Some of you may laugh at me but my personal favorite was Ashenvale from WoW (pre-cata). It may be because I was younger but it gave me a feeling of awe and wonder that I have not often gotten from an mmo. What about you guys? What is your favorite place in an mmo. Could be a dungeon or zone or town or whatever. I'm just curious to see what answers I'll get.
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Theed in Star Wars Galaxies
Atlas Park. The zone didn't stand out design wise but much like everything in City of Heroes, the players really made that zone. There was always something going on there. At any time under the statue there could be contests, player gatherings, or some kind of silliness. Most dev summonings of npc attacks would start at Atlas Park.
Probably will never see that again unless the game gets revived, but maybe one of these fan made projects can emulate at least a little bit of that feel.
The Direlands in Asheron's Call.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
EQ, 2000 on a Dial-up connection the first few times logging in and falling to my death and then finding the lifts and going down and getting killed by a mosiqto. The Tree City of Kelethin.
MAGA
I remember Atlas Park. I did like that zone.
lmmfao. I so remember that!!!!!!!!!!!!
East Commonlands in EQ1 in the early days - Loved sitting there listening to the trade chat, and doing some myself.
Made some great friends from all the socialising/selling items etc.
Play for fun. Play to win. Play for perfection. Play with friends. Play in another world. Why do you play?
Not so much my favorite as just the idea of the zone: Kithicor Forest in EQ1 ... if my memory is correct.
This zone was death for a young charcter at night ... all kinds of Undead would populate it and make running to other zones (cities) pure hell for newbies.
Much like the Giants that populated Oasis or the Griffons in the Karanas, etc, running though the zone unaware and slamming into an undead mob could really trip you up. Nothing from "today's" games compares. I remember many runs through the zone going "Oh sh*t, of sh*t!!!" the entire way
+1
Cluck Cluck, Gibber Gibber, My Old Mans A Mushroom
I love the tunnel and the player merchants sigh im getting old and it sucks.
MAGA
Corellia, SWG.
i always felt at home in the world of eternal autumn.
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
i knew nothing of the lore when i started playing GW. i remember talking to someone who had rerolled and i asked them what pre-Searing meant as i'd heard it in chat. all he would say was: Everything changes.
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
+1
#1 - Mulgore, WoW Vanilla
#2 - Vashj'ir, WoW Cata
#3 - Nagrand, WoW TBC
For some reason those three specifically, together with their amazing soundtracks, left a distinct mark in my soul.
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I'll throw in a dungeon to the mix, since it is technically an area.
Blackrock Spire in WoW, including both lower and upper, which were still 1 zone. Pretty epic non-linear design, open ended, alternate routes, complex layout.
That was back in the day though, when dungeon design was about expanding someones mind through 3D orientation, instead of the current toothpaste squirter style; linear <yawn>.
Plane of Fear in EQ was pretty good too. As the title suggests, what other zone could wipe an entire raid to the last person, with no exit once entered, all within the first 2 minutes of entering? Add to that the potential to not be able to retrieve gear any time soon (or ever) .. Be afraid ..
Want a nice understanding of life? Try Spirit Science: "The Human History"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8NNHmV3QPw&feature=plcp
Recognize the voice? Yep sounds like Penny Arcade's Extra Credits.
Nagrad really left an impression on me as well.
i will admit, much to many WoW players chagrin, that i enjoyed the outback of Northrend. that nordic style music really struck a chord.
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
Nagrand in BC WoW. I would so love to build a house on one of those big floating rocks.
Pre-searing GW1 would be a close runner up, if not for the impending searing...
The music in terrokkar forest (wow tbc) made that zone very memorable. I'd just fish there for hours watching the water and trees, and listening to those trakcs loop over and over.
Leeeeeerooooy Jenkins!