So, after frequenting these forums I get the impression that people are not happy with themepark MMOs. I personally have begun to get bored of certain aspects of the themepark-style MMO, such as repetitiveness... but I do not hate it like I see a lot of people here do.

What I want to know is if people actually HATE themepark MMOs, or they are just sick of seeing that a majority of MMOs coming out fit into that category. A lot of MMOs that have been released in the last few years seem to have something wrong with them, but the themepark complaint seems to only be pre-release. Post-release, people completely forget about it, and start to complain about something else.

When it comes down to it, do you think that themepark MMOs are boring in general, or that they could be good, but are just executed poorly?

I don't hate themepark mmorpg's.  I'm just bored to tears of them.  It's gotten to the point where if I try one, it just feels like a continuation of the last one I played.  Sure, some add a new gimmick or two but it's not enough to differentiate it from the crowd.

I'm really hoping for something radically different to come out one day.

I dont hate themeparks, they hate me. I started playing mmos because i could make my own stories and create and share my own content. But themeparks already have a story for your character and all the rides are finished

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Originally posted by GPrestige

So, after frequenting these forums I get the impression that people are not happy

Fixed.

I thought these forums would be about in-depth discussions regarding MMO gameplay, either in relation to particular MMOs or MMOs in general.  Instead it's mostly full of trolls in stand-by mode who have grown out of MMOs and need a new hobby.

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

heh

Don't go by these forums. These forums have far too many nutbars that throw about the "sandbox mmo" term, but neglect the basic fact that a "sandbox mmo" simply isn't viable. It simply can't attract enough subscribers.

These people are hanging around the wrong genre, simple as that.

I've complained about themeparks on here quite a bit but that doesn't mean that I hate them as much as I just like being a critic and give other interested people my input.

I think that generally a lot of the hate that you see is because people are sick of MMORPG games that come out which are too similar to other games to be called original.

The style of 'start at level 1 and follow the quest tracker' gets old after awhile and the gaming industry has been at it long enough that most PC gamers expected better when looking into the future ten years ago. Console games are pretty amazing though but I prefer PC.

The definition of MMORPG is supposed to be Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game but most people (including developers and especially investers) just think of World of Warcraft or something like it.

I think a large part of the problem is that the triple A titles released since SWG have been themepark, so there is this large void in terms of game design variety.  Of course, themeparks have their place too.  I don't think they are inherently bad and there are times when that kind of experience can be entertaining.  But sometimes you want something more.

Thinking back to when I was a kid, I had all my action figures and I would sit in my room, many times alone, inventing story lines with my toys and acting them out.  As a kid I was good at creating activities and entertaining myself.  Other activies like sports which had defined parameters and rules was okay but it never really interested me.  So I think sandbox games appeal to a more creative mindset too, just as strategy games appeal to one type of player and fps games to another.  Different strokes for different folks, but lately the industry has been playing the same tune and it is boring, very boring.

I hate them enough to not buy one...

Here is what I hate...

Lack of a death penalty, no fear for dying

Quests.... blah

Levels... creates an endgame.. why do you want it to end? Why do you even think its a game.. It should be an alternate life.

Lack of a an alternate life. Ive never seen someone plop down in one of the zones in a themepark and say Im living here (except for 1 exception)

Crafting isnt complex or deep.

Resource refining and gathering is boring. Shiny nodes ftl.

Easy, easy,easy. maps, insta-ports, tokens. What is this crap?

Tab target... no thanks

Cute things---cute little pets, girls with bunny ears, npcs with celebrity names. (shoots self)

This list could go on and on and on. Im not saying they need to go away Im just saying every single game that comes out doesnt need to be that. No amount of dynamic content is going to perfume the themepark pig. In addition, Im not dissing people who like them Im just giving my opinion.

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Furthermore, those games were all but canceled before going F2P.  The list he has there is essentially a list of failed games, save AoC - in some opinions.

Originally posted by Kitane

heh

Don't go by these forums. These forums have far too many nutbars that throw about the "sandbox mmo" term, but neglect the basic fact that a "sandbox mmo" simply isn't viable. It simply can't attract enough subscribers.

These people are hanging around the wrong genre, simple as that.

*caugh*

Eve Online

Unless, ofc, you're going to call it a different type; then you would need to define your opinion of sandbox.

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

If they weren't all converted to f2p because they failed to perform as pay to plays maybe. It's not like they said, well the f2p model is better so we will switch. Players were leaving and revenue was dropping.

Many didn't find most themeparks worth paying for, but many don't mind playing if they are free.

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Furthermore, those games were all but canceled before going F2P.  The list he has there is essentially a list of failed games, save AoC - in some opinions.

Only at MMORPG.com does "still running and profitable 3-5 years later" = "failed game"

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Furthermore, those games were all but canceled before going F2P.  The list he has there is essentially a list of failed games, save AoC - in some opinions.

Only at MMORPG.com does "still running and profitable 3-5 years later" = "failed game"

 

So I could make a text based MMO with players and make $5 a month, success.

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

If they weren't all converted to f2p because they failed to perform as pay to plays maybe. It's not like they said, well the f2p model is better so we will switch. Players were leaving and revenue was dropping.

Many didn't find most themeparks worth paying for, but many don't mind playing if they are free.

I can't speak for the other games, but in the case of LOTRO they actually did make the decision to switch because free to play was gaining traction in NA/EU markets. LOTRO was designed and sold with free to play in mind.

Again, you're still pointing out that it was the business model not the game that caused the change, because if the games were a failure they would still be a failure after the shift to free to play. In some cases they are, in others (ex: EQ2, LOTRO, Aion) it was obvious that the target audience preferred the microtransaction model over subscription. Your point would be made by a list of games that closed, not by a list of games that are doing better under a different business model.

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Furthermore, those games were all but canceled before going F2P.  The list he has there is essentially a list of failed games, save AoC - in some opinions.

Only at MMORPG.com does "still running and profitable 3-5 years later" = "failed game"

So I could make a text based MMO with players and make $5 a month, success.

See, now you're not even trying. :)

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by GrayGhost79

Originally posted by Wolfenpride

Can't be that bad since people keep playing them.

But yes, I have been staying away from most modern themeparks. They're focusing to much on soloplay.

Aion - Free to play

AoC - Free to play

STO - Free to play

CO - Free to play

LOTRO - Free to play

EQ2 - Free to play

DCUO - Free to play

WAR - Free to play

I mean sure.... people play themeparks in there current state, but not enough seem to stick around for the game to be profitable off of subs.

But nah, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I'm actually looking forward to a themepark GW2 :P

Your post is a commentary more on a shift in pereferred payment method than it is on preferred type of game.

Furthermore, those games were all but canceled before going F2P.  The list he has there is essentially a list of failed games, save AoC - in some opinions.

Only at MMORPG.com does "still running and profitable 3-5 years later" = "failed game"

So I could make a text based MMO with players and make $5 a month, success.

See, now you're not even trying. :)

 

By measure of MMORPG standards, if a sub game is falling in subscribers, it's dieing - ie. WoW.   Games like AoC was all but dead and wasn't really saved because it went F2P but because it got some developer love in conjunction with F2P.

F2P for alot of sub-born games is a great way to save them from death and pull some money out of the product.

Sub games are and will continue to be profitable if they are done right, WoW, Rift and Eve Online are examples.

Have been playing MMORPGs since everquest was first released so yeah kinda getting bored of themepark type games..

I enjoy gaems with more freedom and sandbox features.. I know they are not as popular but guess was i really dont care as long as i have fun.. but basically since wow was released I have not been able to find a themepark game that has been able to hold me for very long..

ah i lie.. I did play Age of Conan for a year and i must admit its probally the best themepark game out there at the moment but still..

Darkfall has held my interest for a lot longer and wil continue to do so.. but thats what i like i guess. :)