WoW, is STILL taking all the hardcore market, kind of incredible. Almost all other MMOGs are dropping EXCEPT for the two independents, Eve Online and Runescape (Java) (Yeah and YEAH!)
http://www.mmogchart.com/
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Holy smoke! Last time I played Runscape it was 2D, I think.
I have played it for 2 weeks and I dont wonder why it is so successfull. Its very easy to start playing, an excellent first-time tutorial is played first to get used to gameplay. It is not a highend 3d experience, but is enough for “browser based” game.
No installation and can be played at the library, school, home, friends home. Try same with your WoW account.
I have a level 105-108 character on Runescape … After more than 2 years of playing that game like a possessed loon , I`ve finally had enough …
Great game
Both Eve and Runescape are somewhat niche games. So it sort of makes sense that WoW is pulling from the other games but not from those.
I am somewhat surprised CoV.CoH isnt doing better. In pen and paper superhero games have always done very well.
ALso, what the hell am I still missing about WoW??
Ive tried playing ti with two different characters and IUjust don’t see the huge appeal…
I believe this is evidence of true MMOG market fragmentation and not so much “niching”. Wow is pulling in all the hardcore MMOG, Runescape would be casual MMOG. See casual in Casual Gaming the Real Next Gen?
At a higher level, I see allot of Web 2.0 and casual gaming similarities, especially since research is showing that casual games don’t necessarily play less, but just have a different user experience.
I think WoW draws from a pool of new players whole family’s seem to play it sun, sister, dad, mom and grandad and mother might kick in a few hours too.
It has none but they sell that like it is gold.
The game is shallow, totally overhiped thus also group pressure and not to mention the monthly costs forces you to continue playing.
Also the system forces people to constantly play so to not fall back.
dunno.
All I can say is one of my friends quit WoW and two others picked up GW. yeah!
[quote]ALso, what the hell am I still missing about WoW??
[/quote]
Pure polish, style and Blizzard magic-pixie-dust. It doesn’t add anything new, but it does all the old stuff in a way that is cartoony and fun and that people enjoy.
Also, like social networking tools, when a certain number of people join up lots of others join up because everyone they know is playing…
Pure polish, style and Blizzard magic-pixie-dust. It doesn’t add anything new, but it does all the old stuff in a way that is cartoony and fun and that people enjoy.
[/quote]
And the cartoony stuff turns me off. Im looking for am immersive expereince and unless I am playing TOON< looking like a toon detracts from it for me.
Ah well, Im not the amss market.
I have been trying GW factions, but ti isnt grabbing me. My issues are:
(a) NO roleplay anywhere that I see.
(b) Trying to figure out the right combinations of skills to take in my limited slots is a pain, sorry. I just dont want to have to learn all these niggling details to succeed…
WoW isn’t targeted at roleplayers like yourself Jeff - maybe thats why they’re doing so well - tapping a different market of people.
I find it all a bit scary that what was once so un-cool, techie, geeky and nerdy is now becoming something that everyone and their dog does. First it was web games, then consoles fell to the fashion driven masses - and now, massively multiplayer online games… what next!?? Pocket protectors as a fashion item?
Sitll, spose its all mo moola to those lucky enough to be in the right industry right now.
Kev
I know what you mean. GW Factions is the first MMORPG that I’ve ever bought. I only got it because I had a gift card and there are no monthly fees. Until the monthly fees drop to $1 or less and I can’t live without the game, I will never pay a “service fee” for a game. I simply don’t have the time to devote to it that would make it worth it.
I played it for a few days - but got a bit frustrated on one mission in particular where it seems my character just wasn’t ready. After dying a zillion times I finally beat it… but the fun factor was dropping fast. I’m got a bit better after that, but I haven’t played for a couple weeks now… I agree, there isn’t much RP in there. What’s the pointof having a wicked sexy deadly assassin chick without the RP? 
Like Diablo II compared with the DnD clones. I haven’t played it, but from other people I’ve seen playing it looks like the new Diablo II. That wasn’t really classic role playing either but was very basic & super-popular. WOW sounds like that but with all all the bells & whistles - 3D, MMOG, loads of content, seamless adventuring (no loading pauses)… I haven’t looked into it but isn’t WOW a massive thing in Asia (Sth Korea, China)?? That could make the numbers so enormous. I wonder what the subscription cost is for them?
I like the balance and how other builds actually work, if you look at WoW you see all the wizzards using the same spells for example. Some ppl seem to have been rusted solid in that state, yesterday somone was whining because I as a warrior was using 5 spells of my 2nd profession and how that should automaticly imply that was build was bad or something. GW isn’t a MMO in the sense that it’s setup the same like diablo but with a much fancier lobby. Guildwars never aimed at beeing RP supportive nor not really at single player niether it’s mostly aimed at pvp.
I haven’t had a real problem with teh missions but I noticed that after I played the other classes though PvP system the single player missions became easier. And I see the tradional MMO/RPG player hittign the wall there with all the grinding going on you should be nuts to build other characters. and they are iether always the warrior or allways the wizzard or … wenn they do try an other class they dismiss it directly, once you however get passed that you notice the weakness of the class and if you then turn back to your preffered class you play better.
Define roleplaying.
The only two I know where you could get reasonable amount of RP (if the servers support it) are NWN and UO.
There are some sites like gwonline or guildwarsguru that offer builds you can use.
Your best bet would be to join a mature guild. You can ask them for help and get good items.
@swpalmer:
you mean WoW right?
GW does not have monthly costs.
@Mr_Light:
all 100%.
The builds can really differ and the idea with the 2nd class is the best idea yet.
In GW it is important to try out other classes to see where they excell at.
Every class has one or more nemesis classes and you if you do not know this, they will kill you every time.
My prefered targets are monks and messmers, in that order.
Take them out and the opponents fighting capabilities drops fast.
Expecially the monks.
LOl I have her sister 
Gods you want the long or short definition?
Short definition: Taking on the role of someoen you are not and trying to think,act and react as that person. Generally this also means making that person conform to the sitting in which the game is played.
Long definition: Byany pen and npeper RPG and read the “what is a ROleplayign Game” section. I particaularly like the one in the HERO rules.
No offense… but thats too much work. I dont want to have to research my game to play it.
Then people like us only have games like NWN or UO.
Everything else is just a wrapping around similar content.
There are some good NWN roleplaying servers out there that might offer what you seek and you can probably pick up NWN in some bargain bin.
Not much more then with other games.
To perfect your game, yes, but that is not needed.
I am a notorious non-hardcore type player that does care to research my games.