I never played World of Warcraft before but I have played other MMORPGs, I am not quite sure if I ever had fun playing this type of games but I found the experience to be rewarding. There is something special about playing games like WOW, the social interactions, the time and effort that it takes to advance in the game, all the different characters and stories. There are several factors that make MMORPGs enjoyable and entertaining but I think the quest system is essential to keep users coming back and playing the game for an unreasonable amount of hours. There has to be some system in place that will allow the user to feel accomplished as they advance through the game. An interesting storyline, captivating graphics or a simple level/skill system is not enough.
World of Warcraft Map with Quests
The quest system fills the void between levels, it extends play and allows for an entertaining story. The quest system provides additional user satisfaction which is the reason why a lot of people play this type of games. Games can certainly get repetitive, after a while, reaching new levels and gaining experience by killing monster loses its appeal and quests offer a gratifying alternative.
I would encourage people looking for something a little different in terms of questing to seek out The Secret World and find a way to give it a shot. While the game as a whole package is nothing totally revolutionary, it’s questing system pushes the boundaries of what a player is expected to do in a game, taking pages (pun intended) from the high-logic-low guidance Myst series in its clues and exploration-based gameplay.
Its quests aren’t usual “kill x number of monsters” or “find x number of things”. They usually are heavily story-driven, and require extra thought from the player. In an early quest in the game’s first area, I had to go to the library and crack open a King James Bible to look up a specific passage to find out how to progress. It made me twist the ways I usually viewed video games and their mechanics (“How can I talk to the person that died in the police station? Well… just get yourself killed and go talk to them before you rez your character!”) and made the experience incredibly rewarding.
Also, don’t view this comment as a knock towards traditional questing systems. I am an avid player of Guild Wars 2 and that is my favorite MMO of all time. I just like to spread that other systems are out there, and if more people know about them, perhaps other games will try to incorporate similar systems into themselves!
While you make some good points, I have do disagree with you about questing being one of the more enjoyable ways to play MMORPGs. Coming from a background of lots of WOW, i think of questing as a means to an end. I, as well as most of my friends who I would play with, would download quest helping mods in order to expedite these countless, menial objectives. Although it would take longer, I would enjoy doing almost nothing but dungeons over and over again. What brought me back to playing WOW by far would be the end game raids and pvp, not questing.
I have to agree with you there. The questing system has become a staple in the RPG genre. Many games before WoW focused heavily on just grinding, without really rewarding the players in anyway. Except perhaps new content and higher level areas.
There are still those who really love grinding in games. I myself sometimes enjoy taking a break from the main story line in games and only want to level up my character. Some cultures actually prefer the grind way much more than others. I’m looking at you Korea.
I believe that’s what makes WoW so impressive. It masks the grind into something more. It lets those who enjoy it, indulge in it, and it also gives those who don’t a little something extra on the side. Whether it be added story or even new gear for your character.