Bad Habits in MMOs

Bad Habits in MMOs By Dr. Professor Ive been playing MMO's since ragnarok online first came out. I've always loved to make friends online. I feel like the more of a working world an MMO is the better. Thats why I love huge open worlds and big friendly communities. Most importantly is working together with team mates. I think that attention to detail and good art direction are very important to have in a game. It really bothers me to see that most games these days are quickly thrown together. So I'm on a hunt for games people worked hard on!

You know, I personally have become used to alot as an MMO gamer; but stepping back and taking a look at most MMO's from an outside prospective, I realize that there are alot of tiny problems. I was day dreaming about a perfect MMO and I figure before I do that, I should make a list of all the tiny little things in MMO's that could be easily fixed. Even though technology is getting better mmo's are keeping these pet peeves.

One of the most important things to feel in an MMO is immersed, however MMO's in general do a very bad job at that. 10 years ago it was okay to just use your imagination but that's not going to cut it anymore. There's also those things that are just so over played and over done that you feel like your having deja vu every time you try a new MMO. Infact, there's alot of tiny little things that MMO's have kept for better or worse. In these cases worse. I could easily come up with 10.

1. Repeated enemies

Know what I can't stand? Enemies that all look exactly the same. This is of course fine when it's an animal or a monster, but humanoid enemies? Really? I'm getting kind of sick of going to fight (insert fake gang name here) members which all wear leather jackets, have slicked back black hair, all have the same idle animation, and, not to mention, they all stand around doing nothing in the same field. Which brings me right to number 2.

2. Idle animations

You know, we seem to be taking for granted a little something called AI. We CAN have enemies that walk places, that have some semblance of purpose. Is it perhaps possible to have a deer move from pond to pond looking for water to drink? It has to be! Whatever is done, there has to be SOMETHING better at this point then: walk a few steps this way. Wait. Do the idle animation twice. Walk a few steps that way, wait. Cmon! I expect that, at best, from insects and guards. I want to see wolves walk in packs! I want to see spiders nit webs! It's bad enough that the enemies appear out of nowhere... speaking of which...

3. Spawning enemies

It doesn't seem like a big deal but it would help: Spawning enemies with small animations. It's done sometimes, not often enough. Most enemies just appear, sometimes a portal opens. I'd like to see insects digging their way up out of the ground. I'd like Bee's to actually have hives in unreachable locations which they spawn from. But usually I don't see any bee's nests around the bee's at ALL. Next point: