Accepting lower quality gaming for that "Massive" feel.

metalhead980

As I get older I find myself with less time to give to one of my hobbies (gaming). I'm a father of four, married with a career and a decent sized circle of friends. My playtime is limited. With that said I need my gaming experience to be worthwhile. In those one to two hours sessions on the weekdays and the few hours i'm willing to spend on the weekends I need to enjoy every minute of my gaming time.

 

I need a quality experience, a fun game with a great story, great control, solid graphics. The so called hook of mmos for me has always been the "massive" feel. The fact that I could play with thousands of people on a server. Well as I get older that "massive" feel just isn't as important anymore. I need a good gameplay experience. Right now MMOs just don't offer that.

I look at the mmo genre today and I see lack luster adventure games, poor fps games and dull repetitive mechanics being spoon feed to gamers of this community because of their need for social interaction in a video game.

Take away the "massive" from this genre and what do you have? Can the ten ton gorilla (wow) even be considered a good rpg? Is Eve online really that good of a sim? is DF and FE really anything but a lack luster Fps? 

 

I don't get excited when im in a big guild or alliance anymore, I don't care about server activity and the scrolling of a chat box on my screen isn't enough to warrant the low quality gameplay.

In reality the games that we enjoy if stripped of the "massive" hook would be nothing but low quality gaming, dull repetitive mechancs placed in game as a filler.

Why should I or anyone else waste their time? if I have two hours and want some Fps combat why would I play DF over Oblivion? If I want a fun adventure game why would I play WoW over God of war or Assassin's creed? 

Why bother? when will mmos offer a quality gameplay experience and not just use the "massive" excuse?

 

Anyway thanks for reading I only have an hour before work and instead of firing up a lack luster mmo I think ill get a few games in on MW2 or finish off a boss in DA:O.

 

 

nate1980

Originally posted by metalhead980


As I get older I find myself with less time to give to one of my hobbies (gaming). I'm a father of four, married with a career and a decent sized circle of friends. My playtime is limited. With that said I need my gaming experience to be worthwhile. In those one to two hours sessions on the weekdays and the few hours i'm willing to spend on the weekends I need to enjoy every minute of my gaming time.
 
I need a quality experience, a fun game with a great story, great control, solid graphics. The so called hook of mmos for me has always been the "massive" feel. The fact that I could play with thousands of people on a server. Well as I get older that "massive" feel just isn't as important anymore. I need a good gameplay experience. Right now MMOs just don't offer that.
I look at the mmo genre today and I see lack luster adventure games, poor fps games and dull repetitive mechanics being spoon feed to gamers of this community because of their need for social interaction in a video game.
Take away the "massive" from this genre and what do you have? Can the ten ton gorilla (wow) even be considered a good rpg? Is Eve online really that good of a sim? is DF and FE really anything but a lack luster Fps? 
 
I don't get excited when im in a big guild or alliance anymore, I don't care about server activity and the scrolling of a chat box on my screen isn't enough to warrant the low quality gameplay.
In reality the games that we enjoy if stripped of the "massive" hook would be nothing but low quality gaming, dull repetitive mechancs placed in game as a filler.
Why should I or anyone else waste their time? if I have two hours and want some Fps combat why would I play DF over Oblivion? If I want a fun adventure game why would I play WoW over God of war or Assassin's creed? 
Why bother? when will mmos offer a quality gameplay experience and not just use the "massive" excuse?
 
Anyway thanks for reading I only have an hour before work and instead of firing up a lack luster mmo I think ill get a few games in on MW2 or finish off a boss in DA:O.
 
 

 

Yeah, I got to this point recently too. MMORPG's really don't offer anything of value to me anymore, so I started playing single player games again. I really think a MMORPG should go 1 of 2 ways. Either a complete sandbox, complete with a toolset so players can create content, where the purpose of the game is territory control or a complete story game, on Biowares story telling level. All this repetitiveness and grinding just to extend subscriptions is low quality gaming, and as you said, there's better ways to spend your time.

Samatman

I can tell you precisely why a bad MMO is better than a good offline game:  The random events (good and bad) which occur because the game world is populated by other people.  You boot up Oblivion and you know exactly what is going to happen next.  You log in to your MMO of choice and you are never sure. 

I could give you a list of random acts of kindness I've experienced in Everquest, DAoC, WoW and Spellborn and any one of those moments gives surprising meaning to the online world.  I could recount times when people were angry and ranting about some ninja looter or bazaar scammer - those things all add something that a solo title can never have:  color, flavor, randomness and unpredictability.

I'll take the unknown, flavor it with a collection of idiots and truly wonderful people over a bland, flat unchanging world any day.

Distopia

ROFl no offense but I was about to ask in the fallen earth thread you posted about it's fps mechanics in. If we were going to get another why should I play MMO's over single player games thread out of it. To answer your question you obviously shouldn't, this is about the third time I've seen this from you in a very short amount of time. It's obvious these aren't the games that are going to draw you in.

The problem is they have to strip down those adventures and systems you're referring to, in order to ensure a working product that can handle people numbering in the thousands. Try doing that with Oblivion as is and watch the meltdown that follows. What you want isn't really possible, the closest to it is AOC IMO, but it's not open world because of the limitations it's combat and graphics put on it.

Ihmotepp

That's why I like games that encourage grouping. Really, it's the only thing that an MMORPG has to offer that is better than a single player game.

however, the vast majority are quite happy to chat while they play a game of solitaire quest grinding, at least till they get to the raiding for uber gear part of the game which doesn't really interest me.

metalhead980

Originally posted by Ihmotepp


That's why I like games that encourage grouping. Really, it's the only thing that an MMORPG has to offer that is better than a single player game.
however, the vast majority are quite happy to chat while they play a game of solitaire quest grinding, at least till they get to the raiding for uber gear part of the game which doesn't really interest me.

 

Thats the thing though, most mmos on the market are nothing but solo adventures until level cap.

Imo if I'm going to play a solo game shouldn't it be atleast a decent rpg experience? Give me a story to follow atleast.

I fully understand the technical limitations of mmos today but that doesn't mean I should take the low quality gameplay.

 

To the person that referred to Oblivion. I have had many moments when that game surprised me. Player events in MMos are scripted, you know when they're going to happen its not a surprise.

I was much more surprised in Oblivion when by random chance a ship was stolen when i decided to take a nap on it leading to a nice little adventure.

Shit like that just doesn't happen in a mmo.

Anyway sorry for taking so long to rely, had to wait for lunch break

 

metalhead980

Originally posted by Malickie


ROFl no offense but I was about to ask in the fallen earth thread you posted about it's fps mechanics in. If we were going to get another why should I play MMO's over single player games thread out of it. To answer your question you obviously shouldn't, this is about the third time I've seen this from you in a very short amount of time. It's obvious these aren't the games that are going to draw you in.
The problem is they have to strip down those adventures and systems you're referring to, in order to ensure a working product that can handle people numbering in the thousands. Try doing that with Oblivion as is and watch the meltdown that follows. What you want isn't really possible, the closest to it is AOC IMO, but it's not open world because of the limitations it's combat and graphics put on it.

 

I've been playing MMOs for almost thirteen years. Normally every year or so I get on this console>mmo thing. Recently my yearly cycle has turned into months.

I believe my last one was only a couple of months ago.

I still enjoy an MMO from time to time but to invest so much in a sub par game at this moment in time is not going to work for me.

 

I understand what your saying by technical limitations of MMOs but should a game be stripped down so much that it's not even comparable with Bad rpgs?

 

neilh73

Originally posted by metalhead980


As I get older I find myself with less time to give to one of my hobbies (gaming). I'm a father of four, married with a career and a decent sized circle of friends. My playtime is limited. With that said I need my gaming experience to be worthwhile. In those one to two hours sessions on the weekdays and the few hours i'm willing to spend on the weekends I need to enjoy every minute of my gaming time.
 
I need a quality experience, a fun game with a great story, great control, solid graphics. The so called hook of mmos for me has always been the "massive" feel. The fact that I could play with thousands of people on a server. Well as I get older that "massive" feel just isn't as important anymore. I need a good gameplay experience. Right now MMOs just don't offer that.
I look at the mmo genre today and I see lack luster adventure games, poor fps games and dull repetitive mechanics being spoon feed to gamers of this community because of their need for social interaction in a video game.
Take away the "massive" from this genre and what do you have? Can the ten ton gorilla (wow) even be considered a good rpg? Is Eve online really that good of a sim? is DF and FE really anything but a lack luster Fps? 
 
I don't get excited when im in a big guild or alliance anymore, I don't care about server activity and the scrolling of a chat box on my screen isn't enough to warrant the low quality gameplay.
In reality the games that we enjoy if stripped of the "massive" hook would be nothing but low quality gaming, dull repetitive mechancs placed in game as a filler.
Why should I or anyone else waste their time? if I have two hours and want some Fps combat why would I play DF over Oblivion? If I want a fun adventure game why would I play WoW over God of war or Assassin's creed? 
Why bother? when will mmos offer a quality gameplay experience and not just use the "massive" excuse?
 
Anyway thanks for reading I only have an hour before work and instead of firing up a lack luster mmo I think ill get a few games in on MW2 or finish off a boss in DA:O.
 
 

 

 

I feel pretty much the same way mate.  I am still subscribed to EVE till the end of this month and Aion till the 22 December but I won't be renewing either subscription.  I'll no doubt pop back in on EVE in a few months as its a game that I have played on and off for the past 3 years, Aion, on the other hand will not be getting a return visit from me.

Since picking up Dragon Age a week and a half ago I have not had any inclination to log into either of my two MMO's.  To be totally honest I think that I am pretty much finished with MMO's, I'll pick up SW:TOR when it releases, but I'll probably play that more like a single-player RPG, utilising my companions rather than grouping.  I'll still get plenty of fun out of it though, 8 classes to be played through several times each for the different storyline aspects = a lot of fun gaming time for me.  Once I get to the 'endgame' though, depending on what that is (raiding, PvP) I'll probably just play very casually till some more content, or, an expansion is released.

I find that its not only the boring, repetative gameplay that most MMO's employ these days that puts me off, its also the communities.  MMO communities really have went down the toilet in the past few years (just look at the vast majority of crap on this site alone), its very rare that I meet more than a handfull of players that I enjoy spending my ingame time with these days.  The lunatics really have taken over the asylum, unfortunately.

So, to sum up.  I feel your pain mate.  This genre is pretty much dead to me.

 

Sovrath

Originally posted by neilh73


 
ISince picking up Dragon Age a week and a half ago I have not had any inclination to log into either of my two MMO's. 

 

Yes, I have to admit that since I purchased Dragon Age I have had no desire to play my mmo of choice. I actually feel guilty as I have (lately) limited time and I do fee the need to be part of the clan. But Dragon Age has given me something that I have sorely missed. That and oblivion.

 

nate1980

Originally posted by neilh73


I feel pretty much the same way mate.  I am still subscribed to EVE till the end of this month and Aion till the 22 December but I won't be renewing either subscription.  I'll no doubt pop back in on EVE in a few months as its a game that I have played on and off for the past 3 years, Aion, on the other hand will not be getting a return visit from me.
Since picking up Dragon Age a week and a half ago I have not had any inclination to log into either of my two MMO's.  To be totally honest I think that I am pretty much finished with MMO's, I'll pick up SW:TOR when it releases, but I'll probably play that more like a single-player RPG, utilising my companions rather than grouping.  I'll still get plenty of fun out of it though, 8 classes to be played through several times each for the different storyline aspects = a lot of fun gaming time for me.  Once I get to the 'endgame' though, depending on what that is (raiding, PvP) I'll probably just play very casually till some more content, or, an expansion is released.
I find that its not only the boring, repetative gameplay that most MMO's employ these days that puts me off, its also the communities.  MMO communities really have went down the toilet in the past few years (just look at the vast majority of crap on this site alone), its very rare that I meet more than a handfull of players that I enjoy spending my ingame time with these days.  The lunatics really have taken over the asylum, unfortunately.
So, to sum up.  I feel your pain mate.  This genre is pretty much dead to me.
 

 

I quit playing MMO's basically after 3 weeks of playing AION, 1 week of Fallen Earth, and 1 week of Champions Online. The genre just doesn't offer me anything of worth anymore, and it's because of the quality of gameplay and the community. Biowares Dragon Age was good enough to snap me out of my MMO daze. Being excited to play that game every day for a full week shown me how exciting games should be. MMORPG's are more like chores with annoying people making those chores worse than they are games.

The community back when I played DAoC and SWG, from 2002-2005, was good. Yes, things were repetative and grindy, but so is hack n slash games like Diablo and Bauldurs Gate: Dark Alliance. That doesn't mean it's not fun. What made it fun was the community working together. I don't know what happened to those people, but the current crop of players in most MMORPG's makes me want to play solo, and I'm the type that used to advocate grouping only MMORPG's.

So now, I look for quality gameplay which I judge by the same standards I'd judge any game genre. So that rules out all of the MMORPG's out there. I'd be alright in some of these MMORPG's if the community were fun to be around, but why in the hell would a 29 yr old want to socialize with rude teenagers, or adults who act like those rude teenagers with no manners or social skills? Short answer, we don't want to socialize with those people, so we end up going from being strictly group gamers to mainly solo gamers. So in Biowares SWToR, I too plan to play the game mainly solo.

When and if the genre falls and collapses upon itself, the community will have themselves to blame and I won't miss it. I like to dabble in a MMORPG now and then seriously, but to me the genre died when the community went to shit in 2005.