Gaming references through features, and their leap into the MMORPG scene.

As far as we know all, there are many features in MMO "RPGs"(I quoted it since I'm really not convinced that they are really classified as RPGs, at least most of them) that might started by the games back in the past, you know mainly RPGs back in the days, maybe until now. Let me elaborate this to you even further, well at least the common gaming features and the game that somewhat they got their reference at:

The "Plus" System

This is quite common feature in games, games like Ragnarok, Rohan, and many other MMORPGs, that increases the ATK/DEF power of a certain equipment(weapon or armor):

As seen on the picture below:

But looking back in the past, you might remember this game:

(Sorry if I don't have a picture to show it to you, but I'll post it as soon as I have it).

For me, this game somehow started it. In Ragnarok, you need Phracon, Emveritacon, and Oridecon to upgrade weapons in different levels respectively, while you need Elunium for upgrading armors. In this game Azure Dreams, you need Red Sand to upgrade weapons(swords and a certain staff called "Trained") to increase their attack prowess and Blue Sand to upgrade your shield, since it's your only defense equipment in the game. If you're curious, you can play this game yourself(emulator, or if you have a Playstation and the game CD then go for it!), and see it for yourself.

The Embedding/Compounding System

Putting something on your equipment(cards, gems etc.) if there are slots on that certain weapon/armor, is also one of the main features of the MMORPG trend. Games like these have their share of it:

These two, among the sea of MMORPG's out there shares that feature. But looking closely from the past, there is/are certain RPGs that might remind you of something:

You might laugh at it, but if you haven't play these yet, then you're missing something. Back to the topic, when embedding/compounding something into your equipment, these two games always reminds me of it. Kind of weird but it is a fact. For example, you want to make an additional elemental damage like lightning on Tir's(Suikoden 1) weapon, you can embed either a Lighting Rune Piece or a Thunder Rune Piece depends on your taste. Same with Suikoden 2 and it's successors. Yes, it's something that might not a ringer, but it is certainly their reference, well without any co-incidence at all.

Item/Equipment Making Through Blueprints/Recipes

Without a doubt one of my favorite features in a game, where you could find or buy a certain blueprint/recipe to make an equipment that sometimes are more powerful than the conventional ones. There are MMORPGs in my mind that absolutely had this kind of feature:

Again, let's take a peek on where this feature came from. I'm sure most of you people are familiar with the game franchise, Final Fantasy. Well if you got it, then congratulations, if you don't let me show you from what game is it from(well at least in my case):

I know, I know, you might be thinking that I'm a fanboy of this game, which is certainly I'm not(FFVI is on the top of my list haha!), but looking inward to the game, in order for Zidane and for others to have a decent equipment before their ultimate weapons resurface, you need to go to a "Synthesis Shop" and bring the necessary equipment or items needed to for it to be made, and that is a shear fact.

Parting remark:

All of the things posted in this article doesn't reflect all MMORPG's and their features, I just nitpicked games that I know that there are connections at. This is based on the games I've played in the past, and the MMORPGs that I've played throughout the years. So far I'm enjoying myself exploring what did I missed in past and loving the games that are somewhat buried in the sand dunes of the modern gaming community. Remember, these are all my opinions, take it as attack, depends on you. Always take care, and have fun, serious fun...