The leveling, or character improvement process is not limited to the two methods mentioned above, but they are the most common. In this system, if a character picks up a sword and uses it, the character will slowly gain efficiency in the sword skill. A different game, for example, may use a skill based system in which a character improves in the areas it focuses on. For example, one game may use a leveling system with a hard cap of level 100, while another game may forgo a “level” system altogether, for something else. Different games handle this process in different ways. The best games allow a player to mix and match all of these, at will.īefore the endgame, MMORPGs usually incorporate some sort of leveling or character building experience. For example, if a certain game puts its level cap at 100, then level 100 is where that game’s endgame would begin.Īs was previously mentioned, depending on the game, the endgame of an MMORPG is all about acquiring better gear (items for a player’s in game character), engaging other players in combat, conquering other player’s territory or engaging with the in game economy. Endgame refers to the part of an MMO after a player’s character has reached the maximum level allowed. The previous three factors are usually a major part of keeping a game’s “endgame” alive. Patches are always free, while expansion packs almost always require a player to pay for the substantial upgrade. The biggest updates happen through expansion packs, which usually add a huge chunk of gameplay. Most MMOs are updated regularly, through patches, based on feedback from players and game testers. Most games fall somewhere in between these two extremes.ĭevelop updates and expansions on a regular basis. It is important to note that some MMOs leave out PvP entirely or have it in an extremely limited form and in some games it is the major draw for most players. The best PvP MMOs find a way to let players decide how and when this PvP will take place. This is often the biggest draw of many MMORPGs. Incorporate a strong PvP (player versus player) endgame – This is all about players killing one another, in game, of course. Getting the best gear or loot, is often the driving force behind many people’s desire to keep playing the game.
This loot is then used to upgrade the player’s character. Incorporate a strong PvE (player versus environment) endgame – This includes a variety of different ways of grouping with other players to hunt and kill computer controlled characters, often for the purpose of looting them. The three biggest factors that developers do to make massively multiplayer games unending are: They accomplish this in various ways and often blend together multiple techniques to cater to all types of players. They can then share this experience with other players, often friends, who also play.īasically, the creators of MMORPGs try to develop a game that is unending.
In MMORPGs, for example, players often spend hundreds or thousands of hours forming their characters and then living out those character’s fantasy lives. Players find these games appealing because they offer a sense of satisfaction often not found in other types of games.
Eve Online is the only mainstream MMO to use this single server architecture other games, such as the immensely successful World of Warcraft, spread players over a large number of servers. In fact, the MMORPG Eve Online, because it only has one server, broke the 60,000 player mark in June of 2010. MMORPG server sizes ranges from a few hundred players, to over 60,000 players logged in and playing at the same time. That means that at any given time a player has the chance to interact with any number of thousands of different players. As the acronym suggests, these games were created to be played by thousands of players, at the same time, on the same server. Due to the nature of an MMORPG, an internet connection is an obvious necessity to play.