Needless to say, the video left many rabid gamers attempting to pick their jaws up off the floor; TOR is, after all, being hailed by many as the game which will revolutionize the way we perceive the MMO genre. But can BioWare really pull off what seems to be one of the most ambitious projects in video game history? More importantly, can they cause a stir in the industry similar to the one seen in 2004 when Blizzard released
World of Warcraft to massive critical and commercial success? In order to understand how much of an impact TOR could have, its important to consider the current state of the MMO, its history, and how the genre will inevitably evolve over the next few years. To do this, well also have to look at recent trends in video games in general both single-player and multi-player experiences spanning many genres and platforms.
Now, let me put it out there that I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I realize that I may be placing my life at risk for saying this, but Im a fan of
World of Warcraft. Love it or hate it, its near impossible to deny the way it has reinvented the MMO scene. With 11 million subscriptions and counting, it has become the undisputed king of MMOs. Prior to WoWs release, however, the online landscape was vastly different from what is today. MMO gaming of the latter part of the 90s and early 2000s was dominated by games like
Ultima Online,
Lineage, and, of course,
Everquest. These titles were perceived as niche, intended for only the most hardcore of the hardcore. A little research seems to suggest that from 1996 to 2004 there was a total of approximately 4 million subscribers across all the major MMOs of the time, as opposed to the 11 million WoW subs we see today. There is also the fact that less than 18 months after its release, the game had reached a milestone of 6 million customers. In other words, in less than a year and a half after its debut, WoW saw more subs than all of the major MMOs from 1996 to 2004 put together to call it an impressive feat is an understatement.
But where did all these new subs come from? Well, as some have so profoundly pointed out, they came from other markets and audiences. Unlike today, there were initially not nearly 11 million paying customers in the entire MMO market, let alone one, single game; reasoning tells us that they had to come from somewhere other than the MMO community. While many were loyal Blizzard devotees and MMO fanatics, quite a few of them were non/casual gamers who were brought in by the boatloads, thanks to Blizzards brilliant and relentless marketing campaign to support the game. I would also assume that a large portion of WoWs customer base consists of console gamers who were previously either intimidated by the idea of an MMO or simply uninterested in it altogether. I have a hunch that this has something to do with the recent trend occurring across the entire market, in which people seem to be becoming more receptive to the idea of the RPG. And that brings me to my next point
Have you noticed what seems to be the disappearance of the traditional RPG? Gone are the days of the SNES and PSX, when traditional, turn-based RPGs like
Chrono Trigger,
Final Fantasy VII, and
Quest 64 ruled supreme (okay, well, maybe not
Quest 64). Those kinds of games now seem all but extinct in the western market, but, in spite of this, something fascinating is happening. Many developers are turning their backs on the old ways of doing things in favor of newer, more action-oriented gameplay systems seamlessly integrated with traditional RPG mechanics (progression, leveling up, obtaining loot, etc.) To see this, you need look no further than games like
Mass Effect,
Fallout 3, The
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and even some first-person shooters,
Call of Duty 4 immediately comes to mind.
For those who have been living under a rock, CoD 4 was released in late 2007 and has gone on to garner unparalleled critical praise and sell somewhere around a bazillion copies. The games wildly successful multi-player component utilizes a system of progression and ranking up, similar to many traditional RPGs. This is important because, according to GameStop execs in a recent Gamespot news article, the games sequel,
Modern Warfare 2, could potentially be the best-selling game of all time when it drops this November (and trust me, people arent buying it for its single-player campaign).
What does this tell us? Developers are introducing gamers of all sorts to traditional RPG elements, and theyre responding (I might even venture to say that this whole trend was initially a result of WoWs massive commercial success, but Ill leave that up to you) This means that we may very well be on the brink of the next evolution of the video game industry. Never before have people shown so much enthusiasm for MMOs, as well as the sense of progression that hardcore RPG fans are so fond of.
However, while we live in an era in which people are flocking to the chance to interact and communicate with each other in seamless, persistent worlds, traditional single-player narratives are still incredibly popular. If this werent the case, then rich, story-driven experiences such as Bioshock and Metal Gear Solid 4 wouldnt have done nearly as well as they did. Obviously, these kinds of games provide us with something meaningful and immersive that is altogether absent in MMOs. And what might this be, you ask? I propose that this ever-elusive secret ingredient is something so simple that it may have just been overlooked: the element of story. Many would argue that it is impossible to effectively integrate story into a world inhabited by thousands upon thousands of players without giving up the sense of freedom and social cohesion that goes hand-in-hand with a thriving online community; I would argue that there has been no honest attempt to do so.
It is my sincere belief that MMOs are the future, but not the current archetype of the MMO as we think of it. Instead, I presume that a new MMO paradigm will emerge one that uses story to bridge the gap between single-player and multi-player experience. Games of this kind will coalesce these experiences so seamlessly, that at first glance players will not be able to safely say which of these experiences they are taking part in.
Now, let us return our attention to The Old Republic. Im not going to go into excessive detail about the game, as I assume youve done your homework and at least know a fair amount of what its all about (you are, after all, on a TOR fansite). I will, however, give you a brief rundown of a couple of things, which will help set the context for those of you who may not be following the game very closely.
When I think of TOR, one word comes to mind: story (see where Im going with this?). Yes, I realize that doesnt sound like anything special, but again, you have to remember that this is an MMO. And, as mentioned earlier, the one barrier that has separated MMOs from the great single-player experiences of all-time is that of story and everything that it encompasses.
How is story implemented in TOR? Well, for starters, the game will feature what BioWare is referring to as flashpoints. A flashpoint is essentially an instanced mission or quest that a player can complete either alone or in a group. One such flashpoint is shown in the developer walkthrough I mentioned earlier (if you havent seen it, Id recommend checking it out. Theres a link to it near the end of the first paragraph of this article).
The gameplay begins with a Sith and Bounty Hunter entering the main deck of an Imperial ship; it seems that the ships captain has disobeyed an order from a superior and the Sith is sent to relieve him of his command. As the scene unfolds, an interactive dialogue begins. Many of you will recognize this from other BioWare games such as Mass Effect, and, Knights of the Old Republic. Eventually, the player is presented with the choice of either following orders and killing the captain, or showing mercy and sparing his life. Perhaps the most intriguing thing of all is that the subsequent events that unfold will vary depending on what choice the player makes. If the decision is made to kill the captain (as is the case in the walkthrough), the Sith and Bounty Hunter duo must fight their way through the ships halls in an attempt to defend it from Republic soldiers infiltrating its interior from a series of boarding pods. On the other hand, if the captain is spared, his experience allows him to recognize the pods and destroy many of them in route, making it easier for the players to repel the invaders.
Its also important to note that BioWare has made it abundantly clear that they are staying away from the traditional fetch and return quests that have become synonymous with MMOs. Yep, thats right, no more kill 10 rabbits/scorpions/insert the name of any lowly creature you should be able to kill just by stepping on instead of potentially dying when you take on a group of more than two of them before returning to Farmer Joe sort of shenanigans.
I truly believe that BioWare is onto something really special here. The fact that people are embracing MMOs and RPG fundamentals, and that The Old Republic is being developed by an award-winning studio, with a proven track record using the Star Wars license, seems like a recipe for success and awesomeness beyond anyones wildest dreams. In short, I think BioWare is poised to seamlessly blend the multi-player and single-player experience in a seemingly impossible way; we may very well be on the cusp of something never before witnessed in the video game industry.
WoW opened the floodgates; I expect TOR to smash them down.
