Yeah I mean there's definitely a time and place for certain things. I was thinking back on that video from a few weeks ago, about the joys of walking in games, especially in games where the dash or full tilt sprint is an option. Then the other day reading an article, I think it was in gamer, where the author suggested that Players will always use the most efficient movement, even when that ends up being some awkward side-strafing, or a tumble roll backflip. There's the rotation in terms of keybinds, but also the rotation on the stick, which I think might be even more fundamental. Say where the player is sorta wheeling backwards either to the left or the right, as if it where a boxing ring or dojo mat defined by the line of sight and attack range. Or as if the terrain were all perfectly level and regulation - Olympic tournament style - or with like refs and judges on hand to check whether someone put a foot out of bounds hehe. Or there'll be a whole meta on triple jumps, hurdles, or enhanced leaps, for the sorta arcade gamey bounce. Whatever form the super duper jump takes.
I haven't played all that many actual MMOs. A little Ultima Online to kick things off way back in the day. NWN1 (although I'm not sure that really qualifies). Never did play Everquest or WoW, though it was always in the background of the culture, so I feel like I kinda played it anyway lol. ESO I attempted when Shmity72 hooked it up that one time, but I insta flamed out cause of RL stuff and probably Axis and Allies weighing in on me hehe. I definitely rocked the soundtrack though, and I think I ended up replaying Skyrim there for a few months, so it wasn't a total fail lol. SWTOR I think probably got me for 500 hours or so, like long enough to get at least one Sith Marauder and Sith Sorceress Runa Val to hit the lvl cap. It was fun enough, though I think the beating heart of all those MMO type games is the non com exploration-y and wardrobe-esque preoccupations, with combat and combat movement taking a back seat - as a kind of necessary diversion I guess, albeit one that often fell short for me. I think the most satisfying approach to this kind of stuff for me, invariably comes from Nintendo games. And those aren't particularly realistic, but somehow always feel right. Like I'd say Mario 64 was best in class for a bouncy sorta thing. Even in dreams I still fly like that sometimes, just always trying to maintain elevation with a glide, with occasional swoops and climbs. Or similarly the banking U turn in the X-Wing for some flight sim type games, but mostly it's still that triple jump into the glide for me. Zelda's BotW was I think my favorite iteration which I haven't really seen topped yet, for the climbs and the paraglider, and riding around on a horse. Kinda peak fantasy movement for me there. I just wish someone could somehow combine that vibe with the rope physics of the last of us. Or I don't know, but like full of Dwarven splunking? Repelling or climbing with ropes and pick axes, I think that would be the next step. Doesn't matter what the game is, I always want to climb to the highest point, or swoop down to the lowest point from the highest point. Like every time, in every game, so I'm surely on board with some suspension of disbelief. RL I probably couldn't climb 4 flights or stairs without getting pretty winded, so I guess I'm happy to suspend that disbelief. I mean I don't want like a reality suite and goggles by any stretch, cause I probably couldn't hang anymore like when I was younger. But something when it has an internal logic and fidelity to something is fun. I think also there's probably that sense in which, even it works great in MMO contexts, probably the creep into more SP or Co-Op type games is more the culprit, than how the systems work in games where there really are like massive numbers of players all trying to work it out at once.
I think top contenders for stuff that I haven't seen tried very much would be the dig dug approach, but in an RPG. Something about environmental interactivity where you can dig a pit trap. Pair that with like a grappling hook, or a makeshift wench with hella ropes? It would be fun to go all Predator playhouse on that, with a stronghold that really does a full jungle gym angle on character movement. I like the idea of climbing BotW style, but where that could also suddenly devolve into combat. Or maybe climbing in all directions, including the ground plane. Similar to how shooters have a whole prone/crouch and creep thing going on. So not so much climbing at all times, but just that idea of traction and a certain movement style for each potential surface plane and have them all in reach somehow. Swimming, again same deal, like if it could be paired with ropes and combat stuff, or the bends like Silo just did maybe, until the player gets their zora gills or breathing underwater spells hehe. I feel like if exploration is engaging enough, then the combats would probably naturally take shape to fill in whatever empty spaces there, but I haven't seen that yet. Or at least not executed in the way I'm after, which I guess would be some sort of fusion between Zelda exploration, but with the Faerun faerie dust to somehow mesh that with D&D-like systems for the actual boxing. It's hard to point to what I like rather than what I don't sometimes. But I guess what I like most is when feels very kinetic and responsive in exploration, but then slows down into a more TB style boat during the actual combat encounters. Like the perfect blend, but I guess I also like gas station coffee, so who knows hehe. It's fun to think about though
