My wife and I are looking for that perfect MMO for us. But what we're looking to play doesn't seem to exist. I'm hoping you guys can recommend a great MMO that fits exactly what we're looking for.
 

To date we have tried two of the more popular MMO's available with the original EverQuest and World of Warcraft. Both games had elements we liked and elements we disliked. I'm hoping if I list my likes and dislikes that there's a game that will suit what we're looking for.
 

First off we're looking for a true fantasy mmo. The classic elements of a medieval setting with magic, dragons, warriors and wizards, elves and dwarfs etc. However, there seems to be this notion out there that fantasy games should include robots and technology. We HATE this! For example, EQ is almost the perfect fantasy setting for my taste, except... CLOCKWORKS! I hate robots in a fantasy setting. For me personally they just don't belong. Warcraft pretty much demolishes high fantasy by using guns, subways, satelite dishes on people's heads... and motorcycles cruising around. This ruins the game for me. So one of the major things we're looking for is a pure fantasy setting.
 

Elements we like out of EQ: Your class matters. Groups have specific needs and classes have specific roles. We like this. In EQ a good group has the following: Healer, Tank, Slower/Debuffer, Puller and DPS. I like that when I show up my class brings something unique to the table. Elements we like in WoW: We like that the quests are generally easy to track and actually useful. The reward is usually worth the time. It's a simplified system and makes it fun. We prefer WoW's quests to EQ's. EQ's quests are extremely long, difficult, and filled with artificial time sinks. We also like WoW's dying compared to EQ's. In WoW corpse runs are done in spirit form and take minutes. In EQ you're in flesh form and have to zone many times, run through dangerous zones and often die on your way to your corpse. Corpse runs suck in EQ.
 

The next big thing we're looking for is a game that has a pretty good population. I've gone back to EQ recently only to realize it's completely dead. There's hardly anyone playing anymore and grouping just doesn't happen. We'd like a game that has a lot of people and should stay that way for at least a few years.
 

Finally, one last important thing for us is a relatively mature atmosphere. EQ, for the most part, is pretty mature. WoW on the other hand is rampant with children and teenagers. I know to some extent you can't get away from that, but we really prefer playing with people who are out of high school.
 

I've copied and pasted the site's guidelines for what I should list in my search:

PvP - Territorial, guild vs guild, arena, battleground, open player killing, full loot, partial loot, faction, flagged only player killing, sieges, or duels We're actually looking for something that doesn't really have a PvP environment. We prefer more a PvE type games.
Solo or group oriented Prefer a game that has both options, but generally we like group oriented games.
Graphic style - Cartoon, anime, or realistic REALISTIC. We strongly dislike cartoon and anime style games.
View - 2D, 2.5D, or 3D 3D
Leveling preference - Quest, PvP, or mob grind Mob grind and Questing, both.
Free to play (F2P) or pay to play (P2P) Pay to play. Keeps a lot of the kids out.
World - Open, mostly instanced, or balanced between the two We like open world games.
Controls - Point and click, WASD, or arrow keys Definitely arrow keys.
Theme - Fantasy, sci-fi, historical, real life, horror, or super-hero Fantasy!
MMO Type - Role playing game, first person shooter, fighting, strategy, racing, social, dancing, or sports Role Playing
Game Difficulty Medium to Difficult.
In depth character customizations - Skill and/or appearance The more customization available the better.

So, does a game like this exist?

Updated on 6/23/09 with a new post detailing my wants for player classes.
 

Perfect World International fits all that you describe except that it is Free To Play, with Cash Item Mall. 

http://www.perfectworld.com/

Yes it does. Rejoice in the knowledge that that which you seek is indeed there for the taking. Now go forth and enjoy that which you so long for. I envy the joy you and your wife will garner from your life's wish. Man I wish I was there to enjoy it with you.

Now go....get it! Download it and enjoy!

Man you are so lucky!

mm i think rune of magic would fit the bill i havent seen any techno, unless it existed in the mediaval time (beside magic lol)

one of the cool game  too lot of people

jade dinasty is a new game this week if i recall same maker as perfect world

but more like martial art days (empire and all )

im trying to know if there pvp or none like pw

i like pvp as much as pve so its pretty much wath killed mst game from pw maker for me not really any pvp

Originally posted by lttexxan

Yes it does. Rejoice in the knowledge that that which you seek is indeed there for the taking. Now go forth and enjoy that which you so long for. I envy the joy you and your wife will garner from your life's wish. Man I wish I was there to enjoy it with you.

Now go....get it! Download it and enjoy!

Man you are so lucky!

Not sure which game you're recommending here.  Or are you referring to the previous post of Perfect World?

It seems that LOTRO meets the requirements you have set out.  It is all high fantasy with deep story lines, and no technology.  The community is helpful and mature.   The deed and trait system gives you enormous customization options.  Crafting actually matters as you can eventually craft items better than you can obtain in drops.   And, the Summer Festival starts when Book 8 comes out on Tuesday!

I haven't seen anyone mention it yet, but LOTRO sounds like something you might like. I would at least look into it.

I'm not a LOTRO fan but it sounds exactly like what you're looking for.

Well,it depends a bit which server you choose in EQ, but many are still thriving. The upcoming 51/50 server will be insanely busy, I'm sure.

Me, I love the clockworks. You really can't have gnomes without 'em. Most fantasy MMOs I have played have at least EQ levels of technology; Vanguard does, WAR does, EQ2 obviously, NeoSteam goes without saying, FFXI...

Can't recall any post-renaissance technology in DAOC but I left before the first expansion so who knows what was added; ditto AC.

Perfect World I haven't played. It looks like Eastern fantasy, though, not Western High Medieaval, which I think is what you want.

A game Ilike very much, which is solidly non-technological medieval fantasy in a decidedly western setting, is Rubies of Eventide. It's very old-school, though. Nevertheless, I'd highly recommend it and as its free you have nothing to lose except your time.

If you want it all bang up to date gaming-technology-wise, I would guess Age of Conan doesn't have too much in the way of clanking gnome-designed robots. Another game I haven't played, though. (The 13GB download is deterring me from the free trial somewhat).

Doh! and LotrO obviously. That's the no-brainer choice, given your parameters.

Originally posted by Sephiroth78

Perfect World International fits all that you describe except that it is Free To Play, with Cash Item Mall. 

http://www.perfectworld.com/

 

Well, after leveling a bit you will find in some places monsters like "mech" crabs... I think it will be disappointing for you :)

lotro is great for u
everything u are looking for is there

Hello there, I am wondering if you have tried Vanguard?? despite what you have heard about this game... PLEASE give it a try...  Fantasy???  all i can say is that this is your game!!!   you can actually try this game for free I think.. it is  "The Isle of Dawn"

EQ was awesome... i hear sooo many people and including myself say this is EQ on steroids...  everything matters in this game  be it crafting, diplomacy and adventuring...   I am probably not the best salesman but i know other  couples that play this game... dont let people tell you about low populations.. it only feels like this because the game is soo massive..  chk out the maps for vanguard  they are in what they call Chunks..  each chunk is massive in itself..  flying on a griphon or Wyvern (that you can rent and go where you want to go with it) can take upto 5 mins flying thru one chunk...  did i say we had Pegasus flying mounts also??   I could plug this game all day  infact i have in a few  other threads..  be your own judge.. it doesnt have the population that wow has  but what game does??   I play on Seradon..  there are 3 continants  and each is huge...  My ingame name on the characters i play are Kibles and Khibla...  message me if you get in game and i would be happy to help ya in any way...

oh i forgot  but the Community is much more mature...  I played wow and I know what ya mean.. in this realm is totally fantasy and you cant get to max level in  a few months    it huge... take a flight on a rented Pegasus or a Wyvern or a Griphon and youll call this place home...    i hope to hear from you...

Originally posted by Bhagpuss

Well,it depends a bit which server you choose in EQ, but many are still thriving. The upcoming 51/50 server will be insanely busy, I'm sure.

Me, I love the clockworks. You really can't have gnomes without 'em. Most fantasy MMOs I have played have at least EQ levels of technology; Vanguard does, WAR does, EQ2 obviously, NeoSteam goes without saying, FFXI...

Can't recall any post-renaissance technology in DAOC but I left before the first expansion so who knows what was added; ditto AC.

Perfect World I haven't played. It looks like Eastern fantasy, though, not Western High Medieaval, which I think is what you want.

A game Ilike very much, which is solidly non-technological medieval fantasy in a decidedly western setting, is Rubies of Eventide. It's very old-school, though. Nevertheless, I'd highly recommend it and as its free you have nothing to lose except your time.

If you want it all bang up to date gaming-technology-wise, I would guess Age of Conan doesn't have too much in the way of clanking gnome-designed robots. Another game I haven't played, though. (The 13GB download is deterring me from the free trial somewhat).

Doh! and LotrO obviously. That's the no-brainer choice, given your parameters.

I play on Prexus.  Which is dead.

OK so I've been playing LOTR online the last few days because that's what everyone recommended.  I have to say this game is really close to what I'm looking for.  I have one issue with it.  The classes are boring to me, personally.  I dislike the system of Morale and Power compared to HP's and Mana.  For example... I just found it kind of lame that screaming really loud at some guy reduced his 'morale' therefore beating him in combat.  All the spells, if you can call them that, are really short term and require specific opportunities to cast them.  I didn't like LOTR's version of classes.

What I really want is a game that follows the more traditional classes that D&D established decades ago.  I like, for example, a ranger that uses mana and actually casts a spell that can stay on you as a buff for more than 30 seconds.  Or a wizard that can blasts mobs with fire and ice vs. reading a piece of stone tablet.

Simply put LOTR is very close to what I like, but I can't get into their classes.  So is there any other game that gives you a pure/high fantasy setting with no (or at least very little) engineering/robots and no guns, with a mature community, with classes that follow the tradtional setting, that still has a solid or growing population?

I would just stick with EQ, as it fits all of these things, except for the fact that it's a ghost town on those servers and people just don't group anymore due to the whole new Mercenary fiasco.

I was going to say try LOTRO but warn you that you may find it boring - oh well.

The only other game i can think of would be EQ2 - or maybe Spellbourne, not sure though because i havent tried it myself.

Originally posted by kwosh

Hello there, I am wondering if you have tried Vanguard?? despite what you have heard about this game... PLEASE give it a try...  Fantasy???  all i can say is that this is your game!!!   you can actually try this game for free I think.. it is  "The Isle of Dawn"

EQ was awesome... i hear sooo many people and including myself say this is EQ on steroids...  everything matters in this game  be it crafting, diplomacy and adventuring...   I am probably not the best salesman but i know other  couples that play this game... dont let people tell you about low populations.. it only feels like this because the game is soo massive..  chk out the maps for vanguard  they are in what they call Chunks..  each chunk is massive in itself..  flying on a griphon or Wyvern (that you can rent and go where you want to go with it) can take upto 5 mins flying thru one chunk...  did i say we had Pegasus flying mounts also??   I could plug this game all day  infact i have in a few  other threads..  be your own judge.. it doesnt have the population that wow has  but what game does??   I play on Seradon..  there are 3 continants  and each is huge...  My ingame name on the characters i play are Kibles and Khibla...  message me if you get in game and i would be happy to help ya in any way...

oh i forgot  but the Community is much more mature...  I played wow and I know what ya mean.. in this realm is totally fantasy and you cant get to max level in  a few months    it huge... take a flight on a rented Pegasus or a Wyvern or a Griphon and youll call this place home...    i hope to hear from you...

I agree vanguard would be a good choice.  It does have some gnome stuff that is kinda mechanical oriented but kinda follows the eq direction.  There are two areas however you might not like.  1. there is a gnome dungeon around lvl 15-25 or so that has an area where gravity is low so you can bounce around a lot and there is a gnome in a mech suit and there is a sniper gnome.  I don't recall what he is using to snipe but he loves to one shot kill caster :P.  This is where a rogue can sneak in on a seek and destroy mission and take the sniper out solo.

Second around lvl 40-45 there is a dungeon where you are in some alien type situation and actually get your own mech suit with some flight ability and rocket launchers.... 

There is a chunk also that is rather alien like with wierd looking effects and stuff that could be tech or magic.  I guess the difference is hard to tell at some point....

But the classes in vanguard are fantastic and if lotr left you cold give vanguard trial a try.  Just make sure you do everything in the trial to get the best explosure to everything.

Perhaps you could try Age of Conan. I'm currently playing on a trial and enjoying it very much, altho you can only play as a human it seems to have everything else you listed.

Everquest II or Vanguard I guess.

Really though I'm kind of surprised that someone wants such a clear cut fantasy MMO, it just seems like what you're looking for is so generic that it doesn't exist. I don't know if Vanguard has mechanical monsters though, I know EQ2 does have some... I'm not sure what your problem with them though is, or why you can't just avoid it :/.

Originally posted by HaggerBeast

OK so I've been playing LOTR online the last few days because that's what everyone recommended.  I have to say this game is really close to what I'm looking for.  I have one issue with it.  The classes are boring to me, personally.  I dislike the system of Morale and Power compared to HP's and Mana.  For example... I just found it kind of lame that screaming really loud at some guy reduced his 'morale' therefore beating him in combat.  All the spells, if you can call them that, are really short term and require specific opportunities to cast them.  I didn't like LOTR's version of classes.

What I really want is a game that follows the more traditional classes that D&D established decades ago.  I like, for example, a ranger that uses mana and actually casts a spell that can stay on you as a buff for more than 30 seconds.  Or a wizard that can blasts mobs with fire and ice vs. reading a piece of stone tablet.

Simply put LOTR is very close to what I like, but I can't get into their classes.  So is there any other game that gives you a pure/high fantasy setting with no (or at least very little) engineering/robots and no guns, with a mature community, with classes that follow the tradtional setting, that still has a solid or growing population?

I would just stick with EQ, as it fits all of these things, except for the fact that it's a ghost town on those servers and people just don't group anymore due to the whole new Mercenary fiasco.

 

i hear you

have you tried d&d online? or asherons call may be worth looking into (i have been recently)

also guildwars, it is more of an mo rather than an mmo, not a free open world and you only form small groups in closed instances but then you can choose who you group with also it can have quite a lonely feel

as for perfect world mentioned earlier i would strongly suggest that you stay away from this as it is an uber kids game and as said an asian fantasy game

Originally posted by Nadril

Everquest II or Vanguard I guess.

Really though I'm kind of surprised that someone wants such a clear cut fantasy MMO, it just seems like what you're looking for is so generic that it doesn't exist. I don't know if Vanguard has mechanical monsters though, I know EQ2 does have some... I'm not sure what your problem with them though is, or why you can't just avoid it :/.

This is really a contradictory statement.  By definition generic means common or relating to many things.  If it was common it would be easy to find.  But, in fact, it's completely uncommon to find a pure fantasy game that doesn't use out of place technology.  I wish it were generic.  I don't understand why fantasy games force things like robots, motor cycles, helicopters, guns and other futuristic technology into their world that, in my personal opinion, diminishes the setting.  It would be kind of like Gandalf whipping out a laser scoped bazooka to defeat the Balrog... huh...?

And I know for a fact that there's a lot of people who feel like me.  I've played in enough mmorpg's to know that this is not all that uncommon of a centiment.  The problem is it's forced on you and you just have to overlook it to play a game you otherwise really like.

However, I do appreciate all of the suggestions.  I'm currently trying Vanguard and so far it's the closest I've come to finding what I'm looking for.  Although it sounds as though I'll still have to overlook certain amounts of gnome technology.

Yea probably LOTRO is your best bet.  All fantasy games originates from Tolkeins Lord of the rings,  and is what Dungeons & Dragons was based on.

Dungeons & Dragons online might also be a game worth looking at,  its not your typical mmo but it will provide that rich, pure fantasy and adventure I think your craving.  trial.ddo.com