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Beginning to lose hope
I've been searching for an MMORPG to play for a long time now, and I'm beginning to think that maybe there isn't one that meets my criteria in this world. But I like to think that my criteria is not so unreasonable! Please bear with me here. What I want is something that meets these four conditions:
1. I like the dungeon-based gameplay where each person chooses a role to play in the party and they work together in order to win. So it must have that kind of gameplay. Major bonus points if it has something like Eden Eternal's class change system, which lets you switch roles at will, but do note that such a system is unnecessary. It would just be really cool.
2. It doesn't have a horrendously inefficient and invasive piece of malware attached to it, like AhnLab Hackshield or nProtect Gameguard. I have had it with such programs, I am completely done with them.
3. It should be "free to play." So, it's probably going to be supported by something like an item mall, I guess. I've learned to expect that this means it will be some degree of "pay to win" and I won't say that this needs to be completely absent because it almost never is, but I would prefer to keep that at a minimum. If I have to pay to get anywhere at all in the game, then it's not a game in the first place.
4. It should still be played actively. Basically what I meant to say here is that if the community is too small to support its gameplay, then I won't be interested.
I think there isn't anything else. I do realize that I probably am actually asking a lot, with just those four conditions, but I really don't think it is completely unreasonable.
EDIT: I forgot to say that the point of this post is to ask for a game that meets these four criteria. If any of you know of one, please let me know.
Comments
"path of exile" would best fit that description I suppose. There aren't really any other games under that criteria that I've heard of before.
It fits the last three quite easily, and the first one more or less. It's basically a free diablo I suppose, not my type of game.
Right? That's what I was going to suggest as well, but it didn't really fit the dungeon crawler or needing multiple people to complete something.
I don't remember why I didn't like Path of Exile, but I remember thinking that the gameplay was too different from what I'm looking for... I can look into it again for the sake of giving it a fair evaluation, but I don't want the thread to end there.
There are a few games that fulfill the dungeon-oriented criteria. One that comes to mind is DDO (dungeons & dragons online). Not many games have the free-form class system you ask for, but one you may want to look at is Secret World. (Mabinogi also has one, but it's a very different type of game).
That said, if what you are actually looking for is 'Eden Eternal', but not made by a crap micro-transaction / junkware based company. Well, then you're kind of SoL.
If that's true, then I'd suggest that your expectations are indeed unrealistic, as you are looking for a specific game that exists, but in a specific way that you want. You also want a game with some degree of popularity, which makes sense, but also comes with a bit of a reality check. In order for a game to be popular, it has to have a certain degree of mass appeal, which means it can't be a niche game like what you are asking for (and still be an MMO).
And that is one of the bigger problems w/ MMOs atm. They have to juggle pleasing enough people to be popular, while catering to all these little specific niche requests everyone is asking for from these games. It's the reason why so many games seem to try and please everyone, but actually please no one.
You're criteria may sound reasonable individually, but you need to think about how they effect one another as a whole. If I wanted a sports-based MMO that didn't involve killing I could find one. But if it also needed to be popular / not have a cash shop it wouldn't exist.
I am going to suggest taking a look at Project Gorgon. It is definitely F2P at this point. Pay for nothing. No malware associated programs that I am aware of. And it does have dungeons.
I just started playing it a few days ago and have quite enjoyed it so far. Community seems decent but I have been playing it fairly solo to this point. Thats just my style though. Combat is not the most strategic, but it has plenty of other gameplay elements to keep you amused which I prefer over the constant kill this, kill that, type of gameplay.
Its got the old school feel to it and you can play in a sort of hardcore mode where gear takes a hit if you die. And you will die a lot in this game.
Anyway absolutely nothing to lose in trying out. The game is decent and could use all the support it can get.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I did say that being able to change classes at will is optional, and that's exactly what I meant: it's not necessary, but would just be nice to have. I'm not expecting it to be there and I will be totally fine without it.
Party-based dungeon gameplay where everyone takes a different role, like what Eden Eternal has, is something a huge number of games try to cash in on. Because World of Warcraft pulled it off really well. So asking for that style of gameplay to be present in a way that is at least fairly prominent, still leaves me with a list that has a lot of games on it. The problem is the other criteria, especially #2. They keep putting malware in with their client. That is the one that really destroys most of my options. This malware doesn't actually stop players from cheating, and I know this from experience. But that's beside the point. Even if it did stop players from cheating, there has to be way to stop cheating other than infesting my computer with that stuff.
"Party based dungeon gameplay" is just another name for raiding.
So you basically want a game with raiding elements as the main focus I guess.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
Items 2 and 3 are somewhat exclusive of each other.
A lot of the F2P games, and a lot of the Eastern games (which is where F2P is really more popular) rely on 3rd party anti-hack software.
That being said, LOTRO, DDO, Neverwinter, and Rift may all be worth looking into.
Sure I get that. As for the raiding element in Gorgon, I am not sure how the combat skills would work, in a raiding format.
The various skills are raised by using the skill itself . So the game lends itself to more of the freeform type of MMO gameplay.
But that adds up to lots of variety and options to forge your own destiny, if you get what I mean. Its that type of game I think.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
Since the first point is dungeons, (with later "The gameplay doesn't need to be entirely dungeon-based or entirely party-based. But it definitely should be there.") I'd say AoC. It has maybe the best dungeons I've encountered, raids too, built around classes with only a small scale of overlapping, so every class is vital and has an important role for the success. And there are plenty of group quests in the open too, so grouping up is a frequent thing.
It has nothing attached to the client, has a fairly active community (on Crom, at least), and it's f2p, with only a few restrictions (like bank space or gold limit). However, you can't go to the expansion area unless you subscribe, that can be a big hinderance if you want to play the endgame massively. (until you get there, the game is free)
Another mention was the class change, AoC doesn't have that. So an another suggestion, TSW. Great dungeons, heavily leaning onto working together. Can change your role any time you want (no classes in the game), or as the dungeon needs it. The client is free from any attached crap, and the community is pretty active. (single server tech, so it doesn't matter which one you pick, you can group up with everybody from any other dimensions).
But: it's not f2p, it's b2p, so you need to buy the client. Above that there are Issues (like DLCs) which you need to buy optionally if you want more content (but the base game has plenty on its own). A second problem, while it has great dungeons, it doesn't have too many, sadly.
Put the gun down
Open up steam
Find something to play. If you can't find something that you want in the steam library it might be time to give up gaming.
I agree, steam has a great and very large selection. Th great thing is many of those games are very reasonably priced and their sales are generally pretty good as well.
What about Dungeons and Dragons Online? I don't know about the Hack Shield stuff, but the game seems to fit the other requirements.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
If he's looking for holy trinity based dungeons (like WoW has) then yes, all three will be good choices.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
I wouldnt bother with Rift, Trion can't keep up with expansion deadlines because theyre pushing AA so hard as its more lucrative.
I know you said FTP, but I have to suggest 2 games that you might really like even though they aren't F2P:
FFXIV - Dungeons are a big part of the gameplay as well as team play. VERY active community. Can switch classes on the fly but must level each one up on its own. Need to buy the game and pay a sub per month
The Secret World - Dungeons are plentifiul in this one and you can switch "decks" on the fly. Decks are pretty much your own built class, but all the decks follow the trinity of DPS, Healer, Tank and you can have a support role as well. You only have to pay for the actual game, then you can play at will...no sub required.
Gw1 is still populated, and almost everything is a dungeon. Will require a one time fee though.
want 7 free days of playing? Try this
http://www.swtor.com/r/ZptVnY
Then you will never be able to play multiplayer games. The solution to this is to play with friends and/or to find a guild that suits your needs and behaviour too. Though, if you cant hide the general chat then I propably would not play it my self since I usually close it at least after I find a good guild.
...Unless i'm reading this wrong (which is entirely possible) Your request is so general that most mmorpgs fit the bill?
+Dungeons
+f2p
+MalwareFree
+reasonable population.
TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development
I agree i think you would enjoy path of exile. As for me I am done with MMOs. Ulitma online would be a good choice on a free shard. The EA version, turned into Pay 2 win garbage.
Aura Kingdom is the sequel to Grand Fantasia.
There will be a sequel to Eden Eternal as well, it just isnt out yet.