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If old school MMOs were better....why aren't they still the most popular?

Viper482Viper482 Member LegendaryPosts: 4,099
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM
Always a hot topic on MMORPG.....old school vs modern MMOs, right?

Playing devil's advocate here...because I am one who thinks the old school model was better. If Everquest or DAOC were released tomorrow in their original state but with 2019 graphics, user interface, bug free.....holy crap. 

Someone asked me "if Dark Age of Camelot was so great, why did you stop playing?" I was like....good question lol. Why did I stop? Well for one I tried going back and playing some of these again and they just weren't the same games they used to be. Daoc has had modern features infused with it and it just felt bad. Not to mention it just looks/feels bad for a 2019 game now. I am a little bit of a graphics whore....guilty. 

I do recall when I left it was more because of the direction the game went. But I don't believe If I am being honest, would not go back and play Daoc in its classic release state in 2019 due to ancient UI, graphics, and animations. But if it were all modernized I think I would.

I still believe the old school model was better because MMORPG's back in the day were all about community and the social experience. Not that you can't have that today, but back then the model really fostered those things more so than the modern MMO which to me is mostly a solo game with a chat room.

Any thoughts? 
Make MMORPG's Great Again!
What's keeping you away?
  1. Why don't you still play old school MMO's?95 votes
    1. Graphics
      24.21%
    2. Lack of modern features (i.e. auction house, group/raid finder, modern UI)
        5.26%
    3. Too slow/grindy
        3.16%
    4. The modern MMO model is just better
        5.26%
    5. My favorite old school MMO(s) went in a direction I did not like
      25.26%
    6. Populations are too low now
      12.63%
    7. Other or a combination of the above (please post)
      24.21%
«134567…11

Comments

  • Viper482Viper482 Member LegendaryPosts: 4,099
    Combination of the above for me, as I stated....graphics/UI and direction. 
    deniterGregorMcgregorBaalzharon
    Make MMORPG's Great Again!
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,780
    Well, considering that I subscribe to Lord of the Rings online (though I'm aware it's minted in the style of World of Warcraft) I can say that I play an "old game."

    Why aren't truly old games more popular?

    I'm going to say that the graphics don't hold up for new players and previous player have probably played the heck out of them and would need additional new content to make it worth while.

    Also, for some people, some quality of life improvements might ruin the experience for them as they truly want an "old game."


    Viper482AlBQuirkyEmeraq
    Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb." 

    Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w


    Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547

    Try the "Special Edition." 'Cause it's "Special." https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/64878/?tab=description

    Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo 
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,262
    The user and all related content has been deleted.

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  • AlbatroesAlbatroes Member LegendaryPosts: 7,671
    Honestly, the answer why they wouldn't do well is pretty simply and everyone answered why without realizing it. Whenever you see someone talk about an older mmorpg, they always answer about themselves, which is incorrect as to why those games worked back then.

    If you think about it more carefully, its about the environment that created not just in the game but also around other games in the same genre. I think only one person realized the truth about vanilla wow, which was that it was a very casual game compared to its competitors. You didn't need to ground nearly as much as you did in say FFXI and things were alot less forgiven/more grindy in other games (Ragnarok Online was the definition of grind back then).

    Is that why wow was so popular? Honestly, no. It was just better marketed than its competition. TV shows were a big thing back then and anything 'nerd' associated would usually feature wow (there were some shows that did use everquest a couple of times). All these shows/movies were constantly trying to sell you something, whether it be a particular drink a character had, type of clothing, hell even brand of cigarette if you go far back enough (before they cracked down on smoking in film).

    The reason why those types of games just dont do well anymore is because of society more so the games themselves. The pace of society will always determine what is popular. Everyone is usually on the go or indoor and even if they are indoors they probably transition from area to area alot, so games will reflect that. League was popular because it was free and bursty. You could get into something, have fun, didn't need a strict group of people for it, and get out within 30 mins. Alot more people are kinetic based now so they want things that involve more movement and are free.

    I think one other thing isn't really getting enough attention though, which is that gaming entertainment wasn't as big as its become now. I'm sure some people aren't old enough to remember that AAA games used to cost 50$ instead of 60$ and very rarely had 'special editions.' You couple that with a system that would cost around 300$ with computers usually costing double that, so that barrier was pretty high. Of course its not that crazy from today, but the main reason why its more justifiable today as opposed to 15 years ago is because of free gaming. Whether we like it or not, free games have made gaming a lot more of an option to people than it did before, thus resulting in a wider audience of players. This means you have people playing games that dont really care for the game itself half the time and just what it can provide them with for a few hours, thus resulting in retention play being all over the place this past decade than it was prior.
    Viper482
  • GaladournGaladourn Member RarePosts: 1,813
    I wanted to vote "I still play old school MMOs" but there was no option. That is, if Classic is considered old school.
    Viper482Temp0Baalzharon
  • Viper482Viper482 Member LegendaryPosts: 4,099
    Galadourn said:
    I wanted to vote "I still play old school MMOs" but there was no option. That is, if Classic is considered old school.

    Appreciate it, but this was more for people like me who will tell you Daoc was the greatest MMO ever.....then why don't I play it anymore? And I see a few people mention WoW, but remember WoW has modernized its systems and UI over the years as well. Now WoW Classic is the wild card here. I did not like vanilla WoW all that much in the first place, as I was into Daoc, UO, and EQ back then. WoW was the beginning of the end for me.
    GaladournBaalzharon
    Make MMORPG's Great Again!
  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    Some people left pen and paper RPGs to play MUDs. But pen and paper RPGs still exist.

    Some people left MUDs to play first generation mmorpgs. But first generation mmorpgs still exist.

    I could go on through second and third generation games.

    Some people will always be drawn to what is new. Some will stick with what they already like. 
    AlBQuirky[Deleted User][Deleted User]GdemamiBaalzharon

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    edited June 2019
    P.S. It reminds me of shampoo. :)

    Normally my wife does the shopping in our family. A few weeks ago I went. I just wanted shampoo. The same shampoo I have used all my life. Damned if I could find it. There were about 20 variations. Shampoo with ____. Shampoo with ____ AND _____. Shampoo for _____ hair. On and on and on. 

    I was overwhelmed by the choices. Also baffled as to their merits.

    The market is similarly flooded with mmorpgs and games pretending to be mmorpgs. 

    Older games may be getting lost in the shuffle amongst hundreds of newer ones. 
    [Deleted User]jimmywolfGdemamiCryomatrixLeirosPhryRenfail

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
    They were only better in their day compared to the other online games you could play instead which was almost exclusively lobby FPS.

    It's a whole different gaming landscape today with a shitpile and a half of online gaming options.

    Those early ones were also very rough around the edges with a lot of weird mechanics that deserved to die and did. A lot of the extra socializing in them that old timers remember fondly was actually just required to work around some of the more obnoxiously primitive mechanics.
    immodium[Deleted User]Gdemamiklash2defgervaise1Temp0Rich84Ayin
    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”

    ― Umberto Eco

    “Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” 
    ― CD PROJEKT RED

  • AlBQuirkyAlBQuirky Member EpicPosts: 7,432
    EQ was my first. It has changed so much it's not near the same game now. Not surprising after 22years and counting ;)

    I just got back into City of Heroes (emulated servers). It's not the original 2004 game, but it's still got that flavor and community.

    Most of the old MMORPGs that are still up and running have gone through phases trying to entice the "new batch of players" that WoW brought to the genre, and those still coming.
    Viper482Temp0blamo2000

    - Al

    Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.
    - FARGIN_WAR


  • ScorchienScorchien Member LegendaryPosts: 8,914
    Still playing UO , Eq2 Kaladim and Anarchy online because they more immersive worlds that bring more challenging and rewarding experience than today's erhmmmmm mmos
    Viper482
  • ultimateduckultimateduck Member EpicPosts: 1,306
    People simply aren't willing to invest in a game like we did 10 or 15 years ago.

    AlBQuirkyNorseGod
  • Octagon7711Octagon7711 Member LegendaryPosts: 9,004
    It wouldn't let me pick graphics.  

    "We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa      "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."  SR Covey

  • ShaighShaigh Member EpicPosts: 2,150
    Things weren't better back then, its just a lot worse today.
    GdemamiSteelhelmGaladournViper482BaalzharonAyin
    Iselin: And the next person who says "but it's a business, they need to make money" can just go fuck yourself.
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,780
    Amathe said:
    P.S. It reminds me of shampoo. :)

    Normally my wife does the shopping in our family. A few weeks ago I went. I just wanted shampoo. The same shampoo I have used all my life. Damned if I could find it. There were about 20 variations. Shampoo with ____. Shampoo with ____ AND _____. Shampoo for _____ hair. On and on and on. 

    I was overwhelmed by the choices. Also baffled as to their merits.

    The market is similarly flooded with mmorpgs and games pretending to be mmorpgs. 

    Older games may be getting lost in the shuffle amongst hundreds of newer ones. 
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    ConstantineMerusSteelhelm[Deleted User]Viper482AlBQuirky
    Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb." 

    Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w


    Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547

    Try the "Special Edition." 'Cause it's "Special." https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/64878/?tab=description

    Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo 
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,273
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    P.S. It reminds me of shampoo. :)

    Normally my wife does the shopping in our family. A few weeks ago I went. I just wanted shampoo. The same shampoo I have used all my life. Damned if I could find it. There were about 20 variations. Shampoo with ____. Shampoo with ____ AND _____. Shampoo for _____ hair. On and on and on. 

    I was overwhelmed by the choices. Also baffled as to their merits.

    The market is similarly flooded with mmorpgs and games pretending to be mmorpgs. 

    Older games may be getting lost in the shuffle amongst hundreds of newer ones. 
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o

    Smelly hair until the wife got back? Makes them feel like they are an irreplacble part of your life, so win win. ;)
    SovrathPhryAlBQuirky
  • ConstantineMerusConstantineMerus Member EpicPosts: 3,338
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    P.S. It reminds me of shampoo. :)

    Normally my wife does the shopping in our family. A few weeks ago I went. I just wanted shampoo. The same shampoo I have used all my life. Damned if I could find it. There were about 20 variations. Shampoo with ____. Shampoo with ____ AND _____. Shampoo for _____ hair. On and on and on. 

    I was overwhelmed by the choices. Also baffled as to their merits.

    The market is similarly flooded with mmorpgs and games pretending to be mmorpgs. 

    Older games may be getting lost in the shuffle amongst hundreds of newer ones. 
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    You need to buy the rest of this story from his cash-shop! 
    AmatheSovrath[Deleted User]Musket-SquidScotAlBQuirkyNildentweedledumb99
    Constantine, The Console Poster

    • "One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive selves." - Carl Jung
  • WhySoSeriousWhySoSerious Member UncommonPosts: 156
    As a massive DAOC fan (It's my #3 MMO of all time), I can say one of the main reasons I quit is because the character movement and combat feels terrible. The melee combat and "style" system don't cut it for me, especially after I got a taste of WoW's super responsive combat.
    Viper482
  • AmatheAmathe Member LegendaryPosts: 7,630
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    Funny you should ask. After much searching there appeared to be a Classic Head & Shoulders. Problem solved, no? No. There is a Classic Clean Collection, with three different kinds! 

    So I basically did the shampoo equivalent of rage quitting, went home empty handed, and asked my wife to please get something next week. I'm using whatever she picked. Can't even bear to read the label. 
    SovrathConstantineMerusSteelhelm[Deleted User]GaladournPhryScotAlBQuirkyNildentweedledumb99and 2 others.

    EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests

  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
    Amathe said:
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    Funny you should ask. After much searching there appeared to be a Classic Head & Shoulders. Problem solved, no? No. There is a Classic Clean Collection, with three different kinds! 

    So I basically did the shampoo equivalent of rage quitting, went home empty handed, and asked my wife to please get something next week. I'm using whatever she picked. Can't even bear to read the label. 
    Lat time I was in your predicament I happened to see a cheap jumbo bottle of horse shampoo (one of the perks of living in a semi-rural suburb) and went with it. It seems to work well on us humans too... take that overly specific shampoo coorp.
    Gdemami[Deleted User]SteelhelmAmatheGaladournAlBQuirkyRich84Baalzharon
    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”

    ― Umberto Eco

    “Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” 
    ― CD PROJEKT RED

  • TillerTiller Member LegendaryPosts: 11,449
    The game I loved is gone. There are emulators, and I have played them, but it's just not the same as the official servers.
    [Deleted User]Viper482AlBQuirkyHariken
    SWG Bloodfin vet
    Elder Jedi/Elder Bounty Hunter
     
  • ConstantineMerusConstantineMerus Member EpicPosts: 3,338
    Torval said:
    ConstantineMerus said:
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    P.S. It reminds me of shampoo. :)

    Normally my wife does the shopping in our family. A few weeks ago I went. I just wanted shampoo. The same shampoo I have used all my life. Damned if I could find it. There were about 20 variations. Shampoo with ____. Shampoo with ____ AND _____. Shampoo for _____ hair. On and on and on. 

    I was overwhelmed by the choices. Also baffled as to their merits.

    The market is similarly flooded with mmorpgs and games pretending to be mmorpgs. 

    Older games may be getting lost in the shuffle amongst hundreds of newer ones. 
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    You need to buy the rest of this story from his cash-shop! 
    And pay $15 a month to have it strung out over the next 10 years, but only if you listen with 40 other people at the same time.
    /LFM @Amathe Shampoo Story: Need 1 listener and 2 interrupter. No noobs Link Achievement. Most have straight hair! 
    [Deleted User]AmatheAlBQuirky
    Constantine, The Console Poster

    • "One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive selves." - Carl Jung
  • alkarionlogalkarionlog Member EpicPosts: 3,584
    since when being popular means good? most popular things are cheap
    GdemamiAlBQuirkyBaalzharon
    FOR HONOR, FOR FREEDOM.... and for some money.
  • iixviiiixiixviiiix Member RarePosts: 2,256
    MMORPGs like women .


    gunklacker
  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
    Torval said:
    Iselin said:
    Amathe said:
    Sovrath said:
    Amathe said:
    um, don't leave us hanging, what did you do about the shampoo!?!?!?!?  :o
    Funny you should ask. After much searching there appeared to be a Classic Head & Shoulders. Problem solved, no? No. There is a Classic Clean Collection, with three different kinds! 

    So I basically did the shampoo equivalent of rage quitting, went home empty handed, and asked my wife to please get something next week. I'm using whatever she picked. Can't even bear to read the label. 
    Lat time I was in your predicament I happened to see a cheap jumbo bottle of horse shampoo (one of the perks of living in a semi-rural suburb) and went with it. It seems to work well on us humans too... take that overly specific shampoo coorp.
    I was going to tell him to read the ingredients because they're all the same, much like MMOs. Just pick one you think smells nice and pretend it's better than the rest, much like MMOs. :lol:
    Yeah. The horsey stuff works just fine. Although I have to say I have been eating more carrots and apples than normal lately.
    [Deleted User]SteelhelmAmatheAlBQuirkyRich84
    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”

    ― Umberto Eco

    “Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” 
    ― CD PROJEKT RED

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