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[Column] General: Why Do We Play MMOs?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
There seem to be several common reasons why we play the games we love. In today's Fair Game, we take a look at the most common of those reasons and expound on each a bit. See if you agree with our choices before heading to the comments.
It’s a fair question, given all the time, money, effort and thought we put into playing MMOs, not to mention all the time, money, effort and thought companies put into making them. But it’s not an easy question. For people like me, with our bitter, black misanthropic hearts, it’s a downright difficult question.
So why do we play MMOs? Moreover, with all that’s involved in leveling on just one character, why do so many of us play several MMOs? Well, I’ve looked around me a bit and come up with a few possible answers to that.
Read more of Lisa Jonte's Fair Game: Why Do We Play MMOs?
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Comments
Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit
Great question! It is funny that my hubby and I were talking about this just last night! He was saying that he thought he was getting tired of MMO's and because I play solo a lot of the time that I could be happy not playing MMO's as well.... I like MMO's though! hehe.
I love that I can get everything I want to do in a game, within ONE game: questing, story, character progression, pvp, crafting/housing, and being able to group up with my friends to do dungeons, harder quests, old raids, etc...
I think I will always love MMO's. I can get bored of the same old, same old from time to time. However, I always get drawn back in because I feel like I am missing something when I play only solo RPG games, or strategy games, or FPS's or whatever.....
You know when I was a kid I use to play with toy swords with my friends. We used to imagine we were in another world sort of like those Sinbad movies of old. Out in the bush we built forts and castles, slayed many a monster and fought in many a war.
Sadly those are the yesterdays of yore.
Luckily my lust for adventure and craving for the blood of my enemies reside in an MMO
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
All of those reasons, and more.
You forgot:
External affirmation (egoboo through competition).
The collector and trophy-status drives.
Winning the mini- (sometimes macro-) game of virtual wealth accumulation (I suppose that ties back into 'collector' again).
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
Some of the reasons mmo's don't interest me any more.
A declaration somewhat at odds with your current location.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
You nailed it
It definitely was the community and not those games themselves that made them great. WoW's community was also awesome in the early days when everyone was learning everything.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
I am retired and have a lot of time on my hands. I play for a variety of reasons.
social - my wife still works so my only company for most of the day are our 3 cats. Not very good company. My guild uses both Mumble and Vent so we do a lot of conversing about not only game issues but just general chit chat
entertainment - I look at them as a living novel, beats the heck out of staring at a TV screen
personal satisfaction - I enjoy setting goals for myself and meeting them. I realize most MMO accomplishments are just time sinks but still.....
eye candy - always been fascinated by both technology and sci fi/ fantasy. MMO worlds give me both
I miss DAoC
This sounds more right than not. :-)
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Your "Social Aspects" section pretty much nailed it for me. Even the admittance that one does not group100%, 24/7. But MMOs are the only gaming outlet that has that special grouping dynamic.
The Dos Equis beer man pretty much nails it for me. "I don't always look for groups when I play games. But when I do, I play MMOs."
It is not too dissimilar from living with another person. You may not interact with them the whole time you are together, but knowing they are there if the desire hits one or the other makes all the difference.
Other players make the MMO gameworld come alive. Static NPCs can only do so much with their limited AI, reacting only certain ways to a player. Other human players can be random and/or spontaneous. No NPC will ever utter the words, "Nice sword! Where'd you get that?"
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Given that most modern MMO's have you at the level cap in a week or 2, I don't find it any surprise that people play several. They're all F2P crap anyway.
If you go back to EQ then yes, you took a lot of time and effort to level. But that's not the case any more.
Personally I have no clue why most people play MMO's today as they all seem to be nothing more than single player RPG's with a network connection and about as much social interaction going on as a bucket of dead fish.
There are some exceptions, but far too few and the sad thing is there's no sign of this improving any time soon.
I always played for progression. I like my character getting stronger, learning more. Customizing him. I think a lot of people play for that reason and didn't really see that here. I guess sense of accomplishment could be that, but not really.
Same reason I played RPGs too.
"EVE is likely the best MMORPG that you've never really understood or played" - Kyleran
Personal story means nothing at all to me in an MMO,yeah right the 689 people stood next to me are getting the same 'you are the chosen one' crap said to them and is the main reason MMO's are dead to me,solo play.
My reasons to play was to socialize and do things together that are not possible solo,and it isn't as simple as just that. What I more mean is the world needs to be "DANGEROUS" you can go off solo sure but death and the penalty of death has to sting.FFS give me a f***ing world to get immersed and feel danger in!
I have given up on the idea I will ever play an MMORPG again
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Bingo. I want to create my own story, along with the friends and enemies I make along the way. I don't much care for the in game story, it serves merely to set the mood for my adventure, but I don't really want to be too actively engaged in something scripted by the developers.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Mystery Bounty
No fate but what we make, so make me a ham sandwich please.