My break from mmos has taken its toll

EstherOpal · February 2017

first off id like to say i am an mmo veteran, i have played mmorpgs since Everquest and have actively been playing an mmorpg in some form or another. that being said, i have been trying to get back into the games i have so deeply loved and have been addicted to for years. nothing is working, im bored, i feel like i wont ever have that spark i once had, grinding lvls, running dungeons in hopes of that one piece of gear ive been needed to drop. guilds and friends. idk what to do. my main mmorpgs recently have been FFXIV and WoW. those have the combat systems i like. the guild systems i like, the pve content i like. i need something new yet there is nothing that comes close to those games in my opinion other than Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen...and who knows when that will be out... has anyone else been in this same mmorpg rut?

Harbinger1975 · February 2017

I have. Like you I started playing MMO's since 1999 with Everquest. I loved Everquest. Had that special kind of love for the games with only a few games. But you are right. There is a point where the 'magic' of the game goes away for whatever reason. And really, a portion of that comes with age. I'm nearly 20 years older than I was in 1999. And things don't always seem to fit now as they did then. We like other things for whatever reason. It's just a natural thing.

TalulaRose · February 2017

Same, I make the rounds year after year and MMORPGs are just meh at best.

I think for me it wasn't the game that kept me coming back, it was the community.

And there is no fixing that....too many hollows permeate the MMORPG community these days.

Tiller · February 2017

A lot of old timers are in the same boat here. The old MMOs just don't have the same immersion and community the old ones did when everyone relied on each other. Dungeons are mostly done with PUGs, guilds are full of mostly faceless silent types, crafted items have no personal touch, games are zoned and leave fewer reasons to return to the area once you completed your journey through them; games like SWG certain resources and mobs where in certain areas on certain planets so if you where a crafter or gatherer you found yourself everywhere. In the old days you kind of "lived" in a virtual world; now you just play in it.

The only two MMOs I play now are GW2 and ESO. GW2 because of the open world events, ESO for the story. I used to be able to find all that and more in one MMO. Maybe someday someone will get a clue.

Elevenb4 · February 2017

I'm in the same boat. Been playing MMO's since EQ in 2000. I've taken breaks here and there at the advice of other gamers. At one point I took a whole year off, looking for other outlets and hobbies both in doors and out doors. Never found anything that I really enjoyed as much.

After that year was over, I came back and never stuck with any mmp for more than a few months at a time. So here I am sitting waiting for that next magical moment in an MMO that might not ever come. Hopefully it will, but I'm not holding my breath.

jmcdermottuk · February 2017

Same here. Started playing MMO's back in '99 and since Vanilla WoW it's been a steady decline with re-skinned versions of WoW and a steady drop in quality.

Graphically we're at a peak but the constant pandering to casuals and soloers has changed the MMO landscape so much you may as well be playing single player games. I keep trying new MMO's hoping to find something worthy of being classed as an MMO but it's mostly the same old BS with each new release.

I still play now and then, mainly older MMO's like P99 EQ or a bit of EVE. I'm hoping that either Pantheon or Camelot Unchained will deliver something close to the old days of EQ and DAoC but I'm not holding my breath.

Elevenb4 · February 2017

jmcdermottuk said:

Same here. Started playing MMO's back in '99 and since Vanilla WoW it's been a steady decline with re-skinned versions of WoW and a steady drop in quality.

Graphically we're at a peak but the constant pandering to casuals and soloers has changed the MMO landscape so much you may as well be playing single player games. I keep trying new MMO's hoping to find something worthy of being classed as an MMO but it's mostly the same old BS with each new release.

I still play now and then, mainly older MMO's like P99 EQ or a bit of EVE. I'm hoping that either Pantheon or Camelot Unchained will deliver something close to the old days of EQ and DAoC but I'm not holding my breath.

Yeah, I still log into EQ1 now again. Eve also, because I dont' really get a sense of satifaction from any MMO's at all. I'm close to giving ESO an honest go and not just to level 15 or so this time. We will see.

Kyleran · February 2017

Recently relaunched DAOC free shard is bringing the old school experience back in a big way, give it a try if nothing else currently suits.

Hariken · February 2017

I just stopped playing the newer AAA titles. Been playing a couple of old game that get alot of hate but i'm having fun in them for the reason of the player bases in them are small but the players playing love the games and are really helpful to new players. The guilds have zero drama in them. Lets face it mmo's have been the same since Everquest. You have been doing the same thing in them since 1999. So no matter what the game is its the same thing. So for me now it really doesn't matter what game it is anymore. For me its always been about taking a character at lvl 1 and seeing where i can take him. Its about the journey. Start playing games you like and stop giving a crap about what others think on this board or any other. If your not playing something you like you will quit sooner or later.

Mikeha · February 2017

Nope because I stopped comparing everything to games I use to play.

Alverant · February 2017

My own MMO history is complicated. I started with Earth & Beyond and played that until it was announced it was being sundowned. I didn't see the point after that. Then I switched to City of Heroes and played that from opening weekend to final day. I really loved that game. I think it sent the bar for other MMOs I played since then. When that ended I think I went to WoW but couldn't get into it, it wasn't newbie friendly and everything I learned from CoH didn't translate well. I tried STO again but again (I played it for a while when it first came out), I felt lost with all the changes and the concept of a gear-grind felt alien. Then I tried Neverwinter Nights and managed to solo most of the content and lost interest. Finally came Wildstar. I was excited about it at first but the combat and a bad guild kept me from really getting into it. I experienced the same sort of problems I had with WoW, terms and activities were alien to me and the community wasn't helping. I stopped after a while when my guild dissolved and went back when it was F2P. I tried again, raised another character to 50, then lost interest because of the gear grind and poor community. I haven't played an MMO since November when I cut cable. I thought I would have time to play more without cable TV but I haven't felt the need to go back.

Now I think I'm done with MMOs. I come here because of Ship of Heroes, my last MMO hope and I'm waiting for Wildstar to get the axe. I think I've moved on and got tired of paying hundreds of dollars for a temporary game when I could have just as much/more fun with a $30 game I get at a Steam Sale. I'm at the point where I'm re-examining my life and it seems MMOs may no longer be part of it.

Flyte27 · February 2017

I think if the genre can find something new it will spark some interest for old players. Right now they have a very static structure in most cases. That structure includes the GPS system, the quest system, and the raid/group system. They are similar in each game. The main reason I can't play an MMO right now is it feels like wasted time. You repeat completing quests and raiding over many times ad nauseam. It has gotten to the point where there are so many quests they feel meaningless and you don't feel like reading the story. Survival games are a bit more interesting IMO. I'm not into the zombie apocalypse that accompanies many of those games. I'm more a fantasy person. Hopefully, someone will come up with a new idea for MMOs and that will breath some new life into the genre.

xpsync · February 2017

Yes OP you're not alone.

I think many of us have been there, i myself literally didn't play anything for a minimum of a year, (it was probably more like 2 to 3 years? more even?) and at the time had no plan to return, i was done.

It wasn't an all out i hate all games or anything it was more i took some other interests, gaming didn't fit and i didn't make it fit, i was bored of it, so did other chit.

When i got into it again, (i think i got a new rig is what sparked things up again) yikes i was playing everything i had missed for those years, and was having an amazing fun time again, but bouncing around too much, has it's own set of draw backs.

Lately I'm cruising ESO, excited for Morrowind, i play most nights, and if i don't for a night or two i enjoy it that much more the next night i do get on. Can't make it all you do.

Elevenb4 · February 2017

xpsync said:

Yes OP you're not alone.

I think many of us have been there, i myself literally didn't play anything for a minimum of a year, (it was probably more like 2 to 3 years? more even?) and at the time had no plan to return, i was done.

It wasn't an all out i hate all games or anything it was more i took some other interests, gaming didn't fit and i didn't make it fit, i was bored of it, so did other chit.

When i got into it again, (i think i got a new rig is what sparked things up again) yikes i was playing everything i had missed for those years, and was having an amazing fun time again, but bouncing around too much, has it's own set of draw backs.

Lately I'm cruising ESO, excited for Morrowind, i play most nights, and if i don't for a night or two i enjoy it that much more the next night i do get on. Can't make it all you do.

The bolded part is the main reason I keep gaming in general. Some nights after school/work I come home and watch movies with the kids or the wife. Other times, I'll play a game for an hour or two before bed. If I tried getting back into the 3-5+ hour gaming sessions I used to do, I wouldn't make it a few weeks.

EstherOpal · February 2017

TalulaRose said:

Same, I make the rounds year after year and MMORPGs are just meh at best.

I think for me it wasn't the game that kept me coming back, it was the community.

And there is no fixing that....too many hollows permeate the MMORPG community these days.

DUDE YAS! ive always said that, the community and the people i met and befriended through the game is was made is that much more special to play. i was playing because i love mmorpgs but kept coming back because of the awesome people i was playing with

nailed it yo

EstherOpal · February 2017

thanks for all the replies guys, its nice to know im not alone on this, ill get back but theres just nothing new tro play that is my style. i made a VERY VERY VERY VERY vague "my perfect mmorpg" chart in microsoft paint if anyone wants to see it for shits a giggles here it is, youll be able to see what games are my influences are lel XD *nervous sweat* i wish i would just make it and never have to worry about another mmo again. until it goes F2P ...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5022221/uploads/editor/wd/r7p13ovehlgi.jpg

EstherOpal · February 2017

if you save the image and open it that way you can read it all. sorry DX

Dead_Guy · March 2017

What happened, you ask? It's fairly simple really. You grew up, and video games didn't. You crave more than these games can deliver, because what you really want is for your life to be fulfilling.

Don't worry though, some day you'll have your ultra-realistic VR fantasy simulator where you can finally exist as the person you wish you were.

EstherOpal · March 2017

Dead_Guy said:

What happened, you ask? It's fairly simple really. You grew up, and video games didn't. You crave more than these games can deliver, because what you really want is for your life to be fulfilling.

Don't worry though, some day you'll have your ultra-realistic VR fantasy simulator where you can finally exist as the person you wish you were.

haha i cant tell if youre being a dick or not, but either way youre right, i do crave more than the games i used to play can provide me.

Maurgrim · March 2017

Been playing MMOs since late 90s and still I'm playing.
Not as hardcore as before but more casual, I rotate between games depend on what mood I am.
When I get my Star Wars urge I play TOR, when I get my Star Trek urge I play STO, when I want to just play a classic themepark I play ESO, and when I want to grind craft and explore I play BDO and when I just want to play PVP in a MMO I fire up GW2.

So I don't really stick with just one MMO.

Kyleran · March 2017

Maurgrim said:

Been playing MMOs since late 90s and still I'm playing.
Not as hardcore as before but more casual, I rotate between games depend on what mood I am.
When I get my Star Wars urge I play TOR, when I get my Star Trek urge I play STO, when I want to just play a classic themepark I play ESO, and when I want to grind craft and explore I play BDO and when I just want to play PVP in a MMO I fire up GW2.

So I don't really stick with just one MMO.

I'd say your playing style is normal for many players these days.

When all games are equally average, it makes sense to average your playing time among them equally.

EstherOpal · March 2017

Maurgrim said:

Been playing MMOs since late 90s and still I'm playing.
Not as hardcore as before but more casual, I rotate between games depend on what mood I am.
When I get my Star Wars urge I play TOR, when I get my Star Trek urge I play STO, when I want to just play a classic themepark I play ESO, and when I want to grind craft and explore I play BDO and when I just want to play PVP in a MMO I fire up GW2.

So I don't really stick with just one.

i miss the days of being in my room on a hot summer night in EverQuest grinding lvls with the window open and a fan blowing on me with a Mnt Dew next to my keyboard.

Gobstopper3D · March 2017

Your not alone. The past couple years I pretty much follow a set schedule, though it's not set in stone:

Jan - Apr: No mmo's. That is not set in stone. If my younger daughter wants me to play Lotro or Wizard 101 with her, I do. Currently playing the Wizard 101. This is also when I play all the SP games I picked up during the year.
May - August: FFXIV
Sept - Dec: WoW

I have given up on anything new with mmo's. I very much doubt anything will come out that captures those old feelings. It was never really about the games, but about the communities in those games of old. The communities in games aren't the same any more as they once were. Different generation of gamers now and what's important to them is not the same as what used to be important.

EstherOpal · March 2017

Gobstopper3D said:

Your not alone. The past couple years I pretty much follow a set schedule, though it's not set in stone:

Jan - Apr: No mmo's. That is not set in stone. If my younger daughter wants me to play Lotro or Wizard 101 with her, I do. Currently playing the Wizard 101. This is also when I play all the SP games I picked up during the year.
May - August: FFXIV
Sept - Dec: WoW

I have given up on anything new with mmo's. I very much doubt anything will come out that captures those old feelings. It was never really about the games, but about the communities in those games of old. The communities in games aren't the same any more as they once were. Different generation of gamers now and what's important to them is not the same as what used to be important.

yeah man its harder to find an mmo community like back in the late 90s- early 00s mmo days

im banking on Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen to bring me back to those days. its set to come out this year but im betting it wont be out till 2018 sadly. i will wait for greatness.

BeansnBread · March 2017

Everyone from those days misses those days. It's a feeling that is difficult to replicate, mostly because of how new it was. But I don't think it's impossible.

This comparison will likely not quite hit the mark for most, but I'm going to try and explain it anyway.

When I was fairly young, music was something that I was aggressively interested in. I used to love it and I used to feel like it was one of the most important things in my life. I allowed it to wash over me and let it take over my mood and my perspective if even for a short amount of time.

That is not to say that I don't love it today. But I will say that, once I began to practice various instruments and get heavily involved in the world of music, it began to lose its mystique. I started viewing music in a more analytical way. I had a million questions. Why does this make a person feel this way? Why does that make a person feel that way? Over time I feel like I lost something. I had lost my virginity in a way. I had lost my innocence towards music.

I feel like a very similar thing happened to me with MMORPGs. My lack of knowledge about the inner working and details of an MMORPG actually allowed me to more easily enjoy them. Once I got extremely accustomed to them and began to understand their... patterns, they started to feel stale and regular. Analyzing them became natural and there was no longer a feeling of mystique.

Recapturing this feeling, for me at least, seems very unlikely. Not impossible, but very difficult. I will say that I personally am trying to let go of over-analyzing music and just let it wash over me. I think that for the most part it has worked. With games, for whatever reason, its been a lot more difficult. There is something about games that makes it far more difficult for me to let them just "wash over me."

cheyane · March 2017

I am playing Dark Age of Camelot and paying a subscription and for now I am enjoying myself on Gaheris.

I am just playing without worrying about what I want or expect just playing. Ky is right too if you want community try the 1.65 rules of Dark Age of Camelot server. Community is wonderful there.

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My break from mmos has taken its toll

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My break from mmos has taken its toll

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV