Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Retiring from a Hardcore lifestyle and looking to 2009
Speedhaak
Member UncommonPosts: 296
Greetings all on this fine Tuesday afternoon (at least in my part of the World). I just recently - well a few months back - made the decision to stop playing MMO's in a highly aggressive manner (by this I mean in my approach to gameplay and not my personality and attitude towards others) because in all honesty the older I get the more mundane and pointless it appears to be. I started out mainly with FF XI and Lineage 2 where I played in excess of 8 hours a day (whilst in College) before moving on to World of Warcraft where I would pump in and around 12 to 14 hours a day for the first two years of the game before slowly dwindling down to more respectable (sane) numbers. However, in the last year or two (along with the revelation of X-Box live, to myself) I have seen a much more attractive side to MMO gaming, one that involves a bigger emphasis on community and socializing, albeit a team orientated effort. I've been more open to reading about other MMO's and have also been actively reading both MMOrpg.com and Massively.com and the end result (for me at least) has been quite comforting.
I've now decided to take a more relaxed approach to my MMO gaming, no longer do I lust for level cap asap and top tier items. Now, and with the advent of my 30's - I feel as though the most enjoyable aspect of this fine genre is one of which sees the player band together with other like minded individuals to pass away those Winter months and to bond and forge Alliances to crush our (like-minded (hopefully)) foes in-game. It's been a long hard road and perhaps maturity has played a bigger part than I would like to think but ultimately it's where I want to be now, and so far this new attitude has seen me enjoying all sorts of MMO's that I would normally breech through in weeks. Age of Conan being one (Funcom have done a fantastic job in re-forging this one, leaps and bounds only scratch the surface) such beast. I used to always think that there was no point in playing an MMO if you weren't going to be highly competitive, I now see that this was a jaded and naive attitude that got me nowhere but burnout city. I think Age of Conan has made me see this more than any other title in recent times. I realize the game was butchered by critics at launch, but should one find it in their heart to see past the negative press then there is truly a great World to be explored within Hyboria - never before have I felt inclined to give a monkeys nut-sack about Story Lines in MMO's (it was all about the pew pew) but with Conan I find myself intriqued and genuinely interested in the goings on of Tortage and the land in general.
Perhaps its just one of those gaming revelations that most old school gamers come to see at some point or another, reflecting back on my hardcore years I don't necessarily regret them but I now see that there is more to gaming and the MMO genre than being the best and 'owning noobs' - there are Worlds to be explored and tales to be told. People to be acquainted with and adversaries to be vanquished (politely). 2009 is going to be a fan-toddley-tastic year for MMO's and perhaps we are going to finally see a complete integration into mainstream gaming with this once niche genre, Star Wars is likely to seal this deal but I suspect such titles as Champions Online and Jumpgate will also seek to bolster this movement. I guess this is sort of like the self confessed musings of a burnout grinder that may have little relevance but I think in my heart that this is something that a lot of older and long time MMO players feel and have felt before, anyways that's my 'I'm in work and ranting on the boards because I've nowt much else to do' rant.
See you all in the various worlds being unleashed in 2009.
Comments
2009 will be fan-toddily-tastic?
Strong words! I hope you are correct. However I know that the beginning of 2008 was thought to be a huge year for MMOs (minus the toddily part). It ended up having many players with varying degrees of dissapointment.
I have high hopes for champions online. I honestly believe it will be more popular than SW:TOR
Torrential: DAOC (Pendragon)
Awned: World of Warcraft (Lothar)
Torren: Warhammer Online (Praag)
Champions does have a lot going for it, one such factor is peoples craving for something new, something outside the 'Swords 'n Sorcery' Universe. Bigger than KOTR though? Hmm... I honestly can't see Bioware dropping the ball with such grand expertise within the RPG industry and quite a MASSIVE ip. If I were to be as bold as to say that one may be inclined to think Bioware could finally topple Blizzard then, well - I guess I just did, but I'm quite likely to be seen wishing for a Phil Collins come back so y'know...
If you're serious about not wanting to spend insane hours trying to rush to the level cap and get the very best gear, you should try Guild Wars. You can get to the level cap and essentially perfect gear very easily, and then the game is all about doing the content--at your own pace, on your own schedule. Unless, of course, either you don't like doing content, or want to be lower level and with inferior gear compared to other players.
There is another stage to your gaming evolution.
That is to realize that single player RPGs (and SP games in general are far superior to MMOs).
Perhaps, but I was more concerned about the community aspects. I think its general consesus that single player RPG's are far more in-depth than their MMO counterparts.
Nice post OP btw, I feel like you, Im trying to stay away from the hardcore.
Have you thought about giving city of heroes ago for when the new architect system launches? Make your own badies, missions and give them powers. Then people xp from them
Unfortunately with the current economical climate I can only afford one subscription based game, however thta does sound very interesting.
I do agree, but some years ago I would have sworn that by now MMORPG's would be FAR SUPERIOR to single player RPG's.
OP: wel said, kinda the fase I've been in since Star Wars Galaxies (pre-cu), even before I was sort of a outsider within games like UO as to me the most fun was exploring/discovering/socialing/RPG aspects what appealed to me where most where even back then fully into pvp, I like pvp but back then played multiplayer games for that like Medal of Honor AA....etc...etc..
Currently I am in the fase witnin MMORPG's of been there done that and can play much better in other genre's then MMORPG....unfortunaly.....for ME, but for OP there still lots of ground to cover when playing in the "new" way as you explained. So have fun, I do look forward to certain title's, but sorry personaly nothing that tickels my MMORPG needs, but most just tickle my GAMERS need, thats okay too, but still long for a more in depth MMORPG aka VIRTUAL WORLD <(GAMERSWAY) as in how I thought this genre would evolve into.
What games do you plany on Xbox live speedhaak?
MMO's I am playing
Ether Saga Online (Closed Beta)
Ultima Online (halted for now)
World of Warcraft (Retired and never going back)
A variety really. I used to play a lot of Gears of War, I currently play Street Fighter IV - but ultimately I will play anything that interestes me. Last year Dead Space was the game that impressed me most.
Well, me being 38, I can only congratulate you for following the pretty normal and healthy pattern of life! Its just natural that the need to "proof yourself" with hyper hyper diminishes in every aspect. Or shall we say should, if there is a healthy development. ^^
(Note: hey someone from Cork! One of my best friends makes holiday there 4 or 5 times every year. So it must be a great place, heh.)
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I have been playing Street Fighter IV and Halo Wars alot recently. I am realling liking halo wars for a console RTS, but my only beef with it is how small the circle is when you try to select multiple units; Other wise for a console RTS it is really good.
The community of my server on WoW is one of the reasons I quit, just not very sociable bunch. I did run into a good bit of really cool people some that I still talk to after 4 years of the game. Not going to pay 15$ a month though without some nice content to back it up ya know.
I am enjoying the laid back playstyle of ether saga online for right now, will see how that turns out at later lvls tho=D
MMO's I am playing
Ether Saga Online (Closed Beta)
Ultima Online (halted for now)
World of Warcraft (Retired and never going back)
I have several games I have jammed the past couple of yrs that I have been away from MMOs.
NCAA FB and Madden on regular XBox.
And had only had a couple of games for my 360. Marvel ultimate alliance being the one I played most. Just got several games when Circuit City went out of business I need to get into now.
Along with several PC games I have sitting waiting, along with some MMOs and other regular xbox games.......
They make games faster than folks can keep up with them...and I have 24/7 due to disability no less. /sheesh
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
Yea they really do pump em out fast=D A lot of good games coming out at the beginning of this year too rather then near the end. I didn't really get alot of games for x-mas and I still have ones I just haven't opened cause time restrictions. Which is good though, instead of going out a buying a new game I can just open one of my unopened games when I get bored.
I do want WarHammer though
MMO's I am playing
Ether Saga Online (Closed Beta)
Ultima Online (halted for now)
World of Warcraft (Retired and never going back)
Well said Speedhaak, you explained exaclty how I feel and what I am going through. I have been a gamer for awhile now and getting burned out seems to happen alot to me now. My problem is I am just to competitive but now I find myself looking for new games just to enjoy myself at my own pace. But I do seem to be havning trouble finding a game I can play at a slow pace but still enjoy myself. In the last few months I have given up WOW and went back to a few games I played in the past but nothing seems to work for me anymore. Right now I am playing Vanguard(good game but there are still alot of issues they need to work out), EQ2(just cant get into it), Age of Conan (I really love this game but since the last patch it doesn't want to work right on my comp), and Star Wars Galaxy (downloading patches for it now, not sure how it will be.) If there are any games you can recommend please let me know, I have played the folowing games:
Vanguard, FFXI, DAOC, Anarchy Online, AOC, Auto Assault, Star Wars, EQ, EQ2, WOW, Pirates Of The Burning Sea, Lineage 2, Guild Wars, 9 Dragons, COH (I really enjoyed this game, might go back), Asherons Call, Archlord(played for about a week), Horizons(now it is called Istaria), EVE, DDO, Planetside (man I loved this game back in the day), LOTRO, Warhammer, Matrix Online, Shadowbane, and Ryzom.
Yes I am a mmo junkie or atleast I was, been playing since eq first came out. Most of these games I played for awhile and some only for a few days. But now I just want something I can enjoy at a slow pace, any feedback you guys can give me I will truly appreciate, ty.