Any RPG that bases its re-playability on loot is going to be compared to MMOG. Considering that most of the endgame content in Borderlands is based around gathering loot, a common draw to stereotypical MMOG, the comparison only seems fair. The enticement of gearing out your character and reaching the level cap – level 50 in Borderlands – isn’t its failure though, but its greatest success in claiming anMMOG label. Rather it falters in other impersonations, including story, NPC interactions, and connectiveness.
Borderlands is a beautiful game, set in the colorful, and hard, world of Pandora, but the story is downright dreadful. It isn’t poorly written, it’s, for all intents and purposes, simply non-existent. That may be a bit hyperbolic of me, there is a story, but if I were to layout the story in a text document it’d likely only reach a few pages. The story is in sad state, and ultimately a missed opportunity when one considers how well the extraneous dialogue – quest text, NPC and players barks – was delivered to players.
NPC interactions are encompassed in that extraneous dialogue, and each and every one of them was fantastic. Through a combination of art, video directing and hilarious writing, each non-playable character was given its own place in Pandora, its own personality and reason for existing. Some were bad guys, others good, while one is as blind as a bat that constantly jokes about his condition. They nailed the delivery, but not the quantity; there is only a handful of NPCs, be they quest givers or boss mobs in the game. A desolate world indeed. Borderlands was light on the interactions for a standard RPG, let alone a title being compared to an MMOG.
Gearbox Software missed a perfect chance to create a strong Borderlands community. The company started things off right, releasing an interactive spec page ahead of release, but failed to capitalize post-launch. Outside of the forums – which are currently rife with bug complaints – there’s nothing to grow the community. No loot database (yes, the loot is largely dynamic and random, but there are common factors and drops that could be tracked) or even a helpful manual to explain the intricate specializations to newbies. Had the company chose to invest in growing and supporting a community Gearbox would recuperate those expenses, and then some, on DLC.
Let’s get one thing straight, Borderlands was never advertised by Gearbox Software as an MMOG. The comparisons have all been made by gamers and writers, such as myself, who saw the common trends in game design merging in the FPS/RPG hybrid that is Borderlands. Gearbox didn’t perfect this blend, but that doesn’t stop the title from being chock full of character and re-playability. Oh, and fun as hell.
In terms of story, I always look at gamers who expect to read a story in an interactive medium and think “Wha!?”. It’s an interactive medium – YOU make the story.
What I would grant is that these games, not at all right now, have any tools to record player actions and layout a story (or atleast a log of cool events). So it’s easy to forget the story you just made.
More on my blog :) http://philosophergamer.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-story-or-did-you-forget-what-you-did.html
For a weapons, etc. database, the Borderlands Wiki is currently the best bet. However, as you mentioned, that majority of the weaponry is randomly generated, so there’s really not much point in a full blown database for each individual weapon when it’s much more useful to document what each special mod, etc. does, which the Wiki has done.
I don’t see how Gearbox “missed the mark” on creating a massively multiplayer game when that was never their intention to begin with. It’s a 4-player co-op game. The end. I don’t recall ever reading idiotic articles (such as the one linked) that Blizzard “came close but missed the mark” of making Diablo an MMOG. Oh, that’s right… MMOG’s were new back then and in the bigger gaming scheme, rather niche. Today everyone on the planet has at least played WoW and therefore thinks every game that allows for more than 2 players has apparently “missed the mark” somewhere along the line and failed to become the MMOG it was never destined to become anyway…
All they wanted was an FPS (which has been Gearbox’s forte since the studio’s inception) with Diablo-esque “shoot and loot” fun. As you mentioned, it’s the moronic players who insist on comparing everything under the sun these days to MMOG’s, which is unfortunate.
Well aimed points, Scott!
its been four years since the release, i recently bumpin to it and its awesome, everything ive spected for an rpg, even an mmorpg, only problem that it is not one. iv been specting recent release of starwars mmorpg the old republic could be the new great thing, but, really is just a copy of wow, didnt improve anything the mmorpg experience. but borderland however, has every potencial to be a very powerfull mmorpg for raising a new mmocomunity, its playability, random looting and spec growth, driving vehicules, shooter and rpg at same time, and leaving behind on purpouse pjs bla bla boring chats, the history its simple, its great. we hope borderlands 2 comes for mmorpg.