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General: Bill's Top Ten P2P MMOs
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
Last week, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy wrote a list of his favorite F2P MMOs. In the interest of fairness to both major revenue models, we asked Bill to put together a list of his favorite ten P2P MMOs.
Okay, so last week I chose my top five free-to-play games, and while we didn't all agree on what game deserved to be listed and what games even really qualified as F2P, the list was simply my opinion based on my experiences with those games. This week, we're doing the same thing, in the hopes that we'll have an epic clash of the forumites with opinions flying left and right. Why? Because we all like discussion for discussion's sake. And that's what these lists are all about.
I've been playing MMOs now for around 11 years, and I've stated in previous articles and postings what my first love was. Asheron's Call 2 is the game that got me hooked when all others merely held a passing interest. But that doesn't mean Turbine's now defunct offering is my all-time numero uno title. Keep in mind that this list, like last week's, is purely my own opinion and can and should be used as a stepping stone into a broader discussion about what you all would list as your top subscription-based game of all time.
Without further adieu, here is my top ten. As with all personal lists, it can and will change. This is how it stands right now. Apologies in advance if you're favorite doesn't make the list. But this one's mine, all mine!
Read Bill's Top Ten P2P MMOs.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
wow. That is one bad list.
You've added significantly to the overall conversation.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Couldn't think of much more to say. Didn't know where to start. If I were to make a 10 most overhyped /non fun games, this would almost exactly be what i came up with.
Firstly, its an opinion piece so it can't be bad, it's his opinion, you can disagree with it, but it's not bad.
Personally I wouldn't be that different I would probably go
10. Anarchy Online
9. Everquest 2
8. Asheron's Call
7. Warhammer
6. Dark Age of Camelot
5. Fallen Earth
4. Age of Conan
3. Lord of the Rings Online
2. Everquest
1. WoW
I think the author is a little 'newer' to MMOs than many of us here (if AC2 was the first main one). I would actually have Champions a close 11th with City of Heroes just behind that (I found champions a more polished version of CoH, just with less content given its four years behind
).
Lists are always subjective, good article though!
There is a reason why it is called "Bill's Top Ten P2P MMOs" and not "The Best Top Ten MMOs" it's opinionated and was meant to be. This goes one step further than the usual "this game blows" "this game rocks" shit you see everyday on the forums. He actually *gasp* I know it! Explains why his choices are his choices.
While I don't agree with the choices he has made, it is just that, his choices. And while it pains me to see WoW #1 in someone's eyes I know that 6mil+ see WoW as #1 in their eyes.
Overall thanks for the explanations gives me a taste or a look rather inside the MMO part of Bill's brain.
I'm sorry but I can't agree with this list either... POTBS? Auto Assault? Champions Online? Not only that, but champions online actually out ranked CoH?
I don't know, I mean, everyones entitled to their opinions and all, but... I expected.. .. .. more.
For POTBS if they wanted to chart it based on good ideas but poor execution DarkFall or AO should have at least made the list.
Drop CO off to number 8, move EQ 2 up, and at least I could see the merit in the top 5 if anything.
You dont get to post you "opinion" in list form on a "journalistic" (those quotes need to be bold and glowing!) website and not have it be criticized.
Adding another point of view, my list would be:
1.- LotRO
2.-AION
3.-Everquest II
4.-Dark Age of Camelot
5.-Champions Online
6.-City of Heroes/Villains
7.-Age of Conan
8.-World of Warcraft
9.-Warhammer
10.-Tabula Rasa
So true, auto assault? and EvE isnt in the top 10. So this list is seen through his eyes, not a true top 10 list.
Strange list. But then, we all have strange tastes. Putting CO and Auto Assault in the same list as Lotro and WoW...very interesting. I wonder how mine will fair to others eyes?
10. Dark Age of Camelot
9. Darkfall
8. Eve Online
7. Vanguard - as it is now
6. SWG - pre Jedi
5. Age of Conan
4. Everquest 2
3. Lotro
2. WoW
1. FFXI - sheer depth and immersion wins everytime.
Some good taste you have. Shuffle wow down a few spots and add in the original eq and we'd be real close.
[Mod Edit]
Well might as well put my list.
Ultima Online
City of Heros
Eve
Age of Conan
Darkfall
Lord of the Rings
Daoc
Vanguard
Champions
Ryzom
very weird list indeed...and dont get ppl contilue to post AoC anywhere near the top of it.....its not an MMO in my eyes. said from the experience of the release - I for one never liked the first 20 lvls, tho properbly would if it had been a singleplayer game.
Interesting.
You mention "immersion" as a criteria you strongly considered, yet you put "World of Add-ons" at the top of your list.
"immersion"... You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
List of top 10 mmo,s do say alot about a person, draw up your own lists and see if there is an overall feel to your playstyle.
Some like casual hand held, 1 hour game time in the evening type games .
Some like alot of micro management, trading, complex crafting.
Some like complex or very tactical games.
Each to their own, and kudos for posting a list that tells something about yourself, if it is indeed a list of your personnel favourites.
I think lists like this really spotlight just how bad the genre is right now when FIVE of the top TEN games first 12-18 months can be summed up as:
Closing over half of their game servers
Losing hundreds of thousands of players (Millions when combined)
Closing down entirely
Even beyond that we have to go back 6-12 years just to fill up empty spots.
I understand these are your personal choices, but in order to fill up 10 spots on a list it really shows how low we as mmo gamers have to set our standards just to be able to name 10 games.
The article is called Bills top ten, as in, through his eyes. What would make it a true top ten list? I don't see the point in people saying he's not even close, or he isn't right. How could he not be close to his opinion?
Well...
As far as top 10 lists would go.
1. Asheron's Call - What can I say. First ever MMO and noone has touched it yet.
2. Everquest 2 - The only game that has kept me over 2 years (and I'm back for my 4th go around in it)
3. Shadowbane - Play to Crush and I'm a carebear!
4. Anarchy Online - I still go back to play this from time to time.
5. Dark Age of Camelot - Didn't like the grouping rules, but back at release it was a solid game
6. Pre CU Star Wars - We all know where this went... I only left this game because of guild collapsing and I play games to be with friends.
7. Lineage 2 - Fun game, horrible community. Playing the market in this game was a blast, I used to spend hours wandering from town to town to buy and sell things.
8. LotRO - very solid game, was fun for the year I played it.
9. Anything but WoW...
10. Anything but WoW... (you can repeat this to darn near the bottom of the list and still not find WoW listed. There is nothing GOOD about WoW, it has single handedly brought the genre to a standstill in development)
I can very much understand his list because each of those games serve different purposes and are sort of iconic in what they want to try to accomplish.
My top 10 would be a bit different
10 Warhammer
I love that it is a tongue in cheek world where I can jump in for a bit and have some fast paced pvp fun. Doesn't require long hours like many other games. Though there are some very pro players there are enough regular players so that one can still feel effective.
9 Guild Wars.
Like Warhammer, the idea that I can jump in for fast pvp fun is a winner. Having said that, there were too many pro players and I never felt like competing where I constantly had to chang my builds every time. Some find that fun, I don't. Good PvE segment as well.
8 City of Heroes/Villains
What can I say but any game that makes being a super hero not only fun but that allows you to either party or solo and allows you to customize the look of your hero/villain is an Ace in my book. Fun world and the idea that there isn't a lot of gear is a plus. Any gear? Don't even remember gear.
7 Everquest 2
Another game where I love my class but the world leaves me a bit flat. Not great looking gear but the idea of it and my great shadow knight class always keeps me coming back. Lots of content . I probably would have preferred the original everquest but I was never keen on the graphics, even when it was the big thing. It was Lineage 2 that actually got me interested in trying an online game. but Everquest always enticed me to the idea of a huge open world.
6 Aion
My current game which I really do like. However it needs somethign "more". Very polished, but there is a sterility to the experience that has left me a bit flat. Here's hoping that the next large expansion will rectify the issues
5 Vanguard
Huge open world where one can get lost exploring. discovering all sorts of things. Hate the avatars and it does have some minor bugs and minor performance issues. Quite frankly the next game to keep me forever will have the same type of huge open world. Until then I will play Vanguard when I am in the mood for ultimate exploration
4 World of Warcraft.
Extremely polished and fun game. Tons of content. Hate the world and the kitschy stuff. But I can't help be envious of die hard players as there is always a lot to do, fan faires, huge community, excited devs, etc. I've never been able to stick with it because it always felt silly but I've always had fun while I was in the game.
3 EVE
This is the game I want to love. I don't mind the spaceship thing at all as I don't look at my avatar as being a space ship. I look at my avatar as the picture thing who is flying the space ship. CCP has done it right by sticking with the title and expanding on it. Incredible art design, an economy that matters and all sorts of politics, taking over territory,etc. For my taste I hate crafting and don't really have the time to spend in such a rich and vast game. Plus I prefer Fantasy anyways.
2 Lord of the Rings
Beautiful world, rich lore, great quest writing, and definitely things to discover. Not an immense world but definitely larger than many newer game worlds. Not crazy about the avatars and hate the gear art design but it all works when blended together for a fun experience.
1 Lineage 2
My first mmo and the game where I really went all out. Politics, player interactions, a game where everyone made their name and where repuation mattered. Personally I liked the hard leveling. I hate the hard economy and it is always somethign that makes me quit time and time again. Beautiful art design that stands up to today's games and a huge open world with interesting places. Not much to do in those places but grind unless ou are attacked but the world is unique.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Pretty decent list minus CO, I would add EVE, possibly Guild Wars (yet it's not an MMO according to most)
Played: World of Warcraft (5Y), WarHammer (3M), Anarchy Online, Runescape (5+Y), Lord of the Rings Online, Runes of Magic, City of Heroes/Villains, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Fallen Earth (1M)
Currently Playing: Guild Wars
Currently Trying: None
Taking a Break From: EVE Online
My top ten. They are in no particular order since besides two or three of them they all more or less hold the same value for me.
1. EverQuest 2 -Out of all the games this is the one that I go back to the most.
2. Lord of the Rings
3. EverQuest
4. Fallen Earth
5. Champions
6. Final Fantasy XI
7. Asheron's Call
8. Gods and Heroes Beta (Hopefully I will get a reinvite when testing starts on the reboot.)
9. Anarchy Online
10. Neverwinter Nights(AOL) -It may not be around anymore but it was my first MMOG and I still have good memories from it so I will give it a nod.
My list (Guild Wars would be #2 if it was a MMO):
10. Tabula Rasa (RIP, my passage to the world of Aion)
9. Priston Tale (another MMO that was P2P sometime in the past, same thing as RF Online)
8. Ragnarok Online (another MMO that was P2P sometime in the past, same thing as RF Online)
7. RF Online (it was P2P in the past, and that's the past I prefer to remember - I disagree with your wish to make Tabula Rasa/Auto Assault F2P, it's better to quit with good memories than get burned out to ashes)
6. World of Warcraft (it's the gorilla, everyone has gone through it, and some people keep returning to it, I am also ocasionally a victim of the gorilla huge gravitational pull)
5. Darkfall (another sandbox that seems to be developing rather quick, which is what sandboxes deserve, they're not about adding content for a few more levels or for the high-end content everyone will be at)
4. LOTRO (best immersion I can find in a MMO - when an IP gets done in an acceptable MMO)
3. Aion (my favorite theme park, period, the one which I look forward future content the most)
2. EVE (the sandbox with endless potential... and that seems to aim the most at fulfilling it)
1. Ultima Online (the first MMO I've played, doubt I would be playing MMOs if my first experience with MMOs was any different, it's their depth and endless possibilities that originally hooked me)
I don't know, I think WoW is very immersive the first few times through. The music, sound and feel/controls of your character help this immensely. I still find myself thinking of certain zones, especially the ones with rocking music. Like Grizzly Hills, Stonetalon Mountains, Blades Edge. Even the graphics helped in this regard.
Where the immersion suffers in WoW, I think, is the gameplay and character progression. It is too much about scaling numbers and not about other things. Stuff like alternate advancement, or guild systems( I know they are coming, but this is 6 years later). Things like housing, collections, and professions that emphasize these, like furnishing, etc. THAT's what WoW misses out on and it suffers because of this.
It might not have been verbose, but he got right to the point.
That is one bad list.
His comment added more to the discussion of the top 10 P2P MMOs than the original article which is succently rebutted by his comment, "that is one bad list". Why do you guys even bother with these ridiculous top 10 lists when they are so obviously subjective and probably heavily influenced by MMORPG.com's need to satisfy their developer ties?
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