MMORPGS, or Hell Is Other People
The MMORPG genre has evolved rapidly to have its own set of tropes and methods of play, some of which hardly qualify as “playing” at all. Becoming familiar with these tropes and including them in your own design will not only fill out your game but also keep you competitive:
- Buffing—Spell casting affects not only the caster, but also the entire party. This method of play allows players to assume certain roles during gameplay. For example, if a cleric is able to prepare a healing buff (via hotkey), as players take damage, he can restore them fully to allow them to continue fighting.
- Character customization—A huge appeal of any MMO is being able to assume the role of another character and to get lost in that fantasy life. The level of player character customization can range from preset character templates to making characters fully customizable down to sex, eye color, and nose length. Within the game, further encourage customization...