There has been a lot of talk again lately about the tole the trinity has in mmo’s and whether it is a good or bad thing. Started by MMO – games and now there are a few people debating an outlining the issues or enjoyment inherent within the trinity, although it is like Jeromai says the lazier of developmental approaches as most neither seem to understand why. Me, I’m rather well placed in the middle. I understand the usefulness of the trinity but then I also enjoy more freeform systems like Guild Wars 2, especially when it comes to PvP. None of these are perfect however and could do with certain improvements.
Lose the Limitless Potential
One thing that has bothered me for a while is seemingly how the individual class and character is basically capable of doing everything. They can fill in any of the simplified roles as needed. There is very little need for specific classes now which leads to a lot pf people seemingly floating with whatever the apparently overpowered class is at the times which means we end up not needing others as much as we would otherwise.
I understand that for the modern mmo this has been a rather needed facet. Waiting on a particular role while waiting for dungeons, or filling in that raid group was a massive pain but that felt like more a bandaid on top of the actual problem… this whole instanced dungeon filled endgame with restrictive mechanics and combat. There are modern mechanics and features to improve upon a more restricted class like FF14 and Firefall but yeh, in the end I believe the individual classes should have more meaning.
A part of this is also how each role now is able to do a little bit of everything. Heal, tank, good damage and plow through the regular mobs with no help needed. Little down time of course, just endless grinding mobs and quests with little input to the people around you.
Revive Old Roles
Murf once again talks about the old roles that have been abandoned over time, well not abandoned so much as gutted of usefulness. It is something that, through its absence makes it appear like something is missing from the mmo’s. Not just variability in functions and combat but how you relate to the world itself. The more these ideals have been removed the more hollow with less gameplay diversity. The mindless fog of DPS war.
There is so much there I want to see used more too. Support skills like buffing and cc, pets, and maybe even effectively utilising different types of damage like gw2 started trying to do. Bringing in mechanics that encourage the use of the various classes in different ways, mechanics that utilise these things. Open world fights (not like gw2) so people you use these without feeling like they are constantly on the clock, constantly optimising the encounter to fit certain class specifics.
Screw-Off Rage Timers
As the title suggests. these are the main reason we seem to have the overwhelming problem with min maxing every encounter, the fuel to the elitist fire that first belittles and then controls the community around it to constantly maximise every bit of damage possible. They mean certain roles are often needed simple because it might take longer, or might not reach the required damage and yet such classes often make the encounter more fun, more controlled, easier if not a little slower and I think those things should be allowed as well. Who cares if you have beaten something in the required time as long as you eventually do.
Make mobs matter
I remember while wading through endless trash in rift that always felt like the wealth of mobs in those earlier raids were a problem, an unneeded frustration that served merely as padding. I looked upon the modern instances with their boss focus to the point of no trash as a blessing but then the longer this went on, and the more refined it came I started thinking that we are missing out on something because of it. The more trash faded the quicker and more optimised dungeon runs had to be. No talk, no rest, optimal DPS or you would either get kicked or abused yet before that you could take your time and talk with those around you. You utilised classes differently as certain skills made packs easier, better or were just more useful then plain tank and spank.
It is about the world at large too and the general leveling process. I(‘ve read about the group mechnaics in earlier mmo’s and in those mobs mattered. They were tough and while you possible could solely a certain group was encouraged. And then were those underworld caverns of people using the various classes to progress, not quickly just to progress on it’s own. Now we have lost that. Mobs are mostly meaningless. Spam and forget fodder. A speedbump in your way that you give not thought to, and have very little need for the help of others. Skills like cc, buffing, and pets helped immensely then and now it seems to be reduced to what their damage potential is.
Creating Cooperative Combat
One thing the modern mmo’s do appear to be getting right is how the are creating combinations of skills that players can attempt to use. The way gw2 had as make and use combo fields and such to allow new utility to be made was a really interesting part. We got to play around with this in Archeage as well and while both of these didn’t necessarily get it right I think with iteration we will get an intuitive, and interesting addition to combat.
The reason I enjoy this mechanic is that it encourages greater cooperation between group members. It becomes not just about focusing on your own abilities, and what you can do but combining and cooperating with everyone around you. it encourages better awareness and, could even be used to encourage and support the usefulness of different classes and roles.