This is why games need free trials...(I tried WoW)

[Jife_Jifremok]

Hah, the thread I started, so I'm about to try World of Warcraft (or something to that effect) got deleted. I said a lot of nasty things in there yes, but the main thing was that I saw videos, thought it looked like shit, and that I'd try it anyway out of morbid curiosity and so I could HONESTLY say WoW sucks. Because after playing it I could actually talk from experience.

*The following comes from a Human Warlock who reached his trial account level cap of 20, in case the race and class combo chosen is more influential than I might think.*

...well, shit. I wound up really liking the game. Yeah, it's the same ol' point and click combat system and all commonly seen in MMORPGs, but I found myself actually enjoying this one. It feels very well-polished (for what it is) and the combat didn't feel TOO uninvolved. There seemed to be at least some strategic value in timing, ordering and prioritizing attacks to compensate for being just Ye Olde Pointey Clickey. Not only that, despite being a grindfest I actually felt like I was making progress! The way weapon skills go up (and cap by level), the way I gianed a skill point in fishing *EVERY TIME* I caught a fish (until I was a waaaays up on the fishing tier, then I needed to catch fish twice for a skill up!), gained a skillup in cooking with every dish I made that was a certain level relative to my cooking skill, ZERO failure rate in crafting items or mining or herb gathering (with almost guaranteed skill ups if item level was high enough)...it's a grindfest, it's just a grindfest with a nice bright shining light at the end of a rather short tunnel. And the process itself is sometimes fun.

There was actually something of an atmosphere in this. Things like standing atop a large wilderness hill and getting a view of the nearby capital city just bring in moments of awe that I rarely feel in any other game. I *really* loved when I first went to Ironforge via deeprun tram, I had to just stop and take in the massive dwarven awesomeness that was surrounding me. Exploring cities actually didn't feel like too much of a chore, and the way quests were given out by NPCs made sure that virtually no region of wilderness ever went to waste. I was even rewarded for exploring a bit by a quest NPC that was out in some remote area, but his location was not so painfully obscure that only hardcore explorers would find him. Oh yeah, and with the amount of quests and rewards for completing them (which are all the same anyway, for the most part) there was no need for me to pointlessly kill things JUST for exp. I was always pointed in the right general direction, maybe I'd have some difficulty, and often I would wind up over my head simply because I became curious and explored a little, or found an herb that I just had to pick.

I didn't even get to the PVP. I tend to stay away from that until after doing a LOT of PVE.

..but, I guess that's enough gushing. I came into this thinking it was gonna be just like every other pile of shit out there, I came out of it wanting to buy the full version sometime in the future. Maybe it's just MMORPG addiction that does this. I'll find out when my interest fades or stays in a month or so before getting it.

[Saner]

hey that's cool. yup yup mmorpgs have great potential to take
adventures and stuff even further.

http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/burger.gif

[Anduril]

I've also signed up for WoW's free trial, but I have to say, It's not my cup of tea. There's just something about the game that disinterests me. One of the more problematic things for me was character creation, it was just so bland. Extensive character creation was what first lead me toward PSO, and why I still enjoy PSU. To me being able to differentiate yourself to a high degree is one of the most important things in an Online RPG. Plus I'm just more of a fan of faster-paced action RPGs. But to each his own.

[Saner]

yeah its a good thing there are many flavors of online rpgs so
there is sumthin for everyone. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[Weeaboolits]

I tried it at a friend's house once, I didn't much for it at all, but glad you're enjoying it.

[InfinityXXX]

On 2008-01-30 22:38, Anduril wrote:
I've also signed up for WoW's free trial, but I have to say, It's not my cup of tea. There's just something about the game that disinterests me. One of the more problematic things for me was character creation, it was just so bland. Extensive character creation was what first lead me toward PSO, and why I still enjoy PSU. To me being able to differentiate yourself to a high degree is one of the most important things in an Online RPG. Plus I'm just more of a fan of faster-paced action RPGs. But to each his own.




*nods head*

The most important thing (or exciting) thing is Character Creation.....I like the idea of making myself look different or making an ingame avatar that resembles myself...

I'm not saying I can't play games with low customization (I'm a lv.70 RM on Flyff, and I had a lv.70 Champion on Ragnarok...games that don't have that much customization options).......

....but it'll just be nice.......

WOW is an ok game...I've never really got the chance to enjoy it....Maybe I'll pick up a free trial one of these days.......



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2008-01-31 08:57 ]</font>

[HUnewearl_Meira]

Well, I'd say that there's plenty of good reasons why there are over 10 million people playing the game. It really is well put together. I play the game from time to time, myself. About twice a year or so, I get a hankering, and open my subscription. Simply enough, it just offers an ability to explore that you just don't get from PSU.

[CupOfCoffee]

Cool, I'm glad you enjoyed the free trial. I really like the environment and city design in WoW as well--even the completely barebones layout of Shattrath City, in the Outlands. It basically serves just as a place to check your mail, queue up for battlegrounds, or port to one of the other capitols, but something about the creepy, foggy atmosphere and skies filled with Nether Drake mounted players gives it the perfect mysterious feeling. The art direction in Warcraft--despite the outdated graphics--is pretty top notch, and little things like mousing over the icon for a spell a monster has cast on you and reading, "Deals 20,000 shadow damage over 24 seconds to you, your children, and your children's children" always make me grin. I constantly get the feeling that a lot of people put a lot of themselves into making the game as entertaining as possible in many often overlooked categories, which is something that just isn't too common, especially among producers of the world's most successful products, who basically wouldn't hardly have to try at all to maintain their enormous fan bases and fortunes.

And yeah, if you get the full verison and try your hand at a little PVP, I guarantee you'll be blown away by the whole new world of battling it opens up. PVE--pointing, clicking, waiting--is one thing. Fighting another intelligent player who well spell lock the shit out of your whole shadow school if you take one second too long in getting off your shadow bolt while hoping he doesn't break out of your fear spell is entirely another. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[HUnewearl_Meira]

A bit of advice, if you're going to buy the full game-- Unless you're planning to use a Blood Elf or Dranae, don't bother getting the expansion, until you're approaching level 60. There's nothing in it for you. If you're not going to use one of the new races, there's really no need to have the expansion until you meet the requirements for Outland.

[ShinMaruku]

That's how WoW got me too with these free trials it also helps that they are evry good at what they do. Showing there is little risk and all reward for their activity.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

One thing that can be said about Blizzard, is that they are, indeed, very good at what they do. I don't think there's any other game producing entity that can tout such an incredibly high ratio of hits to flops in their product. It seems as though everything they've made since the original Warcraft has been a smash success.

I suppose that it's because they don't really produce a great deal of games. It seems like they basically just take on one game at a time, and spend a huge amount of resources on researching and refining it-- much more than other big names do. With Sega, for example, half the stuff they put out these days feels like a beta test copy, right out of the box. Even the original PSU felt like it was incomplete. With the expansion, that sensation isn't quite there so much, but it lingers, regardless.

[Mewnie]

Yeah, Blizzard puts that extra time and effort polishing their games.

Even a turd can be polished to a brilliant shine ;3

[Abashi76]

Not bad, although like most MMOs, the attacks are turn based, and there is no instantaneous action the way we have here on PSO/PSU.

[DizzyDi]

I'd probably play WoW if I had a computer that could run it properly.

[KaneKahn]

Every game has "free trials", it is called the INTERNET. If you need me to go on any farther, you are living a sad sheltered life.

P.S. Dizzy, Phantasy Star 3, Ryan lol.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: KaneKahn on 2008-02-01 19:36 ]</font>

[ShinMaruku]

On 2008-02-01 17:42, DizzyDi wrote:
I'd probably play WoW if I had a computer that could run it properly.


WoW is not so systems intensive

[Randomness]

I'd probably try the game myself, if I didn't already have games I want through to summer, while already playing PSU and JK3 extensively.

[RuneLateralus]

If you liked the game up until level 20, wait until you get to Outland at level 58. That place adds a lot. Avoid the Fel Reaver in Hellfire Pennisula.

And the end game raids are fun. I can't wait for my guild to start out our first attempt at Gruul's Lair.

[Jife_Jifremok]

On 2008-02-01 19:35, KaneKahn wrote:
Every game has "free trials", it is called the INTERNET. If you need me to go on any farther, you are living a sad sheltered life.


Back when I had interest in Final Fantasy XI, I couldn't find any free trials of that and had to go entirely by hearsay (so I avoided it). And, most CONSOLE games are lacking in accessible free trials, and guess where the majority of my gaming interests lie. Sadly, the Internet isn't the answer to all our problems...yet.

[Mewnie]

FFXI free trial: punch yourself in the balls several times.

[Sgt_Shligger]

Jife, I too was the same way. I bashed and hated WoW before I tried it but finally gave in to see what it was all about. I've actually been on a free trial a few days before you made this topic and I was chuckling since it would've been the exact same thing I would've posted. It's odd really, it seems like any other MMO. There's just so much more to do.

[Spacepest]

On 2008-01-31 09:26, HUnewearl_Meira wrote:
Well, I'd say that there's plenty of good reasons why there are over 10 million people playing the game. It really is well put together. I play the game from time to time, myself. About twice a year or so, I get a hankering, and open my subscription. Simply enough, it just offers an ability to explore that you just don't get from PSU.


Agreed. I play PSU and WoW, and I just love the amount of freedom there is to explore in WoW. And to an explorer like me, I feel the game really opens up after level 40, which is when you get your first land mount and can start racing across the landscape. And once you get to Outlands (the expansion area) and you get your first flying mount you can really have a blast flying from place to place exploring.

Plus I love the seasonal in game events, which often have fun quests and neat rewards. I always log in to complete those.

And if there were any game I wish had a free trial to play, it would be FFXI. Now that game is really a pretty looking polished turd.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Spacepest on 2008-02-04 15:58 ]</font>

[elainesangel9]

well....yea but look at PSU's free trail, it made me want to cry....in pain and agony

[Nisshoku]

You know, I've never tired a trial of FFXI. I'd like to, though.

[Hrigg]

On 2008-02-02 17:16, RuneLateralus wrote:
If you liked the game up until level 20, wait until you get to Outland at level 58. That place adds a lot. Avoid the Fel Reaver in Hellfire Pennisula.

And the end game raids are fun. I can't wait for my guild to start out our first attempt at Gruul's Lair.







Gruul's Lair is super fun, love killing the big ogres http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Our guild had our first attempt in SSC last night, attempting Lurker and learning the fight. (Coolest boss ever, gotta fish him out; rofl)

[spoiler-box]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/hrigg/WoWScrnShot_021208_225144.jpg
before


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/hrigg/WoWScrnShot_021208_220419.jpg
after



[/spoiler-box]

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Hrigg on 2008-02-13 10:32 ]</font>

[RuneLateralus]

Our guild did Gruul's Lair on last Sunday for the first time ever.

We also cleared it too. Wiped one time on High King Maulgar (first time was a test run to see if we could get the pull and despite confusion of where some of the adds went, we got the healer and warlock down but wiped after that) and twice on Gruul (first time we got him to 18% but wiped due to some bad shatters...second was the same but earlier).

Then again, some of the longtime players (including myself) are a little bit overgeared so that probably helped out a bit. We plan to keep Gruul's on farm and try out Mag's in a couple of weeks (or wait for the nerf in 2.4) and be ready for SSC/TK in few upcoming weeks.

[ABDUR101]

Speaking of free trials, I have an active EVE account and can email out 14-day free trials to those who want to give it a try. I decided to give it a go after a year and a half of being away to see what they changed/added. Quite abit appearently!

If you want me to send you a 14 day free trial(it doesn't need any kind of credit card information), just send me a pm with your email address.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ABDUR101 on 2008-02-16 10:59 ]</font>

[Mewnie]

I tried to like WoW. But after raiding for three years on Everquest, I just didn't have the heart to do it again.

At it's core, WoW is EQ refined and polished to the nth degree. It's fun, and I love the style. Too many games try to go for the ultra-realism, and end up
looking like freaky, plastic mannequins.


I missed the early days on Silver Hand, when there were more roleplayers and interesting events. Then everyone got purple fever and idiots pushed all the roleplayers out and it became another PvE idiot mill.

le sigh.

[eXo]

I play wow and enjoy it quit a bunch, unfortunately i no longer have the uber free time thats required for the top tier pve guilds on my server, however i have a pvp machine and minus the few pvp flaws that every mmorpg has i must say that pvp is pretty solid. i managed to reach the HWL title before, the mechanics where plague with ventrilo trading noobs. LONG LIVE WOW