One of the main reasons MMO games have been so successful in recent years is due to the goal. People chase their objectives, whether that be a certain level, a new ability or end-game raids, everyone has something they aim for and everyone enjoys that feeling of accomplishment when they finally achieve their objective. However, certain games have a habit of giving you everything at the start before taking it away due to a “story event”.
I’ve experienced this is a large number of games but it only really entered my mind after enjoying the upcoming Dragon’s Prophet. You begin the game in typical MMO fashion, creating your character with an impressive selection of customization options. After playing around with my face choosing an abnormal nose and elf ears, I dove into the game.
You’re introduced via a basic tutorial entwined with the basics of the storyline. During this time while you’re taught the basics of combat and dragons, you’re at level 35 with a tough mount and a vast array of abilities. About 90 seconds later after a very brief combat scene, you’re knocked off a cliff and awake with no prior knowledge of your abilities.
Really? Come on. Not only has the amnesia card been played practically every time this scenario occurs but it’s just plain frustrating to lose everything only to have to earn it all over again. Thankfully Dragon’s Prophet opens stuff up at a pretty steady pace so it wasn’t long before I had access to similar skills and abilities but I recall this similar scenario in other games that take much longer.
How do you feel about it? Do you get excited when you unlock new stuff or are you happy to sample advanced features early on?