MMO difficulty, reward philosophy, and genre comparisons

A substantial part of the discussion is devoted to general MMORPG design philosophy, especially challenge, reward structure, and the perceived differences between western and eastern MMO traditions. These comments are framed as principles that inform Scars of Honor.

The central argument is that MMORPGs should be challenging in both progression and world interaction. Easy rewards, low-risk open worlds, and trivial enemies are presented as major reasons the genre has weakened.

Challenge as a core MMO value

The preferred model is an MMORPG where the world feels dangerous and progress feels earned. Open-world enemies are expected to pose real resistance while leveling, rather than dying in only a few hits.

This philosophy extends beyond combat. Gold acquisition, item progression, and other forms of advancement are also described as things that should require effort.

Opposition to effortless rewards

Routine rewards for simply logging in are criticized. The argument is that when items, currency, or progression are handed out too easily, players stop valuing them.

The same principle is applied to the in-game economy: money should be earned rather than distributed freely, because currency scarcity and effort are part of what gives purchases and upgrades meaning.

Questing and leveling

Simple collection or kill quests are not rejected outright, but they are treated as acceptable only in moderation. If the entire leveling experience becomes a chain of chores such as gathering vegetables or killing a few trivial creatures, the result is seen as one reason players rush to endgame instead of enjoying progression.

The preferred direction is not necessarily shorter leveling, but more engaging leveling.

Eastern and western MMO design

The speaker identifies more strongly with western MMORPG design than with eastern MMO conventions. Black Desert Online and Throne and Liberty are discussed as examples of eastern design that may have their own audience but do not match the preferred philosophy.

By contrast, Scars of Honor is positioned as aligned with western MMO values even though it is developed in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is described as part of Europe, while also being culturally distinct enough that the game is not presented as following an established eastern-European MMO template.

World of Warcraft comparisons

World of Warcraft is used repeatedly as a reference point. Older eras such as vanilla, The Burning Crusade, and Wrath of the Lich King are treated as closer to the desired balance of challenge and reward than more recent expansions.

The discussion argues that housing alone would not solve World of Warcraft's problems. Housing is acknowledged as potentially useful, especially as a trophy or personal-expression space, but it is considered low priority compared with systems that generate repeated playtime such as classes, dungeons, battlegrounds, arenas, and raids.

PvE, PvP, and gear philosophy

The relationship between PvE and PvP gearing is discussed as an open design question. The tension identified is familiar: PvP players often dislike being forced into PvE for competitive viability, while fully separated gear ecosystems can make the game feel fragmented.

No final rule is stated here for Scars of Honor, but the issue is treated as important to long-term balance.

Raids, dungeons, and content cadence

Large raids are recognized as expensive to build and quick for players to consume once mastered. Because of that, content cadence is treated as crucial.

The stated preference is for systems that return more playtime per development effort. Dungeons and raids are important, but the design goal is to avoid simply copying the World of Warcraft model. The game is said to have a distinct dungeon philosophy, though details are withheld.

Housing as a lower priority system

Housing is discussed in terms of development cost versus player engagement. A well-made housing system is acknowledged to require months of work, but it is questioned whether players would spend enough time with it to justify prioritizing it over combat and group content.

As a result, housing is treated as a possible future feature rather than a core need ahead of battlegrounds, arenas, dungeons, raids, talents, or classes.

Source

• Recording: 🔴 MMoRPG Sunday 🔴 SoH Spoilers and Community Time! New channel Reward Redemptions!
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• Published: Sunday, September 28, 2025 at 10:13 PM UTC