Maybe it is simply human nature and genetics that cause us to hate each other for no good reason. I mean, why would anyone hate and harm another of their own species based on the colour of their skin? I can think of no good reason, except some twisted evolution of the hunter/gatherer species.

Why is his behaviour so prevalent in the gaming community (and probably no other)?

Because in real life, we generally do not go around being openly abusive to other people in the street, because of consequences. Go up to someone in a bar and describe how you intend to do something to his mother involving intercourse and eye sockets, and see what happens.

But the internet is free of consequence. I can call you a string of expletives, or rearrange your sexuality for my own amusement, and the worst thing that will happen is I will get banned from this forum, and perhaps my IP forwarded to relevant authorities.

Apart from that, except for giving you my address, there's not a damn thing that will happen to me. So I am proverbially free to do as I please.

Perhaps, for those of us that grew up before the internet age, we understand consequences better. In the school yard, if we called someone a bad name, we either received a punch on the nose, or some form of punishment. These days we have kids sending round gang-rapes to friends via cell phones.

The sad thing is, I don't really see how this situation will improve. It is up to us to take responsibility for our own actions, and simply learn to behave better. Because let's face it, screaming about a game's lack of features pales in comparison to having your home washed away by a tsunami, right?

Orrr.. you could just quit whining, and give it a chance when it comes out?

Maybe it's also useful to point out that Trion have simply, an purposefully done what Blizzard did: take all the fun aspects from different games, and combine them into one polished, functioning product. This one just happens to be an almost total copy of WoW, because Blizzard did it before Trion.

That's not exactly a secret conspiracy, just a good business decision, and good timing.

But if you don't want to play a different flavour of WoW, then don't play Rift. :)

I knew when I got into the game that it was going to be a lot like WoW. That's ok, I enjoyed my time in Azeroth. I like the addition of Rifts and Invasions, so this game will suit me for a while, plus I only play a few hours a week, so I don't have to worry about boredom. But I know full well, that when GW2 arrives, I will be saying goodbye to Telara.

Where the hell am I going with all this I dunno.. who cares, just enjoy the journey, people. Play a few hours a week, and combine it with a job, sports, other hobbies. Anything so that you don't end up playing every damn night and max within week one or two of release...

We've been seeing these kinds of threads ever since SWG's multi-profession system (BH vs. Jedi whines, anyone?), and maybe even before that.

Trying to balance a multi-class system to everyone's liking is nigh-on imopssible.

I don't know if the OP played SWG, but trust me, you do NOT want the same situation, where for a year or two, the devs simply nerfed or buffed Bounty Hunter or Jedi, back and forth without end, leaving other professions to rot (it took them 4 years to add actual smuggling to the Smuggler profession, for example). Class A whines that Class B is overpowered, so devs nerf Class B. Class B then bitches about Class A's buff, so devs nerf Class A.. see where this goes?

I don't mean to sound cruel, but in all these years of MMOs, the most positive way I've found to handle multi-class game balance is to simply deal with it, find a way to become better, or just take a break from that aspect of the game (or the game itself), and get out more.

Nobody likes to be one-shot, DoT'ed or spiked into oblivion without a chance to retalliate, but sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.

I mean, it's cool to discuss balance and imbalance as a means to improving the situation. But if people just bitch about it, all you're gonna acheive is becoming more pissed off, and stress ain't healthy, man.

To the OP: a lot of your complaints are naturally subjective, but it seems like you're not enjoying the game. I would suggest moving on, or playing less and doing something else.

(Seriously, can you believe that Dr. Phil gets paid tons of cash to dish out obvious, common sense advice like I just did?)

Agreed, but anything is better than nothing.

Like, back in the early days of SWG there was no real content, no quests, just occasional quirky little missions from a few npcs, and the rinse-repeat terminal stuff. And for some reason, to many of us, it didn't matter, there was still so much to do and build, and we did it together.

This is the kind of feature that made me consider subbing. In my opinion, all MMOs should have some variant of this feature set. PvPers could create PvP matches and battlegrounds, Roleplayers could create story-driven quests, and genocidal gamers could create small rooms loaded with chainsaws and ewoks.

It's actually quite cheap, considering how damn good it is. And the book is only about a half inch thick, and landscape A4 format. So not heavy or large by any means.

I have the GW2 art book, and it is clearly apparent how much place is given to art development at ArenaNet. Art is meant to take you places, emotionally, inspirationally, and otherwise. And that's how  always feel when I look at GW2 art.

Why always the big deal about 'sex sells'? Men like boobs, and most gamers are male.

Of course that's a little simplified, but it's true for a majority, and that's what any product aspires to reach: the majority. More boobs = more interested males = more units sold.

Have fun, enjoy (man)boobs. The end. Ithankyou! :)

Bioware, take notes and add this feature to SWTOR!

On-topic: this is a very cool feature to have in a game. The one they added to SWG was also great, but alas, came way too late. Kudos to Cryptic for this.

Gotta admit, TERA does look quite delicious.

Very interesting business idea, to first make a single-player RPG, to bring people in, and then nudge them into an MMO version. Very smart.

As for the game, I'd be totally happy if it were nothing like Dragon Age. I've been into fantasy game for over 20 years, and I love Bioware products (ME for the win) - but DA was the most dull, uninteresting, lifeless and utterly generic piece of fantasy ever! Four races that all looked the same, except for being short (dwarves), pointed ears, etc etc..

Anyways, I had forgotten about this project, so thanks Jon!

Wait.. so you pay a subscription, and they also ask you to buy non-expansion content?

That's poor. Very poor.

Paying for an expansion and fluff items, I don't mind, but having to pay extra on top of a sub for actual content.. Wow.

Glad I didn't play this past the free month.

Not really a beginner's guide. More of a munchkin guide. Thanks anyway, though.

Originally posted by SuperXero89

The thing with Rift is I honestly DON'T see what it does better or WHY I should play it over WoW or especially upcoming titles like Guild Wars 2, TERA, and SW:TOR.

Of course, I never understood why WoW was such a big deal until close to five years after its release, so if Rift retains a great portion of its launch success, it may grow on me.

Or just play it until GW2 comes out. That's probably what I'll do.

On topic: I enjoyed the article. What might be nice, as an alternative, is to have two staff impressions that were opposed to each other - one for, one against. That would be interesting.

Enjoy the journey. Stop to smell the flowers..

Game isn't even officially released yet, so the devs have plenty of time to build on their creation.

Patience, young Popodoms.

Originally posted by Phry

hey, people have a right to blame someone else for their own mistakes.. its why they invented the word scapegoat after all... sheesh...

 

Just like people have the right to do whatever 'teh internets' tells them to do..

What I would like to know is where all this anal squabbling over 'reviews' and 'first impressions' come from? Why all the attention to terminology, and nit-picking just to score some 'told ya so!' points?!

What would you rather have: a little insight into the game after a couple days, or that the reviewer waits till after 6 months of playing, doing all the end game, and then writing the review? If we all waited for reviewers to play a constantly evolving game all the way through, we would never get a review, or it would be so damn late that nobody would care anymore!

If people mindlessly buy products based solely on a colourful little icon, then they're idiots. A fool and his gold are easily parted.

That little green icon with the thumbs up is a recommendation only! It's not a bloody commandment! Cut the writers here some slack, they do a good job overall. They're just trying to give you impatient MMO-junkies some information.

I read first impressions, reviews, and forum posts to help me make an informed decision, not to make the decision for me! If I buy something just because a little button tells me to, and it turns out to be rubbish, then I'm a dumbass. It's not MMORPG's fault!

The internet is such an awesome tool, but it has turned humanity into a raving bunch of impatient ingrates. Everything has to be NOW! But when we get it, it's not good enough! C'mon! As Eddie Murphy once said, "Have a Coke and a smile, and shut the f**k up!" ;)

Just read the review, take it for what it is, and use it to make an informed decision.

It's really easy, and popular, to bash SOE these days, but c'mon..

Shouldn't games be designed by people, and not gender types?

Fair play if the word isn't a trademark or something. I didn't bother to research or anything, just all seemed fishy to me, so I figured I'd whinge on a forum 'bout it. :)