Character diversity is key to team success in MMPs

By Michael Lafferty

Understanding each other’s role improves appreciation for different character classes

When World of Warcraft launched its PvP server (player-versus-player), one of the goals was to test the balance of the classes.

In Asheron’s Call 2, the monthly updates often led to the “flavor of the month,” the character class that had the biggest attacks either because their skill set was tweaked, or the previous “flavor” was nerfed – more often a combination of the two.

The same thing occurred in Star Wars Galaxies. One class would be determined to be too strong and with the next update, the developers would code the game to take away, or nerf, some of that power.

The idea is really a simple one – the developers created several character classes in the hopes that players would find the class that is right for them and their style of play. However, if one class is dominant, then more and more players will gravitate to that class and you end up with a world full of one type of character. This is not good. That is when the nerfs begin, and when you have a certain class referred to as the “flavor of the month.”

From World of Warcraft

To understand what this is really all about, let’s look at basic game structure and the goal of the massively multiplayer online game market.

In order to make a game viable, to ensure that it lasts any decent length of time on the market, the developers and publishers need subscribers willing to pay that monthly fee and keep the servers active. The more players in the world, the more vibrant it becomes.

The target audience is not just one type of gamer. There are terrific strategy games that offer multiplayer options, and the same holds true for first-person shooters. The persistent worlds of massively multiplayer games are trying to emulate thriving worlds that are alive with diversity, worlds that attract a wide range of players.

To that end, developers attempt to create evolving quests and story lines. But a world is not diverse if everyone is toting crossbows, or if everyone is a healer. The games need melee warriors, and for tactical or strategic elements, throwing in ranged attacks offers variety to the warrior class. Of course, you need healers for the warriors. Perhaps a buff or two would be good, so that means magic. (Besides, magic users can often produce some of the more dazzling special effects in the games.)

Of course, what would a thriving world be without goods to sell and an economy, which gives way to crafting? Besides, if done correctly, one never needs to truly engage in combat in order to advance as a crafter.

A younger player I know liked to play SWG, but did not like the fighting aspects of the game. Crafting immersed that player in the world, produced a viable trade and allowed socialization with not only in-game friends, but also a wide range of other players who sought out the crafting service offered.

This is precisely what the developers hope to achieve – creating classes that involve a wide range of players (in terms of age, gender and playing styles), not merely those who wish to bash, smash and destroy anything or everything around them (though that is a lot of fun, too).

The chore is then to create balance between the classes, making certain that no one class is so superior as to dominate the game.

But there is an aspect to this that so far has not been touched on. So far, all that has been mentioned is strengths of an avatar, not the weaknesses, and therein lays the key to so much of what MMPs are about.

From City of Heroes

Take, for example, City of Heroes. The blaster build has a high damage output (ranged attacks) but is low on hit points and the amount of damage they can take. Take a group of five blasters into a mission against Tsoo (a martial arts class of villain that also has mystics called sorcerers or ink men). Should the mystics put a sleep spell or hold, or use a mind attack to immobilize a blaster, and the melee close, there is a reasonably good chance that the next stop for that blaster is the hospital and experience debt.

Now throw a controller into that group, who can sleep the targets or immobilize them, and a healer (defender) who can erase the damage the team receives, and a tank to take the brunt of the onslaught and keep the bad guys off the ranged attack and you have the essence of a good group.

(Please note that in CoH, all classes can solo reasonably well, and missions adjust for group size and levels, but it is in grouping that the challenge increases and so does the fun.)

In Lineage 2 one often heard teams on the broadcast (shout) channel looking for healers.

What it all boils down to is diversity within teams and groups. Using a broad range of character classes, and playing up to the strengths of the classes, allowing the individuals to mask each other’s weaknesses with another’s strengths, is what creates a solid team dynamic, and increases the chance of success.

But it shouldn’t just end there. Rarely does a player truly appreciate what another can do unless they have walked in those shoes. If the game you are playing allows you to have multiple avatars, then try out some of the other classes, if for no other reason than to appreciate the challenges that they face.

Case in point: There was a player was not overly appreciative of healers. After all, how hard could it be to stand in the back, out of immediate danger and just heal people? Then that player tried the class, and found out that healers occasionally drew ranged aggro and managing mana to be able to toss those heals around, while understanding that the entire group was relying on that player to keep them alive was an eye-opener. The player didn’t play the class for long. Why? “Too much pressure,” he said. Did it change the way he played his favorite class of character (melee)? It most certainly did.

Massively multiplayer games are built around diversity. It is part of their charm, and part of what makes for a successful group dynamic. But there is more to it than that. Understanding your role, and appreciating what others do is equally important. Do not dismiss another class because the player in that role is not a high-damage dealer. Each player within a game comes from a different life perspective and is trying to find his or her place in the persistent world you share. We find commonality in the shared journey.

And if you are still uncertain about your response to a certain character class, take a moment to step outside your favorite class and try it from their perspective. Odds are you will have your eyes opened, and you just may gain appreciation for what they do.

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