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General: The Daily Quest: What Do You Do When in the MMO Doldrums?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
One of the things that has been receiving a lot of attention both here and in the overall MMO space lately is the fact that there seems to be a lull in the "excitement" generated about MMORPGs these days.
While many of us still have an MMO, or maybe more than one, that we check into on a fairly regular basis, there are times when we hit the wall on what to do. It's usually not the case that there's nothing to do, but simply that we don't want to do it. A good case in point would be daily quests.
Of course that tediousness sends us out looking for something else to occupy the time that our favorite MMO once dominated.
So today's question is this: Gaming wise, what do you do when the thought of logging into your current favorite MMO is just not appealing? What games do you play? What genres? What platform?
Accept today's quest and complete it in the comments to this post.
Comments
I play whatever i think is the most fun, unless there is some reason, e.g. i prefer playing with my friends when they are around even when i might want to continue some single player game, because i can play the later whenever i want, while not everyone is always online.
This does not necessarily mean there is nothing i want to do in an MMO. You know, MMOs are just games like any other in the end. They are not superior in any way or deserve some special attention. Of course, this is MMORPG.com, so a certain MMO focus is to be expected, on the other hand you expand the genres covered more and more.
Which makes the whole question pointless, as it's basically "what games do you play when a random single game of your evergrowing collection isn't fun at the moment" - well, any other that is fun, as i said initially.
The real question is: What do you do when no game is fun right now?
I'll wait to the day's end when the moon is high
And then I'll rise with the tide with a lust for life, I'll
Amass an army, and we'll harness a horde
And then we'll limp across the land until we stand at the shore
I usually find myself logging back onto Dead Frontier... that game seems to scratch some itches of mine that no other game seems to quite reach; but I can never stick to it for long (months/years) stretches at a time.
Revisit some classic console games. Go down to my local arcade and play some pinball, third strike, ms pac man. Get together with some friends and play some munchkin or five tribes or whatever current board game we are into.
That's a highly unlikely situation...
With 4 "main" games, plenty of others on the side, with the single-player games, the books, and as a late addiction of mine, old games... my problem is time management, and not the burn-out.
That's why I'm hopping, in my case it's not "oh, this game is not appealing right now, what should I do?", it's more frequently this instead: "oh, I haven't played X since months, let's hop over and play it for a few weeks"
What genres? What platform?
I'm an adventure fan by heart, rpg (and mmorpg) is just the close second, and I play only the story-oriented ones from rpgs, mmos beyond that need to have a good community too.
Still used to play strategy games (true, turn-based ones, not that mouse-killer, clickety-click click dumb 'Crafts), both on PC and on board, boardgames are great.
Few favourites not fitting into the genres above are Vice City and CS, occasionally BF.
Platform is PC, obviously (except VC:S, which is PSP-only).
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
Usually I will start looking at what else is out that might peak my interests. In the past year or two, while searching for something new, I have come to realize that I play games to play with other people. I like the social aspect and so I typically gravitate to games that have either a lot of people playing or at least a strong community. I go back and play some P99 to get some grouping and start looking for other games that grouping is either incentivized or is a good strategy to play the game.
Otherwise I spend time with my family and just wait till I find something I think I will enjoy. Recently I started playing H1Z1 and even though it is my first zombie genre game, I am absolutely loving running as a group in this type of game. It really is a lot of fun trying to survive the zombie apocalypse with 5-7 other people. So changing the genre absolutely helped me but not always the go to plan.
As for typical MMO's, I have just not found anything that really jumps out at me. I've tried a lot of the newer games (archage, wildstar, FF14, Trove, etc) but have yet to find something that I truly enjoy. ESO going B2P has sparked my interest merely because I know some folks playing it as well as TSW but I have yet to be bored or tired of H1 to really look into them much. I still hold out for games like EQ:N, Albion Online, CU, and Crowfall but since some of them are still not slotted to come out till next year, so that puts me in a holding pattern in the terms of typical MMO's. I keep watching to see if anything else really jumps out at me but as of yet haven't found something.
Then it could be time to hit the cancel subscription button.
Plus, they're called books. Try some sometime. (Although with a 100 million illiterates running around....)
Having diverse hobbies and interests helps as well as having a rich internal world.
But since the question was asked for a more narrow answer: Whatever other game is fun to me at the time I suppose.
Xbox one, steam games like Civ 5, Netflix/hulu, books, planning family outings and then going and doing them, specially with the weather getting warmer. Picking up some brewskies and cooking dinner on the grill out back, my favorite alternative ;D
I want to get back into Rollerblading this year. Haven't done it since I was like 28, so 11 years now. Yeesh.
Try an old MMO I haven't touched in a while. Listen to tunes. Genre wise, I play most anything except Fighting games and turn based strategy RPGs. Something about that style of combat annoys me to no end and I know it's causing me to miss out on some great games like Wasteland 2 and Shadowrun but sorry, the game mechanic is most important in a game and one doesn't like it, no matter how good the game, it's not worth the time and money.
PS4-PC sprpg, plenty of great games out there.
Gym everyday, Ibiza, Festivals, Books, the list goes on.
when i dont feel like playing GW2 i have more options... Obviously GW1, then the following...
MMO wise some of my other options are ESO, WoW (when i feel like paying for a month), Marvel Heroes, and some other F2P games like Neverwinter and STO. I downloaded Uncharted Waters Online and Aura Kingdoms recently and are OK for my inventory of side options.
Also FFXIV will most likely become my steady second choice after the expansion release.
Non-MMO wise i play PS4 and sometimes PS3. I rarely play non mmos on PC unless they support mods or are PC exclusives.
Or... Most of my friends are console gamers, so I go slumming with them.
I've had this problem often.
Most recently with DCUO- or DC Universe Online Live.
Everything after level 30, the permanent level cap,
is about grinding content everyday, getting gear, and completing feats,
just so you can grind the next level of content for gear and feats.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
The fact that most of the content requires, and I mean you can't even try it without,
a raid of 4-8 people just makes it a headache. Once you get to tier 6 and 7 you'll be pulling your hair out. Not for puggers.
So what do I do?
I say "that's it, this isn't for me, I came to play games not do mind numbing virtual chores"
and I try a new game.
I find this change in MMO atmosphere disheartening. I used to not be able to wait to log back into my old MMORPGs. Now, most of them are "check in and immediately log back off."
What do I do instead? Lots of other video game genres have my interest, RPGs being a major one. Lately, it has been adventures in Fallout 3 and New Vegas occupying my time. Before that, lots of time in Skyrim.
I have lots of video games that I enjoy popping into regularly, like my good selection of board and card games and other "quick play" (15-30 minutes) video games.
For more lengthy sessions, I have a couple of Madden NFL games I am coaching in franchise mode. Master of Magic will keep me involved for hours on end, even days. I purchased Shadowrun from Steam on their Holiday sale and look forward to getting into that one.
I have lots of GOG games waiting for me to give a try, among them Capitalism, Sim City 2000, Alan Wake and Gabriel Knight, Faster than Light, the original Assassin's Creed, and all of the Might and Magic (and Heroes thereof) series. I even purchased the Ultima and Wizardry series to give them a shot, missing them when they came out.
I definitely do not "need" an MMO to play and occupy my time, but that genre used to give me a gaming experience like no other. Now? Not so much.
- 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
Now, which one of you will adorn me today?
When bored with my MMOs:
I play single player games.
I catch up on some shows (or start watching new ones).
I play MP games with my friends.
I read a good book (or several of them if a certain serie manages to catch my attention).
I do something productive (excercise or study something).
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/