Need a new (MMO) obsession

[Dani]

Or just a healthy obsession...

I've been absorbed in Aion (a MMORPG) for the past... oh... 7 months or so.

The game is clearly dying rapidly, I've leveled enough toons to make my fingers bleed and I feel like I've been continually grinding away waiting to be able to actually start playing the game. It's had many perks, many satisfying moments, but the servers are getting fairly empty, I've started fresh on the dark side because I had no-one to play with on the other side and now I have that dreaded grind-to-be-able-to-play ahead of me all over again. The game is much more rewarding to those who have no day jobs or real-life obligations. Motivation lost.

Now this was my first MMO and I've discovered it's a very satisfying genre of gaming for me, since I'm hugely attracted to being able to socialise and play with people in-game on a large scale. I am just not interested in WoW. I don't want to go there. It's chartered territory, massively, every man and his dog have been there... I find that unappealing (that and my vanity overrides the lack of character customisation and the cartoony models, next to aion, it's quite grotesque, character customisation is extremely enjoyable for me... lol).

I would give a "tl;dr" but you'd really need to read the above to give me a worthwhile response - I'm looking for suggestions on a new game... if there are any decent ones that fit what I'm after... a MMO - RPG, preferably. And most importantly, something that will make me feel a little more accomplished when only playing for a short period of time (2-3 hours a night). I know they make you spend a lot of time to get more subscription money but I also know Aion is excessively, ridiculously, massively grindy.

Not expecting a huge amount of responses but I just thought I'd throw it out there on palgn for the hell of it, so, any suggestions are appreciated! Hell... thanks for taking the time to read if you actually did...

[Shadow Wave]

if you're wanting a MMO that rewards you for 2 - 3 hours of playtime, I'm afraid you're heading into WoW territory.

This is what happened to me, I was like you playing a MMO that well wasn't the best it could be. Then I tried WoW, and thought it was just amazing. I played that for 2.5 years. Quit. 2 years later I thought I'd try another MMO (Aion) and I hated it, it just couldn't compare to WoW (no offense) I'm afraid once you go WoW, you can't go back.

But imo, it is the best MMO of the times.

Why don't you give a 7 day trial a go?
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[Dani]

Thanks.. I did, but I was still too smitten with Aion, I only spent a few hours playing the trial during Aion's server downtime one night.

I'll be honest, I really liked the actual game play in WoW from what I did play, and I've liked what I've heard about it, but I really am quite vain... the graphics did nothing for me, and I find that very unsatisfying... if I'd started with WoW I imagine I wouldn't be so picky, but it's not the case now. There is a reason I made about 14 toons in total over the 7 months in Aion, best game character customisation I've experienced so far. It's like creating a work of art and then proudly looking at it as you play everyday, lol.

[Mauii]

Give the Lord of the Rings Online trial a shot. It has everything you're after. Beautiful game, good for short stints.
Jump in the Elendilmir server if you try it, that's the unofficial oceanic realm, heaps of Aussies there.

[ObsoletE]

Lord of the Rings Online - it was probably the prettiest MMO i'd seen when i played it, even back on my old PC. fantastically large in scale, and awesome if you're a Tolkien fangirl, finding stuff from the books strewn through the country side (such as the trolls Bilbo argued with until sun-up in The Hobbit).
but, it's really more of a PVE players game. i'm not sure of your playstyle, but there's not really a PVP component. (well, there is, but it was severely broken when i last played - which was admittedly before the first xpac.)

Warhammer Online - sort of the opposite of LOTRO really. quite ugly, but on purpose - like the graphics are good but the scenery is quite ugly/twisted - i hope that makes sense.
mostly geared toward PVP play, but there is still a lot of PVE to do.
i'm not sure what the activity is like anymore though, i quit pretty early. (just couldn't give up WoW back then)

or wait for Star Wars: The Old Republic.
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[Frozencry]

WoW's art really shines in later areas, particularly when you hit Outland and Northrend. That being said, it's very far off.

My recommendation comes in the form of Champions Online, which I also reviewed for the site. That has pretty much the most in-depth character customisation I have ever seen in any MMO, and it looks really good too.

It's filled with a ton of different classes and sub-classes too. It's all based on creating your own super hero, and I ended up making a giant, 7 foot tall power-armoured, guns for hands dude with a sharks head and lions tail...and his transportation form was teleporting like night crawler. It was also hilarious how massive he was; he dwarfed most players around him.

I'd definitely recommend looking into Champions, it's pretty recent and from the time I spent was very stable (and I remember you telling me how laggy Aion was). Oh and grinding is easy and really fun; doesn't feel like a chore.

Here's the character customising vid as an example:

If you're not into that though, Lord of the Rings Online is pretty good, as is Warhammer, but I think Warhammer is pretty sparse in players atm. Not sure though.
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[ObsoletE]

ah i forgot Champions customisation.

you could literally get lost "playing" that for hours before getting into the game.
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[Quin]

If you look at Champions Online, make sure to have a looksie over City of Heroes/Villains, which are now a single game, ever since NCSoft took over from Cryptic Studios in running the servers.

While Champions Online has the 'ooh, shiny' factor behind it, CoX does have an advantage by predating Champions, and has had a lot more time to refine their gameplay mechanics down, with the 17th content update (i.e. 'Issue 17') happening today on the 6th anniversary of the game originally starting. This particular issue is rather special, as like EVE Online did a while back, NCSoft have updated the graphics engine (The optional "Ultra Mode"), giving a six year old game a new lick of paint for current PC technology.

CoX also has the Mission Architect, a means by which players can design their own missions and story arcs. While this is vulnerable to Sturgeon's Law (90% of everything is crap), there's some pretty good writers hidden amongst the player base, and this is actually quite an enjoyable way to pass time.

I can't say it's for everyone (I mean, if it was, it would have a far higher subscriber base, for one), but it might be worth a look, and more so if you don't get on with Champions.
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[ObsoletE]

ah i'm a noob - it was City of Heroes i was thinking of, not Champions Online.

stupid.
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[Scrav]

As someone who has been doing the MMO Circuit for last 7 years or so, there isn't really a lot out there right now that I'd qualify as worthwhile.

That said, I'd take a look at Final Fantasy 14 (which will be released later this year). Most people discount it believing it a rehash of 11, but most official sources I read from indicate a significant change in direction with a focus on the casual audience.

[grim-one]

The one MMO that I keep hearing about and keeps drawing my interest is EVE online.

It seems to be a high risk and reward game, where your effort can be swept away with a wrong move. You can go solo or join a corporation. You can mine asteroids, salvage wrecks, trade goods or take up bounty contracts. All the players are located in a single universe, unlike the server shards you get with WoW.

I also prefer the space setting over fantasy.
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[Vorpil]

FYI big sales on for Lord of the Rings Online and Guild Wars at the moment

Lotro - Game+both expansions+30days for USD$9.99
http://store.digitalriver.com/DRHM/servlet/ControllerServlet?SiteID=turbine&Locale=en_US&Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&productID=169163300&pgm=62344300&OfferID=4365349809&ThemeID=1244200&Currency=USD

Guild Wars 50% off on steam - Trilogy for USD$19.99, individually for USD$9.99/$14.99
http://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=guild+wars

PVP-centric Guild Wars is not for me personally, but lotro has a great PVE component that rivals wow, so I recommend giving that a shot.

I'd also advise you reconsider jumping on board the WoW bandwagon when cataclysm comes out when all of the lowbie areas will be overhauled to their latest standards. Ultimately, wow is still heads and shoulders above all other mmos, but better to wait until the cataclysm where levels 1-60 will be much more interesting.

[mantra79]

I'm also looking for a new mmo although i think i'll wait for the old republic/ guild wars 2/a secret world, nothing else interests me at the moment. After not having played Aion for about three months and with the new patch around the corner i have re subbed . I'm shocked to see how many players have left although my guild is still very active and almost has the full amount of players which is good. I was going to look at the bleached ravens to play my tank on until i seen yesterday it was no longer active. Allods online is worth a look for a free to play mmo, other then that i'll be holding out for the betas for the new ff, guild wars 2 and star wars. I cant believe you turned asmo!
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[Dani]

[mantra79]

If the aion servers are forced to merge that will be the death of the Australian aion community, i just want to reach 50 and then i'm done with aion. Let us know how the test servers go, hopefully it'll bring some players back. You can always play a great single player rpg like the witcher! I almost forgot about tera online its looking to be shaping up quite nicely but probably wont release until early next year.

Heres some interesting info on GW2
http://www.arena.net/blog/guild-wars-2-design-manifesto
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[Dani]

[Marka]

I just started playing Wow again after about a 2.5 year spell from scratch with a new account. It's nice to see all the changes they have made to make things more convenient like mounts at lvl 20 and the dungeon finder tool. Too bad the players it source from other realms are often abusive jerks who just do whatever the hell they like.

[Kikujir0]

I've played WoW off and on for the last 5 years, but luckily I quit for good beginning of this year, if I were still playing it now, I would sure as hell be failing my uni courses atm.

If I can get my schedule intact by the 2nd semester I may just pick up SW:ToR or FFXIV, but chances aren't too high. But I would be waiting for those too if I wanted to play another MMO.
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[Scrav]

If you don't mind waiting until 2011, Heroes of Telara is looking to be a big hit, with some key people in the MMO industry behind the design.

[Scrav]

As a bit of an update, I'll chime in with the others who suggested LOTRO. I restarted my LOTRO subscription last week and got sucked right back into it. Beautiful world with solid content. I love the way deeds work - one of my favourite alternate advancement systems.

Admittingly my highest character before quitting a few years ago was level 20.

[Matt Bassos]

I just want a MMO with a community.. lie actually seeing people go around and do stuff.. which always leaves me back to WOW as it is the largest/populated.

How is LOTR online in terms of this. I don't mind solo stuff but I want to feel like I'm in a greater world most of the time... and yeah if it's anything like Warhammer I just don't get that feeling anymore, it's too scattered.

[Scrav]

[Matt Bassos]

I am with internode I might give it a chech out before getting 3 more months with wow!

[bobkid]

Aika is a decent mmo iv played for double figure hours and I'm on lvl 18 there's raids and arenas played like wow less graphical and its still a beta but it works 70% give them a month or 2 and hopefully there shall be some significant upgrades.

You can a dual gunner which i am or a rifleman, warlock, cleric, paladin or warrior, Dual Gunners are females cant change so are Riflemen and Clerics. There's the usual PvP and PvE, Blacksmiths, Alchemists, Enchanters and castle siege. The teleport system is limted to one or 2 characters possibly Clerics and Warlocks.

The game is run by GPotato set in south American server lucky i signed up with Gpotato in 2002. Tis a decent game 7/10
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it must be some kind of hot tub time machine.
were'd the squirrel go?

[ObsoletE]

LOTRO goes Free-to-Play.

i bought the game with a lifetime subscription back in the day, apparently i get some loyalty reward of a bonus 3000 turbine points, plus another 500 points per months, but i've no idea what these are actually used for.

(i haven't played LOTRO for a good 12 months+)
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