What is Moba? In brief, MOBAs are a type of massively multiplayer online role-playing game, often employing a fantasy theme, and with players taking on a persona in much the same way as do MMORPGs. An exciting new sub-genre of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, MOBAs are rapidly growing in popularity, to become a major component of online video gaming. But what is Moba, and how has it influenced the design of World of Warcraft’s future content?
Moba is an acronym for “Monsters Of Adventure”, and it is what many MMORPGs are derived from. In essence, Moba give players the chance to adopt the role of a new, unique character, going through a storyline, leveling up and interacting with other characters, all within a persistent environment. While it is possible to “role play” in most modern massively multiplayer online role-playing games, in Moba there are more freedom, and greater potential for creativity. One example of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that features a large, live world is World of Warcraft. There, players can take on the persona of any number of iconic characters, including” neutrality”, “healer”, and “casters”. By taking on the character of any one of these characters, players can effectively craft their own experience, moving through the game’s multiple regions and quests, and affecting the outcome.
One of the things that makes Moba so special is that it offers its players a tremendous amount of freedom. Unlike most games where you start at level one, leveling in Moba is completely optional. At higher levels, you can choose to remain in the same class, but you can also switch to any of the three different “flavor” classes, namely: warrior, shaman, or mage. Each class has their own special abilities, and you can find yourself playing a completely different role while playing as either one of these classes. In addition, each class has their own special weapon as well as special armor, meaning that you are free to choose any combination of weapons and armor that you want, allowing you to craft your own unique experience.
Another unique feature of Moba is that it allows you to use a variety of traditional genre tricks, like “bio-signatures”, “dota skins”, “custom maps”, and more. For example, you can make a custom map that showcases your favorite Dota heroes, or one that features your favorite moba heroes. You can also create an awesome, themed battle arena inside the game. Moba allows you to do this because it is written in c++ using the same coding as the famous game engine, idl.
What makes Moba so different is that it allows players to fully customize every aspect of the game. Take, for example, the Warcraft III: Mists of Pandaria hero race, the troll. There are two skin options for this hero: green and blue. If you choose to use a green skin you can show your solidarity with the troll race, or if you choose blue, you can show your dedication to the Lich King. You can do all of this in the options menu, which is just one click away.
The most impressive thing about Moba, however, is that it enables players to play with any heroes they would like. Whether you are interested in playing a warrior, a scholar, an assassin, or even a healer, you can! Players can switch between all of these heroes at will and can play as much or as little of each as they want, choosing any combination they like. This is truly the crowning achievement of Moba, and something that players will remember for years to come when they hear about the depth of the game and the innovation of the Moba community.