-snip- And what the loot does \ how they work.
I can only think of a
PvNPC (
Player vs NPC) system which rewards the player a random/specified reward depending on the result,
Because MMOs doesn't always have to be PvP and some players prefer playing against NPCs than real players.
You can also slip Provably Fair to the NPC's dialogues in a lore-friendly way or in a less noticeable way.
That's isn't something new, perhaps you or someone can think of a better and unique approach in rewarding dedicated players loots.
-snip- I am just now getting ready to redo all the character designs so they are 3D and we'll be able to more easily add items to them.
Yup, 3D character design is a must when it comes with open-world; it won't be much of problem with mobile phones either as the current entry models are powerful enough to render high-poly meshes and medium-high quality textures.
Plus you can easily integrate VR mode as an option.