Some MMO companies are focusing on new and innovative combat systems to compete with World of Warcraft

Just recently we noted that Blizzard is already preparing for the day when World of Warcraft will be declared obsolete, and while many readers felt that, like Everquest, WoW will never be considered "obsolete" (only unprofitable), there is one aspect of World of Warcraft that has remained untouched in its six years of development: WoW's classic hotkey based combat, otherwise affectionately known as "1-2-1-2-1-2" combat.

More specifically, while there are many who are happy with World of Warcraft's responsive combat design, it is also undeniable that sometimes it can be a bit jarring to realize that your raid DPS cycle really consists of you just pressing 1 button while occasionally pressing 2 once you've built up enough combo points or once a certain skill is off cooldown. In this regard, there have been a number of MMORPGs that have set out to try to "break free" of WoW's 1-2-1-2 combat, and while not all of these innovations have been very successful, we, here at ZAM, decided to really check out what sort of technology fads are on the rise for MMO gamers away from WoW's classic hotkey style of combat.

First / Third Person Shooter MMORPGs: (Global Agenda, Fallen Earth, Darkfall)

The unfortunate problem with first person shooter MMORPGs is that FPS MMOs can sometimes skimp on the "RPG" aspect of their genre, with many MMOFPSs quickly degenerating into slower versions of Counter-Strike, but with more levels. Collectively, however, gamers have always been keen for a good MMOFPS and, while super-indie MMOs like Darkfall and Mortal Online have tried (and failed) to create a responsive MMOFPS game, the industry does seem hell-bent on being the first to make a true successor to the genre after SOE's Planetside.

Unfortunately, however, since the release of Global Agenda (another one of those MMOFPSs that may have skimped too much on the RPG aspect), and the uber-difficult Fallen Earth, MMOFPS fans may have only a few remaining bastions in which they can put their hopes: Webzen's highly delayed Huxley Online, CCP Games' Dust 514 and SOE's The Agency. Of these, however, both Dust 514 and The Agency are being developed with a focus on consoles rather than PCs. Thus, while it does seem as though MMOFPSs may be the way of the future, it will probably take quite a while for the concept to attract the right developer. Who knows? Perhaps MMOFPS gaming is destined for the console, and there's nothing we can do about it.

NCsoft's Blade & Soul

In case you weren't aware, Blade & Soul is an MMORPG being developed by NCsoft, and they claim that B&S will involve action-based / directional combat rather than targeting something and pressing 1 repeatedly. The one issue with directional or action-based MMORPGs is the fact that they require a very good internet connection to really appreciate the game. Korea has an incredible internet structure that is virtually impossible to recreate in North America, and it would seem somewhat difficult to play an action game that relies on subtle movements and fast reactions if there are any latency issues involved. Even with an MMO like Aion, players are noting that aerial combat is incredibly difficult for melee classes because, with latency, it's almost impossible to actually hit your opponent mid-air if they're constantly moving.

Ii this way, should NCsoft succeed in creating a great action-based game for North American players, they'll need to also get the server prowess to support such a game. If everything lines up, however, you can be certain that a number of World of Warcraft players would willingly make the journey to Blade & Soul just to check out this innovative combat system.