will be one of a few races. This is very contrary to D&D where different character Races/Builds are encouraged and really add to the feeling that you are an individual in a Multiplayer World.

Another reason i believe that the fighting systems are so weak is that most modern MMORPG's are stuck to the idea that RPG combat should always be about picking a command from a list in an appropriate order. Many single player RPG's ingeniously move away from this model and really make the game way more interesting. Super Mario RPG allows for a character to increase damage by pressing a button within a small window. Final Fantasy X-2 allows damage bonuses by having different characters attack near simutaneously. Even old school hack and slash requires you to at least press a button if anything is to be done.

As for people that think that players in MMO's should be rewarded for skill, rather than time spent in front of a computer screen, you should really look at puzzle pirates. It's an MMO puzzling game that has really great clones of Bust-A-Move and Super Puzzle fighter, as well as 16 other puzzles that are all really fun. They are even currently having contest that allows players to design the next crafting puzzles.

-LIKES:
Other people that with whom to trade
Character advancement
-DISLIKES:
MMORPGS with a childish community of users

The reason I even ask the question is because I'm trying to develop a MMO with minimal NPC's...I'm thinking 1 or 2 at most and no quests apart from what players create from other characters(potentially). A storyline that is created from problems and events as a result of interacting with the enviroment. Basically, the premise is you are a group of shipwrecked survivors and you are trying to establish a community. Maybe a NPC, arrives every game month or so to trade with the people of this new community. Intially in the test concept phase maybe have 20 people in the community to see if the concept even works and is fun. If the economy is stable and the game is fun then set up an immigration office that acts as a sort of tutorial and starting point for new players. After a small trial, new immigrants could apply for citizenship which would require sponsorship from other players and maybe a council to see if they are ready to join. The next phase would be to create a reason to expand the community. Probably set up another town in a location to create trade. Then next phase would be to encourage politics to develop, more trade, more expansion, and so on. The question is how do you make that game fun? How do you encourage an economy develop and people to take what could be(and probably will be) boring jobs. My ideas are to provide ownership of the economy to the players and allow for experimentation. By experimentation, I mean allow players to discover how to do things(to a degree). I realize that could be a double edged sword as that could easily frustrate new players and old players alike. So, providing them with basic examples to ensure survival would be necessary. Maybe a cook book for cooking that describes the process to make bread. But, with some experimentation and ingenuity maybe you could create apple bread or meat pies or whatever. All these variables would have to be fixed so that players aren't just creating "new" recipes out of thin air, but still maybe the feeling of discovery would be enough. Then other players could utilize new skills and items they discover and create to teach new players or just trade them for items that are better than what they NPC trader is selling.
Thoughts?

That's sort of the idea though. People figuring out the recipes and sharing them to help build community.

But I do see what you are saying.

Quote:Original post by Iron Chef Carnage
I want an MMO with no NPCs at all, where everything that gets done, and made, and sold, is handled by people.

For the crafting part Star Wars galaxies had this before the NGE (or whatever it is they called the transformation that caused the massive exodus). Every item in that game, except for your standard issued equipment that was given to you on character creation was crafted by other players. EVERYTHING. If you wanted to buy something you went into a player owned shop, talked to the vendor managed and stocked by the player and bought resources, items, weapons, food etc created by that player.

That was the reason they claimed they only allowed one character per server. It was impossible to buy any item in that game that was not player made and they did not want character independence (i.e. one combat character, one crafting character).

As for me:
LIKES: PVE and the ability to gain decent XP and progression in a group.
DISLIKES PVP.

Concerning PVP it's 10% of the playerbase but 90% of the forums. It's the reason I try to choose the non-1337 classes when I play in MMO's because I can't stand the usual immaturity that comes with people who engage in that (not everyone is like that I know but MOST of the PVP crowd are just DPS obsessed 1337 d00dz)

I also want a game where grouping isn't a waste of time. I didn't like SWG because grouping was a chore in that game IMO. Phantasy Star Online though made grouping the most fun in the game.

Hates: Grind, subscription fees, the surprising lack of any actual role playing.

[Edited by - Majorlag on August 26, 2008 9:52:43 PM]