I was thinking if a MMO game without combat would be possible. I found an interesting experiment called Seed, but it failed. My partner Tom wondered if Second Life would be an example, but SL isn’t really a game, is more like a social environment, much more like a 3D version of IRC or Orkut. A Tale in the Desert seems to be a good candidate.
Let’s face it, MMO combat is nonsense. Traditional video-game RPG combat is nonsense. To evolve, you have to kill things like pigs, zebras, dinossaurs, giant lizards and angry mushrooms to evolve. Why is that? Come on, even if you lived in the Middle Ages, you wouldn’t kill a dog in the street or a deer in the woods just to become more powerful. 
The reason is that such a level system is still based on the old Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition Experience Points (XP) model – kill the beast, get stronger. But this system was created in the 70’s, for tabletop games to fill young men afternoons. Since then, a number of other RPG books have created much more meaningful gameplay and experience systems – even the present 3th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
Well, so, what’s next? Seed failed. All the mainstream MMOs are combat-centered on the old D&D model. Why a non-combat, or maybe just non-combat-centered MMO would succeed? For the same reason casual games succeeded: there is an enormous amout of people out there that simply want some non-violent fun on their spare times. Some people are even investing on “Casual MMO” projects for the years to come, but I believe one already exists: it is NeoPets.
October 14, 2007 at 8:30 pm |
I have been looking for a non-combat MMO for the past several months. I played ATITD and enjoyed it very much, until things were made so difficult as to be monotonous and then the addition of the disease which made the necessary socialization difficult and so made the game frustrating and no longer fun. Trying to find a suitable replacement has proven to be VERY difficult
November 2, 2007 at 2:53 am |
Yes, investors don’t seem likely to put money on anything different than WoW.
February 13, 2008 at 6:40 pm |
Actually, I found this article a while back about people who play WoW as pacifists. Seemed like an interesting concept.
February 13, 2008 at 7:00 pm |
That was an interesting read. Just as interesting as reactions of people in comments. Some of them are so blind-sighted (or maybe involved in the game) they can’t give credit for such an original idea.
February 13, 2008 at 8:42 pm |
Yeah… those comments on the story were really sad. I guess pacifism is just too radical an idea for some people. On the bright side, I read through his blog and saw that he’s been developing a following, so it’s nice to see people who “get it”.
I’m no developer, but I would love to see a game where the point is to go about your business, doing no harm while you collect coins and just try to get to the end of the level. For example, a Super Mario game where the “goombas” just passively walk by — unless you attack them… and then they gang up on you or something equally silly. A small, 3 level Flash game or something that deconstructs violence and gives you a score based on well you avoided killing the natives. More like an art game than anything serious, although an entire MMO based around the concept of sharing and helping seems neat. A simulation of a karma-based economy? I wonder how far that would go…
February 14, 2008 at 1:15 am |
I think you have a point. Considering all click-management games – “Diner Dash and the thousand Clones” – gravitates around the “run a successful store of ” concept, you might well have audience for a non-violence, economic-centric MMO. But first someone will have to prove the concept could work with a small indie project, before convincing investors to grasp the risk and invest their dollars.
January 28, 2009 at 4:15 am |
I think Runescape is a mmo that can be played as a non-combat game, there are about 16 skills outside of combat skills so theres plenty of variety, you can just work on skills and amass your wealth by making things out of wood or metal, or fishing etc. Also because you don’t train combat it makes the world more dangerous as everything is a higher combat level than you are, so even lvl 3 rats start attacking you!
Making a good lvl3 skiller (lvl3 is the default starting point for your combat level) is tricky as being higher combat level makes certain skill easier to perform.
Just my 2c
February 12, 2009 at 8:12 pm |
SEED was a non-combat, socially orientated MMO by a company known as Runescape, they managed to release early 2006 if I remember correctly. But due to a lack of funding and very poor interest from publishers the company went broke and the game went into the void. This was terrible as the game, its concept and design where sound and far above average and the game proved to be more engaging and engrossing with a much more long term appeal for “the other” kind of gamer than something akin to WoW. It’s a shame this game never had the support it needed as if it had hit for instance the Sims, Second Life or ATITD communities it would truely have become something great and a corner stone for new development into Online Social Gaming.
February 12, 2009 at 8:14 pm |
Typo. Runestone, not Runescape *gasps*.
April 23, 2009 at 8:41 am |
I agree with all.. Today there is no MMO genre variety. Just MMORPG Hack n Slash. After all these years with the Internet evolution, one would expect that new genres on MMO gaming would appear. But things seem stuck, no new ideas. Or is it that companies dont want to invest in a new idea that has a chance of proving a failure and walk on the safe side?
Its disappointing to see that even the new games that are developed are based on leveling a character by killing a bunch of mobs.
If there was a survey though, I think too many people would be eager to see something different.
Myself loves MMO gaming as it gives you a chance to evolve your avatar in a virtual world. But unfortunately I can find no game to reflect me as it seems companies/people feel the only way they would like to evolve themselves virtually is by being powerful creatures that can kil, kill, kill..
July 18, 2009 at 8:39 am |
You guys should try WurmOnline. It’s a world where fighting is just optional. You just work on your environment as much as you like, then just sit back and admire your handiwork.