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The right game for me
Antipathy
Member UncommonPosts: 1,362
I know there are several similar posts, but my tastes are my own, so maybe the right game for me is different from the other posters..
I only started MMO's a few months ago with Guild Wars, but have since switched to WoW, which seems to have far more "depth". I enjoy a variety of gameplay, and although my highest level character is a 41st level warlock, I also maintain a number of alts, having five characters of level 30 or above.
I play for escapism, and the occasional feeling of achievement. I enjoy being in a well formed team, where everyone knows their role, but hate having to cope with the incompetent or the immature. I like the size of WoW, the background and the variety, but in some ways it feels too easy. I also enjoy the occasional instanced pvp, but I'm not attracted to hard-core pvp games where ganking is an ever-present possibility. I know my reflexes aren't perfect, and whilst I have a fair understanding of strategy, I am unlikely to be able to compete with your average experienced FPS player.
I'm also not attacted to the idea of raiding. It all sounds far too stressful and impersonal.
I'm looking for something else to try as a sideline to WoW, maybe to be played only an evening or two a week for a change of pace, but perhaps with the potential to become more involved if and when WoW fades away.
Any suggestions? Currently I'm considering something like FF XI.
Comments
Have you ever played a "hardcore PvP game"? I don't exactly know what your personal definition of hardcore PvP is, but I expect its probably along the lines of looting. However, these types of games can be quite enjoyable, as you get killed, you will soon learn how to fight back and be good, as I said, the fights are intense and heart pumping, especially when theres something on the line like some of your loot. I would really recommend giving a PvP game a try if you havn't. About ~8 years ago when I was 10 years old or so, I tried Asheron's Call, after playing some more carebearish games, particularly on the PvP server of Asheron's Call, it was really amazing, and it gets you hooked, the politics, the maturity, a lot of good people, and yet a lot of bad people. I recommend waiting for the game known as Darkfall Online.
> I seriously can not believe you spoke of depth within WoW, there certainly isn't any..
After having started with Guild Wars, there certainly is!
I really don't know that much about other MMO's, but I can see that WoW has alot of background, alot of possible quests, a workable system for professions and trade skills etc. Maybe it isn't the best, but I suspect it is better than many others.
I think your tastes sound different to my own. I'm not really after "intense and heartpumping". Maybe if I was in my late teens such as yourself, such games would be ideal, but I'm currently roughly twice that age
D&D Home Page - What Class Are You? - Build A Character - D&D Compendium
FFXI is a great game overall, but an evening or two a week won't let you feel like you accomplished anything honestly. For now I would second Guildwars, can accomplish things, ppl on anytime to get things done....kinda limiting, but if not playing as a main game that isn't so bad.
Otherwise I would look at the soon to be released games. Getting in on the ground floor has many benefits even if you play kinda casually compared to jumping in 3-6months down the line.
I have to recommend The Saga of Ryzom...it has depth, both in an intriguing, continuing story and background which is presented through live events rather than static quests, and in the dynamic, living state of the world.
By world, I mean both the environment of the planet Atys and the fluctuating political/social state of the world. The environment includes monsters that seem to have their own lives rather than simply wandering around waiting to be smacked. Carnivores attack herbivores, herbivores fight or flee when attacked by the carnivores, herds migrate with the seasons... There's a very good weather system with rain, snow, day and night cycles, etc. I've never tried WoW myself, but I've heard people who've come from WoW to Ryzom say how much more alive Ryzom feels.
Crafting and foraging/harvesting/mining also have depth. Monsters don't drop swords or money - why the hell would an animal be carrying such things anyway?
So almost all items in the game are crafted by players. Animals drop craftable materials like skin, bones, teeth, etc. You also harvest materials from the ground (which is actually bark since Atys is a living planet much like a giant plant in space), and some materials are dependant upon weather conditions, season, time of day, etc. Each type and grade of material has certain attributes, and you combine materials into potentially elaborate recipes to craft items with the attributes you want.
Combat isn't twitchy FPS style, but it has its depth as well. When using offensive elemental magic, for example, you would use the spell your target has least resistance to. And you have to figure out what has resistance to what spells. When using affliction magic, you use the spell most appropriate to the situation (such as Stun to help melees hit the target easier, or Fear to temporarily drive away an add). When using melee, you also have to be mindful of what creatures have armor against what types of damage (slashing, piercing, and smashing).
PvP comes in several forms:
- There's consensual duels, of course.
- A small arena in one place.
- Guild vs. Guild in certain regions.
- Faction vs. Faction, which is activated by doing a rite (quest) to swear allegiance to a faction (Karavan or Kami...there's also Elias Tryton and neutrality but those aren't tied to FvF), which allows you to turn on your FvF PvP tag (you can't be attacked by players of the opposite faction unless your FvF tag is on).
- Outpost battles, which though technically Guild vs. Guild are often Faction vs. Faction since guilds tend to call upon their same-faction allies.
In other words, there isn't global, open/nonconsensual PvP.
The community is small, nothing like WoW's community, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means the community is much more mature, friendly, and helpful. Many people say Ryzom has the best community of any MMO. There's also substantial support for roleplaying.
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In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on August 13, 2008.
you might like EQ2. they have a trial offer. since you mentioned instancing
you might like DAOC also but, considering your asking for a somewhat casual game that may not be a good choice.
try EQ2..theyve made some tremendous improvements on casual play and solo gamers.. and the instancing is done ..well.. they've really set the bar on that aspect and kept it in line with having large server populations.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
In what way?
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Sounds like an interesting possibility.
D&D Home Page - What Class Are You? - Build A Character - D&D Compendium
FFXI is a great game overall, but an evening or two a week won't let you feel like you accomplished anything honestly. For now I would second Guildwars, can accomplish things, ppl on anytime to get things done....kinda limiting, but if not playing as a main game that isn't so bad.
Otherwise I would look at the soon to be released games. Getting in on the ground floor has many benefits even if you play kinda casually compared to jumping in 3-6months down the line.
I've already tried Guild Wars, and know it isn't for me.
With regards to your comments on FFXI, I'm not particularly worried about slow advancement. I have played pencil and paper games for many years, and in such games it's not ununsual to play a game weekly for several years without any characters advanching past tenth level (although advancement rate will vary wildly between groups accoridng to the style of the person running the game.) I don't really care if I never get to be uber-powerful, and am in no particular hurry to reach the end game of whichever system I choose.
I am keeping my eye on games in the pipeline, and it's possible something like "The Chronicles of Spellborn" or "Hero's Journey" may be ideal. However I also want to try something else in the shorter tem.
D&D Home Page - What Class Are You? - Build A Character - D&D Compendium
D&D Home Page - What Class Are You? - Build A Character - D&D Compendium
D&D Home Page - What Class Are You? - Build A Character - D&D Compendium