This week’s Massively Overthinking involves us by way of a phrase MOP’s Eliot dropped again in April that leaped out at me. He was discussing Remaining Fantasy XIV’s Cosmic Exploration, and he talked about that he’s “typically a Random Reward Disliker,” which is why he wasn’t thrilled with the random attracts. He referred to as it a “[him] drawback” and shrugged it off, however… is it? As a result of I’ve by no means been a random reward fan in any respect. I don’t know anybody who’s. Or do I?
Let’s Overthink it. Are you a Random Reward Disliker – or a Random Reward Enjoyer? What are the variables that may push you between these two units of preferences? And maybe most significantly, which MMOs are at present delivering rewards in a very annoying method?
Brianna Royce (@nbrianna.bsky.social, weblog): I’m undoubtedly a Random Reward Disliker, and I’ve been so long as I can bear in mind. I wish to know no matter I’m doing will end in one thing particular that I need. I’m not right here to gamble with my time and/or cash. I really feel this fashion about the whole lot from lockboxes (I’ve by no means, ever purchased one) to dungeon drops. I’m simply very over it.
That doesn’t imply I gained’t ever have interaction with a random reward system to get one thing I really need. However I’ll in all probability complain about it the entire time, and it’ll in all probability damage my belief within the recreation finally. I used to be going to grant an exception for crafting, however I don’t even significantly like random experimentation rolls even in Star Wars Galaxies crafting, the head in crafting for the style. It might nonetheless be higher. Random experimentation rolls are only a time- and material-waster, and everyone knows it.
So give me currencies and badges any day of the week – or higher but, allow us to craft precisely what we wish. Oh, I’ll complain about these too, however a minimum of I get to pick what I need.
Carlo Lacsina (@UltraMudkipEX, YouTube, Twitch): There’s a deeper dialog about rewards right here. I’ve been spending the previous couple of weeks casually deconstructing the “why” behind the reward constructions in MMOs whereas on the bathroom. Personally, I’m past whether or not or not I like random/non-random rewards. I’m extra involved about whether or not or not we’ve gone too far in direction of utilizing exterior rewards to do the content material. Shouldn’t the reward be taking part in the content material?
After all, I perceive MMOs want plenty of gamers and offering rewards is essentially the most easy strategy to give them… does that say one thing extra about or society and our values? It’s all very exhausting to consider.
Anyway, there’s much more of pondering to do. You understand the place to seek out me.
Chris Neal (@wolfyseyes.bsky.social, weblog): I’m unsure I super-duper hate random rewards as a result of getting a pleasant little bit of shiny out of nowhere is all the time good. However then once more, if there aren’t any avenues for me to get what I particularly need, then I’m fairly sure that I’ll bow out.
A number of this type of retains me out of many of the larger looter shooters similar to Future 2. I imply, certain, the gunplay is enjoyable sufficient, however not with the ability to reliably get the type of weapon I need actually sucks the oxygen out of the room, particularly since I’ve by no means been a fan of the “god roll” reward construction. In actual fact, that they had that type of mechanic with Monster Hunter Wilds’ Artian weapons, and you already know what weapons I exploit in that recreation most? Those I’ve put collectively myself from monster components.
As I mentioned, although, I’d not thoughts a better of each worlds construction. Besides not balanced in favor of RNG. Perhaps extra like an 80/20 lean to focused goodies. That’s a great stability in each MMO rewards – and by the way, floor beef and fats content material for juicy burgers.
Eliot Lefebvre (@Eliot_Lefebvre, weblog): I feel it’s a good suggestion right here to make clear what I imply by not being a Random Rewards Enjoyer. And since it simply patched and has examples of the variations I like, the variations I dislike, and how one can flip the latter into the previous, I’m going to make use of V Rising. Whee!
In V Rising, there are three “analysis” stations, every of which let you randomly unlock accent, weapon, and armor upgrades together with new consumables and decorations. These recipes are randomly dropped by enemies however will also be unlocked by spending a lot of paper/scrolls/schematics to randomly unlock one of many numerous rewards. Maybe most significantly, that random unlock characteristic is drawing solely from the stuff you don’t have already got unlocked, so if you happen to randomly unlock Cruel Iron Claws from a drop, one other roll of weapon analysis is not going to unlock Cruel Iron Claws once more. (The recipe can drop once more, however you’ll be able to salvage it for scrolls for random analysis.) That is, to me, a wonderful instance of how one can preserve the random reward factor going. You would possibly get the recipe you need first time, otherwise you may not get it till you’ve got researched the whole lot else within the class, however if you happen to preserve at it, you’ll unlock it will definitely. Randomness impacts the pace of the unlock, not the unlock ever taking place.
Now, the sport additionally options Ancestral Weapons that that you must reforge, and these artifact weapons have randomly rolled stats… and that is an instance of a nasty characteristic since you can’t really make certain of what these stats might be. The chances of getting a stat you need on the weapon are mainly 1/sixth, which isn’t zero, however the legal guidelines of randomness implies that it’s attainable to theoretically by no means get the stat you need, regardless of what number of of those weapon shards you farm. It’s unlikely, however attainable.
The explanation this technique is unhealthy is that this: Not solely is the reward you get random, however there’s no strategy to handle the randomness. You’re, on the finish of the day, on the mercy of random attracts that stretch on ceaselessly. It’s attainable (if not going or sensible) to by no means get the Artifact Weapon it’s your decision for a given weapon class, too. Nonetheless, the newest patch additionally provides a brand new system whereby you’ll be able to mainly manually meld weapons you don’t essentially need, which means that you just do have management over the randomness once more; you’ll be able to fuse two shards or two completed weapons and select the stats to maintain, which means that even if you happen to don’t ever get the stats you need on a task, you will get the weapon you need even when it would take some extra play or elbow grease.
That is, in the end, what I imply about not being a Random Rewards Enjoyer. It doesn’t trouble me if in case you have low odds of getting one thing if you happen to can, via constant play, anticipate to finally get what you’re aiming for. Randomness impacts the period of time it’s important to spend on one thing, presumably even by a major quantity (this time in V Rising I bought the total set of my most popular armor as my first set of random analysis, for instance), however it doesn’t dictate whether or not or not you’ll ever get it. That doesn’t imply I’ll by no means have interaction in a system that doesn’t make {that a} assure; World of Warcraft has been ruining its loot methods ever since Wrath of the Lich King and usually performed the whole lot in need of going again to that wise system for ages now. But it surely does imply that I’m much less of a fan of that specific design.
Sam Kash (@samkash@mastodon.social): I’m in all probability someplace in the midst of a fan and a hater of random rewards for a lot of video games. I do wish to get random drops and sometimes see them with elevated energy. Not less than whereas I’m leveling. It’s enjoyable to get a uncommon piece for my present degree.
The place you’d lose me is at endgame content material. I by no means performed WoW or its raids, however the concept that you must preserve repeating the identical content material so many occasions to randomly get the piece of drugs you had been ready for sounds a bit depressing.
Tyler Edwards (weblog): As you’d anticipate from somebody with my degree of neurodivergence, I are inclined to desire consistency and predictability, so I’m typically extra in opposition to random rewards than for them. That mentioned, I’m unsure I’d go as far as to need them gone fully. Randomness might be enjoyable when it seems like a bonus fairly than one thing it’s important to depend on.
For instance, I used to be a fan of WoW’s warforged/titanforged system, through which gear had a small probability to drop with a barely greater merchandise degree, and I’m nonetheless lowkey mad Blizzard removed it. That min/maxers beginning viewing titanforged items as “required” and getting the system eliminated is among the clearer examples I can consider of gamers optimizing the enjoyable out of video games.
I feel if I had been designing my ideally suited MMO, I’d make all dropped gear obtainable from foreign money distributors, however if you happen to bought it as a drop, it might have a small probability to roll with higher stats. Makes it so you’ll be able to gear as much as the minimal reliably, whereas sustaining some pleasure round possibly getting an particularly good drop.
Each week, be a part of the Massively OP workers for Massively Overthinking column, a multi-writer roundtable through which we talk about the MMO trade matters du jour – after which invite you to hitch the fray within the feedback. Overthinking it’s actually the entire level. Your flip!
