No game will ever make me feel like this again.

Tzavok

I was reading a comment in a post last night, which said that lore was the main reason a player would feel like staying in a game, i still remember that day, the very first day i stepped in the gates of Stormwind, that was a moment i'll always remember, the level of immersion i felt was unmatched as of today, by any MMORPG.

World of Warcraft isn't perfect, hell it's far from perfect, but it does some things right, the most important to me are the Lore and the Music, specially the Music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYidb1LvMs8

Listening to that song, when entering Stormwind feels completely different from any other game, i've wandered around tons of cities in different MMOs, but if i'm completely honest, i don't remember any of them, or just a few.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU7qTVkjMWU

Then this, probably the most memorable villain of all times to me, if i were given the chance to become part of the scourge in game, i wouldn't doubt it, not for a second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAIrj_Vqdfc

The very first time we killed the Lich King, i was so happy, my guild was happy, we were celebrating it so much on Team Speak, but then the cinematic struck us, damn that was sad, i actually felt how everyone on TeamSpeak shut up and just watched it, no one was interested in the loot (but after, of course they were, those greedy bastards), everyone was just listening to the Lich King's last words.

Now i may sound like an Arthas Fanboy (which i am, no shame on that, Arthas is my favorite character of all times), but i actually know pretty much all the Warcraft Lore, or most of it, and i don't know a single game that has such an extended and rich Lore, maybe The Elder Scrolls, but that's an RPG series, but when it comes to MMORPGs, WoW is unbeatable at it, period.

Well, what's the point of my post? i don't think WoW's success is because of mainstream bullshit, easy to play game, WoW doesn't bring anything new to the table, it didn't back then, i'm sure of that, the engine is outdated (and somehow they can bring scenarios like the ones we see in Legion, these guys are good), the combat is probably my favorite, but that's juts my opinion, most would find it boring i guess. I think WoW's success is because it took every single good feature that was available at the time, mixed them together perfectly, created a perfect long lasting engine and most importantly, made the most meaningful and immersive story of all times (For MMORPGS).

Elsabolts

Your saying you made a pointless post ? " Common Man "

Tzavok

Elsabolts said:

Your saying you made a pointless post ? " Common Man "

Most posts are pointless here, may aswell add my own haha.

ShavaKa

There was a lot of things that made WoW great. The color scheme was also very good, as well as playability - I came from FFXI to play wow - the difference was startling. Back in the day of early WoW you could make friends easy, in fact they pretty much came to you. FFXI was full of snarky a-holes, in WoW you could always find someone awesome, or annoying, but you could move on. The loot scheme in WoW was much more amazing as well. Plenty of people would help you and not snub you or use you entirely. And yes the music also stuck with you.

WoW's Lore is pretty generic, in fact I like ES lore much better than FFXI, or WoW. But I don't like ESO, completely forgettable trash and makes fun of ES Lore in a way, like a fantasy satire of ES. F-ing weird.

WoW sure has changed a lot since the good ol' days, boy I miss my youth.

sludgebeard

I loved WoW's combat at the time, I purposefully made my Paladin have as much block/parry bonus I could because it looked awesome with the flow of combat. 

You didnt stop moving to parry or block, it just played the animation during your movement - the combat flowed so god damn well in Vanilla. It was the apex of flashy yet mechanically sound and it really did look Epic when you got into big fights.

Tzavok

ShavaKa said:

There was a lot of things that made WoW great. The color scheme was also very good, as well as playability - I came from FFXI to play wow - the difference was startling. Back in the day of early WoW you could make friends easy, in fact they pretty much came to you. FFXI was full of snarky a-holes, in WoW you could always find someone awesome, or annoying, but you could move on. The loot scheme in WoW was much more amazing as well. Plenty of people would help you and not snub you or use you entirely. And yes the music also stuck with you.

WoW's Lore is pretty generic, in fact I like ES lore much better than FFXI, or WoW. But I don't like ESO, completely forgettable trash and makes fun of ES Lore in a way, like a fantasy satire of ES. F-ing weird.

WoW sure has changed a lot since the good ol' days, boy I miss my youth.

I agree, it is generic, but at the same time, really well done, just because it's generic doesn't mean it's anywhere near bad, they know how to tell a story, and that's impressive for a MMORPG.

ShavaKa

Tzavok said:

ShavaKa said:

There was a lot of things that made WoW great. The color scheme was also very good, as well as playability - I came from FFXI to play wow - the difference was startling. Back in the day of early WoW you could make friends easy, in fact they pretty much came to you. FFXI was full of snarky a-holes, in WoW you could always find someone awesome, or annoying, but you could move on. The loot scheme in WoW was much more amazing as well. Plenty of people would help you and not snub you or use you entirely. And yes the music also stuck with you.

WoW's Lore is pretty generic, in fact I like ES lore much better than FFXI, or WoW. But I don't like ESO, completely forgettable trash and makes fun of ES Lore in a way, like a fantasy satire of ES. F-ing weird.

WoW sure has changed a lot since the good ol' days, boy I miss my youth.

I agree, it is generic, but at the same time, really well done, just because it's generic doesn't mean it's anywhere near bad, they know how to tell a story, and that's impressive for a MMORPG.

I'll give them that, they handle what they have done very well. They just totally went with it, I can see them laughing about it, but meh, good times in that brainstorming room I bet.

One thing I do miss as well were those skill trees, skill ups and trainers, melee hunters, you know, all that depth stuff.  Also, the feeling of showing people where to level and being able to have that outside of game knowledge and just f'ing knowing better - feeling special and unique. 

I was never big into combat, loved the PVE though, and casual PvP.

(Damn cell phone, tablet age - ruined everything for me and mmos. I still don't have any of those devices. PC forever, all others be damned. I would try to stop evolution, but history will repeat itself at some point.) 

sumdumguy1

We tend to be so hard on ourselves and others when it comes to games.  If you like the game, great, share your opinion on the site and tell others why, there is damn good chance others share your same opinion and others don't.  In the end who cares what others think, play the games you like and be happy.  I play GW2, SWTOR and Secret World, all those games have their fans and detractors.  While I appreciate all the opinions and comments, they won't change my mind on games that I play and like.  Sounds like its the same way for you and personally I am glad you shared you post and found games you enjoyed and moved you.

Tzavok

sumdumguy1 said:

We tend to be so hard on ourselves and others when it comes to games.  If you like the game, great, share your opinion on the site and tell others why, there is damn good chance others share your same opinion and others don't.  In the end who cares what others think, play the games you like and be happy.  I play GW2, SWTOR and Secret World, all those games have their fans and detractors.  While I appreciate all the opinions and comments, they won't change my mind on games that I play and like.  Sounds like its the same way for you and personally I am glad you shared you post and found games you enjoyed and moved you.

Totally man, i don't want this post to sound like i think WoW is the best game ever made, it is not, at least statistically, for me tho, it probably is the best MMORPG, Final Fantasy Tactics for psx is my favorite game of all times, so there's that.

This is just my opinion and i don't want to disrespect anyone else's opinion on the matter.

kishe

people get the "first kiss sydrome" with mmo's. means no mmo will ever feel as special as first mmo they played.

Tzavok

kishe said:

people get the "first kiss sydrome" with mmo's. means no mmo will ever feel as special as first mmo they played.

Wow wasn't the first MMO i played, but i get what you mean.

sludgebeard

kishe said:

people get the "first kiss sydrome" with mmo's. means no mmo will ever feel as special as first mmo they played.

I agree with this to an extent.

Yes I think the first MMO you play for many of us is the one you have the fondest memories of. 

I know thats true for me, SWG was by far my favorite MMO and it was my first.

But I had just as good of memories in WoW as I did in SWG. And thats because for me, they were two totally diffetrent games. I was playing the same genre (MMO) but they felt like completely different packages.

The problem now adays for people and why they think the "First Kiss Syndrome" is so prevalent is because 90% of the MMO's that come out now are the same.

And if they arent the same, they are traps with rediculous pay-walls, and MT's, and all sorts of barriers that stop you from getting into the game.


So to keep the analogy alive think of it this way.:

You meet the one (Your first MMO) and the two of you hit it off, and you spend years together under the bright celestial moonlight of your LED monitor. 

Finally you grow tired of each other and you separate. You meet someone else (the rebound MMO) and you hit it off because of how different they are from the last time.

Eventually you grow tired of each other and you move on again. The next one comes along and is a right Jezebel. Constantly wanting your CC info, constantly forcing you to grind and grind to get what you want. But its easy, its not as complex as the other relationships you have had and so its better in a way, but your not getting anything out of it, just going through the motions.

Finally you seperate and then its you by yourself for a while, your thinking to yourself "Why am I even doing this anymore? Why am I doing this to myself?" And you step away from MMO's for a while, and hope that youll find something like you had before. 

But thats the thing, times have changed, theirs no one like who you had before, you arent the same person and they arent the same games anymore. 

In other words: Go play Battlerite - Its quick, easy, and it wont leave you with a 20 year co-dependency issue and tons of boundary issues on the types of games you will play. 

Vermillion_Raventhal

WoW was good but dated. It's been imitated so much that the style is just overdone as well.

I think when if get a new MMORPG that is vastly different and good we will feel refreshed.

FlyByKnight

Nostalgia is cool. Usually that first time playing a good game is a great feeling.

cameltosis

I can certainly appreciate your feelings towards wow and your regret about not getting that feeling again. 

My feelings are very different. WoW was too generic for me, so the lore was entirely forgettable and, having started in SWG, I just couldn't enjoy the mechanics of WoW. Granted, I never made it to endgame, but that was because I got bored way before that point and didn't see the appeal in carrying on. 

I also disagree with your reasoning on WoWs success, but thats not relevant to this thread. 


In terms of getting that feeling again, don't lose hope! It is very rare for me, but it still happens. Generic fantasy like WoW (especially with the older graphics it has/had) won't get me there, but every now and again a game comes along that either does high fantasy well or just does something else really well. 

Latest game to do it for me was GTA5. Trevor hooked me to the game - he was just such a loveable characters - but when the PC version came out it really filled me with awe. I think it was the first time I got in a plane that it happened. I was flying about and decided to head towards Mt Chiliad when the sun started setting. It was beautiful! I probably spent the next 10-15 minutes just flying around and looking at the landscape and taking it all in. Not only was flying fun in itself, but the views and the graphics were brilliant. 

Last MMO to get me that feeling was, admittedly, LotRO. The combination of large, open zones that had been well made (particularly shire) and my existing knowledge of LotR just made me fall in love. Admittedly, the love of the world wore off quickly - I'm not a lore fan - but luckily the combat mechanics, classes and dungeons were done so well that I was hooked. 

Kyleran

WOW has music, who knew?

No seriously, whenever I play a new game the first thing I do is adjust the screen resolution and other graphic settings.

The second thing is shut off the in game music entirely and dial back the other sound effects.

Can't recall the last time I heard in game music.

Back on topic, DAOC wasn't my first, but it is one of my favorites followed by EVE and WOW as the only MMORPGs to really immerse me in their virtual world.

Shame Blizzard turned away from that design to create a mostly lobby experience (after the first month for most players)

Tzavok

Kyleran said:

WOW has music, who knew?

No seriously, whenever I play a new game the first thing I do is adjust the screen resolution and other graphic settings.

The second thing is shut off the in game music entirely and dial back the other sound effects.

Can't recall the last time I heard in game music.

I've met a couple of friends who do that, i did it myself for some games too, but i just can't do it with WoW, the music is just too good to pass, if i did that, i would have never listened to Karazhan's Opera Theme for example, which i love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedMP7eda2E

filmoret

Shouldn't this be in the WOW forums?  I had this feeling when playing Rift for the first hour and ran into a huge group of 100+ players doing a world event.  I was like man WOW really missed something here.

Tiller

First time I stepped into the living and breathing world of Star Wars Galaxies I felt that way. First time I stepped into WoW I felt like I walked into a museum diorama with NPC that if you pushed a button you got a story. I thought I would play SWG back in the day while I waited for WoW to finish; by the time WoW came out SWG had changed my perception of what an MMO could be and I never looked at another MMO the same again.

I remember getting lost on Tatooine for a few days (being broke, weak noob and all) I was heading back towards Mos Eisley and ended up being chased by some Womp Rats and ran into a player house to get away. There happened to be this girl working on her armorsmith trade, she killed these critters off me and after that we just chilled and talked for a few hours about the game, life ect. She hooked me up with some armor and off a I went to Mos Eisley to heal my battle fatigue and wounds. Point is I haven't found a game where just doing nothing, is more fun than doing quest lines all the time.

goboygo

ShavaKa said:

Tzavok said:

ShavaKa said:

There was a lot of things that made WoW great. The color scheme was also very good, as well as playability - I came from FFXI to play wow - the difference was startling. Back in the day of early WoW you could make friends easy, in fact they pretty much came to you. FFXI was full of snarky a-holes, in WoW you could always find someone awesome, or annoying, but you could move on. The loot scheme in WoW was much more amazing as well. Plenty of people would help you and not snub you or use you entirely. And yes the music also stuck with you.

WoW's Lore is pretty generic, in fact I like ES lore much better than FFXI, or WoW. But I don't like ESO, completely forgettable trash and makes fun of ES Lore in a way, like a fantasy satire of ES. F-ing weird.

WoW sure has changed a lot since the good ol' days, boy I miss my youth.

I agree, it is generic, but at the same time, really well done, just because it's generic doesn't mean it's anywhere near bad, they know how to tell a story, and that's impressive for a MMORPG.

I'll give them that, they handle what they have done very well. They just totally went with it, I can see them laughing about it, but meh, good times in that brainstorming room I bet.

One thing I do miss as well were those skill trees, skill ups and trainers, melee hunters, you know, all that depth stuff.  Also, the feeling of showing people where to level and being able to have that outside of game knowledge and just f'ing knowing better - feeling special and unique. 

I was never big into combat, loved the PVE though, and casual PvP.

(Damn cell phone, tablet age - ruined everything for me and mmos. I still don't have any of those devices. PC forever, all others be damned. I would try to stop evolution, but history will repeat itself at some point.) 

I can never play wow again because of how they gutted character development down to linear clicking like some trashy console game.