Why do you like MMORPGs?

kaeljaeren

Since we are on this site I think it's a safe bet that most people reading this like MMOs ine one way or another. I'm just curious to read why it appeals to you?

I haven't really had a true successful MMO experience so far, I'm still waiting for a reason to continue playing once I hit the level cap. But I had fun leveling up to max level in WoW, SWTOR and GW2, I just couldn't justify playing end-game for more than a week, then I felt like I was doing the same thing over and over again, so I have more fun with a single player RPG like Skyrim. 

But the concept of an MMO appeals to me, and I hope to get hooked on one this year, but again, why do you like them? what keeps you playing? and how do you have fun once you can't get that kick from leveling up anymore? 

ViperDragon

For me: I'm a novelist by profession and I enjoy living in the mind of different characters.  While a single-person RPG might allow me to do this, an MMORPG enhances the immersion due to the interaction with other players.  The thing is, we only get one life - unless you believe in the after-life or reincarnation.  Playing MMORPGs allows me to live many lives.

Kyleran

I don't think I do anymore.  Like yourself, I find modern MMO's lose all appeal once you reach end game and start that cycle of "repetitive" motion, where you do a whole lot of the same thing for incremental advancement.  (or just for "fun")

Even the lure of alts holds little appeal as there's really nothing to do with them once you complete the journey. (which is increasingly short and uninteresting)

I guess only MMO's which involve an end game of PVP/territory control really interest me, so ESO might be a good candidate, along with some indie titles on the way.  Of course I was a backer of CU as well, in the hopes it was more to my liking.

But titles where the core endgame is gear based, raiding based progression hold almost no interest, especially when the real purpose of the progression is just to run ever harder pve raids, seems totally pointless.

Contrast that with a game like EVE, where there is no end game, and you can always be working towards some goal that will be almost indefinite.....

I probably should just go back there this year, probably will if ESO doesn't pan out.

 

Flyte27

I used to read a fair amount of D&D Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms books when I was younger.  I read things like the Chronicles, Legends, Icewind Dale, Dark Elf Trilogy, etc.  I also read the Hobbit, and watched all the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings cartoons (thats all they had when I was younger).  Playing games like Ultima Online and especially Everquest was an opportunity to exist in those worlds in some way.  I usually drew from what I read to create my own experiences in those worlds.  I don't enjoy MMOs as much now.  I think part of it is I don't read fantasy books anymore and part is that everything in the games is scripted out and easy to do during the leveling process.  Quests just don't seem to bring me enjoyment.  I prefer to just go exploring and try to kill some of the things I find along the way.  A lot of my enjoyment also comes from leveling up and customizing my character, choosing the class/race, etc.  This has also been reduced a lot in today's games.  Stats or chosen for you.  Any race can be any class with equal effectiveness.  Any race class play any class in most cases.  There isn't much of the planning part of the game anymore.  It's all planed out for you.

Phaserlight

Social interaction, exploration, cooperation, and competition for me. I basically agree with everything Kylerian wrote. I've been playing a game that's sort of "like Eve" for over a decade now; it never seems to get old because it feels like a continuously evolving society.

pierth

I like role-playing the race and class I choose appropriately in the world the game sets up. As a gamer I enjoy playing co-op with other players. Those are the two biggest attributes I seek in MMORPGs, although a mature storyline/lore is always welcomed (haven't seen one since TSW).

Quirhid

I don't; I like games. If the game I'm playing happens to be a MMORPG - fine. Only PvP holds me for any longer periods of time though.

Isoman

I like MMORPGs because they are an escape from reality, and as close to a virtual reality as we can currently get. As such, I am not much into ultra-realistic or "doom and gloom" MMOs, because I don't own a top of the line rig for playing such graphic intense games, and because I don't get any enjoyment from them. I think of myself as a casual gamer, due to real life commitments, so I cannot commit a lot of time playing. Consequently, I never find myself running out of things to do in game. I like to take my time, look around, take in the sites, and enjoy myself. Role playing and lore, as well as community involvement can make all the difference in such a game, because what's the point of playing a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game if you don't plan on interacting with others?

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Helleri

Real life offers no guarantee of reward for effort put in. Games do. And, more then getting us hooked on the feeling of being rewarded. I think we get hooked on the the mere promise of being rewarded. It's easier to do a long grind when you know that something will come of it. I think MMOG in specific are especially good at building anticipation and matching that with adequate rewards (most of the time).

 

But, even non MMO games can do this (one stellar example provided by the OP I believe, was Skyrim). So, there must be more to why we (all of us here) have this unified interest. Even if some of us don't particularly enjoy it as much as we used to, we are still engaged by it. Enough to still discuss it, at least.

 

I think it probably has a lot to do with the fact that (at least in theory); All the games listed on this site, and typically discussed (at least on this board of the forums) Are Massive, Multi-player, and Online. The Massive can refer to world size but more often may refer to depth and extent of content. So, our genre is somewhat dependable. We can invest in it. And, being Multi-player means that not only can we invest something in them, but we can get others to invest in us. And, we can become important to someone else. A means for another players progression. Part of the guarantee for someone else reward. And, being online means all of this is not constrained by geography, time zones, or even individual circumstances. So, it is not prejudice against you for any reason from the outset.

 

Recaping:

- Guaranteed reward for efforts.

- Investable/dependable/stable.

- A level playing field with no prejudice against you.

= Like Real life but a lot more fair. [probably important to note that if it can be helped -sometimes it can't- this should not be a replacement for real life. Life being fair or unfair on almost a whimsy is what makes it interesting. But, this can enrich real life by acting as a counter balance for those times when it becomes decidedly unfair.]

Daxamar

The main reason why I play MMOs is to play with or against other people.Everything else is icing on the cake.

Lore, gears, dungeons, spells, combat are all just things to do with others.

Multibyte

I like being in a huge and seamless world (unfortunately not all MMORPGs have this) with things to explore and do, and improve my character(s) in different ways.

One can argue that single player RPGs such as Skyrim also have these elements. However, having other real people, a community, adds a lot to the game world. A community creates comradery and unpredictability(again unfortunately not all MOMORPGs have this).

Loktofeit

I'm in the same boat as Phaserlight and Kyleran. It's not so much MMOs that I like as it is a specific type of them. The ones that promote social interaction, exploration and territory construction/conquest tend to hold my attention. 

xeniar

Originally posted by Loktofeit
I'm in the same boat as Phaserlight and Kyleran. It's not so much MMOs that I like as it is a specific type of them. The ones that promote social interaction, exploration and territory construction/conquest tend to hold my attention. 

same here. not alot of that around tho

nariusseldon

Because some of them are fun single player games with unique IPs. For example, I have yet to find a TNG era star trek RPG outside of the MMO genre.

 

Kevyne-Shandris

Bottom line: character development.

 

It's the RPG part of MMORPG that I care about. My character's story; his stats; how he looks in his gear; along with the environment he's in is what appeals to me in this genre.

Jemcrystal

I like being in a virtual chatroom with hundreds of others but I need some serious drama game play worth talking about.  I'm not going to hook up to Second Life or IMVU anytime soon.  And role playing.

Agent_Joseph

It is live role play !  around are real peoples

Cephus404

As someone else already said, I don't necessarily like MMOs, I like games, particularly games where there is a lot of content to consume.  Now I'd be happy to play with lots of people, if those people were worth hanging around with, but in most MMOs, I don't see that, I see people who are selfish, self-centered, egotistical prats who are racing to end-game.  Thus, I don't play MMOs with people, I play solo because playing with the majority of MMO players is just not fun.

Hothlove

I think heirlooms in WoW sucks. Theres no need to go to the ah and buy stuff from hard earned gold, theres really no need for gold until endgame where you need enchants. Also lvling got too easy in WoW it's because they changed it to appeal to the youngest players. I know look at WoW's graphics it probably always was meant for the youngest..

Everquest was fun when people grouped but it was always a little hard to get into a camped spot.. Wait times and such.

Lotro just is a little dry and dungeonfinder isn't used.

EQ2 One hell of a bad graphic engine and it still cant be played properly today.

Daoc now here is a game with good endgame namely PVP.. In PVP anything can happen and enemy players is real ai and are alot more skilled than mobs. Even in raids they dont make it too hard wich is why PVP can give adrenaline rush. Too bad it went alot of downhill for this game and today it's probably impossible to roll a group that is good as a starter player. Alot of elitists in daoc always has been in competetive games.

Ive tried som other mmo games aswell but the rest of them just sucks and not worth mentioning

Theres this game Wildstar coming.. Saw a trailer and the game is definately for kids. Then there's ESO coming out in april but whats with all this instanced crap?? 

There's no MMO outhere worth playing and the good ones got worn out or overplayed how you say. There wont be any good MMO the next few years, not what I've heard of.

Kevyne-Shandris

Originally posted by Hothlove

I think heirlooms in WoW sucks. Theres no need to go to the ah and buy stuff from hard earned gold, theres really no need for gold until endgame where you need enchants. Also lvling got too easy in WoW it's because they changed it to appeal to the youngest players.

No, multiboxers.

 

Do you seriously think someone is going to level 150 toons in the old die-while-grinding formula?

 

Hell no.

 

BoAs allow players to make 150 toons within their lifetime. Not only welcomed, we need gloves/bracers/boots/rings, too.

deniter

Originally posted by xeniar

Originally posted by Loktofeit
I'm in the same boat as Phaserlight and Kyleran. It's not so much MMOs that I like as it is a specific type of them. The ones that promote social interaction, exploration and territory construction/conquest tend to hold my attention. 

same here. not alot of that around tho

I'm in that boat too. I like to progress my character in virtual fantasy world and have as many long term goals as possible. I like interaction between other players (so i could progress, not a mindless chit-chat), and occasional team play with them in situations i can't handle alone. When the level cap is reached and the repetition begins, i reroll and start it all over (applies only to games where from zero to cap takes more than just few months).

Sadly, there are not many games around i just described. They are now very short in terms of levels and infested with gazillions of minigames that has no meaning in bigger picture. They tell me which button to push, how to spend my points, etc.

ReaperJoda

Originally posted by Phaserlight
Social interaction, exploration, cooperation, and competition for me. I basically agree with everything Kylerian wrote. I've been playing a game that's sort of "like Eve" for over a decade now; it never seems to get old because it feels like a continuously evolving society.

^ .......so I agree here 100%, but I ask what MMO's offer this anymore?  Most are Copies of WoW that copied the 1st real AAA MMO EQ1.  Most of these copies have ! over ever other NPC's head and quest all over that guide you down a pre-defined path (theme park) style of gameplay.

Kevyne-Shandris

Originally posted by ReaperJoda

Originally posted by Phaserlight
Social interaction, exploration, cooperation, and competition for me. I basically agree with everything Kylerian wrote. I've been playing a game that's sort of "like Eve" for over a decade now; it never seems to get old because it feels like a continuously evolving society.

^ .......so I agree here 100%, but I ask what MMO's offer this anymore?  Most are Copies of WoW that copied the 1st real AAA MMO EQ1.  Most of these copies have ! over ever other NPC's head and quest all over that guide you down a pre-defined path (theme park) style of gameplay.

Yeah, but even EQ did away with corpse runs and WoW still has it.

Yeah, but EQ/EQII allows buying epics straight from the loot chests, WoW believes that you actually earn it. Imagine that Fangs of the Father; Shadowmourne; even Ashbringer can be bought, in queue faction, for 30plat a head. It's one of the reasons I left EQII when seeing whole guilds being ushered into VP for literally handed over epics.

Little cheapening, huh?

Illius

Originally posted by Kyleran

I don't think I do anymore.  Like yourself, I find modern MMO's lose all appeal once you reach end game and start that cycle of "repetitive" motion, where you do a whole lot of the same thing for incremental advancement.  (or just for "fun")

Even the lure of alts holds little appeal as there's really nothing to do with them once you complete the journey. (which is increasingly short and uninteresting)

I guess only MMO's which involve an end game of PVP/territory control really interest me, so ESO might be a good candidate, along with some indie titles on the way.  Of course I was a backer of CU as well, in the hopes it was more to my liking.

But titles where the core endgame is gear based, raiding based progression hold almost no interest, especially when the real purpose of the progression is just to run ever harder pve raids, seems totally pointless.

Contrast that with a game like EVE, where there is no end game, and you can always be working towards some goal that will be almost indefinite.....

I probably should just go back there this year, probably will if ESO doesn't pan out.

 

Kyleran pretty much mirrors my opinion.  I have passed up on the recent crop of games that claimed they were MMOrpg because of the linearity, end game, and what I feel is a lack of reason to co-operate through out the entire game rather than just at the very end.

I am beginning to think that perhaps I don't really like the MMORPG genre, or the MMO genre, or whatever it is called now because I think the term has been diluted to include games that I personally would never put in this genre.

The other day while my friends and I were sitting around drinking, we began musing on the current state of games and what we were or were not playing and we kinda came to an agreement that we no longer want to simply play "games".

If I were to draw a line to represent what I would call one of my hobbies of choice, that being gaming, and put "game" on one side and "simulator" on the other I think I would place myself closer to the sim side than the game side.

Simulator  ----------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game

Assume that the is the middle and the + would represent where I stand on the scale of things.  I may not necessarily want a full on simulator but I definitely prefer that the majority of the "doing" was more in line with a sim.  I still want a little bit of "game" there but not very much, and I find that as the years pass, the amount of "game" gets less and less.  I hope that makes some sense.

Due to this sort of revelation, I've come to realize why I found myself not really enjoying the latest offerings from the game studios.  I guess they no longer make products that interest me.

KenFisher

I'm an alt-a-holic and a 'with friends' style player.

 

Level multiple toons to cap at once, no rush

Trade dungeon runs with friends

Farm, work on crafting, constantly shovel drops onto AH

 

Private guild, no PUGs, no raids, no stress.  I find it a very practical way to play.

 

Do I like MMORPGs as they are intended to be played?  Eh, not really.  I don't play the game.  I play IN the game world.