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WoW: What's the big deal? What am I missing?
WarchildGT
Member Posts: 9
I was getting bored of EQ2, which I have seen a lot of lately. So, I decided to install and play WoW finally. After an hour of play, I'm really not that impressed. Nothing "wow'd" me about this game, at least as of yet. When I logged onto City of Heroes for the first time, I was WOW'd. What am I missing about this game that is so great? The character generator is down-right embarrassing and the character models have such a low polygon count, it really loses any feel of immersion for me. The gameplay seemed ok, but was pretty boring. What am I missing? What's so great about this game?
I'm not trying to tear down this game, I'm just trying to figure out why so many people love this game. Perhaps it is a generation gap. I am 27 years old. Anyone have a guess as to what the avg age is for this game? Also, I've been playing mmorpgs since the days of Meridian 59 (Yes, that's before UO).
I will give it another shot tonight, but man...I don't want to fall asleep at the mouse!
Comments
~Greatness~
Currently Playing:
Nothing
Hum, It's only about taste. WoW is just like any other mmorpg, You like it or you don't like it. WoW is just a mixture of all decent mmorpg on the market, it's look like DaoC and CoH .. with a bit of Eq .. it's WoW . It's what I think.
And, WoW haven't done the wow thing on me, unless the first 10min I betatested it in the past.
Just try some other type of game if you get bored.
for my part, I'm waiting Mourning, And playing EvE
Yeah, I'm considering going back to CoH for a while. Even though it got repetitive...the fighting and the missions were a ton of fun. And I'm curious to see what they've done since I've been gone. *shrugs*
EQ2 killed me with the fact that you pretty much HAD to find a group that was doing your quest in order to get anything done. I just can't do that every time I log in! Other than that, it was a decent game.
I too played DAoC for a while...had a 50 Scout. The RvR kept things alive for me.
The quests are biggest part of WOW. There are a ton of them and they are fun and immersive.
I also love the Auction house. I spend a lot of time there.
The PVP is also fun. It is also easy to solo in this game.
~Greatness~
Currently Playing:
Nothing
You must not have done many quests then.
As far as lineage 2 goes. You have to grind for 6 months just to have a decent PVP character.
I hate grinding so I would never play lineage 2.
Im an old git myself! The guild I am in also consists of fairly old players, quite simply I and other members are going to WoW because it is substantially less time consuming than EQ2.
As an old git I'm sure like many others of my age, I'm time poor, but cash reasonably well-off, so when I do spend an hour or two in a mmorpg you like to feel you acheive something within that time.
Does that necessarily make WoW easier than other mmorpgs to cater for the broadest audience, possibly. Sometimes you just want to log in for half an hour and accomplish something, with WoW that should be possible.
I also used to play the original warcraft and that was a great deal of fun, fyi Im 27 too!
great thing of wow is that you dont need a super computer to play it, thats about it for me
Banzai!
I played WoW for 3 hours a day, and it took me two days to get to level 12. It was boring. And the quests werent that great. They cleverly disguised the same old kill and fedex quests within a story to make it seem like it youre doing something much greater. Yawn. And yes I had an epic quest. There is nothing epic about combining a kill and fedex quest into one.
If 27 is old, then I am ancient at 35. I enjoy WoW. I think Blizzard did a great job of incorporating many of the best elements of other MMO's into one game. The low poly count of the models was intentional, the purpose being reducing lag during large raids and or pvp encounters. The stylized artwork is very impressive and I can appreciate their unique approach. The problem with other MMO's making more realistic looking models is that they are rarely realisitic looking and somtimes tend to come across as absurd.
The questing system is enjoyable. I have had a few fits of impatience with some of the linked quests, but in the end the rewards were worth the effort (in most cases). PvP in WoW is really no different than nearly every other MMORPG (fantasy based): Greater Loot + Greater Level = Greater Success. These games are far from skill based ( twitch based). I am fine with that as if I want to engage in somthing more challenging I would play CounterStrike, Planetside, or IL-2 Sturmovik (best flight sim ever).
I agree that I too ( as with previous posters) hope to find that truely innovative game. The one that breaks the mold and truely gives the players the ability to change the world. The problem being the risk/reward for developers to create a game with true innovation just isn't in their favor. Too much risk, too little reward. I believe our best chance of seeing something truely innovative actually passed with the release of EQ2 and WoW. I believe this because if an innovative game was going to have an reasonable chance of success, it would need the backing of a company as large as SOE or Blizzard.
To the OP: As with any MMORPG, the game is what it is, the people you meet and interact with are what truely make for an enjoyable gaming session. I get a bigger laugh from the things my fellow guildies say than anything actually presented by the game.
Notice: The views expressed in this post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of MMORPG.com or its management.
Have you tried DAoC yet? That's the only MMORPG that I played for over a year(besides an oooold game called The Realm Online, but that's another story). The Realm vs Realm is a nice touch to the PVP side of an MMORPG. Sieging castles n what not, ambushing other players trying to level and surprising them to kill them.
I played CoH when it first came out and played for a week and quit. It got boring and I barely had time to play. I just bought it again about 5 days ago and i'm glad I did. I like the changes they've made with the badges, capes, auras. People are saying it's a lot harder now, but I notice a difference in the difficulty and that's fine. I always thought it was too easy upon release. I really enjoy CoH now and enjoy it even more with my new video card
*see sig*
But back on topic of WoW, that's why I won't try it. I don't want to waste $50 on a game title that I won't stay interested in. WoW was such a huge hype, but all of my friends say it's not what it was thought out to be, a.k.a. boring.
Looking for something new.
I'm 29 and I am having a ton of fun in WoW.
But let me digress somewhat. I played the stress test beta and the open beta. Neither of those times was I completely impressed with the game. It seemed over-simplified, the graphics seemed corny, and it felt like a bastardization of one of my favorite RTS games--Warcraft.
The over-simplification starts even before you jump in the world. You make your character and choose from perhaps a dozen faces, a few hairstyles, skin colors, and maybe something like piercings or tusks. You then choose a name, but that is the extent of your personal investment into your new character.
This alienates the hardcore folks off right from the start. They need something that binds them to their character right away. If one of those dozen faces, or skin colors, or hairstyles doesn't fit the profile they had in mind for in their character, immediately their bond to the game is diminished when they have to compromise for looks they don't want.
Once in the game, immediately you notice that combat is extremely simple. There is nothing to it. Auto-attack, then use one special attack, and repeat until the monster is dead. I know that I was completely turned off in open beta by how simple that was. On one hand I expected simple, but being a seasoned MMORPGer I was hoping that a "next gen" game would add something more. So, I didn't give it any heed and bought EQ2 when it came out.
Anyway, fast forward to mid-January, when I finally bought the game after failing to "desperately" find the good in EQ2. WoW was a whole different story from beta! I can't really tell you why, other than those things that upset me before greatly pleased me this time around. Yep, it was strange.
Sure the combat moves are simple, but you get tons of them as you level and you realize how versatile they are in different situations. As you go forward in the game you realize how complex it can be when you take the plethora of simple elements and combine them in situations to create complex results. I found this especially to be true playing a Warlock.
Also, you get little one-use items that do little tricks that add extra abilities to your arsenal. For instance, I got a bag of marbles when I first started. When used, they would reduced the enemy's attack skill for a certain amount of time. Another item I got was some candle wax or something that made it so the enemy couldn't slip away or go invisible for 15 seconds. You can use these at any time, on any enemy. I like to save them for PvP, making for interesting little "gotchas" for the other guy...
The game is full of things like this. You can use some items to enhance your armor or weapons, either for a while or permanently. Some can craft things like this. Enchanters can add glows to weapons others can actually see on you, and stat bonuses. Leatherworkers can permanently add armor bonus when they use their leather kits to reinforce your armor. Blacksmiths can give you sharpening stones that you can use to keep your weapons sharper and doing more damage for a while. Just a few small examples of the tons of stuff this game has. I learn something new every day...
The graphics? Like I said, I didn't appreciate them at first. Now, for some reason I am constantly amazed and catch myself just looking around and admiring the utter talent that went into this game. Each area feels like it should... Not just "looks" like it should, but actually has the FEELING that it should. When the designers want you to be scared, you are! The creativity is simply dripping from this game at every level. Take some time to explore a bit and you will see it too. I hate bringing EQ2 into this, but I have to in order to relate to those of you still playing it (especially since the OP played EQ2). Once you play WoW and see the world, you will be insulted at the rubbish SOE pushed on you, thinking it would be enough to get you hooked on their new cash-cow... I know I was.
The class diversity is stunning. Different classes actually have unique game mechanics made specifically for them. Rogues have combo points they can use for finishing moves, Warriors have rage that builds in battle and can be used on special attacks, Warlocks and Hunters have pets they can train and which level with them... All the classes have very defining things about them. Then the talent tree takes it just that much further. Granted, the game makes you work for that uniqueness. You do have to play in order to get the experience you need to open up all the stuff you can do, instead of deciding on all of it at the beginning.
Also, where the face customization is lacking, the equipment variety is completely outstanding! I see new items every day at the auction house that parallel items I already have, but are tweaked this way or that and have a different look to them. You never see two characters, even of the same level, that look the same... at least I never do. Also, "variety" in this game is not defined as using the same model over and over with a new tint or texture and a fancy text name. I saw a guy who had a shield that was actually shaped like a maltese cross! I saw a gnome that was wearing what looked to be one of those old deep-sea diver helmets. He looked totally like a tinkering little gnome!
I finally admitted to myself that I'd much rather have that kind of variety than a million combinations of facial structures that no one is ever close enough to see anyway! And really only serve to slow everyone's computers down when hundreds of those complex faces get into the same area...
I'd go on, but most of you probably quit reading this lengthy post by now!
Bottom line is WoW is a quality game. I challenge you to see this game by its own merits, rather than merely the annoying competition to the game that you spent all that money, time, and effort on. As soon as I did that and admitted to myself that I made a mistake and fixed it, I found myself happy and enjoying the fun and immersive game that is WoW.
I don't think it's an age thing.
I'm 36 and I love WoW. I'm itching for Friday when I can finally get my teeth stuck into the game properly.
I understand some people want a more cerebral MMORPG experience. Not me though. I think at work for eight hours a day. I just wanna sit down in the evening and play something simple.
The game isn't ground breaking and was never pushed that way. It appeals to me because of it's polished and well presented. Who cares about a low poly count when the artwork is as beautiful as it is.
I'm a bit mystified how somebody can say they're bored with WoW and go off and play another MMORPG. Let's face it people all MMORPGs are the same. Just some are just more polished than others.
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Don't jump off the roof Dad
You'll make a hole in the yard
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I love the visual of getting your teeth "stuck" in it after the reference of age... LOL
As far as cerebral, it's actually is very cerebral if you want it to be. You can approach it in a straight-forward manner, or try to find a real tricky way of going about things. So many possibilities. But you are right, after a long day at work it's nice to be able to play something casual if you want to.
I wouldnt say that age or mmorpg past experience is a major contributor to experiencing a "wow" sensation. I have been playing mmorpgs since the release of UO in 97, and all mmo's from then on up have been a level grind. WoW was a great break from that, because I was able to quest my way up in levels, as well as pvp which is a major player in my enjoyment. Apparently a lot of other people my age (21) enjoy it as well. During break I came home from college to find that about 8 of my friends were playing WoW as well. The best was to find out that some girls that have never played an mmo in their lives, who were also busy in cheerleading, bought the game and enjoyed it as well. The game branchs out to many audiences, which is why it is so successful. Young, old, past experience in mmo's or not, it doesent matter.
EQ2 and WoW are basically the same, both get boring after a while because its all the same cookie-cutter EQ-clones. I too was WOWed by City of Heros, wish it had more depth to it though besides just fighting 24/7.
However I do give EQ2 alittle bit more props because of its depth of content but too bad it doesn't have PvP. If it did have PvP, it would be very good game. Crafting in EQ2 is really good and worthwhile.
I am of the opinion that WoW is an excellent game that simply does nothing unique or refreshing. I played WoW for a month, and while I found the game both beautiful and fun I just didn't have much enticement to grind through many levels of play to get to the extended content.
Specifically what I'm saying is: as a veteran MMOG player I just felt like I'd been there and done that all already.
I highly recommend WoW to players new to the MMOG genre. I highly recommend WoW to players who want to play a good, high-fantasy MMOG. I have high praise for some of the technical accomplishments of WoW (I still say the "time to play" factor...how long it takes from starting the application to actually starting to play...is a single-handed masterpiece of the game).
But I just didn't find it fun enough to keep playing.
Alright, I've only played WoW about 6 hours (Mon and Tues - @work right now, but will plug another 3 hours in this evening too, if all things go according to my masterplan) WoW doesn't do anything new and innovating that I could find, but it's fun. I'm 34, and work all day. I like to play without waiting around forever to be able to venture forth. Friends of mine played WoW since Beta, and I saw them solo'ing a lot. (After my 6 hours xp, I think grouping is the way to go. I died more, but had more fun, with a 2 groups of strangers I met in-game.) That was a big impact in buying WoW, along with having several friends and guildies in the game that I can mooch high end gear off of.
WoW hasn't made me go WOW, but none of the screenies did either. I'm having fun just exploring, and running around with my orc. The quests are definately fun, for me. And I like how many of them that I have done progress past just the 1 chore. I also thought DAOC and EQ quests were fun - I prefer a lot of quests along my level grind as opposed to just grinding.
Combat actually kind of blows. DAOC has better combat, imo. All you have is auto-attack, and some styles. I liked how DAOC had moves reliant upon your position to the mob too. Not just backstab by rogues, but all fighter types had it in DAOC, in WoW just have to be facing the mob.
Crafting is ok - but with no failures when crafting. Don't know how I like that as of yet. Can fail in skinning or mining, but not actually making the goods once you have the raw materials.
So far, WoW really looks like another run-of-the-mill MMOGs - just the latest on the shelves. I don't know if the high-end game is going to add much to it, or just make it boring and repetitive. I'll at least be playing til summer when I'm hoping to check out D&L!