Is gameplay in modern MMOs only about kill and fetch quests? Raph Koster, the godfather of the genre, has his own opinion on this.
Who is Raph Koster? Koster began his career with the MMORPG classic Ultima Online, where he served as lead designer for the expansion The Second Age. Later, he worked as Creative Director on Star Wars Galaxies. He is considered one of the founding fathers of the MMORPG genre.
Koster frequently discusses his experiences and the state of MMORPGs. For instance, he explained that even today subscription games could compete against free-to-play games if the model is implemented correctly.
He also clarified what he understands by the term “MMO.” Namely, a label for online games that are continuously evolving.
What has happened to MMORPGs?
What does he say about MMOs now? At the release of the role-playing game Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, the designer spoke out. He expressed surprise at an article comparing the gameplay of the role-playing game with Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and The Division 2. Specifically, in the form that while the player always has something to do, they receive very little in terms of story or narration in return.
The article states:
As I played the first hours of Re-Reckoning while often listening to podcasts, it dawned on me that I was essentially playing Destiny 2. I played Call of Duty Modern Warfare and completed my daily tasks. I played The Division 2 and helped civilians who seemed to need something every few hours.
Cameron Kunzelmann, Vice
I carried out endurance tasks that spread thinly but constantly before me and seemed to stretch into eternity. I played something that drew my attention and energy while only feeding me the most general plot details, with very little of it extending into a wide narrative.
According to Raph Koster, this experience of the article’s author shows that MMOs are increasingly reducing their gameplay to kill and fetch quests – or at least some players perceive it that way. It’s primarily about fighting enemies or collecting something.
For me, the most fascinating aspect of this article is how the ‘MMO-ness’ has been reduced to a series of kill-and-fetch quests. It doesn’t have to be that way, and it won’t be if I can help it. Alternative worlds are a bigger dream than that.
Raph Koster
Do MMOs really consist only of such standard quests? Raph Koster believes it doesn’t have to be that way. For him, MMOs consist of much more. He wants to ensure that online games, especially MMORPGs, showcase what they truly have to offer. And this goes beyond kill and fetch quests.
As he explained earlier, baking and planting flowers are among the important elements of an online role-playing game.
How does Koster intend to change this development? The designer is currently working on his own MMORPG. With his development studio Playable Worlds, he is creating a game that is intended to be about more than just going through the familiar list of tasks in an MMO.
When this MMORPG will be released is currently still unknown.
Do you agree that MMOs are increasingly developing in a direction where it’s all about fetch and kill quests? Or is there much more to this genre?
Are you currently looking for a new MMORPG that has been released this year? We present four candidates that you might like.
