I've become disenchanted with all current MMOs and their focus on grinding. WOW, EQ2, LOTRO, DAOC, SWG, and on and on. Even the upcoming games, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online seem to offer little new.
They all use a small variation of the AD&D level, spell, static growth, gear system and are all just more or less polished EQ clones, with feature creep.
Sadly, I see no change in the kill 1000 critters, level, acquire gear, perhaps raid some bigger similar critter then rinse and repeat formula that is in every MMO. Every. Single. One.
So, CRS, great whine and way to ignore all the neat new shinies that have been added to EQ2 and WOW, as well as the population jump!
The simple answer to that is the world is moving towards more broadband, so the pool of players is expanding. In addition, the worldwide market is still just entering the MMO genre. For many young people, their first MMO will be an addictive and tremendously fun experience. Even older jaded gamers like me will continue to put their quarter in the slot and play what is out there, just because we are trained like Pavlov's Dog.
This does not change the fact that I would love to see a paradigm shift to a real virtual online world, with in depth design not based on the EQ diku leveling mode. Some will point to Second Life, but I'm talking a fun fantasy escape world, and not the Sims Online.
Unfortunately, I don't see anything on the horizon, perhaps due to the limited technology, but probably more so to the fact WOW is raking in such large amounts of cash, for what is a limited game and engine, solely being sold due to polish, but what is in essence just another Everquest clone.
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