Basically, most of the MMOs that have come out since Rift have been the same ol' generic crap.

While Rift is still basically this, it's the most supported of them so far, and they are actually putting out content regularly. It's definitely a good game, but some of the features still do feel dated.

Originally posted by Zippy

Often new games that do not live up to expectations makes a solid game like Rift look a look better.  When ToR came out Rift expereinced a huge increase in subs from January to March.  When people leave a game in droves it often means good news for other games.  Tera never had that much hype, big population and its gameplay is not as similar as ToR/Rift so it has not had helped Rift anywhere near as much.  In Fact Rift started expereincing a large decline in players once Tera came out but keep in mind D3 came out shortly after and GW2 beta weekends started then soon as well,  The last month Rift has been slowly gaining back some of those players.   I am guessing D3 players but maybe some from Tera but it is still lost a lot of players since March.  During this time Rift dropped down from 16 to NA servers to 8 with two bearely hanging on. While the Euro servers have dropped down to 4.  Rifts 12 totwl servers left compares favorably to ToR's 16 total servers left and will likely continue to be healthy much longer than ToR.

My login screen still shows 16 NA servers,where did 8 come from?

The rest of what you posted I agree with,but the server info you have is off.

Originally posted by tank017

Solid game with a solid Company behind it..

Trion generates content like no tomorrow.

Yup.

Although honestly Diablo 3 sidetracked me entirely and I should get around to canceling my TERA subscription and getting back to playing more RIFT (still active.)

Originally posted by Berikai

Originally posted by Zippy

Often new games that do not live up to expectations makes a solid game like Rift look a look better.  When ToR came out Rift expereinced a huge increase in subs from January to March.  When people leave a game in droves it often means good news for other games.  Tera never had that much hype, big population and its gameplay is not as similar as ToR/Rift so it has not had helped Rift anywhere near as much.  In Fact Rift started expereincing a large decline in players once Tera came out but keep in mind D3 came out shortly after and GW2 beta weekends started then soon as well,  The last month Rift has been slowly gaining back some of those players.   I am guessing D3 players but maybe some from Tera but it is still lost a lot of players since March.  During this time Rift dropped down from 16 to NA servers to 8 with two bearely hanging on. While the Euro servers have dropped down to 4.  Rifts 12 totwl servers left compares favorably to ToR's 16 total servers left and will likely continue to be healthy much longer than ToR.

My login screen still shows 16 NA servers,where did 8 come from?

The rest of what you posted I agree with,but the server info you have is off.

If you look at Rift Status you will see 8 servers have died and dropped to 1.0 which explains why all the guilds have transfered off these servers,  Sadly before the decline these servers were all healthy.  Hopefully the slow increase the last month will pick up steam.

Trion straight up kicks ass. Thats why people go back to Rift.

Rift, to my mind, is probably the best of the post-WoW clones. The soul system is brilliant, Rifts and Zone Invasions add a nice touch of chaos, the graphics are great, the combat feels very satisfying, and there are a ton of things to do. The questlines are wayyy too linear, but nothing's perfect.

Oh, and Trion. They're like a model for what a modern MMO developer should be like. Do they sleep at all?

Originally posted by pongdun

Hi guys.. again thanks for answering and sharing your points of view! :)

I was wondering.. why are people going back to Rift? I do like Rift a lot in fact... and when Tera came out I played it and realized that it sucks... but I didn't think at the time that players would go back to Rift... what you think?????

1.  Because they like it or have guild members there.

2.  Most MMO gamers are caught in the "buy the new game mode" where they spend money on a game wishing that X Y or Z that they "hate" or "want better" in the game they left is better in the new game.  Only to find that the game they left is what they should have been been playing all along.

Originally posted by pongdun

 

 

I know other games like GW2 will affect Rift, but I really hope it survives and go on.. cause Trion, in my opinion, is the best company when it comes to customer service (even for foreigners), new content development, interface and customization. I really hope to see all that in future games if they want to win!

 

Thank you all!

If Trion makes an MMORPG thats is about the journey and not the destination (and especially gear grind) I would be first in line to preorder.  To me Rift is everything that is wrong with current MMORPGs (linear, soul-less world, ridiculous currency gear grinds, strictly tiered raiding with fast gear replacement, very little concern with immersion, click and combine for an autmoatic skill up craft system, recycled content), but Trion will hopefully learn and their next MMORPG (not RTS or FPS) will be amazing.

Originally posted by Zippy

Originally posted by Theocritus

Originally posted by Istavaan

It is still in its essence a dungeon grinder/raiding mmo like 90% of the mmo's out there, and the quest chain system is enough to drive a man insane.

      THe quest system was my biggest beef with the game also....It just feels so generic.

90% of MMOs?  There are only 4  MMOS with supported progression raiding Rift, EQ2, andWoW.  

  Rift is essentially the sequel to EQ2/Vanguard.

You forgot EQ1.  EQ1 stll probably gets the most raid content out of any of the games.

And no, Rift is absolutely NOTHING like Vanguard.  They couldn't be more different.  EQ2, in some ways but its really more like a sequel to WOTLK, it has the most in common with that era of WoW.

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by pongdun

 

 

I know other games like GW2 will affect Rift, but I really hope it survives and go on.. cause Trion, in my opinion, is the best company when it comes to customer service (even for foreigners), new content development, interface and customization. I really hope to see all that in future games if they want to win!

 

Thank you all!

If Trion makes an MMORPG thats is about the journey and not the destination (and especially gear grind) I would be first in line to preorder.  To me Rift is everything that is wrong with current MMORPGs (linear, soul-less world, ridiculous currency gear grinds, strictly tiered raiding with fast gear replacement, very little concern with immersion, click and combine for an autmoatic skill up craft system, recycled content), but Trion will hopefully learn and their next MMORPG (not RTS or FPS) will be amazing.

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/602/feature/6460

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by Zippy

Originally posted by Theocritus

Originally posted by Istavaan

It is still in its essence a dungeon grinder/raiding mmo like 90% of the mmo's out there, and the quest chain system is enough to drive a man insane.

      THe quest system was my biggest beef with the game also....It just feels so generic.

90% of MMOs?  There are only 4  MMOS with supported progression raiding Rift, EQ2, andWoW.  

  Rift is essentially the sequel to EQ2/Vanguard.

You forgot EQ1.  EQ1 stll probably gets the most raid content out of any of the games.

 

And no, Rift is absolutely NOTHING like Vanguard.  They couldn't be more different.  EQ2, in some ways but its really more like a sequel to WOTLK, it has the most in common with that era of WoW.

In many ways I agree with you that Rift is not like Vanguard .  Horizontally it is not like vanguard with Vgs 4 zones for each level area broad content with crafting, diplomcy and adventuring.  But its raiding is a sequel to Vanguard with the VG dev that designed and ran the testing for APW and its raiding is what VG should have been if the game had actually been supported.  HK shares a lot of similarities with APW.  VG IMO could have been the ultimate game if only Sigil was allowed to finish the game.  Such a shame.  But Vgs failure and its development problems had an influence on Hartsman and Rifts development.  Also keep in mind almost all the guilds chosen for Rift's Alpha (Silky Venom, Trinity, Enigma, Brotherhood of the Spider, BoW and more) were from VanguardI.  It was these guilds that first tested all the dungeons and GSB and had a large influence on Rifts development. 

I agree Rifts influence influence and design is more EQ2 with Hartsman.  EQ2 even though it did very poorly at release recovered thanks to hartsman pumping tons of content into the game and its focus on raiding.  While Rift had a very good release hartsman has kept the same philosphy of pumping tons of content into the game and growing it leaps and bounds with a primary focus on raiding.   In regards to EQ1 its raiding now they get an expansion get one raid then wait a year get another expansion I would not call that supported raiding and given its age I would not think its viable alternative for most raiders so they are essentially only 3 supported raid games left Rift, EQ2, and WoW.

Originally posted by pongdun

Hi guys.. again thanks for answering and sharing your points of view! :)

I was wondering.. why are people going back to Rift? I do like Rift a lot in fact... and when Tera came out I played it and realized that it sucks... but I didn't think at the time that players would go back to Rift... what you think?????

ummm, becasue they want to i suppose, geesh.

Originally posted by GeezerGamer
Because Trion is busting their @$$es to make this game good. AFAIK, this is the only sub fee based AAA title that has no sponsored RMT. For me, that's HUGE! I played Anarchy Online after they implemented a full Item Shop and players just used it to resell and make credits as well as obtaining OFAB (PVP) armor. I ended up quitting the game since it really has gone full Pay to Win. Hearsay, on my part I never bothered to waste my time confirming, but I understand WoW has items you can resell ingame too. I hate that garbage. It also happens to be my biggest "wait and see" bone of contention about Gw2. In my MMO, I really want equal opportunity. I am OK with someone else overpowering me with gear if he busted his @$$ to get it. Everyone in Rift is where they are because they worked hard for it....or not.

the red portion i have thought myself.  rift is a great game that is only getting better over time, what Trion does may not be up everyone's alley but i see a developer that is absolutely trying to give its playerbase the content they actually want and i respect that.

Originally posted by Theocritus

Originally posted by Istavaan

It is still in its essence a dungeon grinder/raiding mmo like 90% of the mmo's out there, and the quest chain system is enough to drive a man insane.

      THe quest system was my biggest beef with the game also....It just feels so generic.

Today they're putting Instant Adventures in lower level zones with the 1.9 patch, so while the original questing is there, alternatives are available as well for those leveling. It may not solve all quest woes, but it's a tangible step in the right direction.

Which, in a nutshell, is why I think people keep coming back to Rift. Trion listens, learns, and steadily implements thoughtful changes that better the game without rocking the boat too fast, too hard. 

Couple things really. Trion is a great company that listens to their customer base and consitantly produce content. Look up 1.8 and the upcoming 1.9 for some of the great ideas they have implemented in the game.

Also, this new expansion they announced sounds amazing. Thats the primary reason I'm back. To get my rogue up to snuff and ready for the expac. Private Slivers (aka instanced housing pretty much), tripling the landmass, and a whole lot more.

This will def be my sub game while I will be playing GW2 with some friends.

Originally posted by Vhaln

Having played every big name MMO released since Rift, I'm tempted.  It was the best out of all of them, no question.  One disappointment after another, while I really enjoyed Rift - for about a month.

 

..but then I hated the endgame, and hated that there were only four classes, and customization was minimal.  My character was too cookie-cutter for me to feel much of an attachment to, since everyone was a jack-of-all-trades, and just seemed like there was nothing to do but grind for equipment, which just doesn't appeal to me.  So not going back, even though I'd say it blows these other recent MMOs like TOR, TERA, and TSW out of the water.

 

Keeping an eye on it though.  Maybe I'll give it a second chance eventually.  Especially if they ever get around to addressing my main issues with it.

TOR and TERA maybe but no way TSW. I played Rift too, same as the rest. TSW is certainly pushing for different ideas it seems.

Originally posted by Zippy

In many ways I agree with you that Rift is not like Vanguard .  Horizontally it is not like vanguard with Vgs 4 zones for each level area broad content with crafting, diplomcy and adventuring.  But its raiding is a sequel to Vanguard with the VG dev that designed and ran the testing for APW and its raiding is what VG should have been if the game had actually been supported.  HK shares a lot of similarities with APW.  VG IMO could have been the ultimate game if only Sigil was allowed to finish the game.  Such a shame.  

You forgot the VGs combat was more interesting as well.  

Sigil would NEVER have been able to release a different game.  The Vanguard code was a complete disaster, Sigil just couldnt translate into code what they wanted to achieve.  

Raiding is such a small portion of the game.  I see as much WoW design in Rift's aiding as I do any other game.  

Was the first fantasy mmo to make me enjoy pvp. I will go back in a month or 2.