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Thanks god it's not a wow-killer, it's an alternative to WoW
I had hated the words WoW Killer since the people began to shout them in every forum. In this case, i have played the open beta for 1 or 2 hours and i'm enjoying a lot this game. Probably i will buy it when it releases.
Many people should think before posting in forums that their and our opinion is 100% personal. It's not the holy word of the gamer gods about this game. Probably many people will get hyped about this game and one day, when they can put their hands on this game their expectations come down, and then, angrily come to the forums to curse this game beyond the roots of the pure hate. I just have to say one thing to that kind of people that deposit all their expectations in the gameplay of the others "Sorry, but it's your fault". And of course, there are also people that curse this game just seeing screenshots, videos and personal reviews....
PS I hope Aion becomes translated to other languages, it deserves a lot of players in MY opinion
Comments
Lold. the people who really think WoW can die are kinda just sad, 8 million + players dont just up and quit a game because some other MMO comes along and it will take a couple more yeara before wow blows into the dust as one of the greatest games ever, but for now its jsut a great game hanging around, and Aion is a great game of its own, but hasnt had the Expierence in the field to actualy do any harm to WoW.. any way
heres your sign....
You are planning on staying with WoW right? God I hope so.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
You are planning on staying with WoW right? God I hope so.
At no point did they say they play wow. The entire statement is valid regardless. Except maybe the sign part at the end....
How does a mmo kill another mmo? I mean, did that ever happen before?
I mean most mmo seem to either be killed by itself, developer, company, or players. I have not see a game actually killing another yet, so if someone want to give a past example, that would be greatly appreciated.
lol Its truely WOW killer, but it is only in Asian market.
You are planning on staying with WoW right? God I hope so.
You think his logic is wrong? No game would cause a mass transfer.
Rift
What kind of username is USA911 ?
Yep, that's the way I see it. i enjoyed WoW off and on for a long time but I'm just tired of it now. This game is a nice change of pace and hopefully it's something I'll be sticking ith for a while. Think the only games i've played on a long term basis were EQ, WoW, and LotR. Kind of bunred out on Rings too any more so hopefully, and so far it seems that way, this will take that place for me.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
I am afraid you are completely right how does one MMO kill another?Your point is greatly appreciated as i will spend the rest of my night pondering on how it is possible thanks for the statement!
Like pong i keep bouncing back and forth between games.
You are planning on staying with WoW right? God I hope so.
You think his logic is wrong? No game would cause a mass transfer.
Actually yes, I do think his logic is wrong. Let me explain.
I have been a 5 year WoW player myself, have 8 level 80s right now. Have been around long enough to actually have a Warlord title on one of them (for some that means something). I have every craft/gather at max on both horde and alliance, and that includes cooking and fishing on every single main/alt. And I believe WoW is already dead, the people who are still playing it are just stuck in the daily grind to realize it. Perhaps after Blizzard brings out the next expansion, charges them another $50, and destroys everythign they worked thier a$$es off on every day for the past 5 years AGAIN, maybe then they will wake up.
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
And before anyone starts saying I'm just a WoW hater, let me correct you there first. I have nothign against WoW, I do howver have somethign against the players of WoW. Pre-WoW MMORPGs had a 'community' that some of us actually are proud to be a part of, Post-WoW...well lets just say half the time I'm ambarassaed to say I'm a gamer. Sheep plain and simple, catered to like sheep, groomed of your wool, kept in the pasture to eat more grass and grow more wool, and clipped again.
WoW isn't anything to compete with, the game basics itself is driven by grind in every area...no its not WoW thats the one to compete with, its Blizzard's coddling thats the one to break. The playerbase has become so blinded by thier mass-media machine that they dont even notice they are given a new game every expansion pack that resets everything they knew before. They just keep giving in to the 'oh look shiney!' and forget. And if your a WoW player, and saying it isnt' true, let me ask you this...how many runs did it take you to get your Tier II set? Tier III set?? Tier V set?? Tier VII set?? any of them worth anything now?? You payed Blizzard to waste how much of your life?? Oh dont look now, but word is there is another Expansion Pack in the works too, going to waste more time getting your top Tier set now?
WoW isn't one of the greatest games ever, its the company behind it thats the great one. I started playing WoW because I was a fan of the Warcraft series, as I'm sure most did originally back in the pre-BC days. Those people, and those days, are gone.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
I really, really, really enjoyed reading your post. I think that you should clean it up a bit and post it as a blog article. You articulated some of the biggest problems I have with WoW. I also started on earlier MMOs. Like you, I have also played WoW (on and off) for years, and I always get irritated and frustrated and leave it abruptly for other games. I've never been able to express so succinctly what troubles me so much.
WoW started with a lot of momentum, and that's a reason its been so successful. We all played Warcraft. We all have loved Blizzard games. The company has immense money and name recognition. For @#%'s sakes, they have Mountain Dew flavors. But I don't think that WoW has necessarily done good things for the MMORPG universe.
I certainly do think Aion will have many similar problems (I look forward to a new game some day that doesn't. But I do hope it garners a better community of players.
It's pretty entertaining actually, most of these conversations. We've got the poster up top whose claims as to why WoW/Blizzard are stealing our money, and that WoW is 'already dead' thinks this because they continue to add content to the game? Oh lawdie. If you're too dense to understand the concept of progression, and new content I doubt you should be playing MMOs at all man.
Each expansion is just a continuation of the game, what? Do you really expect that the gear you got ten levels ago would still be good? Really? You move forward, gain levels, get new gear, items, trinkets, mounts, pets, what ever. Not to mention for the people who actually care and enjoy the lore of the WoW universe they're pretty much treated to new and cool things every expansion. WoW offers some really awesome quests, the end game raids are fun, offer tons of lore, etc.
Actually yes, I do think his logic is wrong. Let me explain.
I have been a 5 year WoW player myself, have 8 level 80s right now. Have been around long enough to actually have a Warlord title on one of them (for some that means something). I have every craft/gather at max on both horde and alliance, and that includes cooking and fishing on every single main/alt. And I believe WoW is already dead, the people who are still playing it are just stuck in the daily grind to realize it. Perhaps after Blizzard brings out the next expansion, charges them another $50, and destroys everythign they worked thier a$$es off on every day for the past 5 years AGAIN, maybe then they will wake up.
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
And before anyone starts saying I'm just a WoW hater, let me correct you there first. I have nothign against WoW, I do howver have somethign against the players of WoW. Pre-WoW MMORPGs had a 'community' that some of us actually are proud to be a part of, Post-WoW...well lets just say half the time I'm ambarassaed to say I'm a gamer. Sheep plain and simple, catered to like sheep, groomed of your wool, kept in the pasture to eat more grass and grow more wool, and clipped again.
WoW isn't anything to compete with, the game basics itself is driven by grind in every area...no its not WoW thats the one to compete with, its Blizzard's coddling thats the one to break. The playerbase has become so blinded by thier mass-media machine that they dont even notice they are given a new game every expansion pack that resets everything they knew before. They just keep giving in to the 'oh look shiney!' and forget. And if your a WoW player, and saying it isnt' true, let me ask you this...how many runs did it take you to get your Tier II set? Tier III set?? Tier V set?? Tier VII set?? any of them worth anything now?? You payed Blizzard to waste how much of your life?? Oh dont look now, but word is there is another Expansion Pack in the works too, going to waste more time getting your top Tier set now?
WoW isn't one of the greatest games ever, its the company behind it thats the great one. I started playing WoW because I was a fan of the Warcraft series, as I'm sure most did originally back in the pre-BC days. Those people, and those days, are gone.
This post is well worth reading and since i've been a player from week 2 on, i can pretty much relate it. Too bad that the folks who should read and think about do not nearly have the required attention span to do so or are busy grinding their daylies to get 40th faction to exhalted.
Actually yes, I do think his logic is wrong. Let me explain.
I have been a 5 year WoW player myself, have 8 level 80s right now. Have been around long enough to actually have a Warlord title on one of them (for some that means something). I have every craft/gather at max on both horde and alliance, and that includes cooking and fishing on every single main/alt. And I believe WoW is already dead, the people who are still playing it are just stuck in the daily grind to realize it. Perhaps after Blizzard brings out the next expansion, charges them another $50, and destroys everythign they worked thier a$$es off on every day for the past 5 years AGAIN, maybe then they will wake up.
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
And before anyone starts saying I'm just a WoW hater, let me correct you there first. I have nothign against WoW, I do howver have somethign against the players of WoW. Pre-WoW MMORPGs had a 'community' that some of us actually are proud to be a part of, Post-WoW...well lets just say half the time I'm ambarassaed to say I'm a gamer. Sheep plain and simple, catered to like sheep, groomed of your wool, kept in the pasture to eat more grass and grow more wool, and clipped again.
WoW isn't anything to compete with, the game basics itself is driven by grind in every area...no its not WoW thats the one to compete with, its Blizzard's coddling thats the one to break. The playerbase has become so blinded by thier mass-media machine that they dont even notice they are given a new game every expansion pack that resets everything they knew before. They just keep giving in to the 'oh look shiney!' and forget. And if your a WoW player, and saying it isnt' true, let me ask you this...how many runs did it take you to get your Tier II set? Tier III set?? Tier V set?? Tier VII set?? any of them worth anything now?? You payed Blizzard to waste how much of your life?? Oh dont look now, but word is there is another Expansion Pack in the works too, going to waste more time getting your top Tier set now?
WoW isn't one of the greatest games ever, its the company behind it thats the great one. I started playing WoW because I was a fan of the Warcraft series, as I'm sure most did originally back in the pre-BC days. Those people, and those days, are gone.
This post is well worth reading and since i've been a player from week 2 on, i can pretty much relate it. Too bad that the folks who should read and think about do not nearly have the required attention span to do so or are busy grinding their daylies to get 40th faction to exhalted.
Actually that could describe any game. I wasted many hours of my life raiding in EQ, RVR'ing in DAOC, trying to get Jedi in SWG, etc.....
IS any of that worth anything now? Nope, not at all.
WOW is no different from any other MMO, its just another way to play a game and have fun and for those who enjoy.
Stop trying to make it out that Blizzard is any worse than SOE, NCSoft, or any other company.
I don't think he was saying it didn't exist in other games. He was simply saying WoW is getting old, and people are looking for something fresh. Even if the new game follows the same path as WoW, content wise, it's still a fresh new game. And not once did he say blizzard is a bad company, as a matter fact he said it was a good company (highlighted for you). If you dropped the fanboy attitude and opened your mind to what he was saying, you would probably get it.
Hmm, let me quote you with that first sentance there, a continuation of the game. Use Elemental Air much anymore? Copper Ore? How about Primal Fire? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that once you power level out of the Old World or past 300 in any craft, that EVERYTHING from those parts of the game become completely useless to you. I'm also going to go out on a limb and say that once you, again 'power level' through the Outlands that EVERYTHING from there (all crafting mats, recipes, gear, any drop, any crafted item) also becomes completely useless to you. And once again, I'm going to bet that once the next expansion pack comes out, that EVERYTHING you are now getting in Northrend will also be completely useless to you in the new zone/levels.
WoW does not issue expansion packs that add content to the game world, they create a new world that everyone moves into. The only use and purpose of the old world and Outland is to get you to Northrend. No item from either of those places it useful once you have transitioned to Northrend. And Blizzard knows this, that is why they have increased the xp gains/reduced xp required tp level up to 60. They have given you mounts 25 levels sooner so you can move through the 'filler' zones faster to get to the real game. You dont even do the dungeons or raids from these places anymore except as power level zones or to feed your twinks for the BGs.
And oh yeah, before I forget, you brought in that wonderful term WoW players have made universal in every MMORPG since - end game. That is EXACTLY what you pay Blizzard for, and that is why everything I have said is correct. When your end game is no longer fun, they move the end game and give you a new one. Once you get bored with the current end game, they will give you a new end game. They have been doing it since the start of the game itself, thats the hook that IS WoW. And that is why the old content is useless, because they moved the end game farther out. It's like playing a game of football, you rush down the field and as soon as you get in the 20 yard line they move the endzone out another 100 yards. Its great marketing really, until the players wake up and realize there really is no 'end game'. Your just in another mid level dungeon, you just haven't realized it yet.
Anyway, I do appologize for going off on a tangent to the evil WoW on the AION forums, my bad really. Personally I belive AION is a step in the right direction by a company that has 5 years experience with good directions (CoH/CoV). Thier issues have been very well done, provide that 'continuation of the game' that set me off here, and which so many game companies can't quiet figure out. You dont need to add to the 'end game' to expand a game, unless of course you just want more sheep.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
really worth it ! to read that post.
to bad this isnt the good person who read it ..
It's human nature to be interesting in things new and different.
Watch when a new restaurant opens in town. People will all go to check it out. Some people will like it and keep coming back, others will go back to the places they prefer.
WoW is akin to McDonalds, other MMOs to Burger King, Jack-in-the-Box, whatever. Aion comes along and it's like that new restaurant. Strangely enough, they all serve the same things in slightly different ways. It's all a matter of preference.
~can you tell I like food~
---
It's odd how the guy bashes added content for the people that have consumed the content. Really...you went through and did what was there the first time, what benefit would there be to going back and rehashing it? So what do you do...you add more stuff that is new and challenging and different. Adding new quests for the low levels ideas is an absolutely foul idea, so that doesn't work. Forcing you to go to a beginner zone to gather beginner ore to make something is foul...
Most MMOs now that I think about it...add on to the game for expansions. Additional content within the current bounds of the game are handled through updates.
---
Aion is nothing special. All it has going for it is being new.
I play WoW, whats up?
It's apparent the guy does not "hate" WoW. He has eight 80s correct? Everything he said is correct, WoW, although a great game. Is getting very boring, logon do dailies, join raid, log off. You do this all week. Then the weekend rolls around, log on do dailies, raid, and if you plan on staying up late maybe you can treat yourself to some other repeatable content that people are getting "bored" (not hate) of.
I know your arguement applies to every MMO, and I agree fully. But the problem is that WoW is burning people out, sure they may add some new encounters and so on. But the next expansion (which feels like it is coming out WAY to fast) is going to make all that work and effort pointless. Now its not fully the problem that it makes all that pointless, its also the problem of having to do the SAME shit again in the next expansion.
Actually yes, I do think his logic is wrong. Let me explain.
I have been a 5 year WoW player myself, have 8 level 80s right now. Have been around long enough to actually have a Warlord title on one of them (for some that means something). I have every craft/gather at max on both horde and alliance, and that includes cooking and fishing on every single main/alt. And I believe WoW is already dead, the people who are still playing it are just stuck in the daily grind to realize it. Perhaps after Blizzard brings out the next expansion, charges them another $50, and destroys everythign they worked thier a$$es off on every day for the past 5 years AGAIN, maybe then they will wake up.
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
And before anyone starts saying I'm just a WoW hater, let me correct you there first. I have nothign against WoW, I do howver have somethign against the players of WoW. Pre-WoW MMORPGs had a 'community' that some of us actually are proud to be a part of, Post-WoW...well lets just say half the time I'm ambarassaed to say I'm a gamer. Sheep plain and simple, catered to like sheep, groomed of your wool, kept in the pasture to eat more grass and grow more wool, and clipped again.
WoW isn't anything to compete with, the game basics itself is driven by grind in every area...no its not WoW thats the one to compete with, its Blizzard's coddling thats the one to break. The playerbase has become so blinded by thier mass-media machine that they dont even notice they are given a new game every expansion pack that resets everything they knew before. They just keep giving in to the 'oh look shiney!' and forget. And if your a WoW player, and saying it isnt' true, let me ask you this...how many runs did it take you to get your Tier II set? Tier III set?? Tier V set?? Tier VII set?? any of them worth anything now?? You payed Blizzard to waste how much of your life?? Oh dont look now, but word is there is another Expansion Pack in the works too, going to waste more time getting your top Tier set now?
WoW isn't one of the greatest games ever, its the company behind it thats the great one. I started playing WoW because I was a fan of the Warcraft series, as I'm sure most did originally back in the pre-BC days. Those people, and those days, are gone.
This post is well worth reading and since i've been a player from week 2 on, i can pretty much relate it. Too bad that the folks who should read and think about do not nearly have the required attention span to do so or are busy grinding their daylies to get 40th faction to exhalted.
Actually that could describe any game. I wasted many hours of my life raiding in EQ, RVR'ing in DAOC, trying to get Jedi in SWG, etc.....
IS any of that worth anything now? Nope, not at all.
WOW is no different from any other MMO, its just another way to play a game and have fun and for those who enjoy.
Stop trying to make it out that Blizzard is any worse than SOE, NCSoft, or any other company.
if you were having fun raiding in EQ (dont ask me how), or RVRing in DAOC etc, then it isnt a waste -- but if you were doing it, just because you felt like you had to and werent having fun, then ya -- its a waste. When I accepted the fact EQ was just an endless treadmill -- shortly after ROK, then I quit -- I had no desire to spend that much of my time raiding -- going on a 2 hour dungeon crawl with a small PUG on a friday night to unrest when I had no other plans and because I wanted to - - fine, sign me up -- spend 8+ hours starting saturday morning going to the planes because our guilds main tank needed some new lewt --- lol -- cancell sub time.
Amazing to me, how EQ went from fun, small party dungeon crawls to massive, time consuming mindless raids about a year or so after launch.
I play WoW, whats up?
It's apparent the guy does not "hate" WoW. He has eight 80s correct? Everything he said is correct, WoW, although a great game. Is getting very boring, logon do dailies, join raid, log off. You do this all week. Then the weekend rolls around, log on do dailies, raid, and if you plan on staying up late maybe you can treat yourself to some other repeatable content that people are getting "bored" (not hate) of.
I know your arguement applies to every MMO, and I agree fully. But the problem is that WoW is burning people out, sure they may add some new encounters and so on. But the next expansion (which feels like it is coming out WAY to fast) is going to make all that work and effort pointless. Now its not fully the problem that it makes all that pointless, its also the problem of having to do the SAME shit again in the next expansion.
Thank you, this is exactly what I was attempting to say. No I dont hate WoW, dont hate Blizzard either, but after the last 5 years its all repetative grind now. I cann't tell you how long it took to get my first +AGILITY enchant for weapons from the Timermaw, week after week of grinding out the faction. Now its worth just about....yeah nothing. And its the same accross the board in WoW now, every time they hit a new expansion it effectively erases everything you have done up to that point.
The only thing I do anymore is logon, do my dailies, do a quick raid, maybe a BG or two, logout. Hit the second toon and rinse/repeat. There is more to WoW than that anymore? The sad part is that I know the day the next expansion hits that the only thing that will be worth anything is the gold, and even that will be reduced in value as they tend to change the vendor/trainer fees enough to wipe out any nest egg you thought you had.
I do believe that even if Blizzard wasn't the first to come up with these methods, they are the ones who perfected them to this point. And I'm sure they won't be the last to use them either, afterall this is all about money isn't it? Entertainment for us yeah, but money for those who provide us with that entertainment. It all comes down to what we deem worth our money.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
You are planning on staying with WoW right? God I hope so.
You think his logic is wrong? No game would cause a mass transfer.
Actually yes, I do think his logic is wrong. Let me explain.
I have been a 5 year WoW player myself, have 8 level 80s right now. Have been around long enough to actually have a Warlord title on one of them (for some that means something). I have every craft/gather at max on both horde and alliance, and that includes cooking and fishing on every single main/alt. And I believe WoW is already dead, the people who are still playing it are just stuck in the daily grind to realize it. Perhaps after Blizzard brings out the next expansion, charges them another $50, and destroys everythign they worked thier a$$es off on every day for the past 5 years AGAIN, maybe then they will wake up.
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
And before anyone starts saying I'm just a WoW hater, let me correct you there first. I have nothign against WoW, I do howver have somethign against the players of WoW. Pre-WoW MMORPGs had a 'community' that some of us actually are proud to be a part of, Post-WoW...well lets just say half the time I'm ambarassaed to say I'm a gamer. Sheep plain and simple, catered to like sheep, groomed of your wool, kept in the pasture to eat more grass and grow more wool, and clipped again.
WoW isn't anything to compete with, the game basics itself is driven by grind in every area...no its not WoW thats the one to compete with, its Blizzard's coddling thats the one to break. The playerbase has become so blinded by thier mass-media machine that they dont even notice they are given a new game every expansion pack that resets everything they knew before. They just keep giving in to the 'oh look shiney!' and forget. And if your a WoW player, and saying it isnt' true, let me ask you this...how many runs did it take you to get your Tier II set? Tier III set?? Tier V set?? Tier VII set?? any of them worth anything now?? You payed Blizzard to waste how much of your life?? Oh dont look now, but word is there is another Expansion Pack in the works too, going to waste more time getting your top Tier set now?
WoW isn't one of the greatest games ever, its the company behind it thats the great one. I started playing WoW because I was a fan of the Warcraft series, as I'm sure most did originally back in the pre-BC days. Those people, and those days, are gone.
{mod edit} So you beleive wow is already dead? Do I really need to pull out sub numbers? No when warhammer came out there wasnt a difference at all, so thats just a lie or just your personal friends list weren't on. Yes I agree the raiding is grind-esque. Although people obviously enjoy it alot or they wouldn't do it. Seeing all the great content and working together with 24 other friends can be a good time. Ya it took me alot of runs to get all my tiers throught the years. Did i have fun while doing it? Yes. Did i make lasting friends ive moved onto with other games even? Yes. Maybe you should try being more competitive in your wow time. That should give you some fun, cause myself along with all the other top guild and players on my server are perfectly happy. Maybe learn to pvp on a serious level, or become a worlds top guild, or even just push some dps records on wowmeteronline.com.
So no wow isn't dead, and it isn't going to be dead. The subs may drop a bit with aion being released. And with the new expansion coming out they will be back. And yes all my work on my character is going to be gone as i level to 85. Although my memories and friends won't be. I'm looking forward to seeing all the new zones, lore, and all the adventures I'm going to have with my guildies. I'm also looking forward to Aion alot. I'm just sick of nerds like this kid who think they're really smart by spewing they're wow "hate". No you aren't smart. You don't look cool to the other readers. You're a loser and your opinion is terrible. I'm not surprised you hate a game thats taken thousands upon thousands of hours of your life that you could have spent making friends and meeting girls or doing something else productive.
/end rant
Honestly, I do believe its not possible for AION to kill WoW, because WoW is already dead. I was in WoW the week WAR OB took place, there wasn't a kricket in all of Outland on 3 servers. Sure they came back once that game didnt' cater to the easy mode, but the fact remains they bailed to try first. The same will happen here too, those who like AION will stay, those who don't will hipe WoW again and fall back to sleep for another year.
Now, before I say what I have to say, I do think you have some valid points and a well thought out post. While I understand your use of "sheep", I think it's a little harsh, and I think for a lot of player's it's less a flock/herd mentality, and more of a fear or lack of desire to try something different. Most of the WoW players I know are extremely casual gamers and will stay there due to that, a lot are in guilds and have mutliple online friends they run with. A lot can be said for those you choose to play with, and if you like the "community" you have built up around yourself, then why leave? There is nothing wrong with that, and that hardly makes them sheep. Not saying there aren't some sheep that play, but that is a bit of an overgeneralzation on the player base as a whole. But I digress...
My main point in all of this deals with the above. I have played WoW on and off for about three years (broke the cycle last year, but as I stated above, my "community" kept me going for awhile), had a few high level toons on a few different servers (most on Venture), and during the WAR OB, I did not see a dent in any of the servers I had toons on. I remember due to one or two guildies trying it out at that time, and not many people were interested in making the jump (personally, I am just sick and tired of fantasy MMOs, so I had no desire to go from one to another). Point being, just because three servers had crickets in the Outlands, with the number of servers and number of players, that hardly makes a big dent in their numbers. WoW may be dead for you (myself as well), but for many others, it is alive and well. Crickets in the outlands on three servers is hardly what I would call a massive shift.
In the end, the only thing that is going to kill WoW will be time or the "improvements" their patches bring. No single game will ever cause a massive enough shift to damage it. Just my two cents. Flame on.