General: Seven Expansions We Want Now

Stradden

MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy returns with this week's List, counting down seven expansions, both real and fictional, that we'd like to see.

In the grand tradition of wishful thinking, this week's list is all about the current crops of games and the expansions that either are in the making or are desperately wanted by the community if not officially announced. In the ever popular practice of gaming prognostication, we've come up with a list of five expansions we'd love to see on some of today's current titles. We're never really happy as hobbyists. No sooner do we get one thing handed to us then we want the next. We are a culture of "We want it all and we want it now" if purely because we're so fond of the games we play that we never stop imagining the possibilities. I'm not damning this facet of our psyche, but rather fostering it. If we didn't clamor about what we want to see from companies, how would they know what to make for us? Of course, the argument could be made that no matter what they give us it wouldn't be enough but that's a topic for another day.

Let's get started shall we? Here's a list of five of our most wanted expansions. Feel free to add in your own in the comments below. That's what this thing is all about after all.

#7 LotRO: Rohan

We know it's coming. The developers have told us as much with the way the story is following in the footsteps of the Fellowship. Right now the players are traipsing about Mirkwood drawing the Eye of Sauron away from Frodo as he makes his way into Mordor, and all fingers are pointing at Rohan as the next stop in the tale. But what will that bring? Mounted combat? The Battle of Helm's Deep? A new Horse Whisperer class? Okay, maybe not that last one but you get the point. Rohan is one of the iconic places in Lord of the Rings and just as it was with Moria, the expansion that brings the Rohirrim out is bound to be popular.

Read Seven Expansions We Want Now.

pompey606

This is a great post and I enjoyed reading it! For me personally, I would love to see an overhaul for Neocron 2.

Torak

Dark Age of Camelot - New Dawn

An upgrade to DAoC game engine. They used the Gamebryo engine which newer versions have been used to make games like Fallout 3 and Oblivion to name a few. Add in new music and some voice overs along with some new art and epic levl content.

shakermaker0

I've been saying it for a long time, opposing factions and Lord of the Rings Online would go together, as Forest Gump would say, like peas and carrots. Great article.

Vesavius

Surely the never to happen Vanguard expansion must rate somehwhere in this?

it makes me so sad to see that game rotting, while all it would need is a sturdy expansion pack (with enhanced diplomacy, housing/ city building, new models, extra intemisation, whatever) and effective relaunch to show all those people that would play it a sign of faith that it has a future and is something they can trust to invest in.

Sovrath

Originally posted by shakermaker0

I've been saying it for a long time, opposing factions and Lord of the Rings Online would go together, as Forest Gump would say, like peas and carrots. Great article.

Well, though you can't have orcs hanging around the shire with their hobbit friends or raiding lothlorien I do think that it could work as long as story wise they made it so the player was part of a group sent off to cause havoc.

Part of that is because the forces of mordor don't generally come and go as they please. They are controlled by fierce overlords and essentially do the bidding of their masters.

Still, I think it would be feasible to open up some of the areas as pvp lakes so that a person could enter angmar, do all the stuff they want, but if they went over to "taht" area they would get a warning taht they have entered a pvp area. They could elect to stay or go.

MareWinds

Originally posted by Torak

Dark Age of Camelot - New Dawn

An upgrade to DAoC game engine. They used the Gamebryo engine which newer versions have been used to make games like Fallout 3 and Oblivion to name a few. Add in new music and some voice overs along with some new art and epic levl content.

This.

And in the same vein, a revamp or fully-supported sequel to Asheron's Call.

Cik_Asalin

Whats this "we" kemosabe? 

The only titles that are deserving or will have legs within this thread are WoW and EVE.  Why call for an expansion of a jalopy when we deserve a completely fresh and fully developed new product that offers more comprehensive game-play elements that are inclusisive of pvevp, player-centric ecosystems.

McGamer

I agree on all points by the OP. Those would be amazing expansions for sure to see accomplished.

Klyern

I think the list is good, if anything i'd only change the position of global agenda.

 

Its patch both innovates and addresses the concerns with its gameplay being a tad mundane, It might be more minor in content but not in importance.

 

 

Reading about that expansion which i leisurely call patch, because i don't think it can even be called an expansion, made me think that global agenda is going places maybe faster than i thought.

Aristides

I was totally going to make a denial post on the whole "Forces of Mordor" idea until the point was made about stabbing Hobbits.  Generally, I'd much rather be a hero in LotRO, and I can't really see fighting on the side of Sauron except for the mild diversion of Monster Play.  However, I can get behind stabbing Hobbits.

Panther2103

Too bad sandstorm isn't being released as a patch anymore, it's going to be 4 phases of a patch. So it isn't really coming out any time soon. Phase 1 is though.

Methos12

Rohan, God yes. Not only would it be a next logical inclusion of a MAJOR content addition, but it could also add some new gameplay features (like the OP says). Seriously, don't tell me they're called "the Horse-lords" for nothing.

Player_420

I would like to see LOTRO's Rohan much like WoW's cata -

A major revamp of all existing game zones, mechanics, and even some graphics.

A large large complaint from many is the char models, boring animations, no second faction (forces of mordor)

I think if they go and make serious and inspired changes (more fun please!) and re-designed the game form the ground up, took away zone instancing, and added Rohan and a level 70 cap (with mounted combat, and new friggin horse models/armor)...then the game will truly shine.

It is sad to see that Mirkwood was less polished, less content, and nothing new once again...and all they gave in patches was skirmishes?! - if the game continues in that direction then we will never see what the game could truly be. R.I.P. middle-earth online.

 

EDIT: keep in mind I ahve always hit the level cap, completed content, and raided.

SwampRob

Except for the Rohan one, I've no interest in any of the others mentioned.  I'm surprised the upcoming Going Rogue expansion for CoH wasn't listed; maybe because it's now slated to be a reality.

lukaszkam

lotro - Rohan, Mordor? No!

I want to see a Lonely Mountain first, and there is so many places we can go, don't want this game to end too soon, and this will happen when we get to Mordor...

wow - Cataclysm might be interested, but wow is so boring atm, so it has to be a huge expansion with tons of 5-man instances, and I mean instances that are hard, not just something to put in so ppl can be happy they received "something"

eve - well, it would be great to get more and more expansions, this game rocks

elocke

I don't agree with most of these. I do agree with Rohan, Eve: Incarna, and WoW Cataclysm. Don't like AO, so no. Don't like GA, so no. Could care less about being an orc in LOTRO.

WAR I don't even consider a good game, having the world split and you run parallel to the other faction instead of having it all open world makes no sense to me, and unless that gets fixed, a third faction won't have any impact.

A Vanguard expansion is NEEDED for numerous reasons, number one being bringing in an nice influx of players.

Sadly, that's the only worthwhile MMO's out there right now, besides EQ2 and AoC, but AoC expansion hits in a week and EQ2 always releases new expacks each year.

Nepentheia

Originally posted by MareWinds

Originally posted by Torak

Dark Age of Camelot - New Dawn

An upgrade to DAoC game engine. They used the Gamebryo engine which newer versions have been used to make games like Fallout 3 and Oblivion to name a few. Add in new music and some voice overs along with some new art and epic levl content.

This.

And in the same vein, a revamp or fully-supported sequel to Asheron's Call.

A recent announcement was made in the AC forums regarding upgrades to their textures. No, its not a new engine, but it *is* something that makes the game look a little bit better.   http://forums.ac.turbine.com/showthread.php?t=45888

Zerakus

I'd like a Mordor expansion to LotRO... pretty much being stuck as a do-gooder made me decide against playing it. Uruk-Hai, one of those guys on the elephants, or something like that would be pretty nice to play. But just as likely as WoW getting the Burning Legion as afaction, I suppose, which at this point is the only thing that I could concieve could drag me back there,

Feycat

I'm a big fan of monster play and I can confidently say I disagree 100% with your #1. I don't want to level my monsters from 1-65, I don't want to quest outside the Ettenmoors, and I REALLY don't want open world PvP. No way, no how.

I also want them to put in the Battle Under the Trees (Northern Mirkwood/Lonely Mountain/Erebor) before Rohan.

DeserttFoxx

Im quite certain aion 1.9 and 2,0 should be on that list, and both those lotr expansions could have made one spot.

aleos

thought for sure vanguard would be included. Guess i was wrong.

fireguy97

It says top five expansions within the article, while in reality there are seven.

Hairystef

Rohan : yes, but I wouldn't mind pushing to Northern Rhovanion first.  Defending Erebor and assaulting Mt. Gundabad come to mind...

Mordor Forces?

Hmm... you could modify a few existing zones to pvp and create interconnecting creep/pvp zones.  Say modify Eastern Angmar, Goblin-town and Moria's lower deeps + create Mt. Gundabad suburbia, Rhun and Mordor to supplement the Ettenmoors.  While on the subject, why not add Evil Humans to the list of creeps... like Men of the East, Angmar and the Haradrim.  Hey, how'd you like to take a ride on my Mumakil?

Ambre

Very good list. And I heartily agree with your number 1 and 2 !

Sovrath

Originally posted by vesavius

Surely the never to happen Vanguard expansion must rate somehwhere in this?

it makes me so sad to see that game rotting, while all it would need is a sturdy expansion pack (with enhanced diplomacy, housing/ city building, new models, extra intemisation, whatever) and effective relaunch to show all those people that would play it a sign of faith that it has a future and is something they can trust to invest in.

Given how the game is that is not a bad idea.