Player Interaction
Ongoing coverage on Player Interaction.
Latest coverage
Massively Overthinking: What’s your first reaction to meeting someone in your main MMORPG?
This article discusses players' first reactions to encountering others in MMORPGs, particularly focusing on the contrast between competitive PvP and cooperative PvE environments. Contributors share their experiences and preferences, with many highlighting games like Guild Wars 2 for their community-friendly mechanics that encourage positive interactions over competition.
LOL Land Introduces Fun House Club with PvP Leaderboard
LOL Land has launched its new Fun House feature, introducing a club system that allows players to create or join groups for enhanced interaction and coordination via real-time chat. The update also includes the Fun House Frenzy PvP leaderboard to foster competition among clubs, with clubs able to host up to 50 members and a one-time fee for creation.
Question time: How often do you actually talk to strangers in MMOs?
This article discusses the evolving social dynamics within Massively Multiplayer Online games, noting a trend towards more solo-friendly content. It questions how often players actually interact with strangers in modern MMOs like Final Fantasy 14 and World of Warcraft, contrasting this with the genre's historical emphasis on group play.
Great moments in PC gaming: Stealing and selling someone else's treasure in Sea of Thieves
This article reflects on a memorable moment in the pirate sandbox game Sea of Thieves, where another player stealthily stole treasure from the author's crew. The author praises the bold move, highlighting the thrill of player-driven interactions and thievery as a core element of the game's appeal, even when it happens to them.
'I'm bleeding to death:' In 2009, Wurm Online was still the wild frontier of online gaming
This article recounts a harsh player-driven experience in the MMORPG Wurm Online from 2009, highlighting the game's realistic survival mechanics and the unpredictable nature of player interactions. The narrative details a player's struggle after being robbed and attacked, emphasizing the game's 'wild frontier' atmosphere where survival depends on player actions and alliances, or lack thereof.
Arc Raiders devs "still learning" what to do with PvP, but Embark design director says PvE fights are doing their job: "They make the player interactions even more impactful"
Embark Studios design director Virgil Watkins acknowledges that the studio is still learning how to best balance PvP and PvE elements in their upcoming multiplayer shooter, Arc Raiders. He believes that the unpredictable interactions between these systems are crucial for creating impactful player-driven stories and making combat encounters more meaningful.
GM/Player Interactions, Part 1
This guide offers advice for Game Masters and players in tabletop role-playing games to enhance collaborative interactions. It covers how GMs can be supportive of player actions and how players can engage with storylines. The article emphasizes open communication and mutual respect between all participants at the table.
New Marathon update takes a leaf out of Arc Raiders' book and encourages you to play nice
Bungie's new update for Marathon introduces the 'CARRI' system, incentivizing players to cooperate with each other through commendations and rewards. This system encourages teamwork for contract objectives and exfiltration, offering benefits to players of all progression levels. The update also includes features like proximity chat and a 'Mercy Kit' to revive downed opponents, aiming to foster a less hostile player environment.
Arc Raiders studio contacted by crime scientist "intrigued by how players are interacting," dev says only 30% of players focus on PvP: "It kind of blew the whole extraction shooter open"
Embark Studios' extraction shooter Arc Raiders has surprised developers with a significant number of players prioritizing non-combative interactions, with only 30% focusing on PvP. A criminologist has reached out to the studio, intrigued by this player behavior, which deviates from the genre's typical focus on conflict. Data suggests a large portion of players engage in PvE or a mix, with proximity chat being heavily utilized for communication.
Marathon mid-season update nerfs claymore drones, thermal scopes, and buffs being kind to strangers
Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon has received a significant mid-season update that includes nerfs to thermal scopes and claymore drones, alongside buffs to the Recon shell's abilities. The update also introduces a new in-game protocol called C.A.R.R.I. that rewards players for helping others, aiming to foster a more collaborative community.
ARC Raiders Production Director Asserts That “Players Shouldn’t Feel Safe”
Embark Studios production director Caio Braga stated that players of ARC Raiders should not feel completely safe, even in cooperative "Care Bear" lobbies. The game's design intentionally encourages unpredictability and potential betrayal to maintain a constant sense of threat. This approach is informed by player feedback, which shows a dynamic between cooperative and competitive playstyles.
'The whole map was friendly, and we all extracted together': Peaceful lobbies exist in Marathon after all, though I don't feel safe putting it to the test
Despite Marathon's PvP focus, instances of peaceful player interaction and cooperative extraction have been observed, challenging initial expectations. While the game is more violent than Arc Raiders, avoiding conflict can sometimes be a winning strategy for completing objectives and securing gear.
Top 10 Game Features We Miss Most, And Why They Made MMOs Great
This article discusses ten features that are often missing from modern Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), arguing that their absence diminishes the genre's soul and community aspects. Features like manual grouping, open-world bosses, functional player housing, and memorable NPCs are highlighted as crucial for creating engaging and immersive online worlds.
