MMO "Lost the will to game..."

Vealcutlet10

Well, this is my first post on a site like this. I typically stay away from posting threads or commenting on such posts because I generally don't like what people have to say (besides the few solid comments from good members)

I've played a number of MMO's from good old Anarchy Online, EVE online, to the "hated" World of Warcraft. Recently, I haven't been able to find a good title. It seems that everytime I pick a new title and give it a go, I have this overwhelming feeling that i just threw away $59.99.

Most recently, I've had my hopes squashed by Cryptics, Champions Online and Star Trek Online. Both these games failed to form some kind of connection with me, possibly because I find these aren't true MMO's in the way your character is seperated from hundreds of others, also possibly because i didn't find the crafting/combat system engaging.

In the search to fill the hours of 9pm-12pm, I've started playing Aion. I've had it for 4 days now, and it seems to grab my attention. The one problem i have with this title is that it feels like i'm sort of playing World of Warcraft. In the way the controls are layed out and how the game feels at moments. This isn't really a complaint, as I enjoyed World of Warcraft for a number of years, despite what alot of posters will say. I do like the combat system so far, crafting seems to have potential and the player base that I've dealt with is really fun and engaging.

However, i still feel like I've been throwing away my money on every MMO title thats emerged in the past 2-3 years.

Is this just me? Or do others feel the same way?

Thanks!

Illius

Think of it this way.  As it stands now there is really no new way to interface with the game.  You're gonna have to move around and the easiest way so far seems to be the keyboard and mouse.  I guess you can try and use some kind of game pad/joystick but you might just be limiting yourself.  It all feels the same because if going by your gaming experience you've more then likely done it all...  There's only so many ways you can do quests and only so many ways to design a quest.  Same with raiding and so on.  If you really sit down and take a look at what you're doing I'd imagine you'd find similarities everywhere.

Once you realize this, you'll more then likely move on to something else to fill that 9-12 timeslot with.  It's just natural progression of things.  You do something enough times, it's bound to become repetitive.  Doesn't matter how many different coats of paint you give it it's still the same at it's core.  A red duck looks different then a green duck but they're still both ducks in the end.

Vealcutlet10

Well good points, however, I don't think the reason I'm finding games sub-par is due to repetitiveness. Anyone who has a membership to this site is a gamer, and games are more or less all the same in the controls they have and gameplay. I mean, I've been jumping of virtual rivers from NES to XBOX 360, it still isn't boring.

I'm just finding that online games that are being released are of poor quality at release. I've played Anarchy Online, and for anyone who remembers the launch of Anarchy Online, i mean, it was horrible. You couldn't move around a main city because it was so glitchy, and crashed where the normal for about a week. However, the game was fairly polished. When it was released, it was a finished game. The problems of earlier MMO's in my mind, where the server and lag issues at launch. In general I found games at launch where complete games.

Now, online gaming feels like I'm Alpha/Beta testing the game at launch. Why would one pay $49.99, plus a subscription fee, for a game that isn't complete at launch. The MMO industry is the only branch of gaming to my knowledge, that releases games that aren't finished as they should be. I'd also like to mention that I'm aware of why this has become the norm, but it doesn't make it right for a publisher to release a game and charge money for it, when it is essentially unfinished. (example: Cryptic's last 2 titles)

Thoughts anyone?

Illius

Sadly I don't think you'll see the end to that trend.  There will always be enough people who go out and pay for sub par content and unfinished products that even if you and I don't do it, the publishers will make money.  This problem is compounded even further by the fact that you can't return an MMO for a refund where purchased.... CD key used up... yadda yadda yadda.

I think if there was a return policy or a 30 day money back guarantee, no questions asked they'd start producing better stuff.

Vealcutlet10

Man I tell you, the next developer that releases a MMO that is polished........that's the game I want in on! But i'm pretty sure the closest thing we're going to get to that is Diablo 3, battle.net........hahaha.....*sigh*

Illius

I've enjoyed the previous Diablo incarnations so I think I'll enjoy the 3rd one.  It will give me something to do in my downtime when I'm not out and about or too tired to leave the home after work.  Should be entertaining for at least a couple of months.