I think you are significantly over estimating (a) how much content is put in at launch and (b) how much additional content I am talking about and (c) how much 'Main stream' content would need to be removed to accommodate it. This is the kind of typical sloppy thinking that developers fall back on to justify making sub-par games.
It takes a lot of time just to finish a basic game that comes out sub par, let alone a good one. You may not believe it, but unless you mean just a quest or 2 for each class (which would be way too little to really have the "uniqueness" of each class) then yes, it wouldn't take much away, but once you start adding more and more, the development time and such becomes more, and thus to get the game out in time they have to cut.
I stopped playing MMOs a long time ago precisely because of this. The fact that sloppy and sub-par games were being banged out in the name of profits. I in no way believe that the limitations of hardware or programing resources limit the ability for creation of a great game (And if you do, I feel sorry for you). It is Corporate types trying to 'Simplify' things down into the most basic formula possible so as to make the most money with no thought towards originality or innovation. And attitudes like yours propagate that thinking.
First I will say, I don't find these games subpar. The fact that I can put in many hours and not say I have done "a lot in the game" having fun the whole time, that is not sub par. D3 was sub par (I still found it fun for a while) but it could have had much more. WoW, Rift, GW2 all to me were on Par if not better than par comparing to its predecessors. EQ, and the other Gen I MMORPGS set that par.
As it stands now, I admit that 'Best' is DPS. However, if you take DPS out of the equation and add in actual variety, 'Best' becomes highly subjective. Then you wouldn't have the kinds of fluctuation you describe. or if you did it would be people actually trying out the custom content. not people gravitating towards the highest DPS.
this really comes down to how it is done. Well thought out and interesting side quests and alternate ways of accomplishing things would draw players and interest. Take a look at Baldur's gate and all of the different ways to complete the game. People try 'Fastest route', 'Least damage' route, 'highest experience' route, 'Evil party' route, 'Good party' route, combinations of companions, etc.. and the list goes on. I have every suspicion that the same could be said about MMOs if there was variability of content and not just DPS.
Alternate means of completeing a task is always fun, however it is hard, if not tedious to implement that into an MMO. Baldur's gate was a great game. But if they tried converting that to an MMO, I bet it would fall hard. And again, it isn't because the design is bad, never said that and that is not my opinion. What I have been saying, which your other posts to other people actually backs me up, is the Playerbase the companies target. The playerbase of casuals basically shape the MMOs today. That is the reason WoW went from hard to easy and just takes time now. That is the reason GW2 (albeit a great game) is very casual friendly. And the playerbase also LOVES to gravitate to the "Best" class. Either for PvP, PvE, DPS, whatever. They always do. Best examples are when top tiered raiding guilds don't even bring a shaman to their world first kills in most of Cata because they were just not worth it, even though they had unique mana returning to raid buffs as restoration shaman.
MMOs are basically created for and run by casual gamers. This is why having such "uniqueness" will never happen or happen successfully, because you have to balance the game around those not willing to put forth the effort to understand that being the 'best' is only one option in a game. (Warriors are the #1 rolled char on GW2, by approx 20% difference from 2nd most rolled - because they have no struggling when killing monsters higher level. Mesmers and elementalists get in trouble if more than 1 mob gets on them)
MMOs are successful today due to DPS because it is the only game in town, NOT because it is the best formula. And what you call "unique roles in combat" are hardly that. There may be slight variations, but nothing more. And you disregard the unique and enjoyable playable content that could be had allowing players to really have a unique experience with their chosen profession. I am not saying gimp X or Y character class. I am saying give them more than simply a paint job to differentiate them from everyone else. And absolutely allow Wizards to do massive damage, from range. Fighters, massive damage close up. Rogues massive damage from surprise, etc.... Just give them more than simply DPS to compare their uniqueness.
Considering that WoW has this... (sub rogues used to do more damage going into and outta stealth and were great when adds came to vanish and stunlock). mages do amazing damage, however almost die in melee range from 1 attack. Warriors and ret paladins do massive melee damage yet cannot do damage in range. Most of the classes abilities are different enough that it isn't a "paint job difference". If you think I am wrong go roll a warrior and please dps well enough from range because he is only painted differently from a mage right?
Class uniqueness doesn't fit into you vision of an MMO. Nor apparently in the vision of the developers. That in no way means that it wouldn't add something to the genre. Who would have thought that the original Diablo would have done so well. it was taking elements from various previous games and putting them together in a slightly different manner. Yet 12-15 years later it is one of the highest praised games out there. Same with Baldur's gate. Just because 'its always been that way' doesn't mean that a genre can't stand a kick in the pants every once in a while. And the more people hide behind paradigms, the greater the chance that someone else will come along and steal their market share because they were willing to take a risk on something new.
The thread is 'EQ Next, what would you like in it'. I would like to see class specific content and a departure from samey DPS dependence. You may not think it would add anything. that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. I think it would make the game 10x better than it would be without it.
And also, MMOs do work 'BEST' in large raid parties. That doesn't mean that it is and has to be a one trick pony. There are plenty of MMO players that solo. There are even more that do specialized groups towards one class or another. Put back the RPG in MMORPG is all I am saying. (BTW, MMO is a bastardization of MMORPG in case you weren't aware of that).
A) This isn't my vision of an MMO. This is the general trend in which businesses invision MMOs. I have a much different idea for MMOs than you have or they have, but I completely understand only a few people would find my idea fun, and therefore a horrible idea to actually create it as a business and thus a bad idea.
B) You think, as in your opinion not majorities, it would make the game 10x. No doubt I would find the game very fun. I did do paper DnD. I understand where you are coming from. However, if even the MMO DnD isn't tailored that way, then we must understand the majority of video game player do not enjoy that and thus would not work.
C) And yes I understand that MMO is a generalization for MMORPG. But one day I bet an MMORacer or MMOWhatever game will be made, making teh statement using MMO as just MMORPG invalid. Also These games already have RPG. RPG as we know is 'Role-playing game' Thus, story and character improvement. Every MMO good and bad has this, as NPCs are interactable and we can feel "enveloped" into the world if we wish this way. So they are all RPG. RPG does not mean uniqueness, it does not mean puzzles, it does not even mean fighting.
P.S. I am mad at Bethesda going to Elder Scrolls MMO route and the developers of Torchlight thinking on a Torchlight MMO.
Why can we not keep good single players games single player. Just create a new game series for MMOs. Thus I am exploring a new world and not a world I already kinda know just seeing other sides of it.
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