The Daily Grind: Do you have a love-hate relationship with an MMO?

EVE online, most definately. The premise of the game is great, which is why I keep coming back as often as I leave. But this is balanced out by the disengagement and steep learning curve. The universe is really primed for some great space opera-esque roleplaying, but the game itself isn't quite suited to a roleplayer.

I don't have a relationship with any MMO not anymore at least
Allods online used to be it but when they kept going and kept making unintelligent changes it went full on Hate

I wanted to love FFXIV but it just hates everyone and everything...

EVE keeps tempting me to come back but I know I'll be bored after a few days. Honestly, a "sandbox" mmo doesn't really work unless you've got the time and dedication to find a *guild* that knows exactly what their goal is and the path to achieving it. They're destined to be niche games, the mainstream (which includes me btw) wants theme parks

Be warned /rant incoming


I don't hate MMO systems per se ..those are just visions of different game concepts that I may or may not agree with. What I hate is some of the more negative aspects of the Industry and community....

On the industry side the propensity to flat out lie to the media and customer base to keep their nifty jobs making games just a little while longer, the use of the worn out excuse that “the mean old investors” made them launch the broken mess that they worked six years and spent 100 mil on... or the placing of some bimbo in a position of power in a development house despite the fact that she isn't a gamer and has no fucking clue how to make or produce games (I'm looking at you MYTHIC) despite the fact that there are legitimate women gamers that could successfully steer a development house.

On the community side: The Greed, Douchbagery, and downright disgusting behavior that permeates all MMO's. I mean what can you say about a hobby where a leading authority that has the ear of players and developers alike is a mean spirited fascist that takes every opportunity to point out how much more epic he is than the unwashed masses especially “the inferiors with disabilities” (I'm looking at you Total Biscuit) I know I know TB is just trying to sell more T-shirts... sorry there are better ways, and honestly he could stand on his considerable knowledge of what does and does not work in a MMO, and he knows it.

Is it any wonder that the only time MMO's make the news is when a developer offs himself, or when a couple tards kill their kid because they have to make the next level, and now we have a plethora of documentaries to highlight these wonderful attributes.
What MMO's were supposed to be when Lord British and Don Daglow first started and what they have become are vastly different things...and the difference is far from better.

EQ2.

I dropped my sub when Sentinels Fate was released and vowed never again to darken my doors with its shoddy itemisation, corrupt devs and meaningless progression. I had played since Desert of Flames and had been raiding since KoS, but it wasnt until TSO that i finally started getting frustrated, and with SF raising the level cap again, I decided i wasnt prepared to have all my raid gear made obsolete just so I can be forced to raid for new gear which is only an upgrade because they stuck in another mechanic and forced us to need it in order to progress.


That said I love the game. It gave me like 5 years of great fun, good friends, great experiences and kept me away from the risk of skin damage from the sun. It has the best guild system i've seen in an mmo, guild halls were brilliant even if they did empty the cities and it is where i learnt to MMO. I love the way combat logs were open and 3rd party programs like advanced combat tracker made me discover that I am *good* at poring over combat logs and optimising cast orders and whatnot, and that I enjoyed doing that. EQ2 made me the MMO player I am today and despite the fact that I know I can't go back as I would only be going back to disappointment and paragraph 1, it still holds a special place in my heart.

Sad eh? Yup.

I hate and love ALL mmos I've ever played. EVE, WOW, I love the action - massive raids or epic fleet actions are what I've always wanted from MMOs.

But devs insist on forcing you down hours, if not weeks, of grinding to enjoy those experiences.

I don't have any element of love or hatred towards a computer game. It's a hobby, it's about enjoyment. If I enjoy it I play it, if not I stay well clear. I don't understand why some people stay on a forum trolling a game long after they decided it wasn't for them.

What sort of life priorities do people have if they have emotional reactions to a computer game? Enjoy, or move on.

It would have to be World of Warcraft. I love the game when I'm leveling new content, my friends are playing. I hate it after everyone starts the raid grind and I've neared the end of the honor grind. I'm not much liking the Cataclysm events nearly as much as the events preceding the last expansion. It just feels like they are teasing me so I'll get one more month of play time to sit around staring at the unchanging landscape hoping that an elemental will pop up and I can kill it before the local mobs.

EvE online has gotta be the love/hate game of the universe. Such a brilliant game in terms of overall philosophy and where it wants to go. Unfortunately, the Devs, and most long time players think the game has to be a total pain in the ass to be legitimate. And just about every player in the game seems to have found something to both love, and hate. If you need proof, just visit the forums. Sheesh, what a bunch of negative bee-aaa-ches.

@halfcaptain:-

The question was whether we have a love/hate relationship with any games, and my simple answer was no, because they're just games. It is a fact that I only play a game if and for as long as I enjoy doing so - is that so weird? It certainly isn't pious.

I'm sorry if that approach troubles you, but it was a direct and honest answer to the question posed. Moreover, it was an answer that in no way told a bunch of people to grow up.