(Poll) Why do you play MMORPGs?

Mimzel

I'd find it interesting to know some more about our different motives for playing mmorpgs. Keep in mind that the poll assumes we are talking about games that you find FUN. The poll is not so much about the various aspects of game content, but your relationship to other players in the MMORPG setting. I dont discriminate between pve and pvp content. As you see, this is a Broad poll - or narrow, however you see it. It's not ment to be a social science study, but an interesting thread a thursday afternoon

 

Cooperation might include: group xp, group pvp, and all other content that has to do with playing alongside other players for a common goal.

Winning over other players might include: Best gear, pvp to pwn others, and other activities that you pursue to your own end. Your focus is not on cooperation, but competition.

Solo play might include: Mostly self explainatory. You might like to group up now and again, but mostly you end up playing solo in your game. 

Playing the AH: I included this because it's kind of a hybrid of several aspects - you're playing solo, but you are also in a kind of pvp situation when playing the AH. You could be in a trade guild making it a cooperation game as well.

 

I'm sure I havent thought of everything, and there are certainly questions I could have asked that would also be relevant. I'm afraid the poll is as it is. If none of the above is applicable to you, please click "other" and make a post explaining your position.

You might of course enjoy a little bit of all the aspects mentioned in this poll. I'd like for you to choose one that suits you *the most*. Now lets get going.

 

 

EDIT: The goal of this poll is to see the relationship between players mostly playing solo vs players mostly playing in a group. Please try not to click "other" (it's the lazy answer to this poll in many cases (not all)). 

 

*raises coffee mug*

Ellisia

I voted Solo play.

 

I only tend to play grouped content with RL friends, but most of my time is spent gathering mats and crafting.

 

I dont PvP and cant understand why people would want to when theres excellent games like TF2 which are designed from the ground up for it, must be they suck at FPS but still like beating kiddies lol.

AvatarBlade

Voted other, because for me it's a combination between the group option and the solo option. I like playing with others or fighting other players, but it's also nice to have to option to be able to do things by yourself in a world that basically feels more alive because there are other players around even when you choose to play alone. It also gives me longer playtime that a single player game.

Mimzel

@Elisia: Sounds about right. Crafting and harvesting is mostly a solo activity, but of course, there could be games where such activities also are a group thing (I wouldnt really know because I hardly ever craft in my games). Crafting/harvesting could also be a part of playing the AH. What I'm after is your motives for playing. If you tradeskill for a common goal (guild activity), then crafting for you is a co-op thing.

Ellisia

Originally posted by Mimzel

@Elisia: Sounds about right. Crafting and harvesting is mostly a solo activity, but of course, there could be games where such activities also are a group thing (I wouldnt really know because I hardly ever craft in my games). Crafting/harvesting could also be a part of playing the AH. What I'm after is your motives for playing. If you tradeskill for a common goal (guild activity), then crafting for you is a co-op thing.

 

Basically its because I always play a Ranger type, so I gather my @ss off  while questing and then have find something to do with all the mats.

So I create alts and master crafting proffessions, mostly for my own equipment, some for friends, some for the AH.  It's just a money making by product of me playing the game for fun.

As for the underlying "Why" I play, my only motivation is "because its better than watching TV and I've run out of books to read"

Adamantine

Because its fun.

David_Lopan

I still dont understand what solo has to do with an MMORPG, oh well, guess i'm old.  Solo crafting is alright but co op crafting would be awsome

Venger

Mainly to relax but a little of cooperative and solo.

Venger

Originally posted by Aquazen

I still dont understand what solo has to do with an MMORPG, oh well, guess i'm old.  Solo crafting is alright but co op crafting would be awsome

Soloing was a perfectly accepted practice before EQ came along.  So I guess you aren't that old.

jado818

I play because im adopted

 

 

but seriously.. i find games more  fun when you play with other people... npc interactions in a lot of rpg's leave much to be desired.

 

and its cool watching your group of friends get stronger and better armor etc

Nitth

Originally posted by Aquazen

I still dont understand what solo has to do with an MMORPG, oh well, guess i'm old.  Solo crafting is alright but co op crafting would be awsome

Dont we already have that. To make a wand: get a woodworker to make the handle, and enchanter to make the "tip"?

 

Zeus.CM

I voted other:

MMORPGs give false sense of accomplishment, and I'm okay with that.

EndDream

I can't vote for "The game/progression doesn't end" which would be my main reason.

ErifNevow

I like groups, because to me thats why MMOs exist, so people can be in groups with freinds. I solo only when my friends can't get on, and I am not in a guild yet. Or if my guildmates aren't at my level.

Lidane

Originally posted by AvatarBlade

Voted other, because for me it's a combination between the group option and the solo option. I like playing with others or fighting other players, but it's also nice to have to option to be able to do things by yourself in a world that basically feels more alive because there are other players around even when you choose to play alone. It also gives me longer playtime that a single player game.

That's it for me as well. Well said!

Mimzel

Originally posted by Lidane

Originally posted by AvatarBlade

Voted other, because for me it's a combination between the group option and the solo option. I like playing with others or fighting other players, but it's also nice to have to option to be able to do things by yourself in a world that basically feels more alive because there are other players around even when you choose to play alone. It also gives me longer playtime that a single player game.

That's it for me as well. Well said!

Thats perfectly fine, but if you in reality play mostly on your own, it would be more suitable to click the "to enjoy solo content in a massive world". I play for co-operation, but of course I solo from time to time - but what I'm *most* interested in, is the team play. 

This poll is not able to grasp all the finer neuances of gameplay or who you really are. It's a coarse generalization, so please treat it as such

k11keeper

Went with the to play with others thing. Mainly because growing up I was a huge RPG fan, you know chrono trigger, zelda, final fantasy, balder's gate, all the good oldies. I also loved Diablo 1/2 as well, then I learned that getting online and grouping up with friends was a blast. So when I found out you can play RPG games with tons of other folks in a massive living world I dived into DAoC with some buddies in my first period science class back in high school. From there I guess I lost countless hours, days, months, and probably years playing MMOs.

If it wasn't for the interaction with other players it probably wouldn't have taken away so much time. When I used to play RPGs I would play for hours and hours until I beat the game or felt the need to have actual interaction with human beings. In an MMO that problem never arises, you can't really beat the games and (well at least in the games I like) you have to interact with people. Thus many a night, and weekend has been wasted away in the different virtual worlds I've come to call home. Without that social interaction though it probably would have never happened, because lets face the single player content in single player RPGs is usually far superior to the solo content in MMOs.

Lidane

Originally posted by Mimzel

Originally posted by Lidane

Originally posted by AvatarBlade

Voted other, because for me it's a combination between the group option and the solo option. I like playing with others or fighting other players, but it's also nice to have to option to be able to do things by yourself in a world that basically feels more alive because there are other players around even when you choose to play alone. It also gives me longer playtime that a single player game.

That's it for me as well. Well said!

Thats perfectly fine, but if you in reality play mostly on your own, it would be more suitable to click the "to enjoy solo content in a massive world". I play for co-operation, but of course I solo from time to time - but what I'm *most* interested in, is the team play. 

This poll is not able to grasp all the finer neuances of gameplay or who you really are. It's a coarse generalization, so please treat it as such

I mostly play in a duo with my boyfriend and in larger groups with my guild. However, I also create alts and solo them to make sure that it's a class I like and that I'm comfortable with. I also do crafting on my own, and will often just spend time exploring a game world alone without killing things, just to take a look around and see the larger world I'm playing in. For me, there's no one set answer. 

I can't say that I play MMOs solely for the group dynamic. I can't say I play them for the solo mechanics either. I play them for a variety of reasons, so I voted Other.

Nadia

voted other

 

for me,

mmos are a better version of adventure computer games

that offer the opportunity to play w others if you desire

tochicool

I play because there are just some things you can't do in reality

nomss

Story does not end, they can keep adding to it.

Jakdstripper

Originally posted by tochicool

I play because there are just some things you can't do in reality

 if i could smash people with 2 handed axes, or shoot firebals, or ride dragons, or go siege castles with catapults in real life i would.......

untill then i'll have a blast doing it on my fav fantasy game.

just2duh

 I voted solo. I see MMORPG's more as just an extension to my RPG addiction than anything else lol. There could be 0% population (excluding myself) and i'd probably be just as content.

helthros

Originally posted by just2duh

 I voted solo. I see MMORPG's more as just an extension to my RPG addiction than anything else lol. There could be 0% population (excluding myself) and i'd probably be just as content.

 

 

I'm not attacking you or trying to offend you, but this is exactly where the MMORPG genre went wrong.

 

It's truly disappointing to see how many people view "solo-play" as the deciding factor in an MMORPG.

 

 

Let this serve as a lesson to the fools that think Devs are the ones ruining the genre. They are just catering to the masses.

quentin405

Originally posted by Ellisia

I dont PvP and cant understand why people would want to when theres excellent games like TF2 which are designed from the ground up for it, must be they suck at FPS but still like beating kiddies lol.

 

Wow, that was epic funny.  Im pretty sure your right about the lower 25% of the pvp population.. But I can state from experience that most PvP games take quite a bit more brainpower and skill then your average Call of duty game :-P  In CoD you dont have to deal with snares and roots and healers and hidden rouge type toons and etc etc to infinity and beyond reasons why your totally wrong

 

But yea, I play for group content and PvP..  I cant stand crafting / and would only gather if I was new and needed the cash..

Kyleran

It's all they let me do here in my cell besides 1 hour a day of excercise out in the yard. 

And post on MMORPG.com of course.

Actually, I play them to cooperate with others, particularly in the control of territorial objectives.