So, how would you set up a Marvel MMO?

[dvandom]

The more I find out about DC Universe Online, the more I think they're Doing It Wrong. But the original premise that lets them have thousands of new heroes running around, that works fine. When setting an MMO in an existing property, you need a reason why there's all these non-canon characters, after all, and "Lex Luthor came back from a horrible future with a bunch of stolen powers he's giving out in an attempt to avert that future" works fine.

How would you set up the MMO premise for Marvel?

Make this an alternate Earth where Scarlet Witch never turned into Crossover Queen. The world still has thousands of mutants, and governments around the world are desperate to find ways to cope with this explosion of powered entities.

New players can create a mutant, or a tech/training character from one of the many programs set up to deal with mutants. Other origins (magic, cosmic rays, etc) would be unlockable or added in expansions. Mutants would start off with one power and learn new ways to use it as they gain experience. At some point, they'd unlock a Secondary Mutation. Tech characters would have access to various relatively mundane gear (think SHIELD agent grunts, so maybe jetpacks as the high end), and instead of a Secondary Mutation they'd get to pick up a more advanced tech path (powered armor being an obvious possibility). Both archetypes would have access to training abilities (martial arts, mental resistance techniques, etc), although the tech characters might get better versions.

Comments

[zqadams.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who was in both the PC and PS3 betas, "Doing It Wrong" is an understatement. I like the idea of segregating "powers" and "combat" so that you can have a character whose power "theme" doesn't prevent them from being able to throw a decent punch or carry a staff. But the laughably small number of power types, the limited amount of content and the heavy emphasis on sucking up to the Power Trio of each side just kill any immersion for me, especially when potential global threats like Grodd are level five bosses.

As for your Marvel idea, that works well--one thing that'd be more important to me in a Marvel game than a DC, Champions or original-like-CoH universe is cosmic stuff, but I guess that could wait for an expansion...

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure a cosmic focus really works in the MMO context, though. It's more of a single-player or limited multiplayer sort of thing. They could later, a la CIty of Villains, launch an alien-focused game where beginning players are Kree or Shi'ar or whatnot and then let characters zone between them in limited circumstances (X-Men going to the Shi'ar galaxy, Kree coming to hang out on Earth, etc). But true "Marvel Cosmic" is about single characters with world-shattering power levels...or at least partnered with that sort. Not everyone can be a Guardian of the Galaxy or Nova Corps member.