To begin, MMO's are changing too much, the classic structure is being destroyed with each new release with too many NEW features. I’m not a fan of the console-version RPG attempts at MMO’s coming onto the PC, top example being GW2. I think MMO designers now are trying to fashion the controls and gameplay too much like it’s a console RPG, they’re adding too much realistic combat, and realisticism, if that’s a word, doesn’t necessarily mean a better game. My preference in an MMO is the CLASSIC, knight, dragon, and spells 12 button hot-bar spell selections. That being said, I wouldn’t hate on, say, a fallout? MMO, or I loved Star Wars Galaxies when it was out, because it was the same set up, it had the same feel. That to me is an MMO, not just an action game with quests and other people.

     The feel of advancing your character, getting the best armor, finding the best spell rotations, knowing how the raid runs, or the dungeon flows, finding, or crafting new armor, and collecting the mounts, advancing the guilds doing dungeons etc. are all very rewarding, fun, and what I believe the ideal MMO would consist of. Developers are thinking too much about how they can make a NEW and FRESH design for an MMO, but the fault is, that structure was never bad to begin with. They believe the industry of the MMORPG is failing but the real hardcore classic MMO's Everquest, Asheron's Call (the first version), and World of Warcraft are in fact very successful and enjoyable. I find nothing has to change, and what they’re doing with the combat and realism just doesn’t have the same feel to me.

    “The GRIND” is known to be such a terrible term, but it’s really the most vital part of any MMO, nothing is rewarding, or worth showing off if you can get whatever you want, or if you can automatically just buy a new armor skin with real world cash when MMO’s have online stores like that, or even if all the armor looks the same, the “grind” is really what gives you a rewarding, good, feeling. I’m even mentioning just armors, but even weapons, or mounts, or titles or anything else the game has to offer that you can look forward to is only made worth getting if you’ve grinded for it.

    Things like this are what make an MMO fun, Runescape, has millions of players, lots of income, lots of loyal and loving fans (some not so much), and for a browser-based, relatively simple game, it’s success would seem impossible, but It’s success is entirely based on grinding, and in total, I respect that game. I have played WOW, SWG, Asheron’s Call, AC2, Runescape, RF, Rift, and Dungeons and Dragons online. These all remain with the classic style of MMORPG, and I would play these any day over GW2.

Word of advice. PARAGRAPHS!

I prefer the classic 3d MMO system.  Although i still play the "old classic" style game Ashen Empires from time to time.

Combo of Diablo & MMO .. like Diablo 3 .. and Marvel Heroes.

I like it. Action oriented MMO (or just online games) .. fun for me.

TLDR version?

Action Adventure Role Playing Games :)

I enjoy fast-paced combat, rich storytelling for the quests, enough freedom in the world to allow for sandbox elements/possibly user generated content and properties such as ships, housing, towns, castles etc.

So really, I can't vote in the poll as I'm still waiting for the MMORPG that has all those things in one place.

Originally posted by Starpower
TLDR version?

 

Delivered.

tl;dr Change is scary.

Originally posted by DeaconX

Action Adventure Role Playing Games :)

I enjoy fast-paced combat, rich storytelling for the quests, enough freedom in the world to allow for sandbox elements/possibly user generated content and properties such as ships, housing, towns, castles etc.

So really, I can't vote in the poll as I'm still waiting for the MMORPG that has all those things in one place.

Don't know about sanbox elements ..but marvel heroes have fast-paced combat, and rich stories written by comic book writers.

That block of text is just too much. I'll assume you mean combat. I can do action (like Tera Online.) Guild Wars 2's combat is NOT action. You can move around, but it's still the same as WoW/GW1. The dodge skill is just like activation a dodge spell that lasts for one second. Tera Online or C9 are true action MMOs where things actually have to hit you and theres accuracy stat.

 

I can also do the old style of combat like everquest, city of heroes, GW1, etc. Moving around adds something to range vs melee so i see that as a bonus, but would prefer action over psuedo action.

 

Speaking of Psuedo action (GW2, SWTOR, etc) I don't care for it, but can tolerate it.

 

Rare cases with turn based combat in MMOs (Fairland and atlantica (sp?) ). I actually love it, for the isometic gameplay. but would actually prefer action. I'd put it second place though. It certainly wouldn't fit some games well though. Maybe just isometric games.

 

 

Overall, it depends on how smooth everything GW2 and SWTOR isn't bad at all because the animations work well etc. Though GW2 is slightly better with the seamless attacks. After playing both, though, id say they're about equal, though  was soarly disappointed with GW2's combat because I expected more. anyway, you take an "action" game like Fallen Earth and it's very jagged and clunky and the combat is just goofy.

 

Overall it comes down to how smooth the combat feels no matter what kind it is.

WoW's shin kicking game, always rubbed me the wrong way. I prefer a more action oriented game, such as something like Lunia.

GW2 is a terrible example of what action based MMORPGs are about. Play Vindictus for a while before you write off action MMORPGs. You have not played real action combat until you played Vindictus.

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Originally posted by Novusod
GW2 is a terrible example of what action based MMORPGs are about. Play Vindictus for a while before you write off action MMORPGs. You have not played real action combat until you played Vindictus.

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Destructible environments. /drool. That's one of the biggest things I wanted for Planetside 2. Haven't played PS2, but I don't think they implemented it.

When I think of action-oriented, I think of games like Call of Duty (Great Ranged Combat) and The Force Unleashed (Great Melee Combat). Technology just isn't there to bring that type of combat into the MMO genre. This is why we constantly get these clunky combat mechanics when joining the two worlds.

Planetside 2 was a decent experience. However, it's still just too clunky for me.

I honestly don't play MMORPGs for the combat. That's why I have a problem with the new strain of MMOs, they're all about the combat.

Even when I'm doing combat, like possibly farming or grinding towards something, I'd rather nhot have it lean too much towards action combat. Rather keep it classic. WoW has it OK, Vanguard has it OK.

But again, the main thing is: I like having a lot of stuff to do outside of combat.

Hell, in EVE, I go weeks without *any* sort of combat at all.

 

haha will do

Voted old classic.  Honestly though for me the deciding factor isn't the combat.  It's the concept of a large multiplayer world rather than private instance bubbles and a lobby.

 

my thoughts were, gw2 may not have executed the perfect combat system, but the designers designed the game aroun that idea which is what made it the way it is,  i like the option of having a large selection of abilities on screen at once, i respect your post though as i may not have chosen the best ecxample of an action specific mmo

Originally posted by Arclan

 

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Originally posted by Novusod
GW2 is a terrible example of what action based MMORPGs are about. Play Vindictus for a while before you write off action MMORPGs. You have not played real action combat until you played Vindictus.

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Destructible environments. /drool. That's one of the biggest things I wanted for Planetside 2. Haven't played PS2, but I don't think they implemented it.

Nope they don't have destructible environment. I doubt that is doable in the size of the battle PS2 has.

It has a mix of vehicle (multiple players manned), character combat in a large battlefield and that is the drawing point.

Your right.

I didn't read any of that wall of text, but I will respond to say I prefer your old-classic UO style game.  I also feel that the EQ/DAoC themepark type game has its place.

 

New games are too action oriented like you said.  No time for socializing, its all about combat and killing shit.  I bet its fun for a lot of people, but it is not what I am looking for to fulfill my wishes for an MMO that is a virtual-world simulator like UO was.