Attachment : The over looked factor in MMO's ?

Site Admin Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 2483

Has attachment been over looked?
When we look at the success of the games, we look at numbers, systems and features that games tend to have, and from there we work inwards looking at every detail to try and work out what makes them a success, and what keeps people playing.
Its always a combination of things but one thing i believe is not taken in to consideration is
Attachment

When we create a character we are essentially creating ourselves, our alter-ego, our star wars persona; who we would be if we existed in that world of choice.
We make it look how we want, act how we want, we control it, decide its fate, and direction.
Over time we grow attached to it, it becomes more of ourselves, a treasured item that we experience a great new world with.

With attachment we will play longer, as we try to experience more of the world, attached to our character to our friends that make the game a great experience, and when newer games roll around, the idea of starting a new is not overly exciting if we have that attachment, or its something that will keep on bringing us back.

Many try a new game and they go through it all, and then reach a certain stage where they ask why they should continue on wards? they may not feel the same attachment to the character in this world as they do in the other. They will look at the end game content and think why should they bother with completing all this when they have done pretty much the same thing in another game?

With out the attachment to the character often the desire to continue on play a game drops away, and i feel some MMOs have forgotten about this little feature that has great impact, instead they have gone ahead and added exactly the same features and systems that other games have, then wondered why they keep going back

While players returning to other games, ditching the new MMO is not entirely the result of attachment i do feel its a factor many do not consider.

So what makes attachment?

The feeling of achievement and progress with your character,
The options to customise your look,
The options to personalise your set up
The ability to control your experience.

When it comes to TOR i have some hope, i want to be able to really create myself in star wars form, my star wars avatar

A few Questions

* Do you think attachment to your character is important,?

* Has attachment to your character in another game kept you playing?

* Has attachment to a certain character left you with fond memories of a great experience?

* Is attachment over looked?

* Is it even needed?

Any thoughts, comments or concerns always welcome, Smile

Jedi Master Joined: May 07, 2009 Posts: 1464

Attachment is rather important. And usually customizability is the big puller here. Alot of games simply don't give enough of this.
Aion has a hug amount of customization...but only after you get past halfway to level cap.
And it seems a LOT of games are like this anymore...all of the customization doesn't happen till much much later. When it needs to be a factor from the very beggining.

Anyone thats ever played an MMO for more than 4 months has experienced attachment atleast on a small scale.
Been playing past 6 months you are deffinately attached to a character or the community.

Without it people pass throught he game like they do FPS games.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:46 pm

Yeah, I definitely feel attached to my characters on Lord of the Rings Online. They all have some sort of story, and especially my main, who is at the level cap and is a well geared, raid ready main tank, who i've gone through all of the games challenges and story line with, I hold special memories and feelings every time I log in with him. I hope to find that with the Jedi version of me!

Jedi Master Joined: Aug 09, 2009 Posts: 427

Well attachment to my characters in DAO keep me going, so hopefully I can attach to my characters in TOR.