Ideas to improve roleplaying support in MMORPGs?

[Xuri]

Seeing as this place has always been a stronghold for roleplayers, I'd be really interested in seeing you all post your own top-ten (or five, if you can't think of ten) improvements that could be made to a generic MMORPG (or even to a specific one) to better support roleplaying. :)

[swanhilde]

An IQ requirement for registration ;)

[Tyndareus]

1. A chat system that is not confined to a small box in the corner. Text bubbles or some other system that immediately identifies which character on screen is saying what is best.

2. The ability to play with little or no GUI interface showing. All commands should have keyboard alternatives to clicking except those that directly interface with the world (clicking on an enemy or chest or what have you).

3. The option to 'ignore' dialogue from other players. Toggles whether or not another player's 'speech' is displayed on screen and in your log. Ideally, this would extend to the player character themself. If you could toggle whether or not that character appears on screen for you at all would be ideal. The world would have to be designed in such a way that this wouldn't interfere with any actions that character was trying to do, but since most MMORPG's don't handle hit detection between players, or disallow communicating to NPC's already in conversation, this shouldn't be an insurmountable hurdle.

4. Quests and objectives that require multiple players working in concert with each other. This doesn't mean hard bosses. Perhaps there is a dungeon where one lever must be held down and defended while another lever half way across the map is also activated. Perhaps a trap must be made for some large creature. One player acts as bait, four others are required to fire harpoons from various angles to tether the beast. Offer a variety of tasks that require various skills. Not all players play killing machines and all players like to feel needed.

5. Offer an IC way of meeting new players and people. Instead of a 'group needed' menu in the GUI (ala D&DO) provide NPC's around the city where fighters or theives or clerics can offer their services. These NPC's can then suggest a group who is looking for a cleric or the player's level, or suggest that player to a group who comes looking for a cleric. Perhaps various guild houses could offer this service.