M.Indie by Joseph Lieberman

M.Indie Goes on a Sociological Rampage!  (May 10, 2005)

We’re going to try something a little different this time on M.Indie. The old adage is, “give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime.” Well, I am going to teach you to fish for a massive multiplayer game! Rather than supply you with a review I will describe the social factors that really make up the way massive multiplayer online games (MMOG) work. Then, I will let you know how you can use this information to find the perfect game.

So, the first thing to remember about a MMOG is that the social system is the most influential factor to your enjoyment. This is because if you didn’t seek the social interaction you wouldn’t be interested in playing a MMOG, you’d be playing a single player game of the same type. With this in mind we must first analyze four aspects of your personality type. Be honest when judging yourself, nobody else has to know your preference! Every person, to some degree, has each of these characteristics. You should notice that some traits fit you more closely than others, so keep that in mind as you read the following four ‘personality types.’

#1: Benefactor – You enjoy helping others as a primary motive of in-game social interaction. You find the most joy through guiding less knowledgeable people. You are extremely active in social chatting.

#2: Grinder – You enjoy leveling or gaining skills. You want to be the best and explore the system that has been designed for you. You want the highest level, the best equipment, etc. You are extremely active in grouping and camping for treasure.

#3: Griefer – Those familiar with this term know it usually refers to someone who hurts other people’s fun. This is not what it means here, though it can certainly work out that way. Griefers here refer to anyone who enjoys conflict and confrontation. It does not necessarily mean that you desire your opponent to be weaker than you, it just means that you enjoy any scenario where there a lot of tension. You are extremely active in PvP and Guild Warfare.

#4: Explorer- You enjoy seeing what the developers have created for the game’s setting. You want to explore the world and not the system. The system is, in effect, what the grinder is interested in, levels, skills, and general power-gaming. You want to be the first to find new areas, new quests, and new items. You are, in effect, the Christopher Columbus type.

Now, try to assign a percent of your personality to each. For instance I, personally, would say that I am 45% Grinder, 30% Benefactor, 15% Griefer, and 10% Explorer. Once you have a rough idea of what social categories of MMOGs you fall into, you can translate that into “game terms.” Here are some of the major things to look for if your top rank is:

Benefactor – Look for a game that is new, maybe even in beta testing. Get in on the ground floor and you will enjoy helping all the people who discover the game after you. Also try to find a game that has a global chat system or a good buddy system/guild system. Any game that is in beta testing or recently launched is a good potential candidate for you, your secondary attribute should help you select the “right” type.

Grinder – Look for a game that is either old or has a very robust system to explore and exploit. Older games tend to have more to offer for you, and since grinders are typically the most dedicated to spending massive amounts of time online, you’ll gain ground and respect quickly. You should make sure the game you select has an extensive grouping system as well, or at least an extensive trading system.

Griefer – PVP combat is your best bet. Make sure the game has a very robust PVP system. A good clan system is what will give you “longevity” in the game, but you shouldn’t look for a world that is too large or too robust. The longer you have to level before being able to “effectively” kill people the less fun the game is going to be. This group is the most likely to enjoy a non-RPG MMOG (such as ZAP by Garage Games).

Explorer – Once again, older games are more likely to suit this group. You want a game where the world itself is huge, even if the leveling and equipment system may not be. Star Sonata, from our last article, is a good explorer game, since the game is huge and resets periodically. Another reason why “older” games are more suited is that Explorers need a stable population to report their discoveries to. After all, there’s no point in exploring a new island if nobody is around to hear your tale. Explorers often focus heavily on the actual Role Playing. The RP community should help you decide if you want to call this new game home.

Depending on your percentages you should weight the importance of the various factors accordingly. When you arrive in a new game, make note of the things you should be looking for. Does it meet most or all of your first factor, most or some of your second? If not, you probably won’t enjoy that world very much. Keep these factors in mind when M.Indie covers any MMOGs, it will give you a better idea of what to expect in the future.

To continue my example about myself: I am 45% Grinder and 30% Benefactor: This means I really like social games (lots of chatting and grouping) and I want a very ROBUST system that is new or that I can quickly become powerful in. Those last two parts very often conflict, which is why I have a lot of trouble finding a MMOG that suits me. New games very rarely have robust systems, old games very rarely allow new players to become benefactors (at least, not in any reasonable length of time). These factors can also help you select classes in RPGs, though you subconsciously probably already choose them. For instance a benefactor is likely to be a healer, a griefer is most likely to be a warrior, an explorer is most likely to be a rogue. Obvious exceptions will occur based on the game and the person, a griefer may select whatever class is most powerful so that at the end of the leveling system they can cause the most “trouble.”

So now, my well trained MMOG connoisseur, go forth and find the game of your dreams! But before you do, go to the forums and let me know which type of article, review or editorial, you enjoyed reading the most. You should see a thread about just that! If you missed what reviews look like, check out the last article for an example!