Well, since this topic keeps recurring, I might as well replay to all that has been said here.
Quote:
I am an avid MMO player, a current FFXI player and a future WoW player (come on, open beta, lets go!).
I have a lot of time on my hands at work and I have done a lot or reading of forums on WoW. There isn't much on allakhazam, but on the Blizzard WoW Beta site there are thousands of threads already.
I seem to see a trend.
The people who play WoW don't seem to be previous MMO players. The standards they expect are quite different.
Well, here is your problem here, King. You see, as you blame newcomers for having an idea of what a MMO should be, you as an avid MMO is forcing the tried and true formula to what a MMO should be. Sorry but it shouldn't be like this. Just because something has been done 1001 times doesn't mean it should be done the same way the 1002nd time.
If the game is easy come retail, fine, its easy. Telling you the truth, all MMOs are easy. What is considered making the game "too easy" for the avids could really mean getting rid of the "tedium" for the newcomers and Blizzard itself. I remember you defending FFXI's approach to partying. Prehaps in your view thats the way partying should be done in all MMOs. In my view and others, relying on others that much contributes to tedium. I myself do not enjoy the 2 hour wait for a party when all i need is 500 exp to my next lv. This is something most people would like to see gone come WoW retail otherwise we all would be still playing FFXI dealing with it.
Quote:
In traditional MMOs, leveling has been a grind. WoW promised to address this. Theoretically, this is a great idea. However, WoW players seem to think that this should mean that every level should take an hour and they seem to complain endlessly when this is not the case.
The last major "push" slowed leveling. Some threads I have read have calculated that it would take as much as 240 RL hours (10 days of actual time spent playing) to reach the highest level currently attainable (L45). Then, another 240 RL hours to reach the expected release limit (L60). That would be 20 online days, or 120 days at 4 hours of play per day to reach the max level.
If you are taking the word of WoW beta testers serious you are already making a big mistake. Keep in mind that currently there are over 400,000 players that are currently testing the game. The complaining you hear from testers are from a very small minority. Personally, yes I would like fast lving and yes I have to say that lving too fast will hurt gameplay. One thing is for sure, it shouldn't take 50 days to reach lv 50 (thats 1200 hours for those not doing the math). Thats how long it took me to level Red Mage then level white for sub, farm for all my equipment and spells for both jobs, complete quests for things I need including genkai and waiting for parties. Sorry but thats too many hours.
As for calculating how many hours it takes to get to a certain level in WoW, the game is not even out. It's pointless to put up a number since niether you or me have gotten to the level cap in the game. In fact, no one can say how many hours it should take to get to the cap since the game hasn't even hit retail. Things are subject to change when retail comes on top of that but you haven't considered the time it takes to get a party for important quests, farming, etc.
Quote:
I don't think that these people understand the MMO principle of having to work for achievement. No MMO would last if you could get to the end-game in a week or a month.
If you want to reach the end-game in a week or a month, might I suggest a single player RPG? Diablo II will have you "UB3R" in no time, as it only takes 20 hours or so to get through the whole game once.
While I agree that no MMO should last a week or a month, it shouldn't feel like work either. As with any other game, achievement should come from completing something that was considered a challenge. Waiting for hours for a party is not a challenge, its tedium. Killing X monsters for X level is not a challenge if all you do is kill the monster one by one over and over again. Excuse me if you feel this is a insult towards FFXI but I find nothing to be much of a challenge in that game. Will WoW be a challenging game? Who knows. Personally I prefer a fun game then a challenge.
Might I add that Diablo 2 is a multiplayer game that is still active after 4 years.
Excuse me if you take anything here as a insult to either you or FFXI as I do not intend it to be. You need to understand that not everything needs to follow the same set of rules that has been used before. Whether WoW is easier or harder then any other MMO shouldn't really matter as long as the gameplay remains fun at all times. No MMO should be work because in the end, its a game. In the long term, no game has been successful if it isn't fun.
Edited, Mon Aug 30 00:40:18 2004 by Redmoonxl