Dynamic Planets / Day/Night & Weather.

[fadingdimension]

From a recent interview with Daniel Erickson on the podcast "Mos Eisley Radio":

 

"One of the primary passions I've always had in the MMO's is getting into the living world."

 

I really think day/night cycles and weather would help achieve this. Right now planets are entirely static. They always look the same and act the same everyday at all times. The new Rakghoul event definitely helps. However, even this event is static. There isn't specific things happening at specific times. Also, adding day night cycles and dynamic weather requires no real future updates, voice acting, or content creation. Once it's implimented you're done with it.

 

It would be easy to tie other dynamic events, quests, or bosses to the weather and time of day. Perhaps a certain boss only comes out at night. Maybe a certain quest is only available during the day. Maybe an NPC tells you to come back in the morning because they need time to get something for you. Maybe at night NPCs go inside and the creeps and criminals come out. You could even do the same thing with weather. Maybe rain spawns special plants for Biochem. A sandstorm on Tattooine sends NPCs fleeing for shelter. Day/Night cycles also don't have to coincide with real time and could simply be a few hours per cycle.

 

I feel like every mmorpg I've played has sported at least a day/night cycle. Many also have weather. Even in a single player game. Imagine playing a game like Skyrim without day/night or weather. I really feel like it would completely diminish the game's immersion.

 

This really is one of my biggest gripes with the game at the moment. I don't want a static world. I don't want static questing and npcs. Day/night and weather seems like one of the easiest and low maintenance ways of giving players a sense of a "living world". I've even seen a

with simple ways of

 

I hope Bioware will reconsider. It would be my most favorite addition to date.

Edited April 20, 2012 by fadingdimension