Entertainment, same as any other game or hobby. I read a book, watch a film, take photos, play computer games - MMORPGs hold no special significance to me.
My interest in MMORPGs are more towards the "Old School" goals of the genre. To make a unique character and explore, adventure a "virtual world." A chance to do anything in there and a chance to affect the game world. To somehow make your mark. People... people used to make MMORPGs much, much more dynamic than what any SPRPG can ever hope to achieve.
I'm just disappointed MMORPG developers for several years now have intentionally settled for lesser standards.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
i started MMO's in 1999 with EQ and it drew me in because it was like you took PnP D&D and threw it up on my comnputer screen. it wasnt perfect but i love the sense of adventure, not knowing what was going to happen, meeting people and exploring together with them, earning levels and congradulating others that did as well. i think life was more exciting back then without maps and meters not knowing what your next skill or spell would be, learning how to use you abilities and having fun laughing after a train ran through.
As many others wrote, escapism is the main reason. Escapism is not sad and everyone does it in some form, watch tv/news/movies that matches your hopes, read books, play games, get drunk/high, go out in your best outfit... it is all escaping reality for awhile, because it seem that is what humans need to do to handle life.
I guess we all need different kind of escapism, some need complete alternative worlds that makes sense and othes just need 5 minutes away. I like the deep escapism from a book or a game, that is more or less as far from the real world as possible but still making sense in its universe. I like to be caught up and forget time and place, and if I dont get that it is no longer escapism for me, but mostly just wasting time.
So if you are like me, you get dissapointed when your escapist moments are constantly disrupted, and you will probably post stuff like "new games have no dept" just like me - And you are right. You are also right if you say mmorpg games are better than ever, and that is because you are not looking for the same degree of escapism.
With that in mind, I need alternative worlds with minimal of real world references and systematic. It is perfectly ok for me not to know the fomulas, infact the less I know and can use logic (like a broadsword cannot be swung 2 times per second, but it sure hits harder than a dagger), the more I am able to play the role of my character. I want some freedom and not things that constantly reminds me this is a designed adventure. I want to have the feeling that this world is just an alternative reality that will exist without me. And above all I want mystic things that doesnt have an explanation, so it can trigger my IMAGINATION so I can form my version of that world in my head - And that is what roleplaying is all about.
Comments
Because I can work with or fight against other real people. Most SP AI gets predictable after a few hours of playing a game.
People are often unpreditable.
Playing | GW2
Wanting | Pantheon
Watching | Crowfall
Retired | WAR, Cabal, MO, CO, SHK, WoW, FFXIV: ARR
Entertainment, same as any other game or hobby. I read a book, watch a film, take photos, play computer games - MMORPGs hold no special significance to me.
My interest in MMORPGs are more towards the "Old School" goals of the genre. To make a unique character and explore, adventure a "virtual world." A chance to do anything in there and a chance to affect the game world. To somehow make your mark. People... people used to make MMORPGs much, much more dynamic than what any SPRPG can ever hope to achieve.
I'm just disappointed MMORPG developers for several years now have intentionally settled for lesser standards.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
i started MMO's in 1999 with EQ and it drew me in because it was like you took PnP D&D and threw it up on my comnputer screen. it wasnt perfect but i love the sense of adventure, not knowing what was going to happen, meeting people and exploring together with them, earning levels and congradulating others that did as well. i think life was more exciting back then without maps and meters not knowing what your next skill or spell would be, learning how to use you abilities and having fun laughing after a train ran through.
tl;dr = the community and sense of adventure
As many others wrote, escapism is the main reason. Escapism is not sad and everyone does it in some form, watch tv/news/movies that matches your hopes, read books, play games, get drunk/high, go out in your best outfit... it is all escaping reality for awhile, because it seem that is what humans need to do to handle life.
I guess we all need different kind of escapism, some need complete alternative worlds that makes sense and othes just need 5 minutes away. I like the deep escapism from a book or a game, that is more or less as far from the real world as possible but still making sense in its universe. I like to be caught up and forget time and place, and if I dont get that it is no longer escapism for me, but mostly just wasting time.
So if you are like me, you get dissapointed when your escapist moments are constantly disrupted, and you will probably post stuff like "new games have no dept" just like me - And you are right. You are also right if you say mmorpg games are better than ever, and that is because you are not looking for the same degree of escapism.
With that in mind, I need alternative worlds with minimal of real world references and systematic. It is perfectly ok for me not to know the fomulas, infact the less I know and can use logic (like a broadsword cannot be swung 2 times per second, but it sure hits harder than a dagger), the more I am able to play the role of my character. I want some freedom and not things that constantly reminds me this is a designed adventure. I want to have the feeling that this world is just an alternative reality that will exist without me. And above all I want mystic things that doesnt have an explanation, so it can trigger my IMAGINATION so I can form my version of that world in my head - And that is what roleplaying is all about.
"I am my connectome" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7GwKXfJB0