I’ll agree that I’d like to see more unique content, the cost being that not everyone will experience it. Unique would likely be class content or something, because, let’s be honest, it’s not realistic to have developers create unique content for each player from level 1 to cap. I’ve seen randomly generated quests, too, and they were less than inspiring, to understate things.

One topic I’d love to explore someday is the philosophy of “having your own story.” I tend to play even the super-directed games such as WoW and LOTRO in a sandbox style. I choose which quests to do, and where to do them. If I choose to not quest, maybe I’ll just explore and see what’s around the corner, what’s around this bend in the river, etc. LOTRO in particular is very rewarding in an “explore the map” sense. I personally feel that a total, unguided sandbox is a recipe for disaster. But aside from that, when you break things down, are MMO’s really are just about finding various ways to murder the local wildlife. Crafting, and other side activities are exactly that: side activities. The real meat of the game is nothing more than murdering AI or perhaps other player’s characters. So whether an NPC gives you a task (and that’s what most of our so-called “quests” really are) to do something (which will likely involve murdering the wildlife) in exchange for xp, cash, loot, reputation, or any combination of the above or if you simply decide to walk outside and murder the wildlife on your own: how is one’s story of murdering the wildlife any different than the next guy’s? I’ve asked a few of the hardcore “I want the game to let me tell my own story” people and have yet to ever get a response. I’m legitimately curious to that mentality, and if it’s actually very different in practice to the mentality of the players those people disagree with.

I have grouped in the past, and enjoy it immensely. The problem with grouping in Lotro is all about the captain of the team — as soon as he has gotten what he wants from the group, he is gone. There is no camaraderie — unless in a guild for example. Groups seem to last for such short bursts of time, rather than the good old pulls from EQ days long gone.

I, like many I guess, have soured a bit on Lotro — Like the man said, after the first phase of the game, it becomes a quest grind unmatched since the tedium of the hell levels in old EQ days.

Why not simply give the player directions in things to do, such as bounties. Why not allow other players to set the stage in questing; for example, Player A needs a specific item that only player B (or c, or whatever) needs and so must enlist aid from others. Nothing to me is more bothersome than to follow six steps behind some other toon, reading these quests which sound unique to me but is the same for every person in the game.

Troy
Travels with Troy

I’d read that article yesterday, I think Massively linked to it, or perhaps MMORPG.com I forget which. Awesome stuff. I particularly enjoyed that it was written from the developer’s perspective, so we not only got the info of what’s coming but some insight to the thought processes behind them.