Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

General: Five Underappreciated MMOs

1235»

Comments

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898

    Originally posted by Gardavil2

     




    Originally posted by Ciccero

    Come on

    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.

     

    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.

     

    Er really? Encouraging people to work together in an MMO "screwed" it? Well doesn't that speak volumes for how bad this genre is nowadays. As for constant hardware issues, I don't know what you're on about really. I don't recall any hardware issues beyond launch day. Unlike most launches, I could actually log in and play and for the most part the only bugs I ran into were quest bugs.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898

    Originally posted by Magnum2103

    I don't think Darkfall is underappreciated at all.  It's one of the most talked about MMOs on this site and probably the most talked about indie game (yes, even more so than EVE nowadays).  It has several people who rave about it and a few who dislike it with a passion, but what popular game doesn't?  I think most people who played Atlantica Online also enjoyed it up to point where the cash shop becomes needed to progress further at a decent rate, and it may not be the most popular free to play but it certainly gets a bit of recognition here especially last year when there wasn't more options like Vindictus.  The others I agree on.  I think Everquest II is a solid MMO that is generally underappreciated here too, and Asheron's Call definitely doesn't get as much recognition it deserves so I'd probably add those two to my list over Darkfall and Atlantica.  Isatria (sp? - the game formerly known as Horizons) is another one that definitely doesn't get the credit it deserves.

     

    More talked about than Eve? Hardly. And just because it's "talked" about doesn't mean it isn't underappreciated. It can be talked about as much as it wants, but if all that talk is "oh yeah, some indie PvP game, did it have a lot of hackers or griefers or something?" is all that's ever said.. yeah, that's underappreciation. Because Darkfall keeps getting worlds better, and steadily growing when most MMOs are trying to cut their losses and stabalize. Aventurine created an engine for a massive seamless world with NO instances, REAL TIME combat, and some of the best mob AI in any MMO to date. Probably the best. That's damn impressive.

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910


    Originally posted by Garvon3

    Originally posted by Gardavil2
     


    Originally posted by Ciccero
    Come on
    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.
     
    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.
     


    Er really? Encouraging people to work together in an MMO "screwed" it? Well doesn't that speak volumes for how bad this genre is nowadays. As for constant hardware issues, I don't know what you're on about really. I don't recall any hardware issues beyond launch day. Unlike most launches, I could actually log in and play and for the most part the only bugs I ran into were quest bugs.



    Encouraging people to work together is different from forcing them to band together for survival. Requiring a group to level or even travel does not appeal to the majority of players. They do not appreciate it. That's not the game being under appreciated, that's the developer missing out on a sizable chunk of subscriptions.

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898

    Originally posted by lizardbones

     




    Originally posted by Garvon3





    Originally posted by Gardavil2

     








    Originally posted by Ciccero

    Come on

    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.

     

    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.

     









    Er really? Encouraging people to work together in an MMO "screwed" it? Well doesn't that speak volumes for how bad this genre is nowadays. As for constant hardware issues, I don't know what you're on about really. I don't recall any hardware issues beyond launch day. Unlike most launches, I could actually log in and play and for the most part the only bugs I ran into were quest bugs.







    Encouraging people to work together is different from forcing them to band together for survival. Requiring a group to level or even travel does not appeal to the majority of players. They do not appreciate it. That's not the game being under appreciated, that's the developer missing out on a sizable chunk of subscriptions.

    Well then I guess primarily solo players in Darkfall never existed. Hm, I guess I never existed. Oh nOOOOOooooo <fades away>

     

    Seriously, you didn't need other people to survive in Darkfall. I learned how to detect danger and where to hide within the first few days. In fact, being a solo player in Darkfall is quite an experience, so much reward when you finally come out on top. Of course, working together should ALWAYS be more rewarding than working alone. I'm sorry if there's a sizable chunk of people that don't like the MMO part of MMORPGs, Aventurine made a real MMORPG. Not a coop instanced RPG with a monthly fee. There are plenty of those wannabe MMOs that people can play.

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910


    Originally posted by Garvon3

    Originally posted by lizardbones
     


    Originally posted by Garvon3



    Originally posted by Gardavil2
     





    Originally posted by Ciccero
    Come on
    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.
     
    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.
     






    Er really? Encouraging people to work together in an MMO "screwed" it? Well doesn't that speak volumes for how bad this genre is nowadays. As for constant hardware issues, I don't know what you're on about really. I don't recall any hardware issues beyond launch day. Unlike most launches, I could actually log in and play and for the most part the only bugs I ran into were quest bugs.





    Encouraging people to work together is different from forcing them to band together for survival. Requiring a group to level or even travel does not appeal to the majority of players. They do not appreciate it. That's not the game being under appreciated, that's the developer missing out on a sizable chunk of subscriptions.


    Well then I guess primarily solo players in Darkfall never existed. Hm, I guess I never existed. Oh nOOOOOooooo <fades away>
     
    Seriously, you didn't need other people to survive in Darkfall. I learned how to detect danger and where to hide within the first few days. In fact, being a solo player in Darkfall is quite an experience, so much reward when you finally come out on top. Of course, working together should ALWAYS be more rewarding than working alone. I'm sorry if there's a sizable chunk of people that don't like the MMO part of MMORPGs, Aventurine made a real MMORPG. Not a coop instanced RPG with a monthly fee. There are plenty of those wannabe MMOs that people can play.



    I was picturing Cartman trying to fade away to heaven during the episode he thought he had died and Butters was the only one who could see him. :-)

    AV missed the boat somewhere. They created an open world that you can run all the way across without a single loading screen or seeing another player. They didn't make a real MMORPG, they made a real MORPG. They dropped the 'massive' from the population. If they actually managed to populate that world, your mean survival time would drop dramatically as a solo player.

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898

    Originally posted by lizardbones

     




    Originally posted by Garvon3





    Originally posted by lizardbones

     








    Originally posted by Garvon3










    Originally posted by Gardavil2

     














    Originally posted by Ciccero

    Come on

    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.

     

    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.

     


















    Er really? Encouraging people to work together in an MMO "screwed" it? Well doesn't that speak volumes for how bad this genre is nowadays. As for constant hardware issues, I don't know what you're on about really. I don't recall any hardware issues beyond launch day. Unlike most launches, I could actually log in and play and for the most part the only bugs I ran into were quest bugs.












    Encouraging people to work together is different from forcing them to band together for survival. Requiring a group to level or even travel does not appeal to the majority of players. They do not appreciate it. That's not the game being under appreciated, that's the developer missing out on a sizable chunk of subscriptions.






    Well then I guess primarily solo players in Darkfall never existed. Hm, I guess I never existed. Oh nOOOOOooooo

     

    Seriously, you didn't need other people to survive in Darkfall. I learned how to detect danger and where to hide within the first few days. In fact, being a solo player in Darkfall is quite an experience, so much reward when you finally come out on top. Of course, working together should ALWAYS be more rewarding than working alone. I'm sorry if there's a sizable chunk of people that don't like the MMO part of MMORPGs, Aventurine made a real MMORPG. Not a coop instanced RPG with a monthly fee. There are plenty of those wannabe MMOs that people can play.








    I was picturing Cartman trying to fade away to heaven during the episode he thought he had died and Butters was the only one who could see him. :-)



    AV missed the boat somewhere. They created an open world that you can run all the way across without a single loading screen or seeing another player. They didn't make a real MMORPG, they made a real MORPG. They dropped the 'massive' from the population. If they actually managed to populate that world, your mean survival time would drop dramatically as a solo player.

    Ha, that's what I was picturing in my head as I typed it too.

    It's very difficult to run across Agon without coming across a mob camp. Damn near impossible to be honest. And if 500 people fighting at once over a city, with siege engines, boats, mages, archers, ect ect, isn't massive, then I don't know what is.

    Something players and devs alike have learned over the years, when you have a massive open world, rather than a linear rail roaded zoned/instanced game, players aren't going to be spread out evenly across it. Players will be where the important stuff is. Valuable mob spawns, trade hubs, player cities, good gathering spots, ect ect. Just like today, if you run into the woods somewhere, you aren't going to find it speckled with people unless there's a reason for them to go there.

    AV servers can hold more people than the vast majority of other MMO servers, so I don't see how they missed the massive part.

     

    As for survivability, when I was going along the same well traveled paths of other players, it was quite difficult to survive. I remember one quest where I had to hunt fire salamanders, it was just off a road from a chaos stone where red aligned players spawned. So very often, roaving parties of marauders would travel across it. When I heard them coming, I had a tree that I'd duck into, with a little wedge in the roots that nearly hid me. Until I grew more powerful, that's how I got by, and it was a rush unlike anything I ever got in a WoW clone.

  • Blake_rshBlake_rsh Member Posts: 29

    I have seen many comments regarding "earthrise should not be here because it isn't released yet and so you can't say that is underappreciated".

    But I disagree!

    Earthrise is underappreciated and that's because ppl saw the beta gameplay footage and already maked up their mind (saying stuff like "nah this game will be crap"etc...) without even see what the game will be like when it launches in february. They just quit from following the game development. That's why it's in this article.

    Have you seen the CGI of the game resently released. it isn't related to the topic at hand but it is a cool one.:P

  • ElendilasXElendilasX Member Posts: 243

    Too lazy to read all posts above (maybe latter).

    Perpetuum online: game has only potential, but atm it is lacking in everything IMO, except forr PvP.

    Atlantica Online. Played to high level. It is only worth playing up to lvl100 or so. After that you will grind for weeks just for 1 more quest line. Really interesting quest concept, nice battle system, crafting is nice and not so grindy at lower levels (lower levels of crafting I mean), friendly community. Sadly international (maybe nowdays it is called NA server) server is failing badly for last year. More bug are introduced with every fix, no new (good) content or events (only bigger events are made to make more IM sales (real money)), no one doing low level guild/nation dungeons as their rewards are totally worthless (or at least isnt worth time in dungeons and better to solo some other things) and plenty of other problems. My conclusion for AO would be: go play if you havent already till lvl100 and then quit. Awesome experience IMO.

  • ManasuManasu Member UncommonPosts: 212

    Great list,and a Tale in the Desert is a great choice for this list.Though,Wurm could be too!

    Sandbox MMORPGs that are not very well-known but definitely worth a look:

    Ryzom, Haven and Hearth, Xsyon, The Repopulation, UO private shards, Mortal Online, Darkfall 1 remakes (New Dawn or Rise of Agon), RPG MO, Project Gorgon, EQ: Sanctuary (custom  server)
  • G2GTechG2GTech Member Posts: 25

    I've played ATITD for a while, and while I love the crafting in it, there are many features which I don't like about it, with the main ones outlined below:

    1) The amount of Bots and RMT allowed and even encouraged in the game.  If you're looking for a SWG-level bot game, this is it.  If you want to play seriously, pick another game, as I'd estimate 95% of the characters use bots at least sometimes.

    2) The developer is busy working on another project, and has no time for the game.  The current tale (5) has no plotline that I know of, at least from 4 months ago, and is losing steam in the fanbase.

    3) The lack of combat.  While collecting and crafting is great, it's also dull as crap after a while, and the social aspect isn't that lively either.  It's a great crafting game, but a bit of PvE combat or something would make it more appealing.

    ATITD isn't a horrible game, it just has a few flaws which keep me from it.  I'll occasionally play for a bit, but it doesn't hold my interest.

    "The civilized man is rude, as he knows there are laws that protect him from recompense; The savage is not, for his actions can meet a bloody end."
    - Robert E. Howard

  • KimoKimo Member UncommonPosts: 63

    Talk about under appreciated, but after over 100 posts Gemstone and DragonRealms aren't yet mentioned.  They are so under appreciated they are not even on the games list! 

    Some might say they are just MUD's, but these 2 games by Simutronics have been around for nearly 20 years (Gemstone 2, 3 & now 4) and are leaps and bounds more complex (and fun!) than any "MUD" I know about personally.

  • bubu_3kbubu_3k Member UncommonPosts: 108

    I'd say even Age of Conan is underappreciated. Then again ain't players fault for the messed up condition the game was at launch.

    Funcom has/had the same issue with Anarchy Online, which never really recovered from the messed up launch popularity wise, what a petty.

    I really do appreciate both games' director and do like what they are trying to do. But seeing this trend doubt it will be any different with The secret world unfortunately.

    “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” A. Einstein

  • Xxion92Xxion92 Member Posts: 1

    what u miss in this list is bloodline champions, although its totally new its way too few players playing it.

  • JoarnajJoarnaj Member Posts: 258

    Originally posted by Xxion92

    what u miss in this list is bloodline champions, although its totally new its way too few players playing it.

    So under appreciated that it got a major write-up here even though it is not an MMO or an RPG and is not listed on this site?

    Fun game, though.

    I was pleasantly surprised when I went from Apprentice to full 5 star Elite in under 2 months. I was pleasantly surprised again when I went from Elite to just barely Hardcore in 2 weeks. Apprentice, here I come!

  • zaylinzaylin Member UncommonPosts: 794

    Originally posted by BCuse

    I really enjoy Darkfall and im looking forward to earthrise!

     Id be careful as the launch date is getting close and very,very little is actually know about ER.

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806

    Originally posted by ericbelser

    This will PO the fans, but Perpetuum is a bit over-rated in this topic.

    It is a solid game, well done technically and stable. It is also a great deal of fun...for a while and that is where the commentary goes off the rails. The game has NO depth and there really isn't any indication the company is working to add it. The gameplay areas are tiny, the missions few and repetitive...even the "pvp" side is just too small.

    The mechanics and concepts are sound, but saying it has depth is either delusional or just rampant faboi-ism.

    You do realize that Perpetuum launched only two months ago, and has a staff of only 10 people, who funded its development out of their own pockets?  Its one of the most stable client/server launches I've seen in years.  Granted its not in EVE's class graphics wise, but EVE wasn't nearly as it is now, two months after it launched either.  Its a game that has a lot of potential, if the Dev's can keep adding new systems and content.  It has PvE as well as PvP aspects(Alpha and Beta Islands). 

    Anyone interested should check out their launch trailer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E2u062Zxzk

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • MMOExposedMMOExposed Member RarePosts: 7,400

    How come WoW is not on this list?

    Most people on this forum hate WoW

    Philosophy of MMO Game Design

  • AristidesAristides Member Posts: 172

    "Short end of the stick" is almost the definition of Jumpgate.  No, not Jumpgate Evolution, the 'who knows if it'll ever release spiffy new game' by the same company.  I mean the real, original Jumpgate that's been kicking around since 2001.

    This space game has been around forever, and its developers never marketed it.  It's old and looks dated but commands a very loyal following.  The guys who run it are still patching and updating it, and you have to wonder why they keep doing it.  I guess they're paid.

    But the game has hardly had any attention, has never had a big team running it, has limped along doggedly for years, neglected by its masters.  It's a hands-on flight-sim space-shooter semi-RPG, a bit like Privateer.  There's really nothing else quite like it.  I'd consider it the epitome of "underappreciated".

  • AstropuyoAstropuyo Member RarePosts: 2,178

    Originally posted by Ciccero



    Come on

    The idea of under appreciation is that a game does something or hits certain points that make it better and they go unrecognized or spoken of.

     

    Darkfall screwed itself with poor game play at the get go, "Wild West" pvp system which literaly forced people to travel in packs and constant hardware issues due to skimping. The game is under appreciated because it was crap for the 1st few months. In an industry where the 1st 30 days makes or breaks and the companies inability to recognize or READ THE FORUMS and work FOR their customer base is NO ONES fault, but their own.

     

    Atlantica ?

    What aprt do we appreciate ? The part where the guy with the deepest wallet wins ? Sorry, you have not played this game to list it here and not realize that is the SIMPLE truth. The man with the American Express and the desire to dump piles of cash from it into this game, is the guy that wins.....I do appreciate the game for it's blatant Blizzard rip off UI and character controls....lol

     

    Have you played a tale in the desert ? That is one big pile of crap. It's like Ancient Egypt sims online or Farming simulator extreame. I appreciate the fact you learn that this games only focus is bing similar to Civilation1-5 than anything else :)

     

    And to the guy who tossed out Vanguard, you msut have been one of those Fanbois who didnt mind a memory leak that was so brutal your system could barely move without a reboot. The ONLY 2 saving graces to that game were its intense crafting system and its card game. The rest was poorly constructed, EQ-esque, Jeff Butler  I KNOW WHAT THE PLAYERS WANT, borderline legally obligated to shoot itself for urinating and constantly LYING to it's customer base... I appreciate the fact it died, plain and simple.

     

    When I think of a game that is under appreciaited I think of games like...well..Ultima Online. The grandfather whom everyone flocked from as something new and shiney came out. 14 years later the game is still active and appears to have a stable customer base. Several expansions and constant balancing attempts tell me this is a game that is under appreciiated for what it has done,what it is doing and the simple fact it will be a game that runs until the world falls into a nuclear ruin :)

    I think of EQ and the fact that a game showed us that a company thinks it knows better than its subscription base. I think of how Smed and the Butlers pissed on the sub base so much that the MINUTE something even more Shiney was available,the world flocked to it. I appreciiate those 3 people, Smed,Jeff and his tyranical wife, for showing me that a player base can give people the finger in the form of taking their 15/mo to another game and watch that previous game shivel up and become a shadow of what it once was.

    I think of City of Heroes and the simple idea that running the same content,same character modeling same quests,year after year will drive your customer base into insanity and force it to choose to play a riveting game of Tic-tac-toe rather than endure another round of endless redundancy.

    I also think of Guildwars. A game that has focused itself to continually developing content for a 1 time  price and offering SUEPRIOR hardware to ensure its customer base was always able to play. Offering items to be purchased, to generate revenue, that would not imbalance game play for thoe who did not or could not buy the items. I think of how broken quests were fixed and how players were given  what the majority felt was needed. A side note...the NCSoft Customer service is BAD.....but no one has all pluses

    I thank WOW for showing us that a game CAN be structured to zombify a population into being driven to chase the same endless goal over and over. For its recent expansion that offers 2 new races, a visual revamping of the entire game, and the same 5 places to lvel at 85, with the same quests and the most boring climb from 80-85 that anyone could dream of. I thank WOW for its tireless effort to IGNORE and allow gold selling and account sales to go unchecked. I thank WOW for showing me the WORSE possible behavior a child can display and NOT be berated for it. Yes, the teeming kiddies in WOW are the icing to any cake. If you always wanted to be a prick, Play WOW, not only do you get too, but you get away with it.

    I appreciate them all for what they taught me, what lessons I learned and what I was able to take away from each. I do not appreciate a game for being poor, having poor CSR and not caring what it's customers think...your list is fouled.


     

    This right has been the most comic book guy post I've read on this site in near a decade of it's operation.

     

    All I can say is man lighten up. All these were valid points, no need write past a paragraph of angry finger smash at the keyboard, because that's all we're going to read after the first 50 wah wahs.

  • AnirethAnireth Member UncommonPosts: 940

    The paragraph about Darkfall sounded a lot like Ultima Online.

    Full loot - check

    Player made cities - check

    ships and sailing - check

    I'll admit, the building was not that easy, and ships weren't really that big, but it was possible by the game itself, only a question if it was used. Of course, it all was depending on the server you where on, but it's not like there is a lack of when you include free shards.

    And it was released more then a decade before Darkfall.  Looting is easy to do, only a question about wether you want it in your game or not. ships and sailing is a bit more effort, but not like it would be that difficult today. Many fps already support vehicles, both flying and on the ground, and swimming, the step to ships isn't that big.

    What's left is player built stuff including but not limited to cities, which you can fight over again. That is the only major thing todays average game lacks, including destroying them again, but destruction made major steps forward lately.

    Darkfall has an advantage because other games are lacking, not because it's ahead of it's time.

    I'll wait to the day's end when the moon is high
    And then I'll rise with the tide with a lust for life, I'll
    Amass an army, and we'll harness a horde
    And then we'll limp across the land until we stand at the shore

  • RabdallasRabdallas Member Posts: 2

    Shadowbane.

    I am a mighty pirate. Prepare to die!!!

  • AstrinaAstrina Member UncommonPosts: 46

    Really glad to see ATITD mentioned. While there is no fighting with weapons, it does offer a pretty crazy political arena that ends up with quite a bit of drama and can be quite entertaining. Basically, fighting with your wits is what this game is about. The crafting is just about the best out there, very creative and original. Other developers could learn something about how to build a truely thought out crafting system.

    Wurm Online would be good to mention as well. While the graphics are not the type to make you swoon, it's got a solid group of people playing and some seriously unique game play. It does have a fairly difficult learning curve, but it's a worthwhile game to give a try. Especially if you like crafting (and lol, it's probably obvious that I do).

  • stayontargetstayontarget Member RarePosts: 6,519

    Vanguard & L2 would be on my list.

    Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...

  • Kevyne-ShandrisKevyne-Shandris Member UncommonPosts: 2,077

    EQ2.

    Not advertized. Playerbased revolted multiple times (SoE what do you expect?). Existing on the hardcore players that are left.

    Most have heard of EQ, and often confuse EQ with EQ2, but they're totally different games. 

Sign In or Register to comment.