I don't hate Wow, but there are certainly things about the game that really annoy me.  They annoy me to the point that I just log out and go play another game for a while.

1)  FotM OP classes that have been OP since the release of the expansion.  The class + gear creates such a margin vs other classes, that player skill is almost taken out of the equation altogether.  They know that nearly every other player they face (that isn't their class) is gonna die, easily. 

2)  Spec's of classes that are seemingly underpowered in PvP, Arena, etc.,...  There are a few class spec's that are just so 'underwhelming' that only a very small % of the players using those spec's are able to succeed.  If these players want to see any serious degree of success in PvP-Arena's, then they are forced to play a spec that they simply dislike. 

3) 

I don't see anything in Aion that makes it stand out from any of the other MMORPG's that has been released in the last 3-4 years.   Okay, other than... wings.  

If Aion wouldn't have been hyped and released as a top tier MMO, I would've probably not paid any attention to it... at all.  I would've simply lumped it in with the rest of the grinder/Free2Play type games. 

I'm sure there are a lot of people that enjoy the game.  While I'm extremely happy for them and glad they found their new mmo-home, I'm just not enjoying Aion myself.  

Do I think Aion is terrible?   Not necessarily.  But it's also not a game that I would recommend for a friend to try.  In my opinion, Aion feels like an odd blend of EQ2, FFXI, and WAR, imho.  A watered down blend of those other games... with 1/2 the features, + wings, and cinematics. 

And yes, the population of gold farmers is really a big turn off.  My first few minutes in game each play session = adding spammers to the ignore list. 

If you don't enjoy WoW anymore... then take a break.  Walk away for a while.   When you come back, the game will have changed and new features/functions will be added.  I've done this several times.  I've even stepped away from WoW for a few months here and there to check other games out.  I keep coming back because the other games simply failed to provide me with an experience that really matched the one I get from WoW.

No, I wouldn't rank Blizz as #1 in all categories that I would rank MMO's on, but they do their best to service about 80-85% of what gamers need.  They attempt to 'balance' the game for the hardcore, the casual, the vet, and the noob.  They continue to rollout services that have been requested by players. 

If I were to knock Blizz and WoW at this point... it would probably be for lack of character customization and/or methods to really make your character 'yours' (different than the other 13,000,000 players).  I would also like to see a few more classes added to the mix.  I love that we'll see a few more races, but I'd also like to see another class launched with them, honestly.  Too much to ask?  Not after 5+ years. 

Overall, I still enjoy playing WoW.  Solo or not, there is usually something for me to do in-game.  I mean... there's always Barren's Chat or Trade Channel, eh?

Honestly... great moves.   Too little, too late?  Probably. 

The game had a lot of potential.  It really did.  IMHO, the game just cut too many corners to really fill the gaps  and make it a solid MMORPG.

As others have said... the populations are low.  They are so low at this point that I wonder more about the game's longevity as opposed to whether or not I would enjoy playing it again.

A game is really only as good as the sum of its parts though.

You'll never please all of the people all of the time... if you can please 80% of the people about 80-85% of the time, then all is well. 

Some people may not care about art work, visuals, city layouts, character customization, armor appearances, or how the game was written and how it works with current hardware/technology.  Personally, I do. I'm glad development cycles are being spent in this area.  I also, however, hope that it's not taking away from playable content, lore, loot, character development, PVP/PVE, etc.,..

A vampire-centric game really would be great.  As opposed to a Vampire (good) and Vampire (bad) game... why not offer a slightly more open game with more 'factions' involved?  Vampire (good) vs Vampire (bad) vs Humans (vampire hunters) vs NPC/PVE (other supernatural forces, werewolves, changlings, humans of various types (some might be vampire slaves/protectors). 

I think this could be done.  I think it would have a chance... a very good chance, honestly. 

The setting would be key, imho.  Are we talking old world or current timeframe?  Are we talking recreating our Earth and utilizing that? 

Something along the lines of Vampire of the Masquerade would be quite cool. 

...

Off topic... Whoever mentioned a Highlander game... could be cool. But if there 'can be only one'... how cool would it really be?  I would see this as more of a FPS-ish game like Call of Duty.  Each round you (team v team or every man for himself styles) you would simply fight until only 1 player was left alive.  I mean, surely someone could manage to create a MMO out of this, and I would certainly look at it... but I'm just not sure how that would be done. 

The vampire-genre just seems like 'low hanging fruit' at this point for some dev to come along and snatch up.

Overall, the article was 'okay'.  Seemed like the article went into a 'preaching to the converted' mode for a bit, but not a bad write-up on whole.

SWG is an easy target.  It's also been a valid target since the CU and NGE.  I was once a big fan of SWG.  I still just can't see why Sony didn't do something to roll back the servers in some way, shape, or form.  I think everyone wonders that.  Anyway... any SOE/SWG bashing that takes place = good times, imho. 

I know there are still SWG fans and players out there.  I guess they like their game, and that's cool... I just miss the old system. 

You have your objective... hit cap, pvp, raid, get gear, etc.,..

The software companies have their objectives... sell copies, keep sub numbers up and growing, keep players sub'd to their game month after month, sell expansions, MAKE MONEY!

If you were get 'end game' right off the bat with games... you'd quit within a few months.  You'd get bored quickly.  Look at all of the game hopping with games as they currently are.  Going from 0-cap level in no time flat would result in catastrophe for gaming companies and the overall landscape of MMO's (bad for players, too). 

Pay to play.

Research the game, view footage, read forums, read reviews, etc.,... If you are truly upset over having to pay to buy the game, then take the time to 'research' prior to purchase. 

If they gave away 'free to play' or 'trial' accounts, then the 'gold farmers' would absolutely ruin the game from the get-go. 

You'll also have a ton of kiddies running around 'lost' and spamming how the game sucks... if it's too complex or doesn't hold their hand enough. 

I'm not saying the game needs to be 'hard-core' or anything overly complex... but I do hope that requiring players to purchase a key prior to playing will equate into a better audience/player pop (at least at first).

They also need to move boxes/sell copies and make stock holders happy.  The other thing, they have to have a ton of sales so that sites like this will shout 'eleventybillion sold!!!!!!!!' and the 'wow killer is born' posts/articles will begin.  Okay, so this last paragraph lost some focus...

Anyway... buy the box if/when you are able to make an educated decision on doing so. 

Originally posted by AtrusV

Sounds like interesting news about the changes in old-azeroth..... but in the other hand, there are things that breaks the lore (beyond the cataclysm itself)

 

Tauren paladin...... WTF

Tauren priest...... sounds very strange

Orc mage......???? did the BE teach magic to the orcs? are they enough smart?..... well, if there can be warlocks..... na, this is a stupid change trying to regain players from other games

Gnome priest..... they don't believe in any religion, just in technology, but i expect this from blizzard, they want that every race could be healer

Dwarf shaman.... ridiculous

Dwarf mage.... hardly believable, but it could be possible

 

 

Human hunter.... truly necessary, it was demanded from long time ago, and it fits with the lore

Undead hunter.... the same as the human hunter, Lordaeron should have had hunters

 

 

 

Good revamp for Azshara and many zones, well thought about flooding the thousand needles (and the salt lake i suppose)

 

 

 

Gnomereggan..... so many years to recover your city ? even your king could have solo-ed it. At least, it's a good change

Agree 100%. 

The new races will help make this interesting, too.

I just hope Blizz doesn't make these changes at the risk of crushing/abusing the lore.  If they bastardize and mix the classes much more, it won't matter what race/prof you roll... end game will be the same.

Changes to 'vanilla wow'/old world are needed.  I can't wait. 

SWG is still alive because of the 'Star Wars' name and because there are 'Star Wars' fans.  The game itself is terrible... I say this after having played for years and many returns to try it again.  When the new Star Wars MMORPG (SW:TOR) launches, I think SWG will be a thing of the past.

As for the article... no bitter SWG Vet will be happy with an article on the game unless it is a landslide and open/all-out bash vs SOE and the game as it is today. 

I'll have to agree with the other poster on this topic... the article really doesn't offer any information of value.  I mean, there's nothing in this article that brings anything new to the table.

As someone who has played (and continues to play) a Shaman as their main character, I really hoped to see something more from this article.

Suggestions:

Do a deeper dive on the 3 different Shaman builds:  Resto, Elemental, and Enhancement (not enchantment... for the same n00bs that spell rogue "rouge"). 

Discuss some of the key abilities in each tree/build. 

Discuss the key stat's for each build.  Maybe itemization would be good to go over? 

I might also discuss the player perspective on PvE vs PvP with each build.

I would give players an idea of what to expect at cap levels with their shaman. 

Can they top charts on DPS/healing as spec x, y, or z?  Will they perform well in arena's as spec x,y, or z?

Which classes will be toughest to deal with as build x,y, or z in PvP?  Maybe some strats for handling them?

Which Northrend factions/reputations should a player be concerned with capping first?  Which ones give the best benefits?

Which professions really benefit the Shaman most?  OR... which prof's are ideal for build x,y, or z?

There really is a lot that could've been written here.  Maybe a revision is in order?  Or was the goal to give the writer a chance at cutting their teeth on this article?  Either way... more information is required in order for this article to have any kind of hook. 

I think I play WoW because there just isn't any other real option out there that works as well as WoW does.  Like nearly everyone else here, my disclaimer is that I have tried just about every other MMORPG on the market. 

When I try a new game, I look for the 'hook'.  Either I have failed to find a hook strong enough in the other games go keep me playing them (away from WoW) OR the other games have failed to provide said hook. 

WAR, AoC, and some of the others do things a little differently from WoW in certain areas... but they all feel 'incomplete' by way of comparison to the overall WoW package.  When I play a new game, I kind of expect to find everything that I liked about WoW in the new game PLUS new additions, features, and the special flavor of the new title... something to set it aside and make it it's own thing.  Build on the success of other MMO's, namely WoW, and just 'do it better'/newer. 

In short: Games that come out without features already offered in existing games are 'incomplete', imho.  New games should offer what existing games offer as their base level, but then bring NEW and FRESH ideas. 

So, really, what keeps me playing WoW is the fact that most other games don't offer what Blizzard does with their game.  I do think there are still things that make WoW slightly less than a fully satisfying game, but it's the closest thing to a 10 on the market today, imho. 

Originally posted by NasherUK

I havn't noticed a drop in population at all, even if they did drop to 5 million that is still more than tripple any other MMO's numbers (I think the next highest is at about 800-900K subscribers).

Quite funny how Blizzard now have the power to rally so many people to their cause in China by simply turning their servers off :P

They should continue to hold the servers hostage until they agree to allow Panderen into the game. 

Maelstrom and Emerald Dream are the obvious front runners in the rumor mill for the next expac.  I  don't really have a preference here, tbh.  I can see a lot of promise for either. 

Other thoughts on what could/should be....

Races: Worgen/Goblins  (I still wish Panderen were an option.  Apparently they aren't due to some sort of religious issue with Asian culture.  What about cows and Tauren being in the game with Hindu/Indian culture?) If Maelstrom is the choice for the next expansion, then perhaps Naga will see a go as a playable race? 

If we're discussing new races... what about new classes?  Or... what about simply advancing the classes we have with heroic quest-lines?  Druids and Mages could somehow become Arch-Druids and Arch-Mages.  Maybe rogues would finally become a Pirate or a Ninja?  Paladins could become Blood Knights or Death... doh, nvmd.  Anyway, new classes would be nice to see and I thought those were promised already?  Essentially all of the 'hero classes' from Warcraft III were to be intro'd into the game, from what I remember. 

The treadmill effect that everyone refers to will kick in.  I don't know how Blizzard would avoid it, especially if we are advancing 10-20 more levels.  It's obvious, however, that the players who worked hard to get the best gear in WotLK will have a huge advantage through the first several levels in the expansion... it's a big edge, imho.  No, it doesn't excuse some of the big complaints with 'treadmilling', but it at least helps.

Blizzard has done a lot to help make levelling 'less painful'. But they haven't done much to reward player loyalty... in short Blizz hasn't done much to offer 'vet rewards', imho.  So, to address this, they could find a way to let people who have reached 'cap level' to grant levels/xp to their alts.  I would also like to see reputation be transferred down, too... almost as if your account represents a 'family'.  If you have 1 character on your account (on a realm by realm basis) that is exalted with a rep, maybe the other characters start off as at least honored with those same factions/reputation groups?  On a side note for 'vet reward-esque' itmes/benefits, I will say that one of my favorite things in the game has been heirloom items.  Love the hell out of them, tbh. 

Attention to detail and the 'little things' would be nice.  I'm talking about the ability to make your character standout from the millions of other WoW players.  Character customization... tattoo's, armor dying, scars, height/weight adjustments, more hair options, and maybe 'appearance' items (that don't offer stats, but you wear them over your armor for looks).  Player housing?  Guild halls?  What about last names for characters? 

Sanya Weathers for President! 

Another great piece of work! 

I think RP servers are really a strong step in the right direction for most games, but I do think that additional tools should be in place for players that want to take it 'a step above'. 

I'd also like to see an age or maturity filter in place on RP servers (really, all servers).  I think this would help a lot, too. 

It's really too bad that WoW doesn't do more for guilds in game.  I mean, I see the tabards, g-banks, and really... that's about it.  There should be guild halls... places where guilds can go, meet, earn trophies to display and mark for their accomplishments as a collective,  etc.,...

The majority of things that bind/bring a guild together as community really take place outside of the game.  Guild websites/forums, Vent/Teamspeak, and raid-progress tracking sites.  WoW has the Armory, but what else does it really do for guilds?  Not very friggin much.

I'd like to see more from Blizzard for guilds in the near future. 

Raid for what? 

DKP?

Armor sets that look like complete crap.  And you really don't have much choice in what gear you want to wear, if you want to be on top of the heal/dps etc.,.. meters. 

Raid strats that you must follow... each and every time you go in.  X number of this class, that class, etc.,... go here, do this here... Yawn.  No excitement... just paint by numbers.

Sit on your ass for 3-4 hours looking at the same scenery. 

You may or may not get jack sh*t out of your 3-4 hour investment. 

You may play your part to the max and perform flawlessly... if your raid-mates don't do the same, then you're screwed.

Did I mention lack of choice in armor/gear?  Sure, in the new dungeon there are hundreds of pieces of armor and gear, more than all of our last expansion!!!!!!!!  And I can wear how many of those?  I can actually equip and use how many of those with my class and my spec?  Very limited. 

If you have killed the boss once... the epic/heroic 'awesome' feeling dies, just as that boss does the first time you take them down.  Is it really awesome to need to run a dungeon 30-40 times (at least) to get everyone geared? 

Maybe I'm just fried and burned out on the whole idea of raiding, but it just stopped being fun for me... at all.  I'd rather roll alts and level to 10-15 or make lvl 19/29 twinks before I'd raid again. 

I hate the fact that most games penalize you for grouping... lower your xp per kill, kill your share of the money looted, etc.,..

How does Earthrise handle those issues?