There might already be a thread about this buried somewhere, but as I was reading the current discussion about the progeny system, I felt like it was something that we should bring up... and I didn't want to go necro an old thread :)
So the question is pretty simple.
Why do you (or why don't you) create and level up alts in the games that you've played?
I think understanding the reasons people *want* to make and play alts will help with the discussion about how to make the progeny system really viable and fun.
I'll put my own response in a reply since I'm not trying to make an argument for or against anything in this thread :)
For me I usually play alts primarily because I want to try out different facets of characters. Things like:
- I want to try additional crafting classes
- I want to try out different classes from my main
- I want to try out different racial starting areas and see how the new character's journey differs.
Give me the option and I'll probably have 7-8 characters, though it's likely only 2 or 3 will get much play just because I don't have limitless free time.
The only other thing I'll mention about myself is that I'm very character (roleplay)-concept driven when I make characters, including alts. The best way to illustrate that is to use the example of FFXIV. In FFXIV, one character can level iterally every class up and switch between them more or less at will. So, most people play one character. I have four, and they each do different things. Sure, my main *could* go level up a healing job, but I just don't see that character as a healer in my head. I have a different character whose persona matches much more with "healer" in my mind, and thus... I have true alts in a game where there's no (or very little) practical reason to make them.
I usually focus on a single character, not really sure why. If it's a game that I two-box, then I obviously run an alt a lot with my main. Occasionally I'll run an alt, usually just because I get tired of the high level of a game and want something different, so I roll a different character.
In Pantheon, I will likely (unless I decide to try to two-box again like the good ol' days) focus on a single character, but I may make an alt to play with some friends if they fall behind or a new friend wants to join in.
1. Main dosent pan out the way I expected
2. A particular class or ability sounds fun to learn /exploit
3. New race and/or class combinations become available
4. I gotta hide from that person who wont let me log in peacefully/is acting crazy because i took a night off.
5. Tradeskill limitations make me sad, but racial smithing/tailoring don't. am I a hypocrite?
6. I have trivialized all content on my main, and have a new shiny set of [insertclass] armor that I have farmed and want to see if I can get 30 levels in 30 minutes.
When I make an alt, it is usually because a friend joined late and the only way we can play together is by starting another character.
The other reason might be making a character for a defined group with friends, but having an alt I can play when they are not able to play. So all our main group characters stay same level, but I can still find random groups with the alt and play without fear of out-leveling them.
Other lesser reasons might be I reached max level and there is nothing left to explore or find, and only repeatative dungeon runs or such tasks, so i'll roll another class and re-level. This is what I have done in games like TERA. Once you hit max level, the only thing to do is run the same dungeons over and over. Instead I will roll up a new class and go back through the quest level grind. It helps that I only load up TeRA every once in a great while. So the game is almost "new" because it has been so long since I've played.
For me, I usually max out a character as far as I can get and create a new alt. I work durring normal play hours so it's difficult for me to find a group/raid and progress beyond a certain point. Once I do, I will usually create an alt and eventually endup getting them all max levels. With World of Warcraft, I have every class at 110. Diablo 3 I have 12 level 70's. Everquest 1 I had a few characters around 65ish when that was max level. Black Desert Online I have 4 or 5 around 50ish.
I like playing different classes for one. But the other two big reasons are that I like crafting, and in a good MMORPG you need certain interdependencies between the professions. I like to experiment with all of them. Second, I like to learn how each class operates; strengths, weaknesses, how they play. I feel that helps with grouping when you know what each class can do. That and I just love meh alts.
There will be a mentor system in place so looks like there will be less alts for a lot of people lol. Can find it in the FAQ section 4.11
https://www.pantheonmmo.com/game/faqs/
The reason I usually make an alt is that I have run out of things to accomplish with my main. By that I mean every possible gear upgrade/clicky/abilities etc....anything at all. Once I feel I can't improve my main character's power anymore, even in the smallest way, I lose the incentive to play so I create an alt.
This has happened repeatedly in multiple games. Normally expansion content is not produced fast enough. Sometimes it gets to that point with my alt...I usually don't last long after that.
I have learned to love time sinks and grinds. It is something to do. It is a goal to work on that gives players a reason to keep playing.. Hopefully progeny will extend our play time so this situation isn't an issue..
I play alts for variety, experimentayion and often because I can't decide on a main character early on. I like to try everything first because each game has it's own feel. In some I prefer ranged, others, melee just because of implimentation in a given game. I, unlike most MMOers these days, also dislike "end game". So by making alts I delay the constant dailies and beating your head against the same raid over and over.
Well designed games generally have classes with diverse playstyles, or at least the game feels very different when experienced through a different class. Limiting myself to one class significantly reduces the potential experiences I could get out of playing Pantheon. That said, Rogue-type class(es) are still always my mains in every single game except for EQ.
I will probably have an alt of every archetype provided that they are fun to play.
Liav said:Well designed games generally have classes with diverse playstyles, or at least the game feels very different when experienced through a different class. Limiting myself to one class significantly reduces the potential experiences I could get out of playing Pantheon.
I will probably have an alt of every archetype provided that they are fun to play.
This reason.
If each class is well designed to have their own play style and "feel" then I want to try them all.
Short answer: because I can.
Long answer: I like to try out different roles. It's cool to be able to fill whatever role is missing in a group. In ESO some 80% of the players were DPS, so I was pretty much guaranteed a spot on my tank or healer. Also, the different play styles for different roles, as well as honing your skill to be good at all of them, helps keep interest in the game while waiting for the next expansion.
As an aside, something I've missed since Ultima Online is a classless system where you build your class/role by training certain skills that are available to all players. Maybe have racial traits for flavour, but other than that allow players to build their characters as they see fit. This is probably easier said than done, as you'd have to design mechanisms to prevent everyone being a jack of all trades, but it would be an interesting feature IMO.
Aside the various reasons for an alt...
There are some reasons that could be as valid for the person with the aditional game copy \ subscription (boxing)
Not that I promote boxing in a viable community (= camp to add new player to group)
Though if the person has 2 accounts, would there be an option to parent the box?
(can you add multiple game copies to 1 subscription account? I did not look that up)
Say the box is the so called daughter of the main of the subscription holder.
What would be posible to for progenity without it becoming susceptible to abuse and still not be a roleplay only thing?
And the child offspring character could \ would have (to use) the same surename.
Taking it further... instead of auto progenity advantages, "raising" the child.
(edit: add: I used to have a chanter on my box to help my main wizzy tradeskill)
I enjoy alts, but my main almost always ends up being a tank these days, although my first class is typically a rogue-type.
The reason for this being, as a rogue I'm able to do more exploration of dungeons. Join groups in dungeons as my rogue, learn the ropes, and apply knowledge to tank. Much more enjoyable to me, as a tank, than going to a dungeon the first time and having to rely on other people's knowledge on pulls and aggro placement.
Other classes will follow, usually a caster of some sort, but will end up falling by the wayside and only serve as a way to vanish and play the game without being bothered by /tells and nonsense from the guild.
Rydan said:Aside the various reasons for an alt...
There are some reasons that could be as valid for the person with the aditional game copy \ subscription (boxing)
Not that I promote boxing in a viable community (= camp to add new player to group)
Though if the person has 2 accounts, would there be an option to parent the box?
(can you add multiple game copies to 1 subscription account? I did not look that up)
Say the box is the so called daughter of the main of the subscription holder.
What would be posible to for progenity without it becoming susceptible to abuse and still not be a roleplay only thing?
And the child offspring character could \ would have (to use) the same surename.
Taking it further... instead of auto progenity advantages, "raising" the child.
(edit: add: I used to have a chanter on my box to help my main wizzy tradeskill)
Can you reword this or explain it better please? I'm trying to understand what you are saying.
In EQ I TRIED to level alts that I thought looked fun or were valuable from a group perspective. I was never successful because I always wanted to play my ranger more (and there always seemed to be something to do on my ranger).
In every single MMO I've played since, I've leveled lots of alts - most often because at some point I would log in and think "wow... I have nothing to do on this avatar."
I'm hoping Pantheon is a game where I never log in and decide that the only thing I can do is start a new character... I'd LOVE to play one avatar pretty much forever if it's possible.
philo said:
Can you reword this or explain it better please? I'm trying to understand what you are saying.
maybe too much points in 1 post
when there was talk about progenity, I thought: instead of awarding a new character certain benefits, awarding certain benefits to a new character on a second account.
So instead of dying\shelving your (main) character first, to then play your offspring (your daughter for example), you could raise (powerlevel if you will) your offspring when your (main) character is still in game.
ofcourse devs need to devise a way of "punishing" the elderly (main) character, as some of its benefits are transfered to the new character (like a limited time before mandatory retirement, or downgrades of buffs\abilities etc.)
Wandidar said:In EQ I TRIED to level alts that I thought looked fun or were valuable from a group perspective. I was never successful because I always wanted to play my ranger more (and there always seemed to be something to do on my ranger).
In every single MMO I've played since, I've leveled lots of alts - most often because at some point I would log in and think "wow... I have nothing to do on this avatar."
I'm hoping Pantheon is a game where I never log in and decide that the only thing I can do is start a new character... I'd LOVE to play one avatar pretty much forever if it's possible.
I know this is somewhat off topic, but related to what you are aying here.
On the days, in EQ, where I logged on and "felt that I had nothing to do", or just plain didn't want to spend the time fighting, I would go exploring. "What's over that next hill?" "What's in that next zone?" I found alot of really cool and interesting places that way. Unfortunately, I lost all of my cool screen shots in the great hard drive crash of 2007, but it was alot of fun, just wandering around. Sometimes I would even get "lost" in doing that and only realize days later that I hadn't done any grouping in almost a week.
I prefer playing a main character being able to craft ever possible proffession on that one character like EverQuest. However no game that I played since then allowed that so I created alts mainly to craft then adventure on them. Because crafting on those alts required your adventure level to be same level as my main I would have depending on the game upwards of 22 maxed out characters in both adventure and crafting. If it wasn't for crafting I only create a alt to know how other classes act so my main preforms better when I group up with someone on another class I have played.