General Discussion

See... I like big game worlds.  I certainly acknowledge there are a lot of issues as other people have address relating to population size and LFG and excessive travel times, the need for bottleneck areas to get people grouped up and gathering, etcetc...

But I like big game worlds.  I like exploring.  The problem is a lot of those big open spaces are just that.  There is no reward mostly for exploration.  There really is no danger either because you can usually turn around and leave an area when you realize that the monsters gathering about waiting for slaughter are too high level.

It goes back to what I have always wanted and am still waiting for in a MMO.  A richly imagined developed living breathing world.  One where I have the option to explore that vastness while others take the fast travel options available.  Where I can maybe die while I'm out there, run out of food or water if I stay out too long, be tracked by an angry mob of monsters because I accidentally trespassed into their lands.  To find rare hidden areas and items and clues and puzzles and things.  Just sticking a ruin out in the middle of nowhere isnt going to do it.  Okay, so it says something cryptic on the plaque on this statue in the middle of the mountains.  That means nothing usually.  The developers do not craft that richness into their worlds because they are afraid once one person figures out a puzzle it will get posted all over the web and it is a HUGE waste of developer hours and money.

I kinda have to disagree with that premise... all it creates are crappy worlds without a lot of intrigue and puzzle solving and ways to engage your brain.  Give the community some credit.  Yup, some people will post things everywhere, some will want to help keep the secrets they worked so very very hard for from everyone else.  So the solution would be to create puzzles and things that you have a programmed system in place for that you can change up every now and again without a huge amount of work. 

A lot of this stuff was done from day one in MUDs and MUCKs and MUSHes and things.  If it can be done there, there is no reason it cannot be done in a graphical setting as well.  And yes... the market has changed etc since then... but dont treat us like we just need a quick fix buttonmashing beautiful world to look at.  Some of us look beyond those things for the richer details that make creative visions come to life.