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Why I largely stopped playing MMORPGs
Little-Boot
Member UncommonPosts: 158
This is not intended as a rant; however, I do bemoan the course the MMORPG genre has taken post-WOW.
When I largely stopped playing MMORPGs it was not a conscious decision; I did not throw down my keyboard in disgust. For some time in the late noughties and early teens, I still treated each new release with curiosity, bordering excitement. I would then buy the latest (AAA) release and find that it either felt like:
a) treading old ground. The game would be generic and derivative. Maybe "WOW-clone" is a misnomer, but a lot of games certainly did not differentiate themselves sufficiently from their forebears to hold my interest, or;
b) the game was too solo-centric. If grouping was even a requirement of the game, it would be automated in a manner that involved no actual interaction or socialization. There would be little immersion; the game design opting for maps filled with sparkly, shouty distractions, rather than maps you wanted to explore and discover. Don't get me wrong, I am a casual player, but casual is not synonymous with shallow. Or...
c) It felt like a cheap cash-grab second only to the mobile market for its mercenary monetization system. The MMORPGs that fall into this category are usually not AAA titles (although there are notable exceptions such as PWE releases). These games are often trash designed only to extract money from their customers. As a case-study for the Veblan effect these games have some worth; as MMORPGs they only damage the genre.
But, as I said, I did not storm away from the genre in disgust. Rather, I drifted away from the genre because my needs could be met more completely elsewhere. I can scratch my PVP itch with online shooters that do not rely on unfair gear or level advantages to shore up bad players. I can find better combat systems in single-player games. I can find better solo-centric stories in single-player games. I can find more innovative gameplay in single-player games. I can find more meaningful interaction in cooperative games.
Which is why I have largely left the MMORPG genre. I am left wondering; given the direction this genre has taken, what purpose does it actually serve? What itch does it scratch that can't be scratched more completely elsewhere?
Please share your thoughts.
When I largely stopped playing MMORPGs it was not a conscious decision; I did not throw down my keyboard in disgust. For some time in the late noughties and early teens, I still treated each new release with curiosity, bordering excitement. I would then buy the latest (AAA) release and find that it either felt like:
a) treading old ground. The game would be generic and derivative. Maybe "WOW-clone" is a misnomer, but a lot of games certainly did not differentiate themselves sufficiently from their forebears to hold my interest, or;
b) the game was too solo-centric. If grouping was even a requirement of the game, it would be automated in a manner that involved no actual interaction or socialization. There would be little immersion; the game design opting for maps filled with sparkly, shouty distractions, rather than maps you wanted to explore and discover. Don't get me wrong, I am a casual player, but casual is not synonymous with shallow. Or...
c) It felt like a cheap cash-grab second only to the mobile market for its mercenary monetization system. The MMORPGs that fall into this category are usually not AAA titles (although there are notable exceptions such as PWE releases). These games are often trash designed only to extract money from their customers. As a case-study for the Veblan effect these games have some worth; as MMORPGs they only damage the genre.
But, as I said, I did not storm away from the genre in disgust. Rather, I drifted away from the genre because my needs could be met more completely elsewhere. I can scratch my PVP itch with online shooters that do not rely on unfair gear or level advantages to shore up bad players. I can find better combat systems in single-player games. I can find better solo-centric stories in single-player games. I can find more innovative gameplay in single-player games. I can find more meaningful interaction in cooperative games.
Which is why I have largely left the MMORPG genre. I am left wondering; given the direction this genre has taken, what purpose does it actually serve? What itch does it scratch that can't be scratched more completely elsewhere?
Please share your thoughts.
Comments
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Anyway the way in which we can take part in story content is pretty unique in SWTOR (compared to many games we own) Divinity and the NWN2: SOZ expansion are the only others I can think of with anything like it; as it's a shared story experience (in most other games one person is simply a silent bystander).
Running around in ESO together is rather unique as far as Co-op experiences we own go, although the story content isn't shared as it is in SWTOR.. It feels far more freeform in how you approach content than SWTOR. These are the only MMORPG she'll play, she didn't like AOC, TSW, FFXIV or GW2 at all.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky
So, if anything when this product finally arrives $ won't be an issue for me. In fact I would be gladly paying a $30 monthly sub. Through the last 5 years I've seen more B2P and F2P+P2W than ever, but quality products not so much.
Somebody out there will have to understand that $ plays a significant role in how much you can bring and add to a MMORPG...from graphics to content to endgame tools and features for the players, security, customer support, ip, etc etc.
For solo players it depends on each individual, but there are several reasons to do so. Time, quality of loot, quests, and other players. In the past before the rise of Free to Play games were the subscription mmos during this time the players were often older and with more disposable income. During this time there was often a stronger sense of community, but when the age of F2P games came out it introduced younger players to mmos. Once all these new players came into the new world; spam, rage, and so unfavorable elements were added to the game. While not all bad the vocal minority often tried to make things go their way and so some developers will introduce changes in mmos that a majority of players actually did not support.
Free to Play games often rely on elephants that may have less time to play, but more money to spend on a game. They often though not always play solo and this also goes to the last point in where companies are out to make money. To make money they often have to cater to whomever pays the bills. They offer exclusive time limited items and features to those that pay the most because it is simply the way things are now.
F2P games are evolution for the genre. I have no doubt about that because I've benefited from this dearly and these F2P products are also benefiting from the state of the genre right now, when players rather play these F2P ones when there is nothing truly amazing to spend $ out there.
The reason most Aaa mmorpg are wow clone is because that's what most people want.
And in the past 10 years there are only like 7 Aaa wow clone, and the genre some how become wow clone.
News flash, they are aimed at those willing to pay for them. The recent trend of more b2p models such as BDO or Rifts recent restrictions on activities of the f2p customer are attempts to encourage you to buy or exclude you from their title.
Oh yeah, just as you stop reporting children's ages in months after they reach 2 years old, you should probably just say "over 5 years w/o paying" until you get close to 5.5 years.
(its really not the "Red Badge of Courage" you seem to think it is)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
(Mod, can you remove these duplicates?)
apparently that's what most people wanted. Even the older game developer agrees, they say people quit their game to go play wow.
"Grind" is a word players use to describe a game which takes too much time while providing too little gameplay variety. Quests are variety. So they didn't disguise grind, they weren't grind.
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
Nothing you said does not qualify as superior gameplay to what was out at the time.
and would destroy any desire to Alt. ....