The Pillars of an MMORPG

In the development of an MMORPG, there are essential points that I refer to as pillars, which will support the game. These pillars take different forms and concepts that will influence the game in distinct ways. Therefore, when considering an MMORPG project, it is necessary to start with the pillars as they will provide the foundation and shape the core concept.

The pillars communicate with each other, and each of them has specific forms, although they share the same objective and need to be cohesive to maintain game balance. Many people think that combat mechanics, for example, are the primary factor for the success of an MMORPG. However, it is challenging to find an MMORPG in the market where combat alone is what makes it a successful game. Each pillar has its importance and impacts the game in different ways, being present at all times. Any of the pillars can affect the others, so it is important to maintain balance among them.

The pillars are:

Combat Mechanics: What combat mechanics will be used for PvE and PvP? Turn-based? Tab-target? Action? Hybrid? The combat mechanics of an MMORPG will be present throughout the game, and each type of combat influences the game differently. For example, a turn-based game like Dofus does not have the frenetic combat of an action game like Black Desert. However, Dofus is more tactical and strategic, requiring players to carefully consider their actions and their consequences.

World Design: How will the game world be constructed? What will its shape be? How did it come into existence? How does the player interact with the world? What is the player's role in this world? The construction of the in-game world is crucial and involves visual, auditory, and immersive aspects. It is possible to create a 3D or 2D world, with map transitions or an open world, with different regions that can alter game aspects, offering choices of paths leading to the same point or the same path leading to different points. This pillar aims to make the world rich and allow players to create their own path. The dimension of the game is proportional to the complexity of the project, although there may be exceptions due to emphasis on dimension or the speed at which the player consumes content and factors related to players frequenting certain regions.

Interactions: How do players interact with each other? How do they interact with monsters, NPCs, groups, guilds, economy, and what are the impacts of these interactions? Players will be constantly interacting with the world, whether it's collecting resources or defeating monsters. The interactions must be well planned to engage players with the world, other players, and the interface. Such interactions can change the gameplay style, and an MMORPG can have few or many interactions. Good interactions have a significant impact on the entire game.

Audiovisual Aspects: What visual elements will be chosen for the game? What sound effects will abilities, monsters, and the environment have? Audiovisual aspects are directly related to the strongest human senses and are essential for players to feel immersed. Through audiovisual elements, it is possible to convey emotions, tell stories, and deliver messages in a powerful way, making the game appealing and engaging.

Progression: Difficulty, levels, improvements, builds, player versus content. How will the player progress in the game? How do equipment upgrades work? Is it possible to enhance the same equipment or is it necessary to acquire more powerful ones? Does the player earn points to use in their skill tree? Progression has a direct impact on the player's experience and how they advance in the game world, whether it's through level increases, the use of more powerful equipment, or the acquisition of new abilities. Progression also influences the economy, the distribution of players within the game, how players consume content, and the sense of freedom to perform different actions in the world.

Economy: Item acquisition rate, crafting, market, quests, and gathering are directly related to the game's economy. How the game introduces and stimulates the economy, supply and demand dynamics, as well as market rates, are natural elements to consider. An example of an MMORPG with a dynamic and vibrant economy is Albion Online, where the economy is driven by gathering, crafting, the black market, and the mechanics of item loss upon death. The economy encompasses various aspects that can be attributed to an MMORPG. Choosing the best form of economy aligned with all aspects of the game is crucial for adopting a sustainable and free-market economy in an MMORPG.

Administration: How will the company manage the game, whether it's related to monetization or the introduction of new content? An MMORPG is a persistent game that is constantly evolving, with the addition of new content, balancing, new mechanics, classes, and monsters. The development team is always working on new features and making corrections. An MMORPG requires a lot of attention from the team regarding the game and the community. Impeccable and healthy management is necessary to keep the game fun and avoid the use of "pay-to-win" resources, for example. A good approach to this is to innovate in monetization.

That was a brief explanation of some aspects of each pillar, and you can find other posts on my website that provide more in-depth exploration of these aspects.

Cover artist: https://www.artstation.com/ricky_ho