We built this city

Trying out a few betas lately a very simple point hit home to me. When we talk about next-gen MMORPGs, we should be looking for this: gameplay that is enjoyable even in the absence of progression. Progress would then be what it should be - icing. That is why some ideas, like more twitchy gameplay, integrated PvP and more compelling story, have some potential.

That got me to thinking about game systems that are fun, and city-building came to mind. From Civ to SimCity down to RTS standards, there's something compelling about that gather/build/maintain paradigm. So when thinking about an MMORPG character, can we cast it in terms of "building" a hero?

Currently we have stats, class/abilities, gear (which is appearance and more stats) and professions. There is also quest history and reputation, but both are so shallow in implementation as to have no impact on the hero.

On the class/ability front, clearly much has been done. Still, I feel that an opportunity is missed to make class-like decisions be more like a tech-tree. Diablo did this, of course, and WoW cloned it in the talent system, but it loses the sense of exploration that makes it so cool in an RTS setting. I begin to think that the unique-build-irrevocable-choice idea prevalent in MMORPGs is a relic of the past. Why not let people try things out as much as possible? Doesn't that open up more gameplay opportunities? Different scenarios, different teams, different builds. In an RTS you make relative commitments to certain units, buildings, upgrades, etc that span an attack, a base position, a phase of a game, a whole game, a night of playing, a week of playing, etc... An MMORPG could have the same levels of commitment that require tactical and strategic decisions, yet encourage exploration of the game space.

As to gear, I can only think that maintenance and upgrading should be a part of it. The fantasy trope of finding a legendary new sword is cool, but what about the equally compelling concept of a trusty, beloved weapon? Let existing weapons customize over time to the user, so that there is always a penalty to changing.

Professions are easy. The hero-as-merchant and hero-as-craftsman are quickly recognized. Let the hero build a network of workers, trade houses and shops. Deals for goods and services. This is an empire-building game waiting to happen and is close enough to deserve its own post.

Ah, but networks bring up a great idea. What hero doesn't have networks of allies, informants, suppliers, people they feel responsible for and people who sing their praise? Relationships with NPCs are a huge untapped system. It also opens up the way for personality customization. What sort of person is this hero? Does he drink and cavort before nobly saving the village? Does she watch from the shadows and strike without being seen? Does he befriend children and small animals and teach them wholesome life lessons? Personality and relationships can give narrative depth, open up new systems for exploration and achievement and allow the player to feel both ownership and impact on the world.

So what would such a system look like? Does the city building paradigm propose anything? I think I'll leave that to ponder a while and come back to it.