Neoteny wrote: Too many characters are written in AND too many are written out very soon after their introduction. Yeah, it was earth-shattering when Morpheus, a well-established character from the movies was felled by the bullet of a Masked Assassin who then went loco and was hunted down by all three organizations for no good reason (but I'll get to that later). However, it was not earth-shattering when Anome died, because he really had no character depth. He was that arrogant sumbitch from Zion that, much like the Assassin, went crazy and was wanted dead by everybody. I'll read the rest of your post later, but I wanted to pick out this particular part. Anome and the following had no depth whatsoever because they weren't in the movie. We knew Morpheus, we knew his capabilities, his inner conscience. Anome was just.. introduced. Hell, how long have we had someone like Veil, yet we know not much about her?I don't honestly think Rarebit is capable of creating character depth parallel to the amounts we hope for, having so many characters; but they are a necessary evil. I believe that was your point, right?
Too many characters are written in AND too many are written out very soon after their introduction. Yeah, it was earth-shattering when Morpheus, a well-established character from the movies was felled by the bullet of a Masked Assassin who then went loco and was hunted down by all three organizations for no good reason (but I'll get to that later). However, it was not earth-shattering when Anome died, because he really had no character depth. He was that arrogant sumbitch from Zion that, much like the Assassin, went crazy and was wanted dead by everybody.
Roukan wrote:Neoteny wrote: Too many characters are written in AND too many are written out very soon after their introduction. Yeah, it was earth-shattering when Morpheus, a well-established character from the movies was felled by the bullet of a Masked Assassin who then went loco and was hunted down by all three organizations for no good reason (but I'll get to that later). However, it was not earth-shattering when Anome died, because he really had no character depth. He was that arrogant sumbitch from Zion that, much like the Assassin, went crazy and was wanted dead by everybody. I'll read the rest of your post later, but I wanted to pick out this particular part. Anome and the following had no depth whatsoever because they weren't in the movie. We knew Morpheus, we knew his capabilities, his inner conscience. Anome was just.. introduced. Hell, how long have we had someone like Veil, yet we know not much about her?I don't honestly think Rarebit is capable of creating character depth parallel to the amounts we hope for, having so many characters; but they are a necessary evil. I believe that was your point, right?I dunno. I think it's hard in any video game, especially an MMO, to create a lot of depth the characters that you aren't interacting with on a frequent basis. With most of our badies, events involved trying to kill them or their minions. This is where the Intruder badies seem to be heading, but over a long period of time and with lots of interaction with Hal and Carl, I'd say they have a fair amount of depth to them (and still mystery). Perhaps over the last subchapter they've become a lot more "Rawr! Fight the programs, fight the wireframe!" But I think that was intended as Carlyne's introduction forced Hal to get a lot more aggressive. Some part of me greatly assumes though, that these characters are probably only going to be around for another chapter at the most...Maybe I'm wrong though, we'll see.
Good post by Neoteny.
We need to be able to convince ourselves events matter, we need characters we care about, we need to feel our character has some part to play (however minor) and isnt just simply a dialogue foil.
We need both consequence and reward to drive us forward as players but most importantly as characters to give the story resonance. Organisations need identity, there needs to be both benefits and consequence to this choice of who you work for to emphasise this identity.
Charismatic and iconic characters from the movies need to be hyped up, not backgrounded, we already care about most of them, exploit that emotion. The set up from Revolutions was the perfect one for any mmo, take a leaf from that book and build on the foundations we have already had to accept, stop trying to reinvent the wheel as every reinvention undermines our ability to be convinced of the value of the current one.
Story and game are currently out of step and it is badly hurting both. We have content that make no sense in the context of the Matrix franchise and has no connection with story events, we have story events which are incredibly important that the game engine simply cannot credibly reflect. There has to be some consideration and conscession between these elements or the story collapses under a sea of ludicrous contradiction and the game becomes a souless run around.
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BTW I think the General and the manner in which we actually got the Sentinels into the Matrix for us to meet was the best thing the story has given us to date...the matrix we know yet presented in a manner that fits the way we interact with the game, an example of just how something like that should be done imo.
MetaLogic wrote:Can we at least get rid of the "Villain of the week"? Please Rarebit, let's have a more "natural" storyline, lets go back to the War Arc....Smith wasn't a villain of the week in the movies? =p
Can we at least get rid of the "Villain of the week"? Please Rarebit, let's have a more "natural" storyline, lets go back to the War Arc....
-Collbard- wrote:Roukan wrote:Neoteny wrote: Too many characters are written in AND too many are written out very soon after their introduction. Yeah, it was earth-shattering when Morpheus, a well-established character from the movies was felled by the bullet of a Masked Assassin who then went loco and was hunted down by all three organizations for no good reason (but I'll get to that later). However, it was not earth-shattering when Anome died, because he really had no character depth. He was that arrogant sumbitch from Zion that, much like the Assassin, went crazy and was wanted dead by everybody. I'll read the rest of your post later, but I wanted to pick out this particular part. Anome and the following had no depth whatsoever because they weren't in the movie. We knew Morpheus, we knew his capabilities, his inner conscience. Anome was just.. introduced. Hell, how long have we had someone like Veil, yet we know not much about her?I don't honestly think Rarebit is capable of creating character depth parallel to the amounts we hope for, having so many characters; but they are a necessary evil. I believe that was your point, right?I dunno. I think it's hard in any video game, especially an MMO, to create a lot of depth the characters that you aren't interacting with on a frequent basis. With most of our badies, events involved trying to kill them or their minions. This is where the Intruder badies seem to be heading, but over a long period of time and with lots of interaction with Hal and Carl, I'd say they have a fair amount of depth to them (and still mystery). Perhaps over the last subchapter they've become a lot more "Rawr! Fight the programs, fight the wireframe!" But I think that was intended as Carlyne's introduction forced Hal to get a lot more aggressive. Some part of me greatly assumes though, that these characters are probably only going to be around for another chapter at the most...Maybe I'm wrong though, we'll see.One thing we need to recall(I'm just replying to this part in particular, I've not read the whole thread yet so forgive me if it's already been mentioned) is the missions in which Anome was sometimes the controller. I felt there was a fairly significant depth added to his character through those along with some of the further depth introduced during the Unlimit period. (Particularly, the stuff about his mother) Perhaps the stuff during the unlimit period came a little too close to his death for it to be taken in properly at the time, I dunno, but I think there is a fairly significant depth to Anomes character.
Dunno. How good are you at hovercraft battles?
I'm not trying to insult you or any of the other Devs Rarebit, but..have you, kinda..looked at the topics in the forums?
I mean, I've seen at least 3 good ideas that could be implemented. Truthfully, (And I haven't been here that long, but I have read about the Arcs) a reboot of the system should be given, in which the Matrix (not all of it's inhabitants) are rebooted and a clean slate is given. Take away all this crap about Cyphs, and make them what Cypher was. A man who wanted back in. Make them help the Machines, make them want to be in the favour of them, so they can be reinserted..Make EPN someone who wants to follow Neo's dream of a world with no limits, a world with choice. Show us that Morpheous is dead and gone, show us that Neo is trapped somewhere, and he needs our help, show us what The Matrix can be!Right, now here's how I'd do it (Not that you will or probably want to but meh)Clean Slate - A crash in the system reboots everything, fix the issues in a way that you can dea lwith them one at a time, a system restore. Then take one issue at a time.
EPN is not a sub org - EPN is a group that believes Zion is not doing everything it can to continue Neo's work. They live in Zion, as they will work with them, but it is a strictly professional relationship. Give them a new Operator, if Link doesn't want to join.
Specific missions/Live Events - Make Live Events link up, with one part going on for an hour or so, in which you are looking for something/someone, effectively a "huge mission" Sarah Edmontons (sp?) for example, the issue was never resolved. Make EPN look for her, focus on them, sure the other Orgs can be in it, but focus on them. It might be their *CENSORED* Messiah for Neo's sake (Editors note: Couldn't help it) they would be on the frontline looking for him/her. That is only one of many.
Games for players, by players - Sure most people here may not be graphics experts, but perhaps put together a team of players who have good ideas that could be implemented into the game (i.e Missions, New Content)
The Games Engine - Surely SOE can afford to borrow/buy a technician from Monolith that could help with the game engine. It's obviously within their money to do so..
Online Expansion/New Content - It's been 3 years, surely you can add in more fighting styles, or at least combine fighting styles. Jeet Kune Dow (I believe that's how you spell it) would be a great addition, or at least make the combat more believeable. I'm an Aikido practicioner, and from what I've seen (Videos and other players responses) there is no true Aikido combat in The MxO. Aikido is a defensive Martial Arts, specifically used to immobolise or disable your opponent using grabs, throws, pins, and other things. There are stances, and ways to defend yourself. Maybe don't implement them all, but the very basic stances that deal with shoulder, neck, face/head and body strikes at least.
Ikkio
Bonuses: Added defense to lower half of body, lowers defense of upper body.
There's an example.
Graphics - I know it's hard to make a perfect HD experience for online play, but at least have a small team dedicated to that and the weather mechanics of the game.
Advertising - Again, no money issues here, SOE could easily advertise The Matrix Online on the internet, and in game. I mean WoW has Mr.T, Shatner, and other celebs doing it. Get whoever played The Kid to walk onto the screen, with an offering of the blue pill, or the red pill, and some game play (A mission run from some players who roleplay during their missions)
Sorry for the longish post, but I truly believe that this is in the grasp of SOE, or whoever handles the *CENSORED* game...
Hypatia and Silver should indeed have been left dead.
Megarittz wrote:Hypatia and Silver should indeed have been left dead. Wouldn't their deaths remove ten missions from the game? O_o
Bollocks as usual. Same bs problems being complained about, same bs solutions being offered.
Othinn1 wrote:Megarittz wrote:Hypatia and Silver should indeed have been left dead. Wouldn't their deaths remove ten missions from the game? O_oThey would've left behind Sims to handle the missions *nod*.
