A simple question: when it comes to MMO gaming fun and the level of entertainment and enjoyment that you personally got from MMORPG's the past year or two, what would you rate it on average?

With 10 being perfect, 9 excellent, a 5.5 being the tipping point where below that figure it'll range from 'hardly finding any fun in MMO gaming anymore' (5) to 'haven't been playing MMORPG's at all anymore for a long time' (2-3) and 'on the verge of completely giving up on the MMO genre, it has become too abominable and unbearable to endure' (1).

To give an example: I rate my own level of MMO gaming enjoyment a 9 in the year that I first started playing EQ, the last few years it has hovered around a 7 with peaks to 8-8.5 in certain timeperiods, like when I was fully engaged into GW and AoC and guilds and such. Around 2005 when I was playing WoW, EQ2 and GW my gaming fun level was around 8-8.5.

I expect with the upcoming MMO's like TSW, GW2, SWTOR, ArcheAge, Firefall and Planetside 2 that it'll peak towards a 9 again, to me it'll even have the potential to become more than 9, around a 9 to 9.5.

So, how would you people rate your own MMO gaming enjoyment level these days? And what was it in the past?

Voted 1. Since I haven't really played an mmorpg (aside from trying out the odd free-to-play crapware mmorpgs) for about that time.

Extremely mediocre, at best.

There are a few moments of fun, but they soon fade in the face of the same old repetitive and pointless item grind at high levels.

The days of feeling as part of something bigger or having an impact on the game world  have faded due to the drive of developers to try to inclusively make every player feel like a hero. When everyone is a hero, no one is.

I voted 7.  It probably would have been 9.5-10 in the period of 1998-2006 (UO-WoW), but these past 5 or 6 years have seen nothing but WoW clones pretty much.  I played Aion, Rift, AoC, and WAR, they were kind of fun, but in the end I found them to be ultimately inferior to WoW in almost every way.

The horizon looks bright though.  We've got SWTOR coming out in December, and GW2 hopefully a few months after.  Then we've got TSW and Archeage after them.  Let's just hope at least one of those games lives up to the hype :)!

I guess I am a "Bring Your Friends" type of player. Well it started out with having my friends convince me to join them in with WOW but well after half a year or so they stopped playing because the group was VERY casual. More like well do you want to play WOW. - Oh yes, but you know lets do that next week... Naah well I leveled one char to Max and did some PvP and tried out what I could do with the auctionhouse, played around with AOE Grinding Frost Mage (That was fun to some extent^^)

So Overall it was rather meeh but you know I am open for GW2, which my friends are as hyped as me for. (It is not a bad thing^^) Well I hope it works out this time sooo

4 For me

I voted 3. I've noticed that no matter what 'new' MMO I try I can't shake the feeling that I've played it 1000 times before. This is mainly due to the 'standardization' of UI and gameplay elements in all new MMOs. MMOs aren't the only genre I'm experiencing this 'deja vu' feeling in either. I can't seem to get into many modern FPS games as well because there is only so many ways you can present 'Point gun and shoot'. Hopefully some of the games on the horizon will have enough new elements in them to make them interesting to me but I wont hold my breath. I may be done with MMOs until someone breaks out of the mold that the industry seems to be stuck in.

Bren

4.  I don't think I've really enjoyed an MMO since WOW and GW1 in 2005/2006.  I find most releases since then unoriginal and uninspiring, I usually hit about level 20 before the overwhelming sense that I have been there and done it before forces me to quit.  Heres hoping GW2 and SWTOR inject something new and interesting.   

Voted 6.

Mmorpg's are too focused solely on combat.  It is making them one dimensional , and too streamlined. They are also too easy , especially open world content.

Open world content is too dumbed down , easy and too fast. While endgame too instance and combat oriented and that make it way too grindy. 

Games that gave player more things to do , that created illusion of world like UO, SWG , DAOC I gave them solid 8 or even 9.

Then WoW Vanilla came, diffrent , but still is was mixed ok , with 7 / 10. 

Then Blizzard dumbed WoW very quickly  (fast leveling , convenience , focus on instances, quest arrow showing way , LFG instant teleportation tool , emphasis on guilds killing social outside guilds)  , other games followed.

Nowadays it is 5-6 / 10.  Combine that with microtransactions / cash shops putting it's ugly face in games , especially in p2p games. I am very close to resign from mmorpg completly (and maybe checking once a year after to see if any diffrence).

Currently not playing any mmorpg, waiting for 2012 as last chance.

ArcheAge for long term investment and GW2 for some quick fix from time to time.

TSW is over for me casue of  double dipping sub+cash shop. 

Swtor maybe , not decided yet.

Played freemium games / f2p games, will not play MMORPG with this kind of model anymore. It is horrid after first days / weeks.

This model is ok with moba games , in mmorpg's it is horrid , totally horrid.

Originally posted by Brenelael

I voted 3. I've noticed that no matter what 'new' MMO I try I can't shake the feeling that I've played it 1000 times before. This is mainly due to the 'standardization' of UI and gameplay elements in all new MMOs. MMOs aren't the only genre I'm experiencing this 'deja vu' feeling in either. I can't seem to get into many modern FPS games as well because there is only so many ways you can present 'Point gun and shoot'. Hopefully some of the games on the horizon will have enough new elements in them to make them interesting to me but I wont hold my breath. I may be done with MMOs until someone breaks out of the mold that the industry seems to be stuck in.

 

Bren

Yeah man I agree.

It seems like there has been a general lack of innovation across several genres of video games.  We all know about how this applies to MMORPGs so I won't go into that, but look at some of the other genres...

With FPS's, I remember when MAJOR innovations used to come out all the time.  CoD introduced getting points and unlocking things as you level up.  Battlefield introduced a FPS that fully incorporates all different kinds of vehicles.  Halo introduced the whole shield regen mechanic.  Nowadays it just seems like new games rehash these old concepts and maybe add one or two minor things.

And I don't even know WTF happened to JRPGs.  FFXIII was in my mind a travesty, their idea of innovation was to remove half of the game and replace it with cutscenes.

'6'. I won't go into a ton of detail, as most of you could guess why. In the end, the MMO's I've been playing are "somewhat fun part-time jobs" at best. I'm currently playing GW1, mostly because I'm a lore geek and want to learn some history prior to GW2, but the game is, overall, mediocre at best (I have MUCH higher hopes for GW2, though). Hopefully, this next batch of titles (SWTOR, GW2, ArcheAge, TSW) will be the cure for the "summer-time" blues. As a realist, I expect the worst but hope for the best.

I voted a 6. Personally im tired of the fantasy genre and looking for that out of the box MMO such as world of Tanks offers. Games on the horizon like TSW and WOD have me  smiling and a release date for SWTOR have me above average atm. Once swtor comes out it'll be a 10.

****Satele Shan begs her lover raving Rabbid to come back to the light, but the raving Rabbid will not!!****

I've had some fun playing LOTRO and with DCUO during it's beta (it wasn't good enough to sub to for me though) but can admit I am at the point where I was starting to burn out right now I think the biggest mmorpg experience for me is waiting on TOR to launch followed a long way behind by the launch of Rise of Isengard for LOTRO (which I'll get to play for free since I kept saving my TP woot!!).

If I went back as far as 2 years I would have to add STO which for me was a bad experience, after beta testing I was really bored of it within two weeks of launch but I ground it out for another month and a half before realizing they didn't have the other half of the game ready to release with a miracle update as they insinuated.

Also went back for a trial of SWG which was as meh as I expected, I had went back on trial or out of curiosity to this game on three separate occasions since cancelling my sub and every time it only reinforced for me the reasons I left the game to begin with (SOE mmorpg's honestly remind me of playing old eighties video games especially when it comes to things like collision detection and overall presentation).

Also have to cosign on what RavingRabbit says I'm so burned out on fantasy it isn't funny burning for a good sci fi mmo which I expect to get from TOR, also even though horror has never been my favorite also looking forward to WOD and even TSW though I think TSW will still have to launch before I would try it can't trust FC to release a good game out the box at this time.

I voted 8.   Eve online/everquest2/AOC/GW1 are all giving me a lot of fun, and a ton of content, only thing missing is that total immersion factor that comes from being 100% engaged with a character that is playing at the cutting edge of a given mmorgs social/content factor.

I am content knowing that Archage and guild wars 2 are both something to look forward to, and for different reasons.  For the future, playing Eve Online/Archage and Guild Wars 2 together - awsome times ahead!

Eight

Rift, LotRO, Ryzom & EvE in the last 2+ years.

Sadly playing League of Legends has me on this F2p kick and im looking for a quality game that offers a fair shop like LoL does. I though it was LotRO since u can unlock items in the shop through gameplay but they continue to misstep by adding in mechanics that are subscriber only.

So i'm currently playing nothing... Shows you how meaningless that 8 is aye?

I voted a 3. I am currently playing nothing. Recently at stints in Darkfall but due to lack of support and a constant threat of char wipe over your head it could not sustain me.

Recently been playing League of Legends which is meh but its not a mmorpg.

I have not had a fully engaging experience since Dark Age of Camelot.

Edit-wanted to add the games that fully engaged me.
Everquest 1
Ultima Online
Dark Age of Camelot.

Personally.. Rough 5 or so.  I find myself skipping from MMO to MMO.  It has not been great.

in the past two years ive looked at about 10 mmos (installed and played). i iniitialyl started playing on neverwinter ngihts (yea quasi mmo) and i RELLy enjoyed neverwinter. and then i explored a bit and looked at silkroad online, fly for fun, champions online, mount and blade, wow so many ive lost count and cant rmeember them all. i didn't really like any of them. Champions Online is really good for superheroes though and you get to lfy around which is awesome.

So overall its been very average and rated a 5 for me. neverwinter was about a 7.

At the moment i'm playing Realms Online and its a 7 rated for me o im really happy to have found an MMO that i like.

I think i should be able ot stay with RO for a while but am not sure.

I've been bouncing back and forth between WoW, Aion, Rift, GW for the last couple of years - Then I just simply gave up because I hit a point in all those games that I have to GRIND for something I don't even want or need.

I'm currently settled playing League of Legends and AoEO, but I am thirsty and craving for MMO that as far as my need is concern only GW2 can fill me up with a smile of satisfaction on my face.

I rate my experience an average of 6 (Wow=7, Aion=8, Rift=3, GW=6).

I started out at 8 with Rift and it dwinddled down to 3 as I progress. World Events, Daily quests in Sanctumn and the recent EXP boost for the subscribers ruined it for me.

Voted 5 with all of these generic carved from the same stone mmo's around , nothing to enjoy atm imo.

Originally posted by Hoolilol

Voted 5 with all of these generic carved from the same stone mmo's around , nothing to enjoy atm imo.

Exactly this.  I think WOW and GW2 (although they recycled earlier ideas) hit a high level of polish and immersion back in 2005.  I burnt out on both of these some time ago and nothing since has managed to grab me, as they have generally been inferior copies.  Heres looking to late 2011/ 2012.