Goals in games are what you make of them. My main goal playing an MMO? Have fun, enjoy it. Ok, here goes... I know we all hate them...an EQ story...

When I was playing EQ, I played for 3 years before I ever had a character at the level cap. While yes, it did take longer in those days, in those games to level, most of the 3 years was spent alting, BSing around with my guild, crafting, or going out and jumping off of really tall stuff.

Even when I did finally take an enchanter to cap, I had a bazillion AA trees to go grind for. I had no need to go raid, nor any desire to do so. I had likeminded friends and guildies, and a platoon of alts. It was fun.

Now, I did recently go back and give EQ another shot, but that game can't ever be what it was for me. Ah, Nostalgia.

Anyway, back to the point. My point was, the game and the goals were what we made it. "Hey, I need my group temp spell for my cleric, want to grind out some LDONs?" "Hey Com, DoN Missions tonight? "Yup" "Hey dude, we're making a bunch of level 1 gnomes for the Naked Gnome GM race, you coming? "Absolutely."

You can call EQ one of the biggest timesink Grindfests of all time, this side of Korea, but the Alternate Advance system (AAs) from EQ was and is one of the best implemented mechanics I've played in an MMO. Something not_raiding to do at level cap. Wow, imagine that?

But as far as, from the thrust of the article, about feeling as though you have accomplished something, I always felt a keen sense of accomplishment (and still do) when I help a friend reach their goals as well.

My 2 cp. sorry for the long post.