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Casual Gamer View: Star Wars Old Republic

1 comment:

  1. I think a good next move for an MMO would be an RP focussed one. I know that sounds crazy and hardcore, but let me explain. SWTOR focusses a lot on dialog between PCs and NPCs, but lacks in player to player interaction.

    My idea (and its a risky and controversial one) would be to also have voice acted banter between pc's during dungeons. Each player could select from a few voice actors and perhaps use a voice font to further customise their character's voice. You should also be able to modify your mood and personality, which should be reflected in the banter, so you could be sarcastic, kind, mean, cheerfull or whatever. The banter should be light and rare, as to avoid getting anoying and should be dependent on your personality and your relation with the other player (stranger, friend, guildmate, guild officer or perhaps even spouse). Mostly the banter would be just usefull notifications like "look, orcs ahead" or "we need a key to open that door", but characters could also complement each other after fights etc. I repeat, the banter should be light to avoid getting anoying or repetative.

    Some may argue that this will actively replace the need to roleplay, but I think it will just make it more accessable for casuals and full further RP for the more hardcore. You already see lots of banter in most single player games.

    I would also argue for RP activities like eating and singing/dancing. This shouldn't become an anoying forced downtime, but I would love to get a small buffs by purchasing a meal in an inn. You could also make it a social thing, by allowing players the ability to buy a group meal, and summon their party to their table to eat it together. The act of eating the meal should only take about a minute, but people could do all sorts of special emotes during this time, like singing, burping and buying each other drinks.

    My final point. In SWTOR you are also very much stuck with the story that Bioware set up for your class. If you want to RP as a trooper thats a member of your military guild, you also have to reconsile that you're a member of havoc squad, and BTW, so are all other troopers. I would make the story in an MMO more open world and player driven. I hope that Elder Scroll Online will go in this direction.

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