LF non-fantasy w/o fixed classes...

Short version:

 What I want is a non-fantasy game without fixed character classes that has a good community and is not overly balanced. It shoud have pvp (optional and not mandatory) and definitely NO FPS or hybrid FPS interface.  Also, no cash shop games please.

Long version:

So far, I’ve played (in no particular order): WOW, SWG (after NGE only), EQII, MXO, LOTRO, Anarchy Online, Asheron’s Call, EVE Online, and many other old & free games.

What I want is a game that doesn’t follow the same old overused traditional fantasy (D&D type) lore with elves, gnomes, dwarves, and any of that crap. I’m sick of it! So no more dragons and chainmail please.

Some settings I’d like to see would include:

Horror Survival – Something with vampires like the old Nintendo Castlevania games or it could have zombies like Resident Evil or Night of the Living Dead… anything along those lines where you are surrounded by zombies and running low on ammo sounds like lots of fun.

Anime (serious.. not cute cartoony) – Some animes wouldn’t be too bad as a MMORPG setting. All the anime games I have seen so far involve cute little big-headed gradeschool-kid looking characters in a brightly colored magical fantasy world… sugar coated almost enough to rot your teeth just looking at it.  Perhaps this is why there are so many opposed to an anime storyline. I think it could work (and quite well) with a more serious anime as the basis.

Modern day –  Something where you are on city streets with guns and cars rather than in a dungeon with a sword and shield would be good to see.

Mechwarrior or Heavy Gear type – What can I say? I want a mech   ..also on-foot anti mech combat in this kind of game would be a plus.

Science fiction with space travel – I’d like to see a sci-fi game where you can walk around and do things on planet surfaces AND own a spaceship to fly around the galaxy doing things in space. It would be a huge plus if the larger ships had interior maps and could be boarded and taken over by the crew of another ship.

Post apocalypse – survival in a “Mad Max” or “Fallout” kind of world could be fun.

Any of those settings would be preferred. Some other concerns I have are:

Community – Has to have a good, friendly and honorable community. I’m sick of seeing games where the majority of players are leetspeaking idiots with no respect for anyone.

Interface –  No FPS or hybrid FPS! – As an oldschool RPG player, it is my belief that in a ROLE PLAYING GAME it should be your CHARACTER’S skills and abilities that determine the outcome of fights and other interactions and NOT the button bashing skill of the PLAYERS themselves!  If the character’s skills become secondary to the actual player’s twitch skill in respect to combat outcome, I already don’t want to play it. This includes any SWG-like game where you (the player) have to aim (even partial aiming) in order to score a hit.    Now I wont take it to such extreme to say that moving around and turning to face your opponent is bad. After all, that is just part of the 3d gaming aspect. I’m just against the need to actively aim in order to hit something.

No fixed character classes – I hate making a character and being restricted to one specific cookie-cutter set of skills. If you’re a knight, you stay a knight and can only use knight’s skills and equipment… If you want to learn healing or tracking… forget it! You’re a knight and those aren’t knight skills!!! – I hate that. A system like the Matrix Online had where you could eventually learn ALL the skills in every skill tree would be way better.

PVP – Fighting other players is a must. However, I do not want full-time pvp. There’s nothing worse than doing non-pvp related things and having some high level jerk kill you for no reason. A system with an optional pvp flag and some kind of duel/spar system would be preferable. That way, pvp stays “just for fun” and doesn’t become annoying.  I like a good fight as much as anyone but there is a time and a place for it.

Not overly balanced – I like games that are more like Anarchy Online where players who take the time to “twink” their characters with the best and most optimal equipment, stats and skills have a significant advantage over those who just quickly powerlevel and do next to nothing as far as character building (assuming same level). Being uber shouldn’t just be handed out to everyone. It should take some kind of effort to be good. In games where uberness is spoonfed to all the players equally (where max level = /godmode on),  everyone is uber. If everyone is uber then nobody is… get the idea?  If it is over balanced, then pvp becomes an exercise of “who has more people on their side and who is rich enough to buy the most heal potions”. No tactics or planning beyond that are needed… very lame. 

No cash shops - Cash shops are pure MMO evil. they all start out innocent enough. "we just sell social items that don't effect gameplay" then it eventually turns into a nightmare where the balance of power is vastly shifted in the favor of those rich enough to buy all the uber cash shop items.

Do I expect all of these things in one game? No. Such a game would be too perfect (imo at least) and therefore could never exist. I just want to find a game that has the most of the key features I’m looking for (preferably without any friggin’ elves).