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Best MMORPG for beginners
Phillygurl
Member Posts: 2
Hello All!
Noob here. I was surfing the net as per usual when an ad for Grepolis came up. It looked so interesting to me so I decided to look at reviews and as it turns out, it isn't even the best MMO out there. I tired looking at top rated MMO's but I really couldn't tell which ones would be easiest for beginners, I mean true beginners who have never played an MMORPG before. So I was hoping someone could tell me what would be a good, free MMORGP to start with. I used to play the Sims but it became so boring to me because it wasn't goal-oreinted enough. Ideally I would like a game where I can be a female but it wouldn't be a handicap to be one in the game. Sword fights are okay but I would prefer one without too much violence or gore. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!
Comments
It depends a lot on what you like. What sort of games have you played in the past that you liked? Just the Sims, or are there many other games you've liked?
By wanting a game without too much violence or gore, do you mean, killing things is fine so long as it doesn't leave a bloody mess everywhere? Or are you looking for a game that isn't mostly about killing and looting monsters? The former wouldn't rule out very many games, but the latter would rule out most (but not all) MMORPGs.
WoW
I would recommend WoW if you don't mind non-bloody killing things. The main point of the game is killing beasts, but there is also crafting and plenty of story. It's pretty easy to get into, which is a big part of its popularity.
If you want a non combat oriented one... A Tale in the Desert may still be around.
looks like a consistant answe.
World of Warcraft is a multiplatform low end compatible mmo that got it's popularity because of including everyone and making their game a good choice for adults new to the genre. Most of the complaints you will ever hear especially in htese forums are from people who have played this game for years and are looking for something fresh for themselves.
If you are new you would enjoy this game.
World of Warcraft with out question.
( I personally hate WoW now but if you've never played it then its a great game)
Everything you need to know about Elder Scrolls Online
Playing: GW2
Waiting on: TESO
Next Flop: Planetside 2
Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.
F2p EQ2 try it out.
MAGA
It's kind of hard for me to remember what it was like to know nothing about MMORPGs, and it's probably hard for most other people who hang out on this forum. I'm not sure what would make an MMO especially easy for a beginner. I guess you'd want something where there are not too many choices, especially early on.
I was going to point you towards City of Heroes because (unlike other MMOs) you don't have to worry about carrying around a ton of items to compare, equip, and sell. But on the other hand, as you are creating your character, you have to make a lot of choices: origin, archtype, primary power set and starting power, secondary power set and starting power. It is a lot to take in when you don't understand what the benefits and drawbacks mean, or which combinations would be the most effective. Most other games would only ask you to choose a race and a class, and then all the other choices in character creation wouldn't affect your character's stats at all; the rest of your decisions would just be about your appearance. If you're not too turned off by complex character creation, I guess I would say to try City of Heroes.
i agree
There are times when one must ask themselves is it my passion that truly frightens you? Or your own?
WoW isn't free, and the original poster wanted a free game. Do be warned that "free to play" means a lot of different things, ranging from free trials before you have to pay to continue, to "free to lose" but you have to pay a lot to be competitive.
Otherwise, WoW is a pretty good introduction to the genre if you want a fairly generic but highly polished game. WoW will hand you goals, and then make sure that you succeed at them if you put in enough time.
Just don't get the idea that WoW is all there is, or that it's the best game out there. If you figure out that a mostly combat game where combat mostly consists of waiting for the battle to end seems rather sub-optimal, there are games out there that do combat a lot better.
If you want other things to do besides combat, combat, more combat, and minor side activities whose only real purpose is to set up or get better at combat, then WoW isn't a good option.
First I would like to say thanks to everyone for your helpful responses! As Quizzical mentioned I am looking for a free game just to begin with at this time.
As far as games I've played and liked, my experiences have been kind of limited. I really liked Pokemon Colluseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. I also really liked Lenny Loosejocks in Space. While I know these games probably aren't very similar to most, if not all, MMORPGs, I listed them to emphasize two points. First, I like quest style games that have lots of new levels to unlock which is why I think I would like an MMORPG. Second, these are the type of games I mean when I say minimal violence. I understand in most quest style games you have to be prepared to defeat foes. I don't mind this. I just don't want anything Mortal Kombat style vicious killing action.
I have noticed through my research that "free" is often limited but that may be better in my case since I won't have alot of time to invest in the near future.
No no no no...and just no!
Play WoW if you want to see nearly everything a MMORPG shouldn't be. Try Vanguard; Saga of Heroes. Although small populations....you will get more of a MMO experience playing it than overpopulated WoW because people actually interact and you can openly explore a huge world without restrictions, etc.
WoW is too solo heavy where no one wants to group up unless there is somethign in it for them, too fast to cap, has cookie-cutter tasks they pass off as quests (Collect/kill x amount of x 10 feet away, courier missions out the wazoo), cross server functions further diminishing any possibility of an actual community.... list could go on. It's more of a glorified console RPG than a MMORPG.....IMO of course.
Feel bad for those new to the genre trying to find a good one as a starter...because really...there are VERY few worth it. As in...can be counted on one hand out fo the plethora of choices.
WoW, ignore anyone who says otherwise.
Remember Old School Ultima Online
Anything Themepark, they are all way to easy these days.
I will not play a game with a cash shop ever again. A dev job should be to make the game better not make me pay so it sucks less.
I would play the free trials on World Of Warcraft,Rift, and maybe even sample Lord Of The Rings and Dungeons and Dragons. Take your time.
Ballerinas are always on their toes. Why don't they just get taller ballerinas?
Take a look at Rift or Vanguard: SOH as alternatives to WoW. Vanguard as a fairly mature playerbase. Rift is a mix. WoW has it's positives as well for beginners.
I second this.
Everquest 2 has a free to play option, it offers a lot of questing for its progression, and it doesn't have excessive violence. Everquest 2 also offers player housing that you can customize and deccorate as you see fit, and a pretty decent set of crafting professions.
My other suggestion would be Lord of the Rings Online. This game has a free to play option and player housing altough I personally prefer Everquest 2's style of free to play.
I'm not a big fan of WOW but it is the most noob friendly in my opinion, it's not free but there is a free trial till level 20.
I would have to agree, World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings. They're easy to learn to play and it will run on just about any old or new rig you may have. Lord of the Rings is totally free so you may like to try it out first.
What happens when you log off your characters????.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQhfhnjYMk
Dark Age of Camelot
While I'm somewhat sympathetic to the "don't play WoW because of various design flaws" line, I really don't think Vanguard is the answer. Vanguard fills a niche and has some serious fans. But the "we're going to make things hard on you" approach probably isn't the best way to get into the MMORPG genre.
-----
If the original poster isn't willing to pay, then a game where you can do a lot without paying becomes a major priority. That rules out most MMORPGs. Or at least, it rules out most of the big, popular ones; I'm not acquainted with the business models of most low budget, low quality browser-based games that seem to be flooding the market lately. In particular, it definitely rules out WoW, as well as some of the other suggestions that have shown up.
I'm going to recommend Champions Online. The free trial gives you access to all of the content in the entire game, all the way up to the level cap. The catch is that you're stuck with some fixed "archetype" builds that are fairly gimpy as compared to what subscribers can get with a freeform build.
Still, it's an easy game to pick up and play, without needing tons of background. And it won't take you forever to get anywhere, so you won't get obnoxious people telling you that you're required to spend a month of grinding something stupid before you're allowed to say anything negative about the game. One potential catch is that the system requirements are higher than a lot of other games, so you'll need an actual gaming computer from sometime in the last several years to be able to run it properly.
Lord of the Rings Online
The story will keep you well entertained while you learn about the mechanics of the game. The community is mostly welcoming especially if you start on one of the unofficial roleplaying (optional) servers like Landroval. Starting in the Hobbit lands will have you doing more non-combat quests than starting in the human or dwarf/elf areas.
Most people are wiling to answer specific questions but if you ask things like "How do I play?" What do I do? then don't expect many helpful answers. That goes for any MMO though.
Granado Espada, Ragnarok & Luminary~
I would prefer one without too much violence or gore. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!
i agree with WoW, EQ2 or Lotro for starters. they are all pretty easy with a lot of content. WoW got a long free trial. the others are freemium which is even a longer trial, before you have to subscribe or pay per cash-shop. if you can wait a week and prefer a brand new game, where all start like you: pre-purchase GW 2 and start with next next fridays beta-weekend.
but these are all themeparks, even if GW2 will become different. if you like to start with a sandbox it is hard to recommend one. they are all pretty difficult with a steep learning curve. but perhaps you like the challenge and coming from Sims might help a bit, to understand this open and flexible system. the main problem is, that you have to set your own goals, even if there is a tutorial and quests in good sandboxes. the most sandboxes are from indie-developers, so they are either crappy made or deserted worlds or both, which is not a good start for a newcomer. the only exception imho is EVE. but EVE is SciFi and it takes some time to get in. again you may wait a bit and pre-order The Secret World, which starts early May. it is not a sandbox from my understanding. but with its open skillsystem it seems to be closer than the standard theme-parks above.
so my recommendation would be, to play next week with WoW, EQ2 or Lotro. check out the previews and videos about GW2 and TSW and start with one of these new games soon. because playing standard theme-parks too long might screw things up forever for you. actually there should be a warning on retail-boxes like on cigarettes.
edit: i just read your last post about violence. now it becomes tricky. the 1st question would be: what does violence mean for you?
is bashing things violence already? then nearly all MMORPG are not yours. the few i know without combat are not a good start, becuase not very popular, imho.
or are cool moves ok, but please no blood and body parts? i am not sure about TSW, but the others i named are ok then.
killing stuff is the main task in most MMORPG for character progression. there are alternatives, but a pure crafter or other peaceful role is not the coregame in most MMORPGs. it is possible in EVE, like a lot of other non-combat roles are possible in sandboxes. in theme-parks a pure non-combat-character is not as flexible and senseful than in sandboxes, because the player-driven economy and the simulation focus is missing. but starting with a sandbox like EVE needs a lot of good will and patience. and ypu mentioned, you prefer a game with clear given goals. thats not the strength of these non-combat games.
played: Everquest I (6 years), EVE (3 years)
months: EQII, Vanguard, Siedler Online, SWTOR, Guild Wars 2
weeks: WoW, Shaiya, Darkfall, Florensia, Entropia, Aion, Lotro, Fallen Earth, Uncharted Waters
days: DDO, RoM, FFXIV, STO, Atlantica, PotBS, Maestia, WAR, AoC, Gods&Heroes, Cultures, RIFT, Forsaken World, Allodds
I would just choose whatever MMO you like best.
WoW, EVE, EQ2, SWTOR, ... very likely, since its your first MMO, you wont see much difference.
Personally I prefer to play MMOs shortly after release, though. Its no fun to be the lowbie player in a game full of highlevel players who wont party with you, or worse playing a game with highly outdated graphics (which rules out games like EQ1 for me).
Someone comes here asking for a free MMO for "true beginners who have never played an MMORPG before"... and people are recommending EVE.
Wut.