Do expansions promote or reduce burnout?
On one hand, new content and new abilities can reinvigorate. On the other hand, new abilities and gameplay may confuse and reduce a sense of comfort in the world.
In general they shake things up and that may be individually good or bad.
On one hand, new content and new abilities can reinvigorate. On the other hand, new abilities and gameplay may confuse and reduce a sense of comfort in the world.
In general they shake things up and that may be individually good or bad.
3 comments:
They all initially reduce burnout, IMO. Burnout seems to be more caused by repetition, and when starting a new XPAC, almost everything is new. After you get done with the new stuff, then burnout depends on how well the developers planned and designed new content.
For MoP, the dailies are starting to fatigue players and cause a bit of early burnout. Once players get through a faction rep grind, though, it will be a load lifted from that burnout feeling.
Too early to tell what happens after all reps are done. I think the staged release of LFR will help provide a longer stretch of new content (even though normal raids are available, many players will not be progressing as fast as LFR goes, still).
I think MoP is going to overall do a better job with holding off burnout.
Depends on the type of expansion.
If it nerfs the bejeevus out of stuff you had been working on (ie the Reputation changes to Argent Dawn, Timbermaw etc. with The Shattering) they do add burnout as you ask yourself why bother?
As a recent Massively article pointed out, a big draw of MMORPG's is the 'promise' your in-game efforts 'stick' - and such nerfings ruin all that.
When I was invested in a single game (WoW), I was looking forward to expansion for all the new stuff to do. For WotLK, I even took a couple of vacation days at launch.
These days, spread over more than one game, expansions or, more importantly, major mechanics updates reduce my retention. Having to relearn my class in a game is typically not fun, and it's eve less fun if you come back to a game after a while and stare at empty talent trees, and realize that you can't remember your spec's details. And even if you remember how to play the class, it's outdated now and you have to start from scratch again.
Post a Comment
Comments in posts older than 21 days will be moderated to prevent spam. Comments in posts younger than 21 days will be checked for ID.