MMO

Hmm, I am in some ways intregued by this post, I am working on a MMORPG and would love it if everyone here would play it when it came out, but since it seems as if most people here are not interested in mmos, I have a question.

What would you like to see in an MMO ?

Well in the game I am working on, we are trying to make multiple story lines in which the Player is affected by the world. A Player is born into one of the 5 Pre-Made Clans or born into an Orphanage, they are 16 and it is time that they establish themselves in the world. However there will be several events that are present within the world. Lets say for example, I am a Player on the Quest to become a Monk. As I head towards Mt. Fugi I notice Smoke rising in the direction of the Monk's Temple. As I run to find the Temple, it is in ruins, destroyed and all the Monks lay dead on the ground. Now you may say what about the other Players who are Monks. Unlike my Character, when the Temple is attacked, all those players that belong to the Monks of Suzuka would be notified that their home is underattack. Now they would have witnessed the attack, and had to fight the enemy. In the end however the enemies may have overpowered them and defeated the Majority of the NPCs and Players. It is then that the entire Temple will be witnessed in Ruins. Within acouple of Monks, if the Temples economy picks up, it will eventually return to its past state, however if not it will remain the same. Now the importance to this is the fact that, new story options become open to Players who are Monks and Members of the Temple. This event would also be sent to the Capital of the Nation, and Player whom are members of the Specific Nation would go on Missions that are related to the attack. What we have are Players who will Play as Actors, that will change the Story. So one person may meet someone, while another not meet one. Again, a problem arises, and MMO basically anticipating to have over 100 Players, so how will they all be related to the game. Well each Player has their own story, similar to that of Baulder's Gate but at a larger scale, there will be Personal Events, and then there will be Global Events. Basically everyone will be Drawn in one way or another, you will play a role in the story. And these Events will be Monthly so basically there will be new Episodes each Month. Like in our world, there is no hero, no villian, depending on how you play, your destiny and the outcome will change.

It has plagued me for a long while, the who MMO Thing. I cant even play and MMO anymore. They are so boring, no direction, but when you feel as if your actions could change the events of the game, then you will be drawn in. We have one Story Arc Planned, but I dont want to Spoil too Much. :P

Just a quick point that there are two ways to have a storyline with an ending in an MMO.

1) Zombie infestation style. The world is being overrun by zombies! Collectively the players must push them back and purge the world of their unholy beings! When the world is purged, the game starts over and the time of completion for the round is logged. The next round, the players try to beat their previous time. It is completely cooperative. Maybe throw in a little procedural generation (good PG, please, no one likes bad PG).

2) Every player is THE HERO style. Throughout the game there are bosses that are single-player (or small group). There is a story behind each boss, and every player gets to kill the boss exactly once. The fact that the boss was killed previously is just an accepted paradox and life continues. When the final boss is killed, the player "ascends" and their character becomes legend somehow. Not like the KoL or LotGD web-games, where you play again and try to ascend again. Just like "Okay, you beat the game. Congrats. Here's a trophy."

I don't think either of these have been done before, and I would love to see them.