I often think back to my days playing EQ and have conversations with others who played back then as well. I'm always amazed at how EQ players remember EQ with such detail. Not just the game itself but specific low level detail and stories. Everyone remembers Dvinn, Flippy Darkpaw, Lockjaw, or Kithikor Forest at night ect. These were some very low level mobs to recall them in detail like it was yesterday.
For the longest time I bowed to the theory of "first kiss" as to why we remember such low level content so vividly. Then I speak to gamers that had their "first kiss" mmorpg experience in other games. They can recall stories of adventures and raids but detailed info on the leveling content and named mobs was very hit and miss. This makes me wonder what exactly is was about EQ. "First kiss" theory or just slow leveling? Well...maybe something else.
Perhaps the answer is that EQ had a habit of placing named mobs that were well over the level range for an area. While hunting in a level appropriate area, there was always a chance that some high level roaming named mob was going to sneak up behind you and start one shotting your group members. The constant fear of this happening and always looking over your shoulder or listening for Giants footsteps or the flapping wings of a Griffon instilled just enough anxiety to deeply ingrain these situations into our permenaent memories.
I for one would love Pantheon to throw in these over leveled random mobs into areas to maybe bring back the need for serious situational awareness. What do you all think?
I completely agree. Random rare monsters that are much higher level than the level of players intended for that area instills a sense of wariness and caution...and fear in the players.
Also, it feels great later when the player has gained levels and they come back to get revenge on that wandering monster they used to be so afraid of.
streeg said:I often think back to my days playing EQ and have conversations with others who played back then as well. I'm always amazed at how EQ players remember EQ with such detail. Not just the game itself but specific low level detail and stories. Everyone remembers Dvinn, Flippy Darkpaw, Lockjaw, or Kithikor Forest at night ect. These were some very low level mobs to recall them in detail like it was yesterday.
For the longest time I bowed to the theory of "first kiss" as to why we remember such low level content so vividly. Then I speak to gamers that had their "first kiss" mmorpg experience in other games. They can recall stories of adventures and raids but detailed info on the leveling content and named mobs was very hit and miss. This makes me wonder what exactly is was about EQ. "First kiss" theory or just slow leveling? Well...maybe something else.
Perhaps the answer is that EQ had a habit of placing named mobs that were well over the level range for an area. While hunting in a level appropriate area, there was always a chance that some high level roaming named mob was going to sneak up behind you and start one shotting your group members. The constant fear of this happening and always looking over your shoulder or listening for Giants footsteps or the flapping wings of a Griffon instilled just enough anxiety to deeply ingrain these situations into our permenaent memories.
I for one would love Pantheon to throw in these over leveled random mobs into areas to maybe bring back the need for serious situational awareness. What do you all think?
I agree. It would be great to have named mobs that could wipe a group. It would mean that players couldn't just set up in a camp and single pull for hours on end with no danger. Players would have to make sure they kept an eye out in case one of these mobs wandered by and wiped their group. When players feel like they could die at any point that is when the game gets interesting and people really start to have fun. It is also when players start to make friends with each other. For instance when you are in a really good group that can deal with all these dangers you tend to remember the people you were playing with and you would probably want to keep talking to them and maybe group with them in the future.
Basically anything that improves the social element of the game like this I am all for. I want Pantheon to have the best community of any MMO game out there and I think it will probably happen if this forum is anything to go by :).
I agree. It would be great to have named mobs that could wipe a group. It would mean that players couldn't just set up in a camp and single pull for hours on end with no danger. Players would have to make sure they kept an eye out in case one of these mobs wandered by and wiped their group.
I'd also like to see mobs that were difficult not just because they had a million hit points. Always boring fighting mobs that are difficult just because they have a ton of HP's. Perhaps it's high level and does a lot of damage but with the right spell or ability you could one shot it and it learns over time what ability one shots it and changes and is vulnerable in some other fashion..(Thinking outloud)
Definitely. It's obviously important to have zones cater to specific level ranges in a broad sense. It gives the feeling of progression within the game, and goals to strive for. Being able to finally confidently step foot in a zone you earlier had no business being is a great feeling.
What makes that even better is when you have those zones that, despite that new found confidence, continue to instill a sense of fear and a need of wariness. That's a heady experience, having to keep your pixels on a swivel and your audio way up for the telltale sounds of footsteps and wings.
You don't see that anymore. Even in the age of "convenient" MMO's, I never quite understood the justification for getting rid of that particular feature.
I do remember it being pretty cool when, while playing in Commonlands, lower level players would shout out for help from a higher level player to take out that wandering griffon or hill giant. If no help was available, you had to really stay on your toes to keep from getting squashed.
Oxillion said:From EQ to WoW I can remember nasty mobs that would be impossible to kill and if you were not careful kill you.
What I dont want to see is the stuff going on in GW2. A static mob where the entire zone can zerg it and the mob is static.
Ox
Well you have to ask yourself, what does the entire zone have to gain from zerging a mob? Does everyone get something from helping take the mob down? I would think if the mob only had a limited reward and a lot of risk associated with attempting to kill it, it would be much less likely everyone would agree to zerg it down.
/Agree with having random high level mobs within the zones which cause a player to pay more attention. This topic also made me think of /falls where you could fall to your death if you wanted to /ninja afk and autorun.. Not saying I ever did that near Kael...
Also, in relation to mob levels, I want broad mob level ranges within the zone itself, so as Bigdogchris said, you might have not been able to take the higher level mobs in the dungeon first and high levels had to help you, but ultimately, you ended up being that high level player helping others. There definitely was a large sense of satisfaction and sense of character progression.