A conversation about MMOs: Why the WoW leveling/raiding model works so well

I agree with some of his points, but I disagree with some as well.


"[10:48] Gallenite: But that still goes to my point - It’s great they did that with stories, but so much of the MMO experience is visual. Replaying inside the same visuals simply doesn’t have the same effect on user engagement."


WoW 1-20 involves, on horde (for example), doing your starter zone and then doing barrens. There are two instances (WC/RFC) that you can do during that time.

AoC 1-20 does focus on tortage, but there are the ruins / white sands / Tortage day / Tortage night and a few other places you go to.

I just don't think he really gave it a fair assesment. The other problem is that 1-20 in AoC takes like 5 hours or less, certainly less (IMO) than WoW does 1-20 a lot of times.



Some of the stuff they are saying as well seems silly. 4 Different starter zones period? Why? I understand alts and all that, but starter zones are such a fast experience.


Some of the points he brings up are good, I'll give him that. Obviously as a developer he knows his stuff.

I also like how they bashed Daily quests in AoC when WoW is full of them. Sweet sweet Hypocrisy.


Also, while I do think there should be enough quests to 1-80 comfortably, I do find that I have had so much more fun grouping up in AoC then in WoW. In WoW it seems as if it REALLY penalizes you for doing a group for questing and other general stuff. You never see people doing it except for instances.

The double edged sword is that while questing from 1-80 (or 1-70 w/e) is very convenient it also means that classes end up learning a lot less about themself. Finding a warrior who has no idea how to tank, or a priest who has no idea how to heal is a common occurrence in WoW. While I won't say it never happens in AoC (tanks seem to be having a difficult time sometimes... hah) I would also be willing to bet that the grouping nature of the game higher up helps players learn their class in a group enviroment.

So many times in WoW a person will solo 1-70 and then have no idea how to perform in a raid.

Either way this is mostly just a conflict of opinion here. WoW's method of questing easily is perfect for people with unpredictable schedules, or those who don't really want to get a group.

The good thing is that you can, honestly, solo most of the way up in Age of Conan. If you wanted to you COULD solo 1-80, but it'd just be pointless. Either way I find grouping and being, well, social to be much more fun in AoC. Of course part of that reason is that it encourages group PvP which happens very consistently where as in WoW it's practically frowned upon.

Alright...I don't know the dev guy so I'm willing to cut him a break. I don't innately respect any SOE dev, or any dev for that matter, until they have earned it. I do not want another Julio Torres or Toilet Boy. That's all I got to say.

I don't think it's an issue of "wow-loving". Even if you hate WoW, it's not like you can deny it's a raging success, and they're analyzing why that is. Obviously if you list reasons something is a success it will be praise.

Also, this Qhue person doesn't seem to know much about anything.

@ Nadril

He wasn't dissing dailies in AoC while proclaiming them in WoW, he was saying that the time/reward ratio isn't there in AoC. It is in WoW in the form of Badges of Justice, which are used to buy particularly strong items without the need of a 25 man raid.

Also, everything you said about the difference in PvE grouping between the two is a matter of opinion. There is virtually no need to group in AoC outside of a few instances and "elite" areas...same as WoW. They have that in common, whereas PvP is different, being that AoC is marketed and built as more oriented towards it.

@ rinks

The market is more visably mature because players no longer have a tolerence for a game being broken and without end game content. Most of AoC's target audience are WoW players...they're used to a certain standard which Funcom isn't upholding.

The whole "Fooled me once..." comment is in regards to releasing major content at the end of a life cycle and expecting people to jump on it with enthusiasm, knowing that the expansion will come out and make that content and gear trivial. I.E. how many people do you see going into Naxxramus and Ahn'Qiraj?