I've been playing games in the mmo genre forever now and up until maybe two years ago I considered it the best video game genre ever.

Since that time my time in mmos have felt more like a second or part time job. Grind for this, work for that, with very little pay off in the fun department (normally fun was in a nice big burst in between months of downtime).

Honestly i'm tired of it. When I log into a game that I pay for I want to have a good time. I don't want to log in and have some work checklist that i follow like some bot.

I've tried everything, from playing hardcore eight plus hours a day to two to three hours a week and its always the same. I'm working, grinding pathetically primitive mechanics that are in place for one reason. To keep me paying that monthly fee.

Well I've napped out of it. if taken a step back and asked myself wtf am i doing in the genre if its nothing but work.

I don't care if its a themepark or a sandbox if i work like a slave in a cotton field with little payoff its not worth it.

Think about it guys, when you log into your mmo of choice are you having a good time? Or is it simply you chasing after a goal, dealing with months of work for a goal that will ultimatly give you very little satisfaction once you've obtained it.

Look at the mechanics in place. Are they actually fun or do you put up with them due to social ties in game or being addicted to that goal you'll one day get?

When you find yourself enjoying discussions on the mmo forums more than actually playing them its time to call it quits.

I'll be hanging around the general gaming section of the forum more now that i've unsubbed to everything (including Eve).

Originally posted by Rockgod99

Think about it guys, when you log into your mmo of choice are you having a good time? Or is it simply you chasing after a goal, dealing with months of work for a goal that will ultimatly give you very little satisfaction once you've obtained it.

 

I'm mostly having fun. I do game jump, but then I quite enjoy trying new worlds. I refuse to min max or rush to max level. As soon as I get bored I log off.

Sometimes I take a break for driving games, or Civilisation IV which I love.

I generally come back to MMOs soon though as I find them relaxing.

Still, you're right to take a break. I burned out in the past, but it wasn't long before I was (happily) playing again.

I'm on the forum because I'm doing other things in the house. If I had time to log in to a game now I would probably be playing.

It's both chasing a goal and having a good time. I find that chasing a goal and accomplishing it IS making me have a good time.

Are you in a guild, socializing, raiding and PvPing? Or are you playing alone? because for me the SOCIAL aspect of mmo's is most fun it seems.

  Yea i find myself jumping from one to another to keep myself happy. I tell u what it is i miss the eq days when iam in lesser fay pulling a gaint spider to a group of people that have no idea what coming. Or pvp the dark races at the spire or even kiting. I havnt found it in many game other than Vanguard so fare. Well i hope the old time mmorpg feeel comes back if VG dies iam pritty sure hope gone.

Sounds like you're suffering from burnout.
.
Take a break.
.
I haven't played an MMO for about 4 months now. I'm saving up all my MMO energy for Cataclysm.
.
You can get burnout an anything if you do it enough.

Yes you get that feeling of jonesing to play and mess around in an large MMO world.  Then you start thinking of all the chores you gotta do in that world and how most quests and such are really just a series of obstacles with very little real challenge and you get this "heavy" feeling and sort of say "nah I want to have some unburdened fun".

It is possible though to find some challenging things or have some unaldulterated fun.  Unfortunately it is usually gated by grinding.

I leveled my level 50 Scrapper in CoH from level 48 to 50 just by killing stuff on the Cimmerorian (basically Roman-style mobs that are fairly hard and spawn in large numbers) Wall.  Mechanically this was the same as grinding and people do in fact grind it for money/drops.  But for me I did it because it was a fun challenge and never had any intention to use it to get my last two levels.  I wouldn't do it forever but the experience itself was interesting.  But the thought of leveling up another character to 45+ without some power leveling or a lot of grouping brings on the heavy feeling again.

Originally posted by Robokapp

It's both chasing a goal and having a good time. I find that chasing a goal and accomplishing it IS making me have a good time.

 

Are you in a guild, socializing, raiding and PvPing? Or are you playing alone? because for me the SOCIAL aspect of mmo's is most fun it seems.

Of course! It's more than just basic social stuff for me. the people I play with are in a cross game clan. hell been playing with them for 10+ years now.

Its gone beyond game community/guild stuff. I had a Clan BBQ last moth with over 50 of my members comming to NYC to have a good time. My first guildleader invited me to his daughters wedding and i've even attended a couple of my fellow gamers funerals.

I've gone beyond wanting to log in just to socialize because i know these people in real life now.

It's gone full circle for me. Back in the day I used to ignore crappy gameplay since I had awesome people to socialize with.

Now its about mechanics because the people will be around if I play or not. I don;t have to log in to talk to my buddies because XxXDeath and IkillKittens live around the block, Orginow is a 30 minute drive from me lOL!!!!!!

When you play as long as I have and take away the social aspects of a game (because they're no longer ingame only social aspects) and really focus on mechanics what are you left with?

Now you know why I have not played an MMO, or subbed to one in well over a year.  I have tried as of late to at least dabble a bit but even then nothing can hold me.  I've befrended most of the people who I play with in real life much like you have so I no longer log into a game just so that I can have contact with them.  Like you it's now come down to actually playing games that challenge me and I can't seem to find a game that does it just right.

As it stands now I'm looking for a new hobby to fill my time with, while I post here.

This is why I fell back into Warhammer. For all its issues the core grind is within the main draw of the game. So its not as much a grind. I log into the game, I fight. I win and I'm happy, I die and I'm less happy and get back into it. At the end of the night I look up and some random bar has moved. BUt because my enjoyment want focused on watching that bar move, its a lot better.

Warhammer is a solid game for PvP causals. Thats where I find myself these days. I wager Eve could be another.

MMO's have never had interesting game mechanics, at their core they are about one thing, character progression, and most games make you work at it to progress.  (with notable exceptions such as EVE)

If that isn't your thing anymore, than I have to agree you are suffering from burnout, and maybe, for good.

Originally posted by Rockgod99

I've been playing games in the mmo genre forever now and up until maybe two years ago I considered it the best video game genre ever.

Since that time my time in mmos have felt more like a second or part time job. Grind for this, work for that, with very little pay off in the fun department (normally fun was in a nice big burst in between months of downtime).

Honestly i'm tired of it. When I log into a game that I pay for I want to have a good time. I don't want to log in and have some work checklist that i follow like some bot.

I've tried everything, from playing hardcore eight plus hours a day to two to three hours a week and its always the same. I'm working, grinding pathetically primitive mechanics that are in place for one reason. To keep me paying that monthly fee.

Well I've napped out of it. if taken a step back and asked myself wtf am i doing in the genre if its nothing but work.

I don't care if its a themepark or a sandbox if i work like a slave in a cotton field with little payoff its not worth it.

Think about it guys, when you log into your mmo of choice are you having a good time? Or is it simply you chasing after a goal, dealing with months of work for a goal that will ultimatly give you very little satisfaction once you've obtained it.

Look at the mechanics in place. Are they actually fun or do you put up with them due to social ties in game or being addicted to that goal you'll one day get?

When you find yourself enjoying discussions on the mmo forums more than actually playing them its time to call it quits.

I'll be hanging around the general gaming section of the forum more now that i've unsubbed to everything (including Eve).

 

It takes ahwile to break the addiciton. . you will relapse.    To help you get buy. . set goals in real life and keep them in a quest journal.  The sense of accomplishment in MMOs is what kept me playing.   It hit me on the head one day when my wife said that her SIM had a better life than her.  As soon as it stops being fun. . take a long break.  Try a year.

First of all Nice thread OP :)

 I have felt very much the same with alot of games lately, The only game I really always actually enjoy my time in is probably Lotro , I thinks thats because  I'm a huge fan of the IP,

I 'm only really looking forward to SWTOR ( again big fan of the IP ) at the moment and cant really see anything else on the Horizon. I used to love SWG and enjoyed my time in  that game immensely , but we all know what happened there.

Strangely enough I am also enjoying playing STO at the moment too, but maybe thats because I've made so many Video for it !

Times change, and people change.

Games are meant to be fun.  As time goes on, that perception of fun can definitely change.  When it's no longer fun, it's time to walk away, temporarily or permanently.

For most of my gaming life, I was a paper and pencil RPG'er and tabletop wargamer (starting back in 1980).  I rarely do any of that anymore, and there are probably a variety of reasons for that, but why overanalyze it:  I used to enjoy it, and now I don't nearly as much, so I just don't do it.

People are quick to blame the genre, or specific games - fault must be found, blame must be assigned.  Anger soars as they feel they are being "cheated" out of their previous joy.

Sometimes - probably most of the time - the simplest answer is the correct one.  In our personal perceptions, priorities, tastes, resposibilities, available leisure time, and goals, we've changed.

There's no fault to be found.  It's not the game's fault.  It's not your fault, either.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with that type of change.  It's just life.

Originally posted by Kyleran

MMO's have never had interesting game mechanics, at their core they are about one thing, character progression, and most games make you work at it to progress.  (with notable exceptions such as EVE)

If that isn't your thing anymore, than I have to agree you are suffering from burnout, and maybe, for good.

I think thats what i need this genre to get away from.

Why can't the genre have good and interesting mechanics to go along with character progression and social aspects?

I'll keep my eye out for a game that's good through and through. Hopefully I wont be waiting ten years.

Until then I have a few great video game genres that are keeping me busy. I just bought Limbo a trial and error 2d platformer thats bloody fantastic and basically brings back the platform genre.

I have Red dead redemption still that has wonderful game mechanics (and some cool multiplayer)

I can't say enough about SC2 and a brand new Castlevania 2d game is releasing on the 360 august 4th (6 player co-op ftw!!!!!).

Maybe one day mmos will offer that level of gameplay along with the character progress and social features. when that day comes mmorpgs will be my favorite genre again.

Originally posted by Robokapp

Are you in a guild, socializing, raiding and PvPing? Or are you playing alone? because for me the SOCIAL aspect of mmo's is most fun it seems.

Couldn't agree with this statement more.  If I look back at the MMOs I've played, the ones I had the most fun playing are when I was in a very social guild that was active and grouped together regularly. 

Sounds like textbook burn out, nothing wrong with it. Take a break. Can't eat Taco Bell everyday for two weeks without feeling the same... and maybe feeling something else too.

Originally posted by KilorTheMeek

Originally posted by Robokapp

Are you in a guild, socializing, raiding and PvPing? Or are you playing alone? because for me the SOCIAL aspect of mmo's is most fun it seems.

Couldn't agree with this statement more.  If I look back at the MMOs I've played, the ones I had the most fun playing are when I was in a very social guild that was active and grouped together regularly. 

Dude your forum avatar rocks lol!!!!!!

Anyway... I agree with both that social aspects keep people playing. I'm to the point where game mechanics need to do it now since i know every clanmate in real life now.

Time for mmos to be judged by gameplay and not the fun i can have on vent while mindlessly grinding.

For me mmos fail in the gameplay mechanics department.

Originally posted by Rockgod99

I've been playing games in the mmo genre forever now and up until maybe two years ago I considered it the best video game genre ever.

Since that time my time in mmos have felt more like a second or part time job. Grind for this, work for that, with very little pay off in the fun department (normally fun was in a nice big burst in between months of downtime).

Honestly i'm tired of it. When I log into a game that I pay for I want to have a good time. I don't want to log in and have some work checklist that i follow like some bot.

I've tried everything, from playing hardcore eight plus hours a day to two to three hours a week and its always the same. I'm working, grinding pathetically primitive mechanics that are in place for one reason. To keep me paying that monthly fee.

Well I've napped out of it. if taken a step back and asked myself wtf am i doing in the genre if its nothing but work.

I don't care if its a themepark or a sandbox if i work like a slave in a cotton field with little payoff its not worth it.

Think about it guys, when you log into your mmo of choice are you having a good time? Or is it simply you chasing after a goal, dealing with months of work for a goal that will ultimatly give you very little satisfaction once you've obtained it.

Look at the mechanics in place. Are they actually fun or do you put up with them due to social ties in game or being addicted to that goal you'll one day get?

When you find yourself enjoying discussions on the mmo forums more than actually playing them its time to call it quits.

I'll be hanging around the general gaming section of the forum more now that i've unsubbed to everything (including Eve).

 

 Amen brother! =o

Originally posted by Rohn

Times change, and people change.

Games are meant to be fun.  As time goes on, that perception of fun can definitely change.  When it's no longer fun, it's time to walk away, temporarily or permanently.

For most of my gaming life, I was a paper and pencil RPG'er and tabletop wargamer (starting back in 1980).  I rarely do any of that anymore, and there are probably a variety of reasons for that, but why overanalyze it:  I used to enjoy it, and now I don't nearly as much, so I just don't do it.

People are quick to blame the genre, or specific games - fault must be found, blame must be assigned.  Anger soars as they feel they are being "cheated" out of their previous joy.

Sometimes - probably most of the time - the simplest answer is the correct one.  In our personal perceptions, priorities, tastes, resposibilities, available leisure time, and goals, we've changed.

There's no fault to be found.  It's not the game's fault.  It's not your fault, either.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with that type of change.  It's just life.

I really think Rohn has put it perfectly here. The original mmo crowd has grown up.  If you feel it's time to walk away then it's time. But sounds like you a wicked time with this hobby O.P. Who knows, in time you may feel like coming back or you may not. Nothing wrong with either option. Hope you find something just as cool to fill your life with. :)

Originally posted by spookydom

Originally posted by Rohn

Times change, and people change.

Games are meant to be fun.  As time goes on, that perception of fun can definitely change.  When it's no longer fun, it's time to walk away, temporarily or permanently.

For most of my gaming life, I was a paper and pencil RPG'er and tabletop wargamer (starting back in 1980).  I rarely do any of that anymore, and there are probably a variety of reasons for that, but why overanalyze it:  I used to enjoy it, and now I don't nearly as much, so I just don't do it.

People are quick to blame the genre, or specific games - fault must be found, blame must be assigned.  Anger soars as they feel they are being "cheated" out of their previous joy.

Sometimes - probably most of the time - the simplest answer is the correct one.  In our personal perceptions, priorities, tastes, resposibilities, available leisure time, and goals, we've changed.

There's no fault to be found.  It's not the game's fault.  It's not your fault, either.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with that type of change.  It's just life.

I really think Rohn has put it perfectly here. The original mmo crowd has grown up.  If you feel it's time to walk away then it's time. But sounds like you a wicked time with this hobby O.P. Who knows, in time you may feel like coming back or you may not. Nothing wrong with either option. Hope you find something just as cool to fill your life with. :)

I do our gaming clan spans a few mmos, steam, 360 and PSN networks.

Right now most of my guys are either in EVE or messing with SC2 while waiting on TOR and the new Medal of honor.

I played with a few of them in CS:S and L4D2 last weekened it doesn't matter the game we play we always have a great time being all retarded. I guess I can thank mmos for that.

I have my eye on a couple games in different genres right now so ill be ok.