Actually, I've got some experience here. Â I've played MMOs almost since the beginning, Everquest, Everquest 2, FFXI, WoW, and then a slurry lately, as I've given EVE Online nine months and now FFXIV for a month at least. Â I also managed to beta Conan back in the day. Â I'm getting the first bit of my updated rig soon (not by choice, my motherboard finally kicked the bucket and I had to order parts to do my core upgrade, so I'll be out of the game until I get my PC sorted out). Â I've also done some research here. Â So, some thoughts on coming attractions:
Final Fantasy 14: Â A Realm Reborn
Obviously, most of the people here aren't playing the game as a sort of trial-sideline. Â I am, WoW being my first game and FFXIV being an experiment to see if I can find a new game to engage me before the new WoW expansion gets another crack at owning my soul. Â I'm giving FFXIV a shot to get my attention, and at the very least it's earned itself a subscription, as I am still interested in pretty much everything in it. Â However, more importantly, I'm kind of interested in what it might become. Â Eorzea is understandably small compared to other MMO worlds (it's much more highly detailed and is trying to keep people packed together ), so I can't wait until the game starts to expand beyond its boundaries. Â That seems to be something they're eager to do at Square. Â In all, I'm sort of excited to see Ala Mhigo and other places hinted at, but that must exist. Â So FFXIV, for me, is probably the game I'm looking forward to most, even though I play it.
World of Warcraft: Â Warlords of Draenor
Can't help it, I love World of Warcraft. Â It seems to do everything just well enough to keep me hooked. Â If it wasn't for how long I've played the game, I'd probably still be playing even while waiting for the xpack to drop. Â I think Pandaria is the best expansion WoW has ever had; I even bombastically liked it better than Burning Crusade. Â I've also played Warcraft games since 1990, so I'm very interested in how they'll do this sort of throwback lore. Â The only reason I'm looking at other games is because I've played WoW nearly since launch. Â I need SOMETHING to do that isn't WoW (and no, playing Diablo doesn't count, even though I do that, too). Â Unfortunately, WoW is the only game I know of with dedicated RP servers, so I'm not likely to leave it anytime soon. Â I'm a roleplayer that plays games, not a gamer that roleplays, so it's very important to me.
EVE Online
I played this game for about nine months. Â At one point, it might have sounded promising, but it taught me one thing: Â MMOs need to knock this FFA PVP shit off. Â After playing for nine months, I realized something. Â I hated seeing anyone else in the game. Â Seeing another player immediately sets you on edge and makes you want them to go away. Â That seems to me to be a complete misuse of the promise of an MMORPG, that you can see other people. Â In fact, FFXIV attracts me by doing the opposite, rewarding me for stopping and helping people regardless of whether it's something I need to do. Â Between syncing levels for FATEs, equalizing levels for all dungeons so you can run them with your friends at lower levels, and giving you bits of experience without detracting it from the people you help, FFXIV means I'm constantly hoping someone comes along, even a complete stranger. Â EVE, at this point, just proves that free for all PVP doesn't work.
Star Citizen
Speaking of FFA PVP you can't avoid, this game would be amazing if they'd have KNOCKED THIS FFA PVP SHIT OFF! Â It sounds fantastic, with gear-bending graphical prowess, flight-stick starship piloting, and a lot of game depth anyone would love. Â I'm disappointed to conclude that it won't be quite so open as anyone wants, and it will be absolutely impossible to avoid running into PVP pirates anywhere. Â Another game where I'm going to want to have nothing to do with random strangers. Â Completely wasting the possibilities of an MMORPG.
Wildstar
I'm somewhat interested in seeing where they go with this. Â It looks like a very explorable game and seems like something I'd be interested in. Â I'm also entertained by their trailers, jokes, and game footage. Â It seems fun, which is another thing some game developers are forgetting. Â However, it also seems like the kind of thing that comes as a huge gamble. Â The stylized graphics and gameplay might be the most entertaining thing in the world when it comes out, or it could fall flat on its face and become exceptionally annoying. Â I'm reserving judgement until I see it, but since I'm playing FFXIV now, Wildstar has to jump some higher hurdles. Â It was definitely always going to be more entertaining than EVE, but I'm not sure they can get the complete fun you get out of FFXIV. Â We'll see what happens.
Elder Scrolls Online
This is the problem with being the next "WoW-killer", that term is always a misnomer and sets the bar at an impossibly high level of success. Â Even then, ESO just didn't impress me. Â I had some family beta the game and I got to take their characters for a spin. Â Where FFXIV's combat is deliberate and yet incredibly engaging, I felt divorced from the game world somewhat and the combat was boring. Â REALLY boring. Â I just can't see myself playing it like I play FFXIV.
World of Darkness Online
I'm very, very, VERY skeptical that the company that made EVE and Dust is going to turn a tabletop/LARP game that focuses primarily on drama into an MMORPG video game. Â I know the World of Darkness franchise games are very good and very popular, but these are games that focus almost essentially on dramatic interactions between relatively small numbers of individuals. Â You have to really fight these games to make them fun, action-oriented affairs (my favorite kind of RPG). Â I'm sure it's possible to make a WoD game fun and to give you excuses to boil people's blood in their skin rather than manipulate them into giving you control of the Kentucky National Guard, but CCP is NOT the company that can do that. Â Both of their games are highly numerical affairs, EVE especially being the MBA's MMORPG. Â I would need to hear some spectacular things about this game to make me think it would be any good.
EverQuest Next
I haven't been following it, though I probably should. Â I'll reserve judgement until I have more information on it.
Monster Hunter Online
I'm... conflicted. Â Monster Hunter is, without a doubt, my favorite video game franchise of all time. Â This is despite me hating a lot of the more Japanese elements of the games; charging your sword for a glowy slash kind of hurts the idea that you're staring at a giant drake that can kill you in two good smacks. Â They have a new MMO coming out, but it's being made by Tencent, not Capcom. Â It's being made for a Chinese audience, not Japanese, and no one is talking about a western release yet. Â I'm not even sure that we'll have free hunt, so it might not even be an MMORPG.
Mark my words though, if they ever give an American release to a Monster Hunter MMORPG that they do even half-decently, you won't see me again until you all inevitably migrate to it, for it will be the most awesome game of all time. Â I'm keeping my eyes in Capcom's direction, wondering if they'll ever make my dreams come true.
That's all I've got offhand.
Final Fantasy 14: Â A Realm Reborn
Obviously, most of the people here aren't playing the game as a sort of trial-sideline. Â I am, WoW being my first game and FFXIV being an experiment to see if I can find a new game to engage me before the new WoW expansion gets another crack at owning my soul. Â I'm giving FFXIV a shot to get my attention, and at the very least it's earned itself a subscription, as I am still interested in pretty much everything in it. Â However, more importantly, I'm kind of interested in what it might become. Â Eorzea is understandably small compared to other MMO worlds (it's much more highly detailed and is trying to keep people packed together ), so I can't wait until the game starts to expand beyond its boundaries. Â That seems to be something they're eager to do at Square. Â In all, I'm sort of excited to see Ala Mhigo and other places hinted at, but that must exist. Â So FFXIV, for me, is probably the game I'm looking forward to most, even though I play it.
World of Warcraft: Â Warlords of Draenor
Can't help it, I love World of Warcraft. Â It seems to do everything just well enough to keep me hooked. Â If it wasn't for how long I've played the game, I'd probably still be playing even while waiting for the xpack to drop. Â I think Pandaria is the best expansion WoW has ever had; I even bombastically liked it better than Burning Crusade. Â I've also played Warcraft games since 1990, so I'm very interested in how they'll do this sort of throwback lore. Â The only reason I'm looking at other games is because I've played WoW nearly since launch. Â I need SOMETHING to do that isn't WoW (and no, playing Diablo doesn't count, even though I do that, too). Â Unfortunately, WoW is the only game I know of with dedicated RP servers, so I'm not likely to leave it anytime soon. Â I'm a roleplayer that plays games, not a gamer that roleplays, so it's very important to me.
EVE Online
I played this game for about nine months. Â At one point, it might have sounded promising, but it taught me one thing: Â MMOs need to knock this FFA PVP shit off. Â After playing for nine months, I realized something. Â I hated seeing anyone else in the game. Â Seeing another player immediately sets you on edge and makes you want them to go away. Â That seems to me to be a complete misuse of the promise of an MMORPG, that you can see other people. Â In fact, FFXIV attracts me by doing the opposite, rewarding me for stopping and helping people regardless of whether it's something I need to do. Â Between syncing levels for FATEs, equalizing levels for all dungeons so you can run them with your friends at lower levels, and giving you bits of experience without detracting it from the people you help, FFXIV means I'm constantly hoping someone comes along, even a complete stranger. Â EVE, at this point, just proves that free for all PVP doesn't work.
Star Citizen
Speaking of FFA PVP you can't avoid, this game would be amazing if they'd have KNOCKED THIS FFA PVP SHIT OFF! Â It sounds fantastic, with gear-bending graphical prowess, flight-stick starship piloting, and a lot of game depth anyone would love. Â I'm disappointed to conclude that it won't be quite so open as anyone wants, and it will be absolutely impossible to avoid running into PVP pirates anywhere. Â Another game where I'm going to want to have nothing to do with random strangers. Â Completely wasting the possibilities of an MMORPG.
Wildstar
I'm somewhat interested in seeing where they go with this. Â It looks like a very explorable game and seems like something I'd be interested in. Â I'm also entertained by their trailers, jokes, and game footage. Â It seems fun, which is another thing some game developers are forgetting. Â However, it also seems like the kind of thing that comes as a huge gamble. Â The stylized graphics and gameplay might be the most entertaining thing in the world when it comes out, or it could fall flat on its face and become exceptionally annoying. Â I'm reserving judgement until I see it, but since I'm playing FFXIV now, Wildstar has to jump some higher hurdles. Â It was definitely always going to be more entertaining than EVE, but I'm not sure they can get the complete fun you get out of FFXIV. Â We'll see what happens.
Elder Scrolls Online
This is the problem with being the next "WoW-killer", that term is always a misnomer and sets the bar at an impossibly high level of success. Â Even then, ESO just didn't impress me. Â I had some family beta the game and I got to take their characters for a spin. Â Where FFXIV's combat is deliberate and yet incredibly engaging, I felt divorced from the game world somewhat and the combat was boring. Â REALLY boring. Â I just can't see myself playing it like I play FFXIV.
World of Darkness Online
I'm very, very, VERY skeptical that the company that made EVE and Dust is going to turn a tabletop/LARP game that focuses primarily on drama into an MMORPG video game. Â I know the World of Darkness franchise games are very good and very popular, but these are games that focus almost essentially on dramatic interactions between relatively small numbers of individuals. Â You have to really fight these games to make them fun, action-oriented affairs (my favorite kind of RPG). Â I'm sure it's possible to make a WoD game fun and to give you excuses to boil people's blood in their skin rather than manipulate them into giving you control of the Kentucky National Guard, but CCP is NOT the company that can do that. Â Both of their games are highly numerical affairs, EVE especially being the MBA's MMORPG. Â I would need to hear some spectacular things about this game to make me think it would be any good.
EverQuest Next
I haven't been following it, though I probably should. Â I'll reserve judgement until I have more information on it.
Monster Hunter Online
I'm... conflicted. Â Monster Hunter is, without a doubt, my favorite video game franchise of all time. Â This is despite me hating a lot of the more Japanese elements of the games; charging your sword for a glowy slash kind of hurts the idea that you're staring at a giant drake that can kill you in two good smacks. Â They have a new MMO coming out, but it's being made by Tencent, not Capcom. Â It's being made for a Chinese audience, not Japanese, and no one is talking about a western release yet. Â I'm not even sure that we'll have free hunt, so it might not even be an MMORPG.
Mark my words though, if they ever give an American release to a Monster Hunter MMORPG that they do even half-decently, you won't see me again until you all inevitably migrate to it, for it will be the most awesome game of all time. Â I'm keeping my eyes in Capcom's direction, wondering if they'll ever make my dreams come true.
That's all I've got offhand.