In a way, there are already people who basically play the game to get paid: volunteers who get free playing time. Sure, they don''t get cash, but not having to pay for something you were going to purchase anyway is as good as getting cash.

I actually think money is not such a great tool to get players involved. The real fans of the game might desire a completely different reward. How about giving the most influential/powerful players a chance to create something in the virtual world? Create a quest for example.

What do YOU as a player need to be more motivated to delve deeper into the game?

For me, money would work, but I''d understand that with money comes corruption. Fame would be a much better motivator for me.

ok, I decided real money isn''t such a great idea so I''m gonna drop it.

There''s another question I have:

How to make a big online game good for people who can only play a few hours a week?

It seems the people who benefit most from online games like Everquest are people who play it several hours a day. That way they can spend lots of time advancing their character and keeping an eye on your property. But people who can play only a few hours a week don''t want to spend months building up the character, and they would have hard time keeping their stuff together if it''s left unattended for days.

What do you guys think? any ideas on how to make an online game interesting for both kinds of players?

Sure I have an idea, but I will keep it for myself...

Joking. There is another thread with the solution already.
Players who only can be online a few hours a week could drive a shop, be smith or something.
You have to hire a NPC to do the shop selling and stuff, but you as a player dictate the prices the NPC will ask in that shop.

EDIT: It was the "Too many heroes!! (MMORPGs)" thread (If not totally wrong now)


[edited by - OmniBrain on May 14, 2002 5:09:17 PM]

Cheating aside, I can just imagine the *wonderful* player community that would rise up around a game like that. It would really bring out the worst kind of power-gaming attitude...

Okay, what if instead of paying the most powerful, we charge them more money?

quote: Original post by berserk
Okay, what if instead of paying the most powerful, we charge them more money?

Didn''t we already discussed this before? I hope that statement is a joke. You charge everyone on the same server the same rate for the same service end of story.

If "How to make a big online game good for people who can only play a few hours a week?" is what you''re really after, I suggest you look at ideas like that''s incoperated into the gameplay like how UO has made it that every character has a "power" hours where he/she gains 2x/3x more exp and money. You won''t have to punish anybody in the game and the casual gamers would gain the most benefit in terms of overall balance.