Its all about hype here... ... Some people have no true intentions of even liking or even playing certain games but will hype and judge them anyway.. And then when it comes out (and even though they had no intentions of playing it anyway) they see it as a failure... I just fail to see how someone who has only played games like LOTRO and EQ2 and WoW, can effectively enjoy a game like Darkfall.. 2 different styles of gameplay at work there.. Its obvious it wasn't made for everyone, so why does everyone get to call it a failure? Thats like having a bunch of hip hop thugs calling metallica a failure because its rock music and they don't like it..
This is gaming bigotry at its finest. Why is it that Darkfallers seek to discredit the opinions of other players through their gaming history, as if playing a game like EQ2 or LOTRO permanently "taints" a person, so that they cannot possibly have a valid opinion on a game like DF. It's a pretty flimsy tactic, and a desperate one as well.
If you wanted to buy an xbox360 but wanted to get some opinions on it before you buy it, would you listen to the opinion of someone who has played PS3 only and who bashes the xbox just because of its brand name?
same theory applies..
If you do not like the genre, you really have no weight in rating the game or calling it a failure..
As for the rest of your "bigotry" rant.. umm..
Eh..
Obviously, given your analogy, you'd want the opinion of someone who has solid experience with both. There are plenty of those around. Additionally, contrary to popular stereotyping, a person enjoying a theme-park MMO does not preclude the possibility of that same person enjoying a sandbox-style one, any more than it prevents them from enjoying any other type of game or activity.
But to make the analogy more precise, it would be like saying anyone who has played a PS3 has zero credibility, no matter how much they've also played Xbox, or WII, or anything else ("anyone who's tainted themselves by playing a PS3 can't possibly understand or enjoy the Xbox - he's one of those PS3 people" ).
That's where most of the DF fanbois are quick to judge with kneejerk defensive reactions - they attribute a person's not liking DF to not liking or understanding that genre or style of MMO. In their minds, it's just not possible that those that don't like it - even those that like the genre - just think its a bad game.
Sad to say, but MMORPG.com does not have plenty of the "both" crowd.. If that was the case, as someone said earlier the issue of objectivity wouldn't be an issue after all.. People want universal "good" and "bad". You are twisting my words (of course) to sound as if I am implying that I am a darkfall fan and think that people who don't like it should shut up. Yet, this is not my point and never was, I used it as an example. But we agree to disagree...
Short version: Winning Most Anticipated Game = Kiss of Death. Three years of hoping for greatness and recieving sub-par junk doesn't bode well for 2009's winner...
Damn you beat me!
So in a nutshell, if MMORPG fans pick a game and it wins the Most Anticipated Game, don’t play it.
I noticed that all the games except DDO launched way too early here. And the editors and voters could not know that the companies would mess up the release that much, the key to success is releasing a product that is actually finished from the start, the consumers don't want a half done buggy thing that should have stayed another year in development. I am sure that VG, AoC and WAR would have done better if they fixed the problems with the games before release. As for DDO, I think the choice of world lost a lot of subs to it, Forgotten realms, Dragon lance or even Ravenloft would have done better. But what really stole subs from it was Guildwars, even though the games are different most people who don't mind instances prefer the better programmed game without monthly fees.
I think DDO laucnhed too early as well. Many complaints about the game after launch could have been predicted; many were addressed by the one-year anniversary (outdoor exploration, PVP, auction houses, level cap), but the things coming out with recent modules still feel like the plish going in for a game about to come out of beta. So either that's signs of a "re-launch" or a waste of resources.
I don't know why they picked Eberron, but it is the official D&D setting that annoys me the least, so thank heavens. Forgotten Realms relies too much on powerful NPCs, and I just find the setting cliched.
Anyway, I will say, warts and slow development and all, DDO is the only MMO that has held my interest. It is certainly worthwhile to take a free trial.
I noticed that all the games except DDO launched way too early here. And the editors and voters could not know that the companies would mess up the release that much, the key to success is releasing a product that is actually finished from the start, the consumers don't want a half done buggy thing that should have stayed another year in development. I am sure that VG, AoC and WAR would have done better if they fixed the problems with the games before release. As for DDO, I think the choice of world lost a lot of subs to it, Forgotten realms, Dragon lance or even Ravenloft would have done better. But what really stole subs from it was Guildwars, even though the games are different most people who don't mind instances prefer the better programmed game without monthly fees.
I think DDO laucnhed too early as well. Many complaints about the game after launch could have been predicted; many were addressed by the one-year anniversary (outdoor exploration, PVP, auction houses, level cap), but the things coming out with recent modules still feel like the plish going in for a game about to come out of beta. So either that's signs of a "re-launch" or a waste of resources.
I don't know why they picked Eberron, but it is the official D&D setting that annoys me the least, so thank heavens. Forgotten Realms relies too much on powerful NPCs, and I just find the setting cliched.
Anyway, I will say, warts and slow development and all, DDO is the only MMO that has held my interest. It is certainly worthwhile to take a free trial.
I would have rathered they go with Ravenloft for the setting. Barring that, Dark Sun. Is the game more solo-friendly? I did the trial a while back, and at the time, it seemed like I wasn't going to survive much without a group. Did that change, any?
What Happened With SWG Went Down YEARS AGO! Please Try To Stop Whining About It In Every Thread I Read. Mourn It, And Finally MOVE ON With Your Lives! Thanks A Heap.
I would have rathered they go with Ravenloft for the setting. Barring that, Dark Sun. Is the game more solo-friendly? I did the trial a while back, and at the time, it seemed like I wasn't going to survive much without a group. Did that change, any?
It's MUCH easier to solo up through the mid-levels now. What's more, in Mod 9, everything except raids will scale the hit points of the monsters to the number of players in the instance. I tested this out out on the preview server and it seemed way too easy; but then I was using twinked gear and new the quests very well already.
That said, it is still way more fun with a good group.
Comments
This is gaming bigotry at its finest. Why is it that Darkfallers seek to discredit the opinions of other players through their gaming history, as if playing a game like EQ2 or LOTRO permanently "taints" a person, so that they cannot possibly have a valid opinion on a game like DF. It's a pretty flimsy tactic, and a desperate one as well.
If you wanted to buy an xbox360 but wanted to get some opinions on it before you buy it, would you listen to the opinion of someone who has played PS3 only and who bashes the xbox just because of its brand name?
same theory applies..
If you do not like the genre, you really have no weight in rating the game or calling it a failure..
As for the rest of your "bigotry" rant.. umm..
Eh..
Obviously, given your analogy, you'd want the opinion of someone who has solid experience with both. There are plenty of those around. Additionally, contrary to popular stereotyping, a person enjoying a theme-park MMO does not preclude the possibility of that same person enjoying a sandbox-style one, any more than it prevents them from enjoying any other type of game or activity.
But to make the analogy more precise, it would be like saying anyone who has played a PS3 has zero credibility, no matter how much they've also played Xbox, or WII, or anything else ("anyone who's tainted themselves by playing a PS3 can't possibly understand or enjoy the Xbox - he's one of those PS3 people" ).
That's where most of the DF fanbois are quick to judge with kneejerk defensive reactions - they attribute a person's not liking DF to not liking or understanding that genre or style of MMO. In their minds, it's just not possible that those that don't like it - even those that like the genre - just think its a bad game.
Sad to say, but MMORPG.com does not have plenty of the "both" crowd.. If that was the case, as someone said earlier the issue of objectivity wouldn't be an issue after all.. People want universal "good" and "bad". You are twisting my words (of course) to sound as if I am implying that I am a darkfall fan and think that people who don't like it should shut up. Yet, this is not my point and never was, I used it as an example. But we agree to disagree...
Damn you beat me!
So in a nutshell, if MMORPG fans pick a game and it wins the Most Anticipated Game, don’t play it.
Great article, Mr. Wood.
'Way too much neysayers posting, so here's some "anticipated MMOs" to ponder (since no one else mentioned them):
Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Star Trek Online.
Copernicus.
I think DDO laucnhed too early as well. Many complaints about the game after launch could have been predicted; many were addressed by the one-year anniversary (outdoor exploration, PVP, auction houses, level cap), but the things coming out with recent modules still feel like the plish going in for a game about to come out of beta. So either that's signs of a "re-launch" or a waste of resources.
I don't know why they picked Eberron, but it is the official D&D setting that annoys me the least, so thank heavens. Forgotten Realms relies too much on powerful NPCs, and I just find the setting cliched.
Anyway, I will say, warts and slow development and all, DDO is the only MMO that has held my interest. It is certainly worthwhile to take a free trial.
I think DDO laucnhed too early as well. Many complaints about the game after launch could have been predicted; many were addressed by the one-year anniversary (outdoor exploration, PVP, auction houses, level cap), but the things coming out with recent modules still feel like the plish going in for a game about to come out of beta. So either that's signs of a "re-launch" or a waste of resources.
I don't know why they picked Eberron, but it is the official D&D setting that annoys me the least, so thank heavens. Forgotten Realms relies too much on powerful NPCs, and I just find the setting cliched.
Anyway, I will say, warts and slow development and all, DDO is the only MMO that has held my interest. It is certainly worthwhile to take a free trial.
I would have rathered they go with Ravenloft for the setting. Barring that, Dark Sun. Is the game more solo-friendly? I did the trial a while back, and at the time, it seemed like I wasn't going to survive much without a group. Did that change, any?
What Happened With SWG Went Down YEARS AGO! Please Try To Stop Whining About It In Every Thread I Read. Mourn It, And Finally MOVE ON With Your Lives! Thanks A Heap.
It's MUCH easier to solo up through the mid-levels now. What's more, in Mod 9, everything except raids will scale the hit points of the monsters to the number of players in the instance. I tested this out out on the preview server and it seemed way too easy; but then I was using twinked gear and new the quests very well already.
That said, it is still way more fun with a good group.