Wondered myself for a while)

You just need to "sign up" first, and only then enter your beta-key, using login and password you entered while "signing up" =)

Well, just my 2 cents. Most examples given by people here draw a bridge between MMOrpg and JUSTrpg. That's just not right. "Quests" in it's classic meaning should not even exist in a MMO. Because MMO (well, "good" MMO, game, where all letters in word MMORPG have a meaning and sense) centers on interaction of real humans, not human and NPCs. Just for example - small, very small part of what I'm talking about could be found in EVE. For example - ability to place bounties on other players if they do something evil. You see pirate, you see bounty on him, you kill him, you get the money. How that's not a quest? The system could be much more complex and deep, given proper game mechanics. If you could center your gamplay on bounty hunting, have some mechanics to find, track and ambush "bad guys"... The "base" of this "quest" is always the same, but given human factor - many hunts will and must be different. The example with building a castle goes this way too. The main problem is that ALL todays MMOs are far from being true MMORPGs. They are mostly brainless diablo-clones with persistent worlds\servers, nothing more. So nice MMORPG-quests are just question of genre evolving to next level... though I doubt it will come in a near future... if it will come at all xD PS. Can you even imagine a MMO with absolutely NO mobs or other NPCs? Thought so =)

Originally posted by Sovren1

It's like being a writer. Being a writer you have to create stories for any gender, race, creature, beast.

Nicely said =)

It's all about creativity. Some ppl see only a pack of skills, stats and equips on screen, while others always, maybe subconciously, give their characters "ghosts" (hello, GitS =)).

Personally, when I play a MMO, I always create some kind of backstory for my character, some reasoning like "why did he\she done this". It even affects this chars playstyle (for example, when I play rogue-class chars - they supposed to be greedy, bitchy and "every way to win is a fine way"-like, so I can easy kill someone with a backstab or steal someones loot ^,..,^). It's also about class - I too think that male-mages look stupid in robes, especially when almost in every MMO males are muscular and monkey-like... and, WTF? You want THIS guy to wear a robe?))) It's a nice option to be able to change constitution of char for such puposes, though the only game which I played in which this was implemented was Anarchy Online.

Well, and "yes", it's always more pleasing to watch females ass all day long, in place of male's ^^

It's really about aestethics - you want your char to look cool and so on. Now tell me, guys, are you able to measure women's beauty? Guess you are, though even it will be just your personal opinion. And now tell me - can you measure MEN'S beauty?))) Guess not. I hardly ever find males beatuful, my subconcious just doen't work that way. I see all males... dunno... the same, I can never understand why girls think than some guy is more cute than others... I just can't get it, I AM guy myself) So, back to the topic. Players always want they char to look cool and beatyful. It is, exept someone really wants to RP himself in the game. So, what do we get? Normal, geterosexual male without any mental problems, prolly wouldn't want to see himself "big, muscular and hairy", just because he's fine with what he is in RL. So, he will want to be aesthetically satisfied with his char. If a man can be aesthetically satisfied while lookin' at a "big, muscular and hairy" male all day long... then hell yeah, he is a gay))) We cannot measure male aesthetics, that is why we play female chars).

Besides, it can be really fun to act like, for example, dwarf or orc girl. When you see that some guy harrasing some female char, and what is worse - there is really a girl playin' that char, you can start running after him screamin' like "Come here, sweetie" and stuff like that, usually underaged kids (which usually are the ones, who try to date girls in a game) get really embarassed) And besides it's really fun to PK someone using female char, and it's not so shameful, when some fem char kills you fem char)

U guys miss a point... the PvP is not about achievements or loot. The meaning of battle for PvPers is... battle itself) Why do u think GW, one of the most popular and PvP-oriented games allow u to jump right into action without any farming?.. True PvPers don't give a damn about gear and such stuff. Casuals like to show off in the "great epic armor", not PvPers. We just like to fight, again and again. Losing is always part of that, and it is even funnier, when u lose - u try more, want to escape previous mistakes) And if lose one time (since there is no 100% balanced MMO, there is ALWAYS some % of game fault) and after that u can't PvP until u spend another couple of month farming... what's the point? Losing gear is nothing, losing ability to fight - is everything) All of u who wants full loot just don't understand the meaning of never-ending battle)

I don't mean that all teens are geeks, don't get me wrong)) I mean that there are always some players. who play 24\7, it has no connection to age) It's not about being afraid to lose something. I'm perfectly fine with EVE system, BUT eve is a very complex game by itself. To have some hard rules the game must be appropriate. Besides, in EVE u can really THINK, so u can lower the risks if u want, but get less fun. Or u can play risky and pay the price eventually. That is fine) AoC is, as far as i know, goin' to be action-packed hack'n'slash rpg. In this type of game full looting or permadeath are inappropriate, it's just gonna look like horses fifth leg, that's all) I really like hardcore games and roleplayin', but each game must be logical and complete. In this case, full looting is just not for this type of MMO)

Well, full loot is a nice and *realistic* idea. But do todays games have even a shard of realism? Don't think so) So why would u want realism in some parts, and none - in others? Would you like to have permanent death maybe? Guess not) The main problem in MMO, compared to single player RPGs, is the lack of balance. In singple player game u CAN be safe if u think the right way, u can survive in any situation, cause u got al the needed *tools* to survive. MMOs? Hell yeah, is someone REALLY wants to kill u - he'll kill u. Alone or with the help of friends, doesn't matter. U CAN"T be safe in MMO, no matter how good u play. Besides, I personally don't have much free time to play, i'm old and need to work) So if u say, that all my hard-earned loot could be easily taken away by some teenage geek, playin' 24\7, just because he got uber char insted of real life... Hell no, I'll never play a shit like that =) I'm a hardcore gamer, but if u want realism in some things - there must be realism in ALL things, that's the only way =)

Well, I played Rapplez till around 30 lvl, and I like it. The reason I stopped - no 2nd prof yet. New Epic is now in beta-test, so when it comes out - I'll check it out for sure. And recently I started to play Lineage 2 on official servers. My thought so far - I like Rappelz more) If Epic 4 will contain everything they promised - I guess I'll play Rapplez instead =) As to "why?".. In Rappelz I like a) Graphics, b) quest system, c) pretty interesting classes and RPG-system. Though it's kinda like L2, it.. "plays" more fun) I don't know, maybe it's just my taste) PS. The only real problem in Rappelz - LAAAAAAAAG >.<

Hey, GL, we all know know that you are GE's fanboy. But stop talkin' some nonsence. You want to say, that K2 isn't being ruled by lowly mercantile thoughts?.. No, that can't really be. Why? Because that subscribing type is just outrageous! 10$ or 15$ - there is not much diffirence. I don't think that I'm ultra-rich guy, but heck, I CAN afford to pay 15$\month for a couple of mmos. Not to mention, that internet alone costs me 30$\month and I can download only 2 gigs for those 30$, all that is above those 2 gigs - I'm paying extra for every single MB (yes, inet providers are diffirent in my country). And I still can afford this, but IF the game worth it. Yes, I like GE alot, but i don't like, when people take me for idiot. Why the heck should I pay monthly fee not quite significantly lower than other games and STILL don't get all the game has? What do I pay every month for? It's obvious that this subcribing type made for one clear reason - tu pump out more money. They like the idea of Cash Shops? Fine! But let me play free than, tough I want have all the features, that is quite normal. Or make another option - let me pay 15$ or 20$\ month and give me ALL the stuff from the CS. Why not, huh?.. I tell you why - they just want money. Customize for 6$ and play? Don't you yourself think it's not quite truth?.. They wouldn't create this idiotic pricing system if they don't hope to earn more than 15$. Much more. So I'll gladly pay 15$ not to feel myself "limited" in the game. But what they did - it's just dirty and cheap trick. NO respect at all to K2. If these guys think, that they can ask for more money, than, for example, Blizzard asks for WoW, and do such shitty job in the process - that's their right. But I'll not allow those leechers to make idiot out of me and I hope GE will soon fail as a franchise in the west. That will be a good lesson...

What's the point in writing it here?.. I'm game-designer myself (in indie-team tough =) and I will NEVER post my concept anywhere near public forums... just in case ^_^ Oh, btw - i hope u got Russia in list of medival countries, which players can choose? ^_^

"Serious MMO-Player...", "...playing 4 hour a day"... lol =) That's not "serious", that's casual =) I can harldy think that someone, who really like a game, can play it less then 2-4 hours a day :D And the list you gave - all the games there are pop. If you want a "serious" game to play - play EVE: Online or Ultima Online, otherwise - everything else on the market today is grinding sh*t. And if you want everything for free - go play all those korean grinders ;)

Sorry, guys, no offence, but... Those of you screamin' about "corruption", "leaving EVE" and other loud things... I'm just gettin' a feelin', that you "has absolutely no life" ;) DEV cheated, maybe. So what? There are 30000+ players online, I personally doubt that I'll meet someone of the DEV-team very often... I play this game from time to time cause I can't play it 24\7, tough of course I would like to =), if I had much free time. I don't have napoleonic plans to rule half of the EVE galaxy or be ultra-rich or something. Cause it's too troublesome. Cause it's too damn cometetive. The good thing about EVE is that it has very slow gameplay - no rush needed. So you can play it "for fun", and no "for grind" or "to be #1". My point is, most part of the players won't even notice this - yeah, some guys got cheaty stuff, so what? Did I personally lost something? No. As many other players. This is not life, this is just a game. Corruption in real life - I can't stand it, yes. Corruption in game? Doesn't really bother me. I'm sure, even without cheats, DEV's are on a such level, that only mega-turbo-mmo-geeks with no lives can achieve =) I never was goin' to that level for a couple of years, so why would it bother me? Yes, ppl who play games 24/7, who talk about "achievments in game", about "skill" and so on - yes, they would cry like a babies - "Ohhhh, evil DEV!!! I achieved SO MUCH in this game!!! I value it all very-very-very much! But you broke my heart!!! U CHEATED!!! You made all my ACHIEVMENTS (oh yeah...achievments... in game...lol) look like they dont worth anything!!! *crycrycry*" =)) Games are supposed to bring fun. To achieve somthing ppl got work to do, they play games to relax. So there's no big deal if someone cheated in game - let this be their personal sin =)