Patently Right

Is this game more playable than War of Angels was at "launch"? Or have Neowiz not learnt their lesson yet?

@The Ogre There's already enough NDA-breaking info on the cash shop for you to make up your mind. You just need to look outside the "official" outlets; forums would be a good start.

Four... I'd think, in five years. One took a huge chunk of at least two years (my first MMO -- which would probably be a recurring theme with other MMO gamers (admit it, you didn't know better)), and then, eh...

I bought a NDS lite for Pokemon Pearl/Diamond.

I shouldn't be alone in this, right? Right?

@Yog That in itself would only encourage the kid that they'll always have a guaranteed amount of pocket money per week, which leads to complacence and "I'll get it next time anyway". One week is far, far too short.

Chores is much better. Do a certain amount of chores = you get $5. Work for paying would definitely impact the kid in a way that'd both benefit the parents and their future.

@Daemodand Female thieves are the worst offenders alongside female elementalists, yeah. Kinda disappointed, and I'd probably roll a male thief just to avoid... that skinfest.

@hassaun2006 It's decent enough considering that it's an MMO, whereas for single-player games you'd be buying around a handful each year, and RRP for those are $60 already (depending on where you live.)

So, theoretically, instead of buying 5+ single-player games, you'd be buying 2~3 & an expansion for an MMO you can log in at any time without added fees. It's a win-win situation, even when in practice, unless you're the hardcore type who needs every awesome game that comes out.

Steampunk? No, let's take Bioshock 1, and create a heavily instanced MMO out of it. In each instance, you'll be surrounded by a group of around 20~ active players, who'll all represent some sideline NPC. Thus, the Bioshock storyline of doomsday repeats itself every two weeks, so that you, the player, will have to replay it constantly thanks to the server loop.

Say good-bye to dungeons, say good-bye to forced player interaction. No, the only real hero is you, the shopkeeper/random passerby/rich but insane freak, who's suffered enough of (insert mental illness; I suggest mild OCD towards your well-being) to create a meta-game out of simply living in the Bioshock universe. Attack your own foes, derail other players into similar insanity, and perhaps, maybe, escape the Groundhog [2 weeks] loop.

And if you do happen to escape, you'll be able to kill other players in a full-on, non-instanced PvP server. If you don't want that to happen, you're free to rebirth as a slightly saner player, and gain some perks in your multiplayer instanced world.

Now, to get that IP license...

@(Unverified) Until it affects gameplay and becomes a rare commodity in around a year (*bonus!* and fuels elitism within the community) and drives up the in-game economy's inflation process.

/everything-is-potentially-doomsday

Kingdom of Loathing thrives on this. That, alone, was my reason for quitting the game after two years of hardcore/casual/in-between playing. Last year, I still logged on for the year before's Crimbo at rock-bottom prices, but this year... that game's toxic, I refuse to go anywhere near it.

(Still a great game, but man, so burned out)