In a recent discussion, Star Trek Online producer Dan Stahl ragged on the application of launch day (or even launch month) review scores to any MMOG. It’s impossible for any reviewer to undertake an MMOG, a genre that is designed to keep players busy for hundreds of hours, in a scant few hours or even a week’s worth of play. In fact, I’ve discussed the struggle with previewing our beloved genre during convention demos.
Stahl continues that thought, pushing it further, literally. The genre of MMOGs is like any other in video games. While console and PC players are enjoying their second run in Pandora, trouncing enemies with friends in Torchlight 2 or preparing for their sixth zombie invasion, purveyors of massive multiplayer online games see their titles grow over time. Often enjoying entirely new features, areas and/or full expansions every few months. Yet, few games are re-rated based on these massive gameplay updates.
Stahl stated: “”There are plenty of MMOs that have made huge strides since days one and some that have even gotten worse. Until then, we will continue to offer the game for free and ask for people to try it out and decide for themselves.”
Even if he is biased, Star Trek Online is one of the title where to 2010 score is incredibly dated. The game has improved and changed dramatically since then. All for the better.
What are your thoughts on review scores for MMOGs? We here at LoreHound use a combination of scores to come up with the list of hot MMOGs you see to the right. Everything from frequency of comments, posts and clicks to a review score goes into that blackbox.
I think Dan is trying to find a scapegoat for why, despite multiple expansions, Star Trek Online’s revenue is in the toilet. The thing is, an initial impression is what most people use to judge whether or not they would enjoy a game, so reviewers presenting their initial impressions of a game is often exactly what the reader wants. In conjunction with that, from a psychological perspective an initial impression colors how a person sees a game henceforth. This can be both a positive and a negative thing. For example, I played STO on the day it launched. I enjoyed it immensely, right up until serious flaws in the group-based combat system ground my leveling to a halt. The monthly costs ceased to be worth it in my eyes, so I canceled, but I still remember the game fondly. That’s why I downloaded it again and started playing six days ago, for old time’s sake. That good initial impression is what drove me on through the tutorial, constant ads for their cash store, and layer after layer of bewildering expansion content. I would’ve normally packed it in after an hour, but because I wanted to relive my good memories, I stuck it out for about a day. In this way, a player’s perception of the game does not change greatly, despite what changes the game undergoes further on down the line. And this validates the veracity of initial MMO reviews.
November 18th, 2012 at 11:57 amQuote