Breakfast Topic: What if WoW were more interactively social and lifelike?
by David Bowers 
Jul 23rd 2007 at 8:00AM
Some of you hate The Sims with a passion, and I respect that. And to be clear, I'm not really talking about making WoW into a "people simulator" like The Sims is. You and I both would play The Sims if we wanted to simulate people -- we play WoW for adventure! No, I'm talking about adding some optional elements to WoW, similar to roleplaying, which would add a sense of life and actual living to the game and don't get the way of your killing things at the same time, so that it doesn't feel like killing computer-generated mobs is all there is.
If you do support adding more non-combative, socializing elements to the game, what sort of elements do you think would work? Mini-games such as WoW Chess, perhaps? Additional interactive animations, such as hugging, handshaking or even kissing? Perhaps even the ability to pick up objects and move them to a different location, such as moving chairs about or kicking a ball around? Would you even go to the extreme of including things like toilets, basic hunger and thirst needs, or other elements that we have in real life? Where would you draw the line where the similarity to real life should stop?
Filed under: Virtual selves, Breakfast Topics, RP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Adal Jun 12th 2008 10:20PM
A solid warrior's handshake animation with my off-tanks, after downing a raid boss...would simply be..legend.
A randomiser of emote sounds for variety would be a bonus.
Simple extra animations, a couple of new sounds? Surely this is not to much to ask.
~ Adal.
Attica Jun 26th 2008 2:26PM
Guild-only headquarters would be neat, I'll admit. But I don't want to play house with people...that's not what WoW's about. It would start to attract the wrong audience and long-time players would get irritated and leave to play Conan. Blizzard wouldn't want that, I'm guessing.
Andrew Jul 10th 2008 1:34PM
I say yes. If Bliz would implement something like this I don't think there would be a totally new fan base... It would be so cool if all those empty rooms in IF(or anywhere) could be bought for X amount of gold, reduced with reputation for that faction. Each of these "homes" could just be mini instances dedicated to a certain person, or you could team up with others and sign a contract (just like creating a guild). Inside you have a bed where you could actually click to sleep which could give you some sort of 1-2 hour buff, you have a stove so you can cook up all your food for your raids, you could buy a manaloom for your place so you don't have to go to go to Lower City all the time, and even a smelting thing for miners. And while we are at it, why not put in a dresser where you could keep ONLY gear pieces.
byronhulcher Jul 23rd 2007 8:23AM
"Why isn't WoW more like Second Life"
because though I enjoy being social with a guild and hanging out and running instances, I don't want to virtual cook or virtual clean with these people. I'm not paying 15 dollars a month to do something online that I can do in person, regardless of how well it makes me feel about WoW being a replacement for actual honest-to-god human contact.
redxiii Jul 23rd 2007 8:32AM
Implementing a server-wide mini-game such as Final Fantasy VIII´s Triple Triad would be soooo sweet. Any other form of (card) mini-game that involves (more common) cards dropping from monsters and (very rare) cards dropping from Bosses would give me a huge motivation boost playing WoW, I would probably reactivate my acc =))
Mel Jul 23rd 2007 8:43AM
No. I pay my montly Euros to play WoW, not Second Life. I can live without the Second Life loonies, exhibitionists, pedos, attention whores and social spastics, thank you very much.
Lord of the Ming Jul 23rd 2007 8:42AM
#2
That would be cool, something like a cross between Yu-Gi-Oh or WoW TCG, the Darkmoon Faire cards, and the Arena. You could have tournaments and rankings and all sorts of stuff. I could see that being a nice diversion for someone who has already done almost all the quests and instances etc.
shuya Jul 23rd 2007 8:47AM
WTB: sports battle grounds like football, baseball or basketball
Chris Jul 23rd 2007 8:47AM
"I can live without the Second Life loonies, exhibitionists, pedos, attention whores and social spastics, thank you very much."
yes, we have quite enough of those ourselves!
Michel Jul 23rd 2007 8:57AM
yes
I would like a mort "sim-like" wow ,besides the fights, donjons and so on.
to grow the game, to allow others things to do and to have mor social and political side to the game.
people seems to think in terms of "against a style of play". but ALL style can be available at the same time.
it could be have a card game inside the game and you will never force to play it if you prefer to do donjon
it could have many mini-games and never be in the way of more grinding
and so on.
I welcome every idea to make the game richer and funnier.
RogueJedi86 Jul 23rd 2007 9:03AM
I admit that I would like to actually see some improvements to animations. Like /hug shows absolutely nothing in animations. I don't keep my arms at my side and stare blankly when I hug people. And must all kisses be assumed to be long-range blown kisses?
Arawn Jul 23rd 2007 9:04AM
@#4...are you in a guild?? LOL
robert Jul 23rd 2007 9:15AM
LFG: Dinner On Me!!! Need Cook for relaxing night... sheesh! As long as they include a hot poker as a usable item I might consider it. Quick mini games maybe, but full blown social engagement? OMG! Its hard enough to explain to non Wowers what I am doing in game, but if I were to throw in the phrase "Oh and we can cook dinner for each other.." >_
yotix Jul 23rd 2007 9:15AM
"More like 2nd life"? Oh Gawd.
a) It would be suicide for Blizzard to introduce an exchangable currency. Just like with Linden Labs, such a stupid policy could easily result in a judge deciding that the game money does not belong to the company running the servers, but to each user ... and that profits made in the game should be taxed.
Governments are seriously looking into taxing 2ndL revenue; and since Linden has exchangeable currency, they do not own the currency in their own game.
So ... a) THANK GOD Blizzard has better lawyers than LL.
b) More like 2nd L? You mean filled with yuppies whose only interest is in, in that order, 1) genitals for their character 2) beds 3) virtual dildos; and filled with companied whose only interest in the game is to spam everyone with advertising? No thanks to both.
c) More like 2nd L? You mean full of perverts, porn-peddlers and pedophiles trying to abuse virtual anonymity, plus the occasional silly effort like the "Embassy of Sweden" or a Mercedes outlet?
Thanks, but I prefer getting it in the rear from a rogue.
Higgans Jul 23rd 2007 9:20AM
I personally would love to see "WoW Karts"
I think it would be a fun diversion, could easily be weaved into the story to make it believable, heck theres already a racing event in the salt flats!!
Just something a little different when your really bored in game, which happens to me about every 2-3 months, I end up canceling my payments and taking a month or 2 off. Something crazy like wow karts would break up some of the grind and allow you to keep playing (and paying) even though your not really questing at the moment.
Shadowisp Jul 23rd 2007 9:15AM
Agree with 2 & 3, a in-game collection/trade mini-game that is common to FF would add depth to the game. Especially when your waiting for raids.
Maybe the WoW TCG inside WoW Itself :P Crazy :P
Options to ante cards or play for "card honor" would be interesting.
While this game is about Fantasy RPG, the social aspect of this game cant be ignored... the more depth it has the more playability it gets. Content regardless if it is cosmetic, loot, instances, social, interface... adds more and more to the game.
As 6 says, nothing like Second Life or Sims, WoW is about action Fantasy RPG first, but still avatars need to interact and have some downtime, change of pace :P Even if it is just used for waiting around in IF our inside the portal of an instance.
Cause unless your an isolationition, alienating, self-centred, egotistically, unguilded, eogtistictical #$#! you would be using a social aspect of the game. :P
Shadowisp Jul 23rd 2007 9:18AM
Agree with 2 & 3, a in-game collection/trade mini-game that is common to FF would add depth to the game. Especially when your waiting for raids.
Maybe the WoW TCG inside WoW Itself :P Crazy :P
Options to ante cards or play for "card honor" would be interesting.
While this game is about Fantasy RPG, the social aspect of this game cant be ignored... the more depth it has the more playability it gets. Content regardless if it is cosmetic, loot, instances, social, interface... adds more and more to the game.
As 6 says, nothing like Second Life or Sims, WoW is about action Fantasy RPG first, but still avatars need to interact and have some downtime, change of pace :P Even if it is just used for waiting around in IF our inside the portal of an instance.
Cause unless your an isolationition, alienating, self-centred, egotistically, unguilded, eogtistictical #$#! you would be using a social aspect of the game. :P
Shadowisp Jul 23rd 2007 9:19AM
Sorry. Damn silly browser... double posted
viktorie Jul 23rd 2007 9:22AM
The only advantage that SL has over WoW is the ability to change the way your avatar looks. I would be willing to pay gold for a little more variety. Or just let me hide my shoulders along with my cloak and helm.
Shadowisp Jul 23rd 2007 9:42AM
Diversions, while mention of the FF in-game cards where stated an alternate FF aspect has also be considered... chocobos.
In FFOnline, you can catch them, raise them breed them... and finally race them.
I think we should be able to raise and race mounts (like WoWkarts mentioned by 15).
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Another one, Engineering robot battles with a vairety of designs... admit the Tonks are fun, but they get worn out without fun competition.
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There are the crashin'smashin'robots http://www.thottbot.com/i23767
They are mini-pet like that fight nearby robots when active.
I say add a tonne more mini-pets and allow us to fight them... cross between tonks, crash robots and pokemon :P