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Ahh, this is going to be fun!
When you know you are finally done with 3 games you've been rotating through for years and now it's time to pick your new long term game, this is going to be fun! Obviouslly, I'll need all the help I can get and this process won't be easy or simple. It's indeed difficult and more than you would think for a veteran gamer to enjoy games as he/she used to.
The pros of being a veteran are that I can truly pick some great games because I've been through a lot, experienced the best and know what works for me to keep me long term entertained. The cons like every vet gamer is overlooking the negative things about the game that we easily notice. So, in a way it's like measuring and finding the best of what's available right now, not tomorrow or god knows when.
I've really tried hard for almost 5 years purposely to not spend a single cent on any new products mainly from the fundamental concepts I disagree with something I do not envision to be the future of gaming in general, but it is what it is...and almost 5 years is a good streak without spending. Now, if I can continue this streak I would gladly, which is why I'll be looking at the F2P and priivate s products, before shifting to the B2P and then finally the P2P/sub products.
I also understand this community won't be very helpful in this matter mainly from the fact that we all have different tastes and then very small portion are truly enjoying their current products and if they do they rarely discuss why. Then, very few also are well informed and versile when it comes to multiplayer gaming. I purposely want to broaded my options by focusing toward all character/ship/car etc. progression games with both 2d and 3d graphics.
Anyways, to not extend this any further than necessary these are the key things I'll be currently looking for my new game in no particualr order:
1) How special I'll feel being successful at it? Will my actons, choices matter to the community around me? WIll I be valued and needed as an individual or will I be easily replaced due to limited things I can do with my character. So, a game with a sense of community that I can build my reputation around and gain allies/foes to work with or against plays a big role in my decision.
2) How casual or hardcore the game is in terms of what I can do on a daily basis to progress toward certain paths I find meaningful/rewarding with my character? The last thing I want is to find a game where the majority of my free time I have to wait on some reset or some cap or some new content/patch to continue playing it. Also, it's crucial for me that the game gives me some options/freedom to be capable on pursuing goals whitout depending on certain individuals that might not be around during 6 am 6 pm or midnight or simply not be avaialble at all.
3) Finally, security plays a big part in a game where there is permanent economy in a persistant world. So, how vulnerable the game is plays a crucial part for long term commitment. Does the bots easily breach it because of how it's designed? Does staff brings harsh and very punitive actions swiftly to anything that can potentially damage the game long term?
I mean, this is as BASIC as I can be when I'm searching for my new game. So, if this community knows/is experienced with anything that comes closest to what I've outlined please share it. I understand also summer is coming to an end...So, I'll need this game more than ever, being indoor more and such. I already have 1-2 games in mind at the moment, but first I would like to hear players feedback/opinions before I make any final conclusions.
Comments
I hate to say this, but I think actually World of warcraft is the closest based on your descriptions.
Oh wait, time locked server for EQ2 maybe?
Unless you are fine with single player mmorpg's, then I have a lot of suggestions.
Sadly, World of Warcraft does not deliver content on a reasonable schedule both PvE and PvP seasons lasting way too long than they should. The 20 man mythic raids vs the previous optional 10/25 was the nail in the coffin for me.
Anyways, this is indeed a bad time and I just wonder if it's worth waiting it out for X product that's about to come this year worth playing long term.
Looking forward to: Crowfall / Lost Ark / Black Desert Mobile
1) Requires a smaller community, Intense grind, intense time demands, and/or actually being special with RL abilities(Community management, running "The Guide" website, a leader in a top guild, or being the one who always discovers new content).
2) Requires a smaller community usually since in any game no matter how advanced will eventually lead to people with duplicate knowledge/characters/similar. Assuming you're following normal game design patterns.
3) I normally class this as worse than EvE(IE: all stuff is always in world and siegable even when not online, sometimes with varying amounts skill loss). Or better than EvE(IE: keeping stuff on death, less punishment for mistakes and similar).
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from my experience the two normal games that have done really well for me in #1 and #2(also both were worse than EvE in #3). Was wurmOnline and Haven and Hearth. Smaller communities, a good amount of grind(to AMAZINGLY BAD amounts of grind to be "best in craft"), and a general game mechanic design to encourage the feeling of being in a world you control.
One game that lets you pretend to achieve #1+#2 is EvE Online and simply the best at #3(12 years and running, and with acceptable trade offs for gear loss). Since it does a really good job of letting you join micro communities and spreading out the player base across light decades of space.
Now if you're willing to go really deep down the rabbit hole I've spent a summer messing around with scripting/programming in SecondLife. Now there is a game where a small amount of real skills and knowledge can get you some very unique things. Being the "best programmer" among your social circles that was also social and willing to talk was a unique experience (TBH I was by no means a real expert but compared to the self taught people I was competing against it was no competition). When I pulled out I got to pay for the first semesters books with my income(college courses). SecondLife did have a unique aspect with it's RL skill requirements for building, in the sense that no two builders were ever the same since RL abilities vary so much more than game abilities(Even programmers that were just as good or better than me, still couldn't top me in my focused area's).
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Really to get around the grind or similar the only way to achieve #1 or #2 is to have a game that requires real life skills, for people other than guild leaders.
It doesn't even need to be non-game stuff having systems like the game SpaceChem: http://store.steampowered.com/app/92800/ , for some aspects of your game(IE magic) would go a long way. The game is so intensive of a puzzle, balance of skill, and ACTUAL problem solving that less than 5% of the community that has attempted the final level has beat the final level(The developer is not among that 5%, he pretty much just tossed it at his play tester community and let it release when someone was able to solve it).
Well aside from something like twitch skill, that is really really hard to design. And if you're capable of designing something worthy of that, you might as release it as a standalone game instead to minimize risk.
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Which I guess would be the reason why MOBAs/Dota-a-likes are so popular right now. Since players are able to easily able to achieve #1/#2 especially when given: multiple roles to play(Carry/Jungle/Support/Battle-support), now toss some 80 character characters at them, Toss them in a forced team environment with people to show off to, AND with ranking/matching systems control who they play with.
Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent.
"At one point technology meant making tech that could get to the moon, now it means making tech that could get you a taxi."
"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
Kyleran, I'm sorry that I don't rush into a P2P MMO right off the bat, especially one that's been out for 12 years that's also lost 18% of it's subs recently (which clearly says something).
EVE its had an amazing journey, but that soon is about to end. This is mainly from the choices CCP has made lately, mainly investing heavily from it's revenue toward other projects like World of Darkness, Dust 514 and Project Legion.
I truly wish EVE Online gains some momentum and turn things around, but as it is right now I don't see that. If I'm paying a premium price for a product....EVE is not the game right now, but then a lot of other games with their sandbox features are in far worse condition atm, which is the only thing EVE has the edge on for the time being.
Thx for the suggestion though, always appreciated, but please don't come here to troll/flame my threads with short statements like :"I'm not really looking for a game" Kyleran just because I won't play your lovely EVE. The last thing you want to see is your account suspended after 20k posts, which imo you only gained from being all over the forums with these kind short and unproductive responses.
"paying a premium price for a product"... lol. I mean seriously, lol. I spend that much on my lunch every day. Premium price. You kids are spoiled if you think $15 a month is premium price for a service. Especially a service that provides nearly limitless entertainment in the way that EVE can and does.
A movie ticket, bag of popcorn and a drink for one person costs twice that amount and for only two hours of entertainment. After 20 years of playing Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40k and dozens of CCG's, I can honestly say that P2P MMO gaming has been the cheapest entertainment I've ever had in my life.
But like someone else already said, you're just here to shoot down anything anyone suggests. Argument simulator 2015.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
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I do think you are very aware of what is out there on the market and what is in the pipe, but on the off chance you really want to try another game, try ArcheAge, it would be my next best recommendation, F2P to boot.
"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