Was agreeing with much of what you said until this statement:

"This may not be a big deal to hardcore eight year players who have downed every boss in the game. But it is a big deal to much more casual players and more importantly their kids or girlfriends."

Glad to know only hardcore gamers are guys. Fail there dude.  I guess women are suppose to only play fluff games and leave the 'real raiding' to guys. WTF?  You definitely dropped a few points on my respect meter.

I really hope it's just let the TOR hype die down and not fight it, and not a major issue.  Although if there is an issue that needs to be fixed, I hope they'll delay release until they get it right.

If they do another release like AoC, I think they'd lose all crediblity with the gaming community.  AoC turned out well, but what a horrid release.

That said, can't wait for this one. Niche market are not it's going to be awesome.

I'm kind of torn on the lifting the NDA.  On one hand it would alleviate any doubts people have on the quality of the game, but then I don't want at every turn to see the spoilers on the story lines, etc.

If it was lifted on the game mechanics portion that would be great, but again you know the day it is lifted the 'guides and how-to' spam is going to be awful.

I didn't buy the CE as there wasn't anything I really wanted.   I very rarely see things in a CE that I do need/want, but generally buy the next step up from the basic if it includes a mount, etc. (such as Trion did).

Honestly though if a Collector's Edition is just that it should be limited I would think in availability.  Maybe not a full Limited Edition but a Collector's implies something to collect which shouldn't be common.  So people that want to pay for the extras have the right to get them and flaunt them if they want.  Their choice their $$.

VirusDancer you're so correct >>

Tank Class A wants to tank as well as Tank Class B.

DPS Class C wants to DPS as well as DPS Class D.

Healing Class E wants to heal as well as Healing Class F.

The various arguments amongst classes such as Warriors and Rogues over who should do the most damage.  Then adding in the ranged classes.  These guys are always squabbling and arguing over things such as this.

People do not run damage meters for PvP.  They run them for PvE.  The same goes for healing.  Players are always arguing over the PvE side of the game - they want everybody to be the same, to be able to do everything the same - everything homogenized.<<<

Class balance is impossible to get, personally I'm looking forward to a skill based game.  As others have said if they change/nerf/remove a skill - learn a new one.

TSW is going ot be awesome if FunCom puts out the product I know they can versus the mess AoC was at launch.

Veterans rewards are a nice little bonus.  It won't likely change how people sub unless they reward you with some very generous rewards for multi-month.  Seriously if I was a month to month subber, I wouldn't up to a six months for one piece of gear.

EQ2 you get house items, mounts, xp pots, vanity wear, pets, titles - quite a bit for long term veterans or those willing to do the longer sub up front.

End of the day I'm glad TRION keep listening to their player base and adjusting accordingly.

You have to give Trion props for at least TRYING to have some variety to their content and to addressing concerns players have at endgame.

Not everyone has time for a strict raid schedule, but wants to see content so they're making solo/2 person raids.

They're also adding player housing, more 'things' to do - while a bit grindy but at least more to do at 50.

Trion has from the start listened and been responsive to their player base.  Is Rift an OMG game, no, but it's polished, fun and just different enough with the rifts to be interesting.

GW2 sounds awesome, and kudos for them of not following the accepted end game=raiding model.  Mentoring is wonderful (EQ2 has it and does make replay/grouping with lower level friends fun).

The WvWvW over a two week period.  I wonder how that will be scored?  Who holds it at the end?  That will result in a mass of people the last day I would think.  Holding a large scale zone 24/7 for two weeks, will be interesting.

Definitely can't wait for this one.  I hope it's all it's hyped to be.

Gee what a shock the female character is wearing high heels.  Where's the bikini?  Some day people (male developers/art directors) might, just might consider that gear can be great looking and not look like a 'ho in the red light district.

Otherwise interesting visuals, definitely has the 'asian' anime feel, if it's like Aion, I'll wait until it's out to try it.  

End game is almost always about raiding/PvP.  It's almost required in any new MMO to have Raiding, there are a percentage of people that love the challenge (multiple wipes, gear grinds, fight mechanics), the same as a certain percentage that love PvP.

The story lines sound interesting, appearance tabs (every MMO should have that), and some of the other features, should they pull it off, will make this a fun game.  It sounds like they're trying really hard to combine a role play game within an MMO world and trying to cater to everyone.  Hope they can pull it off.

If part of your character story arc/development is an option for a romantic whatever, then same sex should be an option whether you choose to use it or not.

In all honesty look at the number of G.I.R.L. players we have?  50-80% ?? of females in game are guys - some acting in very non-guy fashion.  What someone choses to play ingame is their personal choice,  It's just silly this is such a controversy. If it had been included I doubt there'd be so much chatter. 

Kids/teens don't have an difficulty a variety of relationship concepts, the it's wrong prejudice they learn that from their parents.

Glad to see LoTRO still on the list, and do believe we're fortunate to have such a variety of games coming down the pike.  Will they be as good as the hype - I surely hope so.

Agree with the list.  I'm planning on trying both SWToR and GW2, but think GW2 will have the better gameplay in the long run.  I didn't care much for GW, but what GW2 is showing so far - looks great.  I'm surprised they're releasing it as a no sub game, honestly.

As for the others on the list:

Rift is a fun game, but they need to up the variety of things to do.  The world feels small and if it turns into an endgame grind-fest it will lose alot of subs that have done the leveling play through.  The Rifts are fun, but after awhile, meh.  It was a great game at release, but it feels almost like an PC RPG, I've played it, enjoyed it, ready for something different.

WoW is WoW, it won't be going anywhere any time soon.  If you can avoid the 'tards and trade chat, there is still things to do in game if that's your choice.

LoTRO. Just resubbed and actually enjoying this game (third time trying it).  I don't think it's for everyone as it's a bit more complicated than the average easy mode game.

AoC. I'm glad to see it's still on the list.  I do feel they screwed this up at release and have been trying to play catch up ever since, sadly.

Secret World. If they can pull this off that will be awesome.

EVE still waiting to play that. It's been sitting on the PC for ....years?

All in all, I'm glad as an MMO gamer to have the variety and options we have now.   They aren't all WoW clones, but thank goodness WoW hit when it did and is big as it is, it mainstreamed gaming, bringing in lots of $$$ so developers can make more games for us to enjoy.

Love or hate Sony, you have to admire their commitment to adding new content to EQ2, and trying to find ways to keep in fresh.

It's always had the most variety to do in a MMO that I've played.  I for one am glad to see the new changes, and yeah to updating Freeport/Qeynos those are really needed.

It is unfortunate that there still is a perception that there aren't female's that game (MMO, FPS, etc) or that we're all FB social gamers.  It's sad in 2011 if even needs to be addressed, but to say the average game isn't marketed for the 18-30 male demographic is silly.  That is the target group and why the majority of both male/female characters are modeled to look that way.

The issue of armor though in game, while I will admit I do like it to coordinate and not look like a clown or homeless person compiled my gear, I really don't like the fact in many games 'female' gear looks like something you'd see in the red light district.  Seriously developers WTF????

I've been lucky over the years to have been in some decent guilds that didnt' judge based on gender, and many with a higher than average female population.  Was that the reason IDK. 

But in general I've found it safer not to state what sex I am in PUGs or PvP.  That seems to enrage or open you up for the steriotypical questions/comments.

Sadly though there are some 'girl gamers' that do like to cause drama in guilds with the flirting, helpless b.s., and the continual need to point out they are a girl gamer to anyone that will listen - usually with a link to their MySpace or FB account with photos to prove it.

The vast majority of gamers I truly believe just want to enjoy themselves, be treated fairly and judge on ability in game.

I really didn't find this an 'anti-WoW' article, some people are way to sensitive.  It's a fact in every MMO I'm playing at the moment that Faction gains, etc., are done through Daily quests. 

Is that a division between solo v group, maybe, but I think it's also an alternative to those that don't want to pug instances or have limited time but still want to work towards a specific goal (rep or faction, etc.)  

I know I pick/choose the Dailies I do in Rift (as I did/do with WoW or EQ2) as some I find tedious or a royal PiA.  Most dailies are designed be done quickly so can give people something to do between waiting for an instance/warfront, etc., or as an alternated to sitting in town.

Good article.

Originally posted by krondin

threads like this make me laugh out loud. I feel no pity for people who are "burned out" on rift or any game when i know 99% or more of them skip 75%+ of the real in game content anyway.  They dont dwelve into the story lines, they rush to level.....they barely read quests, cept to see where to go or what to kill..........They dont really care about faction or reputations, they greedily gather thier gear as fast as they can < usually at the expense of others time > then sit back and complain there is nothing for them to do!..... HA i laugh out loud! 

Maybe you people should give up online gaming period, its obviously not ever going to satisfy you anyway!.......I Hope you find what ever it is you are looking for  but i assure you gaming hasnt, isnt now, nor never will fill the gaps you all complain are leaving you with nothing to do with your time and get bored in mmorpg's.

Agree 100%.  Every time I read the 'how boring end game is' comments, I think why do you rush through?  As for not having enough end game content, OMG!  What MMO has ever released yet with a ton of eng game content?  Vanilla WoW? EQ? LoTRO?  Which one?  

If TRION had released Rift with 20 unique dungeons at end-game the complaint would be the same.  Look at the WoW expansions that people burn through in 2-4 weeks.  EQ2 has one of the broadest types of activities, and people complain about that too.

I'm only T2 geared, but I know I've skipped whole zones while leveling, haven't maxed crafting or faction/rep anywhere, just started on the Slivers, let alone the PvP system.  There is content.  I have an ex-WoW raider in my guild that express leveled in a couple weeks.  I know he didn't see 90% of the game (didn't even have portals anywhere). But its his choice. If he ends up leaving I won't be surprised, as I'm sure he'll say the same - 'not enough end game content'.

When did 'end game' become the bloody Holy Grail of gaming?  There's a whole world to explore, things to do, etc.

Personally, I think Rift is one of the best releases in years.  I actually think they could have made the leveling a bit harder, but at least you can reach max level however you choose - questing, instance, pvp, crafting, rifting - there is a variety.  Sorry to say any instance you have to do repetatively for gear in EVERY MMO gets boring.  I would love to have the boss mechanics different when you go in, but even if you have 4-5 different mechanics - people will still learn them - then complain.

I'd love to see Rift add more crafitng (cooking/fishing), housing, mor world pvp, more instances, more zones - but it's been out less than six months, I expect much of that will be added over time.

Maybe many of the 'I'm bored already crowd' should stick to the console play through once RP games.

 May give it a try again.  I did like Hyboria and the world FunCom created, but too many issues back at launch.

The big downer that I can see (and I do appreciate their reasoning), the lack of in game chat.  If people new to the game can't talk or ask questions, it can be frustrating at times.  

AoC Free FAQ

I haven't felt a sense of community in WoW for years.  Blizzard has made too many poor choices in how it treats it's player base that to me is both arrogant and self serving.  End of the day we're 'employing' them to entertain us and they're failing.

Cataclysm while I did like the rehab of Azeroth has been in a whole, boring.

My sub runs out in June, and I've barely been able to log in at all since January.  The gear grind is old, understandable, but why do BC content when Wrath greens are better, why do Wrath when Cata greens are better - they created wastelands of those expansions.

As someone pointed out at this age of the game, most people have leveled different race/class combos, so do you /delete them and reroll a new one?  I actually don't mind leveling, exploring, etc., but again new server or delete the existing ones?

Other games (EQ2, EQ, LoTRO, AOC) all seem much more intune with what their players want and give more variety of things to do in game than end game raid or end game raid.  (player housing, alternate advancement, long quest lines, collection quest and much better crafting)

Then there is Trion which has been exceptionally responsive to what their player base wants.  No they're not changing things for the QQ more crowd, but they seem to actually care what keeps the majority of players happy.  Example the free shard transfers.  What a concept!  Blizzard between the Battle.net fail and never ending nickel and diming for everything, changing things to the lowest common denominator, it's been pretty awful.  WoW has almost become a cash store based game without actually having it in game.  Definitely disappointed with the way WoW has been heading since Wrath came out, and more so with Cataclysm.

It's always been said only Blizzard would kill WoW, sounds like they're working on it.

Interesting interview.  It does sound much like every other MMO out there as far as instances PvP (which I don't mind as world pvp is so rare in most MMOs).

Honestly I was hoping to see a server that is open world pvp, no safe zones (after the start zone 1-10?) and maybe a 20sec debuff entering a zone for those with lag issues.  That's what a percentage of PvPers seem to want so why not have one server set aside for that?