The question is will GW2 be any better? Players will still get benefits for going back to lower level zones which is a plus, but they will still gravitate towards the higher level content I think. And will we see a similar situation to other games where everyone at 80 is sitting around trying to find a group for explorable mode dungeons for tokens so they can get their gear sets?
Maybe. I guess that remains to be seen. I think it will depend on how interesting some of the zones are in the mid-levels. I find myself already gravitating towards my "favorite" areas and playing out the dynamic and pre-set events in those areas just for fun... and after doing them a few times, I understand more what's actually going on and how the events connect (which passed right by me the first time around). Granted, I'm trying all new classes and things are still fresh, so that's part of the excitement which will fade.
To go back to the Queensdale example, I think the early DEs in that zone are pretty crappy (the farm with the worms, the poison blob attack on the water supply, etc). but once you get going a bit, the ones in the higher level areas are much better, and they start to connect together in interesting ways. I think if they continue with that work and make large chains connecting in different areas with much bigger consequences, then I think we're really going to have reasons to go to play our favorite areas.
As I said in the original post, I'm most excited about the backbone of the systems in place in the game. They're increadible dynamic systems that Anet can build on over time, once they see what works and what does not work. In comparison, WoW is built on very very old DIKU mud style systems which were pretty cool and addictive in a way (which has been thouroughly exploited by Blizzard), but they're pretty antiquated now and I think that entertainment and what we expect from entertainment has become much more advanced and dynamic in the past 5-6 years.
As I said in the original post, I'm most excited about the backbone of the systems in place in the game. They're increadible dynamic systems that Anet can build on over time, once they see what works and what does not work. In comparison, WoW is built on very very old DIKU mud style systems which were pretty cool and addictive in a way (which has been thouroughly exploited by Blizzard), but they're pretty antiquated now and I think that entertainment and what we expect from entertainment has become much more advanced and dynamic in the past 5-6 years.
Well said. Honestly, I think everyone who likes MMOs but is tired of what is out there right now should rejoice at GW2's coming and pray for it to succeed. Even if they do NOT like the game themself.
Since WoW's release, very, very few MMOs have tried at all to break out from the mold of doing things exactly (or nearly exactly) the same way. The genre is getting stale because of that. GW2 at least tries to shake things up more than pretty much any other MMO released in recent memory.
Whether you like the direction they took or not, if GW2 succeeds then more development studios will be able to get financing to try something different. Those of you who are dieing for a new and better awesome sandbox MMO, for example, are more likely to get it if GW2 does well. Those of you want to see someone develop a game that is all about raiding end game, but in a new and exciting way, are more likely to get it if GW2 does well. Basically, if GW2 does well enough, it will send a message to the industry that they need to try new things if they want a pay day.
The MMO player base has become very fragmented in terms of what they want and expect from an MMO. There will never be another WoW that has massive, massive success. We are entering a period in the genre where the most successful games will each be those which best appeal to their own specific fragment of the greater MMO community. Although targeting a fragment of the MMO player base may sound like it is not a good way to make money, these companies are interested in making money and in growing the industry. Only by being more precise in which segment of the market they are going after will they manage to again start growth.
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Maybe. I guess that remains to be seen. I think it will depend on how interesting some of the zones are in the mid-levels. I find myself already gravitating towards my "favorite" areas and playing out the dynamic and pre-set events in those areas just for fun... and after doing them a few times, I understand more what's actually going on and how the events connect (which passed right by me the first time around). Granted, I'm trying all new classes and things are still fresh, so that's part of the excitement which will fade.
To go back to the Queensdale example, I think the early DEs in that zone are pretty crappy (the farm with the worms, the poison blob attack on the water supply, etc). but once you get going a bit, the ones in the higher level areas are much better, and they start to connect together in interesting ways. I think if they continue with that work and make large chains connecting in different areas with much bigger consequences, then I think we're really going to have reasons to go to play our favorite areas.
As I said in the original post, I'm most excited about the backbone of the systems in place in the game. They're increadible dynamic systems that Anet can build on over time, once they see what works and what does not work. In comparison, WoW is built on very very old DIKU mud style systems which were pretty cool and addictive in a way (which has been thouroughly exploited by Blizzard), but they're pretty antiquated now and I think that entertainment and what we expect from entertainment has become much more advanced and dynamic in the past 5-6 years.
Well said. Honestly, I think everyone who likes MMOs but is tired of what is out there right now should rejoice at GW2's coming and pray for it to succeed. Even if they do NOT like the game themself.
Since WoW's release, very, very few MMOs have tried at all to break out from the mold of doing things exactly (or nearly exactly) the same way. The genre is getting stale because of that. GW2 at least tries to shake things up more than pretty much any other MMO released in recent memory.
Whether you like the direction they took or not, if GW2 succeeds then more development studios will be able to get financing to try something different. Those of you who are dieing for a new and better awesome sandbox MMO, for example, are more likely to get it if GW2 does well. Those of you want to see someone develop a game that is all about raiding end game, but in a new and exciting way, are more likely to get it if GW2 does well. Basically, if GW2 does well enough, it will send a message to the industry that they need to try new things if they want a pay day.
The MMO player base has become very fragmented in terms of what they want and expect from an MMO. There will never be another WoW that has massive, massive success. We are entering a period in the genre where the most successful games will each be those which best appeal to their own specific fragment of the greater MMO community. Although targeting a fragment of the MMO player base may sound like it is not a good way to make money, these companies are interested in making money and in growing the industry. Only by being more precise in which segment of the market they are going after will they manage to again start growth.