Profile: Dustenbagy
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I am one of many MMO addicts out there jonesing for a really great game, but today no game really hits on all of the characteristics I feel an MMO needs to be great. I have outlined these characteristics below and given examples of games that succeed and fail in each area. Then I examine a few of the soon to be released games with the biggest hype and how they appear to fit in my outline.

Games that are in BOLD are examples of games that stand out as having high achievement in a category and ITALICS are games that have failed in a category.

If games are not mentioned in a category I feel that they do not stand out and are therefore adequate.

Please let me know if you think I’ve missed a category haven’t mentioned a game where I should.

Combat

            -Fun factor: Age of Conan, Tabula Rasa

            -Involvement: Eve Online

            -Learning curve: Eve Online

Character Customization

            -Avatar Appearance: Age of Conan, Vanguard

            -Skillset Variation: Everquest II

            -Item Variety: World of Warcraft, Everquest II, Eve Online, Age of Conan

Game interface

            -Options (customizations and mods): World of Warcraft, Age of Conan

            -Learning curve: Age of Conan, Eve Online

            -Player Organizations (Guilds, Corps, ect): Age of Conan

Content/features

            -PvE (includes lore): Lord of the Rings: Online

            -PvP: Eve Online, Lord of the Rings: Online

            -Character development (Lvl and classes vs sandbox): Eve Online (best sandbox since Ultima Online)

            -Economy: Eve Online, World Of Warcraft, The Burning Seas

            -End Game: World of Warcraft (raiding) Eve Online (PvP)

            -Crafting:

                        -Involvement: Everquest II, Eve Online, Age of Conan

                        -Learning Curve: Eve Online

                        -Relevance (are the items useful?): Age of Conan, Tabula Rasa

            Game World (degree of instancing): World of Warcraft

Real World Factors

            -Company PR: Age of Conan (Funcom)

            -Web resources (official site, thotbott, ect): World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings: Online, Everquest II, Eve Online

SOON TO BE RELEASED

I have outline below the specific strengths and weaknesses I expect from each game based on information released so far.

WAR

Strengths:

Content/features

PvP

Endgame (unlockable raids and opportunities for distinction)

Game interface

            Player Organizations

Weaknesses:

Combat

            Fun factor

Content/features

            Crafting

Character Customization

            Item Variety

Darkfall

Strengths:

Combat

            Fun factor

            Involvement

Character Customization

            Item Variety

            Skill set Variation

Content/features

PvP: 100% lootable!!!!

Character Development: Sandbox

Crafting

Game World

            Large Continuous world with only dungeons instanced. Guild cites un-instanced.

Stargate Worlds

Strengths:

Combat

            Fun factor

            Involvement

Content/features

PvE (Lore)