I don't follow these games as closely as a lot of you do (until they near release, anyway), however I suppose I'd have to say SWTOR. Even though my rational side keeps telling me that this game is going to be as mainstream <cough> as mainstream can possibly be.

Other than that I'm actually very close to giving Ryzom a try right now, and also have some hopes I'll once again be playing Pre-CU Star Wars Galaxies. A game which I always thought had huge potential.

Other:

GW2 - I enjoy the Massive aspect of MMORPGs - when I get bored with combat I dabble in things like exploration, resource gathering, and crafting - so I never gave this game a shot. But maybe I'll take another look. I understand it did have a very interesting skill system to it.

Secret World - Looks like a game made for the Twilight crowd. I doubt this one will be for me - I'm over 30.

Final Fantasy - Maybe it was only unjustified prejudice, but I never played the original because of the forced grouping aspects of it. And I've also never respected the console interface of being able to handle anything more than a game which is repetitive and overly simplistic.

World of Darkness - looks like Planetside 2 to me. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but...

Earthrise/Mortal Online - My faith in indie MMORPG developers is now close to zero. And it's just too bad, because they are almost the only ones left who champion the design elements that I am interested in anymore.

Originally posted by Nicoo

TERA and Rift.

 

But most precious.... Diablo 3.

agreed, tera and rift, more rift than tera

SW:ToR, Rifts: Planes of Telara, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV most likely in that order.

First of all, SW:ToR appeals to me because for one, it's Star Wars, and secondly it's an MMORPG based of my favorite two console RPGs of all time.  I don't expect this game to be a sandbox (like some people who will be terribly disappointed), but even if it's Guild Wars with a Star Wars skin (which it won't be), I'd still play it and love it.

For Rifts, I have some old time guildmates awaiting the game with a pre-release guild, and I've been seriously looking into the game since then.

FFXIV is last because I didn't really enjoy FFXI all that much as it bored me, and while I expect FFXIV to be a vast improvement, it looks far too much like a graphically updated FFXI.

Catalysm of course.

TOR

Secret world.

Definitely looking forward to:

The Secret World - Everything about the game from combat to setting is unique, and I enjoyed AoC despite it's problems.

Guild Wars 2 - No monthly fee and dynamic quests.

Rifts:  Planes of Telara - Looking great so far and has dynamic content similar to GW2.

Maybe (going to try them out in beta or free trials):

Final Fantasy XIV - Combat from what I've seen feels a little slow and boring, but it's definitely worth checking out.

SW:TOR - I think it's catering too heavily to the casual crowd for my tastes and aside from story elements/alternate paths, which I don't really care too much about, doesn't really seem to have too many unique features, but it is Bioware so it's worth looking into.

TERA - The combat looks pretty fun, but I have a feeling it's going to be far too grindy.

Need more information (feature list and gameplay mechanics not clear, only a little or no information released about these MMOs):

World of Darkness MMO from CCP

Copernicus

Blade and Soul

Secret World. Love the theme. It is using Conans graphic engine. Conan is the best MMO out at the moment.

World of Darkness (CCP). I am hoping CCP comes through with another sandbox. CCP has proven to be a quality dev that does not clone WoW like so many other MMO's now.

SWTOR is off my list of anticipation as it looks like nothing more then Star WoWs. I might try it, but I sure am not getting any hopes up about it. Way too much hype. I hate the Mickey Mouse kiddie graphics.

Originally posted by Pynda

I don't follow these games as closely as a lot of you do (until they near release, anyway), however I suppose I'd have to say SWTOR. Even though my rational side keeps telling me that this game is going to be as mainstream as mainstream can possibly be.

Other than that I'm actually very close to giving Ryzom a try right now, and also have some hopes I'll once again be playing Pre-CU Star Wars Galaxies. A game which I always thought had huge potential.

Other:

GW2 - I enjoy the Massive aspect of MMORPGs - when I get bored with combat I dabble in things like exploration, resource gathering, and crafting - so I never gave this game a shot. But maybe I'll take another look. I understand it did have a very interesting skill system to it.

Secret World - Looks like a game made for the Twilight crowd. I doubt this one will be for me - I'm over 30.

Final Fantasy - Maybe it was only unjustified prejudice, but I never played the original because of the forced grouping aspects of it. And I've also never respected the console interface of being able to handle anything more than a game which is repetitive and overly simplistic.

World of Darkness - looks like Planetside 2 to me. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but...

Earthrise/Mortal Online - My faith in indie MMORPG developers is now close to zero. And it's just too bad, because they are almost the only ones left who champion the design elements that I am interested in anymore.

 

Hmm, Secret World has NOOOTTTHINNG to do with Twilite. It is about Secret Societies at war in a world falling into darkness. Illumanati, Templars, and Dragons have NOTHING to do with some girlie flick Vampires or Warewolves. Research stories about these factions it is based on. Conan is the only MMO out (besides EVE) that does NOT feel like a kids game. SW is based off this Conan graphic engine.

World of Darkness is MUCH closer to a Twilite theme, and how you can compare it to Planetside baffles me. Have you seen the graphics for World of Darkness? Not to mention so very little has been released about WoD how can you compare it to anything?

1. Perpetuum Online - This one came out of nowhere for me. Mech meets Sci-Fi MMO and once you get past the obvious cloning of the Eve UI there is a very unique game shaping up.

2. The Secret World - Love the theme and all the information that has been released so far. I'm not a huge Funcom fan although I recognize they have managed to turn around AoC. They at least have a winning concept in this one.

3. SWTOR - I'm very skeptical of what the finished game will be but I love the immersive story telling of BioWare. While I don't think it will be the SW MMO I was hoping for, I have no doubt it will be a fun game.

Honorable mention - Jumpgate Evolution, with all the delays I've somewhat moved on from this game. Still hope it comes out and is as good as we all originally hoped.

1. FFIV - Because FFXI is one of the few games I miss here and there, and I regret never making it to endgame.

2. TSW - Because AO is deep as dirt, and AoC was pretty well done. Plus, a cthulhu MMO? Sign me up!

3. APB - Because there's been a need for a GTA-styled online game for a while now.

4. The Agency - I'm losing interest from the lack of exposure, but I remember it looking interesting.

5. Xsyon - Because I love Wurm and would like to see how it goes at launch.

Originally posted by Dalgor

Final Fantasy 14 because they are the first AAA company to go back to skill based, free roaming MMOs

Going with this one here myself. The game is more of a hybrid than a complete return to a skill based progression system but the fundamental outcomes are the same in terms of being able to customise your character with whatever skills you want from any class. SE have also proven that they know how to build a positive community through game mechanics so I'm looking forward to seeing what they accomplish this time around.

I have to mention GW2 though purely on the grounds of it being so experimental. They're the first dev team in nearly a decade to attempt to fundamentally alter the advancement systems in an MMO (Level grinding >> quest grinding >> dynamic events?).

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

World of Darkness Online. It has the most promise of not being a themepark, level based retread. It's also a IP I enjoy from table-top gaming.

Originally posted by GTwander

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

 GW2 will still have missons similar to what GW1 had, youre right, but that is nowhere near what the DES (Dynamic Event System) is doing. It won't be story driven events triggered by you as an individual talking to or getting near NPCS. These will be active, changing events that will take place wether youre there or not and are triggered in various ways, some occuring randomly, some triggered by what happens in other events, some triggered by items, etc.

The events will also impact the rest of the world around it, causing sort of a butterfly effect where what happens in one event may impact another nearby event, and then another, and another where you may logout with the world in 1 state, and when you log back in the next day everything in the area has changed. Thats one of the main reasons im looking forward to GW2, the potential for things to always be different than they were the day before, rather than logging back into the same static crap day after day.

Originally posted by GTwander

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

That's not the focus of the dynamic event system though, the focus is having the entire game world evolving and reacting to player interactions whilst simultaneously being the sole advancement system. Players essentially don't quest but simply roam the world and interact with whatever they encounter, which could be different every time. I don't know of any game that has attempted to stray from either quest-based progression or kill-based progression and so A-Net is being innovative (even if elements of the system resemble things you've seen before).

Originally posted by Alberel

Originally posted by GTwander

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

That's not the focus of the dynamic event system though, the focus is having the entire game world evolving and reacting to player interactions whilst simultaneously being the sole advancement system. Players essentially don't quest but simply roam the world and interact with whatever they encounter, which could be different every time. I don't know of any game that has attempted to stray from either quest-based progression or kill-based progression and so A-Net is being innovative (even if elements of the system resemble things you've seen before).

While I'm interested in and appreciate what ANet is trying to do - even the dynamic event system boils down to a script.  Granted, an elaborate and probably entertaining one, but a script nonetheless.

A game like EvE has a dynamic universe, but those dynamics are mostly the result of player interaction, and not a script.  That's what I love about the game.

Originally posted by Rohn

Originally posted by Alberel

Originally posted by GTwander

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

That's not the focus of the dynamic event system though, the focus is having the entire game world evolving and reacting to player interactions whilst simultaneously being the sole advancement system. Players essentially don't quest but simply roam the world and interact with whatever they encounter, which could be different every time. I don't know of any game that has attempted to stray from either quest-based progression or kill-based progression and so A-Net is being innovative (even if elements of the system resemble things you've seen before).

 

While I'm interested in and appreciate what ANet is trying to do - even the dynamic event system boils down to a script.  Granted, an elaborate and probably entertaining one, but a script nonetheless.

A game like EvE has a dynamic universe, but those dynamics are mostly the result of player interaction, and not a script.  That's what I love about the game.

True it is just a script, but it's simply the fact that it should finally move the genre forward that makes it worth anticipating. The only way a PvE based game could match EVE's dynamic world would be through the use of a highly advanced objective based AI system that could somehow even integrate some form of political/diplomatic structures. I can see that quite easily being the next evolution of what A-Net is about to offer as well. For now though I think the dynamic events system could provide a satisfactory illusion.

I am waiting for the following games in this order:

Star Wars: The Old Republic (star wars is always good)
Blade & Soul (I get to platy a martial artist again Teras Kasi ftw)

Guild Wars 2 (lost of new ideas here and if implemented right it will be a great game)

Rift: Planes of Telara (cant wait looks nice ... love the lore of the game)
The Secret World    "Horror" mmo kinda ... H.P. Lovecraft inspired nice lore ... hope they dont mess it up
Final Fantasy XIV (stunning game ... will be my first Final Fantasy game)
Black Prophecy (ELITE kind of game if any of you remember that game ... cant wait)

Jumpgate Evolution

Seems more of an arcade kind of shooter, and not sure it will ever come out but will give it a go if it does

Originally posted by Alberel

Originally posted by Rohn

Originally posted by Alberel

Originally posted by GTwander

I think GW2 is getting too much credit for what it will really be, even GW1 had mission events unfold in front of you once you get close enough. I rememver one right off the bat in the Asian-themed xpac (the name escapes me) where you walk up to NPCs threatening another. There were emotes and text, but I think the change will be VO now.

It's just as I've been saying for quite some time now; lose the windows and promote more active storytelling.

People will pay more attention to NPC actors with rolling text dialog and emotes to push the mood. The next step is VO, and it's not that far of a jump. Otherwise, the thing about roaming epic monsters sounds cool, at least visually.

That's not the focus of the dynamic event system though, the focus is having the entire game world evolving and reacting to player interactions whilst simultaneously being the sole advancement system. Players essentially don't quest but simply roam the world and interact with whatever they encounter, which could be different every time. I don't know of any game that has attempted to stray from either quest-based progression or kill-based progression and so A-Net is being innovative (even if elements of the system resemble things you've seen before).

 

While I'm interested in and appreciate what ANet is trying to do - even the dynamic event system boils down to a script.  Granted, an elaborate and probably entertaining one, but a script nonetheless.

A game like EvE has a dynamic universe, but those dynamics are mostly the result of player interaction, and not a script.  That's what I love about the game.

True it is just a script, but it's simply the fact that it should finally move the genre forward that makes it worth anticipating. The only way a PvE based game could match EVE's dynamic world would be through the use of a highly advanced objective based AI system that could somehow even integrate some form of political/diplomatic structures. I can see that quite easily being the next evolution of what A-Net is about to offer as well. For now though I think the dynamic events system could provide a satisfactory illusion.

Indeed, GW2 is worth looking at for what they are trying to do.

Still, just wanted to point out that a game exists right now with a really dynamic environment (a player driven one at that) - and it's also one that has strayed away from kill or quest based progression.

I've gotta say that GW2 and TSW are on my most anticipated list too, hopefully they'll be able to bring some innovation to the "WoW clones ftw" mentality of developers.