Recent news about proposed future developments for mmorpg’s and online games (mmo-likes) that I play with some regularity have brought me back out of hiatus. These show games moving in opposite directions on the simple-complex axis of rpg mechanics.  This matters to me, because I’m more likely to enjoy playing a character if there’s some breadth and depth to the choices I can make in customising his or her abilites and gear. The one mmorpg that I’ve played consistently for some time now has been Everquest 2, a game that hasn’t shied away from such complexity.

EQ2: 7 hotbars of abilities

I’ve spent a larger share of my gaming time on tabletop RPGs (D&D and Starfinder) over the last couple of months, so the relative lack of choice for character customisation in mmorpgs is on my mind. Taking away options even more isn’t going to endear a game to me…