Your anecdotal experience (or mine) of finding some good people or some bad people in the game means nothing statistically. This is a pervasive trend which is constantly evident - and the WOW "community" is discussed on every board I've seen that deals with these games. It's a constant topic of conversation, just as bnet was previously.
In any event, it's simply an observation - you don't have to like it or agree with it. It's just a peculiar sociological phenomenon in gaming, and sometimes I wonder about the causes.
As to why you're on the EQ2 forum, that's another peculiar phenomenon. I don't generally see people from other games having the need to come to the EQ2 forums (and I don't see this phenomenon with any other two games). Why don't I see FFXI people, or Eve people, or Lineage people, or DAOC people, etc. roaming around here feeling the need to criticize EQ2? Odd, isn't it. A lot of WOW people seem to have some inexplicable fixation on EQ2.
For sure, do what you want. But that doesn't make it less odd that you and so many others do it And when you (and others) do, some will wonder why you wander by the EQ2 forum.
Quite frankly, I really don't care what the "statistics" say. I've been on an EQ2 server, I've seen its players, and they're no different from any other MMORPG out there. Players are players, and there's nothing about EQ2 that makes players act any better. 90% of all the chatting I've ever seen on EQ2 has been people spamming to find groups, complaining that the game bites, or trying to get free handouts. Conversation in groups with people has been average. People in the guild I joined seemed remarkably transfixed with sexually oriented joking and trying to spread it around. Everything else was a few pinches of niceness here and there and a bunch of apathy. None of it created a gaming environment that I would consider overly special. Especially since EQ2 wasn't even half the goodness that EQLive was. EQ2, for me at least, was nothing other than spending an hour trying to find a group only to get into combat and fight a lot of the same monsters in average combat. It didn't have what EQLive had that kept someone coming back.
True enough, WoW has its honeycomb share of retards who enjoy popping up and causing mischief. It's to be expected really, since it is a Blizzard game, and Blizzard games such as Diablo 2 sheem to attract immature gamers. This, again, was one of the reasons why I was afraid of WoW. I played it for a month in Beta, and to be honest it wasn't as bad as I expected. They were there, a lot of them, but it wasn't a daily occurance. I tried EQ2 out when it was released, as I said I would to make an honest comparison. Believe me when I say that I really wanted EQ2 to be awesome and that I wanted to pour all my time into it, but SOE just didn't deliver what I wanted. I went back to WoW, and though it wasn't completely what I had in mind, it came a lot closer.
Then again, these are all just my views, and you obviously are more comfortable in EQ2 environment. More power to you.
And yes, maybe I did have a bit of a morbid curiosity on what other people thought about EQ2 after I found it to be a disappointment, which is why I came in here. I see someone make a statement which I found to be the reverse, so I commented on it. To make you more comfortable though, I'm unclicking the "Subscribe to this topic" option so I won't get any email notification when you try refute my experiences with more of your own and pass them on as "statistics".
Bottom line though: EQ2 isn't the be all end all of MMORPGing. It's above average to good at best, and it seems that the majority of the general public and people who make their lives reviewing games tend to agree with me more than they do with you.
Well, you've refuted a lot of arguments I didn't make In a nutshell, I said WOW attracts more idiots. I think you know it does You're being more charitable and calling them just immature.
I didn't say anything pro or con about either game. I don't care whether people like or dislike either ... it's personal taste. I hope you and everyone else has or finds a game or two that entertains you.
I thought this would be an interesting thread comparing the 3 games I played at one time. And instead, it was not.
I have played all 3 and I have cancelled 2 of the 3 and play only one.
But, since it is not the one for the designation of this forum, I won't mention it
I have found good experiences in each of these games and I have had not as good experiences in each of these games. This includes gameplay mechanics, people in game, customer support etc. etc. However, they are all just games, and the same way I get bored with my Xbox and turn it off and watch tv or call a friend, I do the same with any MMORPG. If it stops being fun, I leave, which, when you think about it, is one of the rarer places in life where you have that kind of control.
Such is the price of success. In order to be successful, a MMORPG has to appeal to more than the historical 'base' that were the inital subscribers for early games. To appeal to that new influx base may or may not please the 'hardcore veterans'. Despite what anyone actually says, the bottom line speaks louder than all.
L2 will persist because of the Korean subscription rate. EQ2 will persist because of the embedded fan base and those that try it. WoW will persist because of the fascination and current popularity.
How many will be around in 5 years? Who knows. Whatever the revenue stream dictates.
Idiots are found in more places than MMORPGs, and I am pretty sure most of the 'idiotic' behavior in such games speaks to a larger social dysfunction than any one video game can claim credit for.
Originally posted by Infensus I thought this would be an interesting thread comparing the 3 games I played at one time. And instead, it was not.
They never are
Anyway, while that was not a great attempt at disquising what your point is, at least you tried
Many of you seem to believe all games should focus on what you perceive the largest market segment to be. If that approach held true, we'd have a lot more Chevys around and little else. Fortunately, companies recognize the need to appeal to all important market segments. Hardcore gamers are one. For some reason that bothers some people. I rather suspect you're going to see more and more focus marketing, not less. And there's also the tortoise and hare issue.
Comments
Your anecdotal experience (or mine) of finding some good people or some bad people in the game means nothing statistically. This is a pervasive trend which is constantly evident - and the WOW "community" is discussed on every board I've seen that deals with these games. It's a constant topic of conversation, just as bnet was previously.
In any event, it's simply an observation - you don't have to like it or agree with it. It's just a peculiar sociological phenomenon in gaming, and sometimes I wonder about the causes.
As to why you're on the EQ2 forum, that's another peculiar phenomenon. I don't generally see people from other games having the need to come to the EQ2 forums (and I don't see this phenomenon with any other two games). Why don't I see FFXI people, or Eve people, or Lineage people, or DAOC people, etc. roaming around here feeling the need to criticize EQ2? Odd, isn't it. A lot of WOW people seem to have some inexplicable fixation on EQ2.
For sure, do what you want. But that doesn't make it less odd that you and so many others do it
And when you (and others) do, some will wonder why you wander by the EQ2 forum.
Quite frankly, I really don't care what the "statistics" say. I've been on an EQ2 server, I've seen its players, and they're no different from any other MMORPG out there. Players are players, and there's nothing about EQ2 that makes players act any better. 90% of all the chatting I've ever seen on EQ2 has been people spamming to find groups, complaining that the game bites, or trying to get free handouts. Conversation in groups with people has been average. People in the guild I joined seemed remarkably transfixed with sexually oriented joking and trying to spread it around. Everything else was a few pinches of niceness here and there and a bunch of apathy. None of it created a gaming environment that I would consider overly special. Especially since EQ2 wasn't even half the goodness that EQLive was. EQ2, for me at least, was nothing other than spending an hour trying to find a group only to get into combat and fight a lot of the same monsters in average combat. It didn't have what EQLive had that kept someone coming back.
True enough, WoW has its honeycomb share of retards who enjoy popping up and causing mischief. It's to be expected really, since it is a Blizzard game, and Blizzard games such as Diablo 2 sheem to attract immature gamers. This, again, was one of the reasons why I was afraid of WoW. I played it for a month in Beta, and to be honest it wasn't as bad as I expected. They were there, a lot of them, but it wasn't a daily occurance. I tried EQ2 out when it was released, as I said I would to make an honest comparison. Believe me when I say that I really wanted EQ2 to be awesome and that I wanted to pour all my time into it, but SOE just didn't deliver what I wanted. I went back to WoW, and though it wasn't completely what I had in mind, it came a lot closer.
Then again, these are all just my views, and you obviously are more comfortable in EQ2 environment. More power to you.
And yes, maybe I did have a bit of a morbid curiosity on what other people thought about EQ2 after I found it to be a disappointment, which is why I came in here. I see someone make a statement which I found to be the reverse, so I commented on it. To make you more comfortable though, I'm unclicking the "Subscribe to this topic" option so I won't get any email notification when you try refute my experiences with more of your own and pass them on as "statistics".
Bottom line though: EQ2 isn't the be all end all of MMORPGing. It's above average to good at best, and it seems that the majority of the general public and people who make their lives reviewing games tend to agree with me more than they do with you.
Well, you've refuted a lot of arguments I didn't make
In a nutshell, I said WOW attracts more idiots. I think you know it does 
You're being more charitable and calling them just immature.
I didn't say anything pro or con about either game. I don't care whether people like or dislike either ... it's personal taste. I hope you and everyone else has or finds a game or two that entertains you.
I thought this would be an interesting thread comparing the 3 games I played at one time. And instead, it was not.
I have played all 3 and I have cancelled 2 of the 3 and play only one.
But, since it is not the one for the designation of this forum, I won't mention it
I have found good experiences in each of these games and I have had not as good experiences in each of these games. This includes gameplay mechanics, people in game, customer support etc. etc. However, they are all just games, and the same way I get bored with my Xbox and turn it off and watch tv or call a friend, I do the same with any MMORPG. If it stops being fun, I leave, which, when you think about it, is one of the rarer places in life where you have that kind of control.
Such is the price of success. In order to be successful, a MMORPG has to appeal to more than the historical 'base' that were the inital subscribers for early games. To appeal to that new influx base may or may not please the 'hardcore veterans'. Despite what anyone actually says, the bottom line speaks louder than all.
L2 will persist because of the Korean subscription rate.
EQ2 will persist because of the embedded fan base and those that try it.
WoW will persist because of the fascination and current popularity.
How many will be around in 5 years? Who knows. Whatever the revenue stream dictates.
Idiots are found in more places than MMORPGs, and I am pretty sure most of the 'idiotic' behavior in such games speaks to a larger social dysfunction than any one video game can claim credit for.
Infensus Scriptus
"Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur"
They never are
Anyway, while that was not a great attempt at disquising what your point is, at least you tried
Many of you seem to believe all games should focus on what you perceive the largest market segment to be. If that approach held true, we'd have a lot more Chevys around and little else. Fortunately, companies recognize the need to appeal to all important market segments. Hardcore gamers are one. For some reason that bothers some people. I rather suspect you're going to see more and more focus marketing, not less. And there's also the tortoise and hare issue.