An MMO for me?

I've tried playing mmos over years (yes even MxO before it was all cool and shit) but I can't ever seem to stick one out. I love the idea of getting together with a bunch of friends or even randoms and just questing together but I can never find myself drawn into the experience. There are quite a few high profile MMOs out this year with the biggest probably being Guild Wars 2. I really like a lot of the ideas they've got going on there but so much of that game just doesn't look like I'd enjoy it after seeing beta gameplay footage. The combat doesn't look anything out of the ordinary, the UI just doesn't look modern and niether do the graphics. I shall wait to see but that may be too in-depth for me and my MMO noobness. Out today or in a few hours I should say is Tera. I think the combat in that game looks really awesome and the graphics look really nice (although question art style) yet from what I've read the quest are just straight up boring and the PvP isn't very in-depth. I'd like to point out that I keep seeing adverts that Aeon recently went F2P in Europe, is that any good?

Are there any other MMOs coming out within the foreseeable future that could fit what I would want with engaging combat and awesome quests?

I suggest looking at the higher profile mmo's/F2P ones and just try out a ton of the trials. I enjoyed eve online, but I just can't find the time to play enough to justify the subscription. Good luck duder.

I don't know. I really like the idea of MMOs, but I can never really get into them for very long. I always feel like there are other things I could or should be playing. I did plan to give SWTOR a shot this summer, but I guess it depends on whether or not I want to save my money.

Aion has it's high points, but it's nothing you haven't seen a billion times before. I do like the PvPvE dungeons though, but other than that I wouldn't blame you at all for passing it up. It's extremely grindy imo even with all the tweaking they've done to get rid of the grind lately lol.

Honestly, the only thing I could possibly recommend besides GW2 is Planetside 2 and maybe Firefall, but I don't know how much you'd be into fps mmos. There's a few others coming out, but honestly, nothing looks terribly impressive at all. There might be some obscure f2p game that could provide some fun, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

if all you care about is the leveling experience paying a month or two for SWTOR is a good investment (end game is not too great atm)... the combat isn't nothing new but engaging story based quests is what it does better than other mmo's.

Guild Wars 2 had really good combat and the PvE event stuff was amazing when I played during the Beta Weekend.

Just go sign up for WoW. I know, I know; it's mainstream and it's not "cool" to like it, but it's basically the only worthwhile MMO.

@Jrinswand: From what I've seen, SWTOR is not the MMO for me either. It looks like it does story very well but that's about it. Although not an MMO, I loved PSO back in the day and I'd really like to see PSO2 make it to the west. It looks pretty good from what Mile923 has shown on Youtube.

@Aronman789: Maybe I just saw some bad videos. I just watched the new videos up on GT and about 30 minutes of AngryJoe and just felt bored watching it and I know he's very excited for the game (he even trolled a release date on April 1st).

@BabyChooChoo: I completely forgot about Planetside 2. I never really got into the first one (I had a very poor PC when it was out) but I'd be down for an MMO FPS for sure. I do play APB: Reloaded from time to time and that game sucks but I love the customisation and deep down I just hope that 1 day it'll be good (it won't be with G1 at the helm).

Yeah, the combat in Tera is interesting and fun with a much higher emphasis on player skill than other MMOs but the quests are beyond boring.

For anyone that knows their shit about MMOs, En Masse have made a bunch of changes and additions for NA and the rest of the world but are they substantial enough?

http://www.gameranx.com/features/id/6472/article/10-ways-en-masse-changed-tera-online-for-north-america-and-beyond/

Consider trying EVE. It's truly unlike anything else on the market, but you have to come into it with a pretty open mind.

I would actually say, probably not. MMOs just aren't comparable to singleplayer RPGs when it comes to questing experience (hell, many singleplayer RPGs aren't even great at it). Some of the core design philosophies behind MMOs just doesn't allow for the same kind of great immersive experience. However at the same I would say MMOs tend to have better combat systems (or at least the good ones). The only problem however is that it sorta requires you to trek through the entire levelling process to reach the end-game. You gotta remember that MMO end-game is just like any other multiplayer game, it's all about the _game_ experience. Maybe your problem is more that you tend to grow tired of the same gameplay over time? or that you generally don't like RPG gameplay that much ? It's not exactly uncommon for people to enjoy the RPG genre despite of it's gameplay, not because of it. Could you name any singleplayer RPGs you've played that you thought had great engaing combat ?

@Giantstalker said:

Consider trying EVE. It's truly unlike anything else on the market, but you have to come into it with a pretty open mind.

I actually second this. If you want people to play with, there is a few Giant Bomb peeps on who, I imagine, are more than willing to show you the ropes. There's also Eve University (an extremely well-run in-game corporation) which is probably the best place, hands down, to get a nice foundation on the game. Eve surely isn't for everyone, but trust me when I say there's absolutely nothing like it and the possibilities, for both solo and team players, are only as limited as your imagination.

play Xenoblade is all the mmo you want without the comitment

@Giantstalker: I tried giving it ago but really couldn't wrap my head around it. Probably a little too complex for me.

@Ares42: It's not so much that I get bored of the combat for it being repetitive, it's that the combat isn't very fun to begin with. Clicking on something to target, then press another button for an attack then watch the animation is completely unengaging. I know DC Universe wasn't the best reviewed game but I gave that a shot when it went F2P and yea I can see why it wasn't reviewed well. I used to play City of Heroes and that was fun for awhile but I don't want that combat any more and even back when that was new the missions were just so boring. There's that other superhero MMO made by the same guys but I really didn't like that at all. Star Wars Galaxies was really poor but I did like the idea of having to earn to be a Jedi and it was no easy task but then they updated it so anyone could be a Jedi and basically put their finger up at anyone that did that. There are a bunch of others as I pretty much try any MMO that has a trial or some kind of F2P thing and I just think they've all pretty much stuck with what WoW and haven't tried to do anything else and that's really not for me. Tera looks like it does it for combat but that's about it (well maybe cute animals too).

You could always try what Dave did with WoW over one break & talked about on a bombcast, just play the MMO with a friend (or someone off the GB site to be a traveling companion) then only stick with them so that both of you are online. It'll require some bit of coordination of schedule but it will make the game quite more memorable than going off on your own. Until GW2 comes out, there's Tera or go with one of the oodles of F2P MMOs out there.

@mrcraggle said:

Clicking on something to target, then press another button for an attack then watch the animation is completely unengaging.

That is pretty much the core of modern RPG gameplay design though. Not just WoW, going back to things like Baldurs Gate or Diablo, it's always been pick ability, click where to target. All WoW did was to revert the process as the game focuses more on hitting the same target over and over rather than hitting a new targets over and over. Then you have the action-adventure variant where all your abilities are directed based on character direction, like in Amalur or Skyrim (or MMOs like AoC, TERA and GW2). That is RPG gameplay, MMO or singleplayer. If you don't enjoy that (which again, you wouldn't be the first), you just won't enjoy MMO end-game.

@Ares42: But it's 2012, game design evolves. MMOs continue to trend the same ground that was trod almost 10 years ago. Compare and contrast that with something like FPSs. I just want to be involved in the actual. When I swing that sword, I want to be the one in control of it. There's certainly no reason that single player action style gameplay couldn't fit into a modern day MMO. I think that game for me would have to be combat from Tera with the story telling structure of SWTOR with the mission structure and variety of GW2 but unfortunately that game doesn't exist and PSO2 is still set for Japan only although if the community can put out a translation patch for that game, I will import it or something because it looks pretty amazing.

People discount DCUO but that game's grind is utterly brilliant. At no point to 30 (max) did I feel like I was grinding and at no point after 30 have I felt like I was either and yet I've been grinding the whole time (pre level 30 to get 30, post 30 to get the PVP and PVE tiered gear).

SW:TOR and Tera are WoW clones with nothing interesting. Tera's real object feature is just that a feature on the box, they've done absolutely nothing interesting or creative with the technology.

I'd say you should either play Guild Wars 2 or PlanetSide 2

@mrcraggle: Hell, I agree with you that it would be awesome to see a great RPG with completely new and exciting gameplay, but trust me if it was out there you'd know about it :P

@SeriouslyNow said:

People discount DCUO but that game's grind is utterly brilliant. At no point to 30 (max) did I feel like I was grinding and at no point after 30 have I felt like I was either and yet I've been grinding the whole time (pre level 30 to get 30, post 30 to get the PVP and PVE tiered gear).

I keep on forgetting about that game. I genuinely enjoyed 1-30. It'd been a while since I've played, but I have to disagree on the post-30 stuff.

It felt like a huge grind. It was the normal "get X emblems/tokens" per week for 4 (or whatever) weeks to get 1 piece of gear for a 5 (or whatever) piece set. I hated it. I'm not sure if they changed it, but I'm sick and tired of that system. Not only are you required to keep doing the same content over and over, but they place these arbitrary restrictions on you to 'keep it fair.' If I have an extra day or so to kill during the week, let me play the damn game. Don't put these stupid restrictions on me. I usually only have 1 toon per MMO so when I'm done grinding whatever dumb shit I'm grinding for the week, there's not much, if anything at all, for me to do so that's ultimately my beef with everything.

@BabyChooChoo said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

People discount DCUO but that game's grind is utterly brilliant. At no point to 30 (max) did I feel like I was grinding and at no point after 30 have I felt like I was either and yet I've been grinding the whole time (pre level 30 to get 30, post 30 to get the PVP and PVE tiered gear).

I keep on forgetting about that game. I genuinely enjoyed 1-30. It'd been a while since I've played, but I have to disagree on the post-30 stuff.

It felt like a huge grind. It was the normal "get X emblems/tokens" per week for 4 (or whatever) weeks to get 1 piece of gear for a 5 (or whatever) piece set. I hated it. I'm not sure if they changed it, but I'm sick and tired of that system. Not only are you required to keep doing the same content over and over, but they place these arbitrary restrictions on you to 'keep it fair.' If I have an extra day or so to kill during the week, let me play the damn game. Don't put these stupid restrictions on me. I usually only have 1 toon per MMO so when I'm done grinding whatever dumb shit I'm grinding for the week, there's not much, if anything at all, for me to do so that's ultimately my beef with everything.

Those restrictions are all but gone now. You can reset instances and have multiple toons.

@Ares42: Yea, you're right there. I was hoping for that to be GW2 but maybe I did just see some bad videos. I know a lot of people are really excited for it and sometimes that can really make you overlook things but I dunno. I've already said it but that UI just looks like a mess to me and the font choice for the damage ahhh that font choice. Maybe I'd have a better impression if someone could hook me up with a code ;)

Not sure about Guild Wars since I've only played in one of the Beta Weekends and a Weekend is not enough to get a good idea about how fun an MMO is for me. 
And of course, it's easy to jump on the "hey let's have everything that's actually pretty cool that I don't own!"-train and say stuff like SWTOR or Tera are terrible because they're just "WoW" clones. 
World of Warcraft is just a clone too but younger people don't seem to realize that so they just bitch and whine. 
 
Not sure about what to recommend if you don't like those types of games though but maybe something like Archeage whenever that decides to come out outside of Korea.  
That at least seems to do some (in most peoples eyes)new things when it comes to MMOs like have a huge world that you can explore (no loading) and sail around in if you feel like doing that and then go to other islands and start a city where you have to build your own buildings and even Siege Weapons. Maybe stuff like that is worth having a look at? I dunno.  
 
Or go with Realm of the Mad God

Maybe you just don't like MMOs. I say cut your losses and jump into a genre that you love.

Well, this is not a traditional MMO, but you should try Realm of the Mad God. It's free and it's different from other MMOs. One could describe it as a cooperative MMO bullet hell shooter. So, if that sounds interesting to you, then you should try it.

EVE online is pretty much everything I've ever wanted in an MMO. But it's creaaaazzzzyy

@mrcraggle: If you want a good story driven MMO i recommend Lord Of The Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online

@Beaudacious Tera a WoW Clone? Really?

Id Second Phantasy Star Online 2, for me it comes down to the combatd ive passed on every MMO that makes me use the boring action bar system wow has made a staple in the mmo world, although the problem with PSO2 is if it will come to west or europe, but either way there were fan made patchs in the Closed Beta that translated the JP text into English, but even still im not sure how big the English community in PSO2 to do that to make it a big enough community to play with, although granted past Phantasy star experience it can just seem button mashy so it may or may not have legs for some.

And Eve is a totally great MMO that feels fresh compared to all the other generic stuff out there, but Eve is only really for the people that decent into getting with groups and being pretty social to get much out of it, i played it solo for awhile but i couldn't really keep the enjoyment without a Corp, im not properly playing it now, but i do still have an active subscription just to have skills training cuz i know ill come back to it at some point and get serious with it, theres got to be a GB Corp out there right guys?

Look up Firefall.

http://www.firefallthegame.com/home

I'm pretty much waiting on that. A free to play MMOFPS sounds interesting to me.

@KittyMeggerz said:

[...] theres got to be a GB Corp out there right guys?

There was supposed to be, but I'm not sure what happened to it. I think one of the main people was getting married so obviously I can't fault him for being busy. I think I was supposed to have some role in setting up the corp, but I'm honestly not sure lol. At this point, I'd be more than happy to welcome any GB stragglers into my, at the moment, 1-man corp assuming the official GB corp is still on hold of course. I've been running solo since i started Eve and I've yet to group up with anyone lol. It's sad, I know, I still have fun though oddly enough.

There is a Giant Bomb chat channel in-game though if you wanna come and chill.

@mrcraggle: i really wish APB didnt have all the micro tranactions because i really like it and all.

BTW i would also recommened planetside 2

@Ravenlight: You're actually pretty much spot on, thus the reason for this thread. I really like the idea of MMOs. I think just having a whole bunch of people hanging around, doing whatever is a really fun sounding concept but the games that are out right now really just don't appeal to me. I was hoping people could come in here and maybe recommend games that are coming in the future that may be more to my liking or maybe even ones out now that I'm completely overlooking or even just discuss the MMO space in general.

@Veiasma: Someone else recommended it and it actually does look quite good. I'll reserve judgement until actually playing it but it looks cool, shall keep my eye on it.

@connerthekewlkid: G1 pretty much just straight up sucks balls and they're the financial side behind APB whereas Reloaded Productions (a small number of people from RTW) are just stuck doing what their masters with the money tell them to make. I've gotten back into it recently because I was looking forward to the 1.7 patch but that just adds extra shit, it doesn't fix the fundamental problems with that game and it's remained largely unchanged since the original beta way back in 2009 and in some cases it was better then (you could totally have Guile hair). You can pretty much just ignore the micro-transaction side of the game but it's so in your face. If you're F2P at the end of like every 2nd mission you'll just get a big, fat pop-up saying what you could've received if you were a premium member. It's complete bullshit, completely unnecessary and doesn't need shoving down people throats. If people want that stuff, they'll go seek it out. As for PlanetSide 2, I will indeed check that out, shooting shits always good fun and it just looks completely epic in scale. I signed up for the beta as soon as it was available to.