Game Rant

[mortarach]

I don't post often at all but thought I wanted to vent some frustration regarding "Massively Multiplayer Online" Games

Comments

[chromenewt]

I have exactly the same gripes. The only reason I'm playing Aion is it's a way to play and chat online with my missus (who lives 125 miles away) and my other friends. Exactly what you've said I agree with. There was a game (the name eludes me at the moment) which had a strict "die and your body is lootable with all your belongings" and "create your own village/town/city and protect it from invading PCs" policy. It was too hardcore for many players which was a big shame. Ultima Online is still very hardcore on that front since there was a distinct lack of quest giving NPCs. You wandered and talked to them, getting clues about where to go for the next big adventure fix. There was no "go kill ten Borks and bring me back their nipples as proof" quests. The only grinding was mining/harvesting materials for crafting. Indeed, within the game becoming a baker, fletcher or lumberjack was as legitimate a profession in the game as being an adventurer

[taluagel]

Very true. I think alot of the issue is the player base rather than the product in some of these cases. I know as soon as I talk about any of the WoW fantasy worlds history or the games story players always go "LOL LORENERD!". To the vast majority its just a game, they enjoy killing 100 pigs. Sad really.

[mortarach]

To be honest, I see it as a game too. This is mainly because everyone plays it like one. Plus I don't see the point of RP in a game where you can't die as no one is going to have any sort of emotional attachment to their characters or each other. RP is only worth doing when you experience emotions such as fear, anger, an adrenaline rush etc.

[taluagel]

I've played WoW for around 5 years now. Alot of your gripes are extremely present in the early game. I can think of hundreds of annoying, frustrating and extremely redundant quest designs. Unfortunately WoWs formula is the standard for most MMOs, every once and awhile one is brave such as EVE Online and brakes the mold, but few have the success that WoW or EQ have had. I think alot of what you describe isn't present in WoWs raiding, which requires endgame, many would argue thats when the game actually begins

[mortarach]

The problem is that boring quests are not a huge problem specifically. It's more the fact that there isn't much else to do when you want to take a break from grinding. Because of this levelling is pointless. Like you say, it looks to me like the game begins at 80 and the rest is an annoying way to stop players having instant PvP as if they are already established they could deck them out in good gear instantly.

Personally, I think they'd better just having levels 70 to 80 (becoming 1 to 10) and then put time into interesting long term content other than quests.

[tipofdoom]

I have played wow since the beta (back when only holy priests could reserect and not give res sickness, yes that long) and to be fair, I can't see me stopping now. The big problem is that when new mmo's come out they are ultimtely shit. Wow was shit when it first came out, properly and I think a lot of people forget that. Like much of the entertainment sector we want things to be good now and not give them the chance to develop. Wow was lucky because of the previous games in the series people had a degree of "stakeholdership"in the product and many, like me, just enjoyed seeing Azeroth rendered 3-d and were happy enough to interact in or with ("oh look there's the armour Magtheridon when Thrall defeated him hanging up in Orgrimar"). But then Blizzard listened to it's players and developed more and more and more. Other MMO's have to now develop the finished product that it took Blizzard to deliver three years after they went live let alone the additional 2 years on top

[harley89]

I soooooooooooo don't know you!

[mortarach]

Don't pretend you don't play World of Warcraft while I'm not there! :P

[eldelphia]

Although some of the aspects that you mention are in every MMORPG I find that almost everyone I've ever spoken to has enjoyed the challenges in Square Enix Final Fantasy XI more than any other MMO. I've had friends who have played most things and have Aion to be a piece of crap.

Square Enix has a marginally different approach and has story which you care about. I suspect that's why they have such a fanatical fanbase. They're bringing out a new one soon, Final Fantasy XIV... I'm not sure if I'll play again because Idon't quite trust myself but nothing I've played have I been drawn into, in the same was as XI.