I just got back from a long long tour in Iraq, and survived, and I need the G-2 (intel) on what everyone is playing these days. I have a DDO account and tried to play that but it's down to like four servers and they are all empty. I was in beta last winter for LotRO and VSoH and they looked like they could be good games. Everquest and WoW are out of the question. I was accepted into two beta's for games that are coming out soon, well one was just pushed back until next summer, but I wasn't feeling them. One is kinda future and not set in a world that I got into.

If not, I could always work on something worthless like an online college degree or something.

Thanks

I'm glad you're back, I'm even happier you survived. Beyond that...I hope you're doing okay, coming back to the world can be a tough adjustment.

K, enough mushy shit...what's up in gaming. Okay, I don't know why EQ and WoW are out of the question, so I'm gonna pitch WoW like a scientologist clinging to an e-meter while ignoring that Xenu crap...

WoW has changed tremendously with the advent of their expansion, "Burning Crusade" the game is more casual-friendly...

I say that being someone who wants to be 'a_casual_gamer' but who has the obsession level and perfectionism of a power gamer. So despite whatever intentions I have, and wherever I go, I end up raiding. Fortunately I also tend to end up with good people, so that's a plus. However this time I'm able to sate that desire without being in a top tier guild. I also feel no need to push them higher or to migrate on. A raid on SSC, some Kara, and a few alts...I'm happy. And hope I stay so. The 10 man raids are SO MUCH MORE FUN, heroic instances provide a chance to breeze through something rewarding (even only if badge hoarding) with 5 good people without frustration, and if you like alts...well shit you're set.

The expansion is fun, the quests are enjoyable and entertaining, and I even leveled a new racial character from scratch. I strongly recommend.

But let's say you simply won't entertain the thought of WoW. Doesn't matter if it comes with hot elves giving you a blow job...you want no part of it. What next?

Well on the MMO front, not fucking much. Blahgate: London sucked balls IMHO, I don't recommend.

LoTROnline I've heard wonderful things about in an ultra-casual gaming sort of way. The people I know who do play it who are NOT in any way shape or form power gamers or raiders who like a super social game with lots of myth based shit in the game...social interaction being super key ...this is their game. There's no magic in the game, there's a lot of CLUNK in the game dynamics, but people like the social parts, and I can't badmouth it. It is simply what it is, and if you like that sort of thing...it appeals. There's people around here who play it, and I think you can get a sense of the game by the people you see playing it and who like it. I could probably play this game and enjoy it...if I wasn't enjoying WoW still.

EQ/EQ2...people still play it and love it. I haven't in a long time. I don't think I'd ever go back to EQ, it would be like trying to go back to 'the old neighborhood' and seeing most of the people moved, and what the hell did they do to the park?! It would be depressing ultimately. EQ2 I liked, but never really got into. /shrug

Vanguard....hahahahahahha gasp gasp hahahaha take a look at that section. It's a tale full of sound and fury and all that.

So...PC games:

Bioshock was fun, watch THIS REVIEW

Vampire the Masquerade:Bloodlines is being given away various places (and in specially marked boxes of cereal). It's an older title, but with the patches (which were continued by the player base when Troika went the way of the Titannic) it's really good. Plus free...or if you can't find it free you can download it for $10. Worth it.

Orange Box came out, Portal has been deemed FUN! while Half Life the Stalling until we make the real sequel is also getting decent reviews while people bitch about it's shortness. It also came with older shit in the box, and seems worth the value. I didn't buy and don't plan to because it makes me motion sick.

Clive Barker's Jericho has released a demo, haven't played it. Think it's released or will be soon. It looked good, and was banned in Germany. I thought Undying was great so I'll probably give it a look.



Other than that I've been playing the Wii, which I find fun. YMMV.

Hopefully Givin will also post, if not PM him and link the thread and MAKE HIM POST. He should have good input.

_________________

LotRO is actually a pretty great game. Has a good storyline, grouping is fun, and with some of the changes to LoreMaster they are now more of a needed class than before. (They truly are the masters of CC in the game now)

Considerable amount of reactionary attacks...I play a guardian (warrior) so a lot depends on my landing a successful shield swipe, or blocking, or parrying an attack. You can button mash, but not nearly as productive.

Housing is in..it's ok, but honestly games 4 years old have done it better. Still a nice bonus feature though, and having actual neighborhoods is kind of fun. (Can put things in your yard to customize it somewhat on the outside)

Tarot is pretty much spot on on it though, it is a very casual game, and they were pretty up front in that if you want to race to 50 and raidraidraid you probably are not going to be happy.

That being said, it has about 10 times the end game content of Vanguard (that isn't hard to accomplish) and the PvMP is actually rather fun (playing a monster race in the ettenmoors)

Chapter 11 just came out and they gave some LoreMaster and Minstril love, also with the addition of housing, new raid encounters and about 400 new crafted items I'd say it was a pretty solid patch. The fact the game is basically as new as Vanguard doesn't hurt either as far as getting in at the beginning.

I think of LotRO as a lot like WoW only lacking seriously on end game raiding and content, and having about 10x the community that WoW does. (This is just my experience, but unless I'm playing with friends or old school Lanysites I've found WoW to be the most asstastic kiddie community I've seen in a game ever)

So there ya have it...my take on LotRO.

Elemynt Fyrestorm

Just a warning about anything Turbine related.

They are going to pull a PlayOnline and put it into effect that if your shit is 3 months out of sub, you are going to have to repurchase from scratch.

Why? I do not know other than the fact they want to push for lifetime subscriptions.

Anyone else saying that and I'd call BS...but you have definately been pretty spot-on in your MMO predictions. If thats the case then like FFXI, they lose me and for good. It's ashame, FFXI is a game I'd have considered playing again (probably would have left again just as quickly after I get sick of the fact there are no NA servers) but at least they could have milked some more money out of me.

I hope that for once you are wrong on this prediction, if not then I'll just move on to something else. For the time being however it really has been a pretty good game. (better than 90% of the shit out today..including most of Turbines other shit)

if you want to play the best game around, play EQ2 - if you want to play the most popular play WoW

in all fairness, im no expert - im out of the games race till something really, really good comes along

(i mean REALLY fucking good)

EQ2 has the Kunark expansion coming out this month. You'll get to play the new race Iksar and join the legions who will start out in the newbie area from lvl 1-20. MW is on Blackburrow, SC is on another server, I forget. EQ2 is a really good game, and folks have either nostalgia hate or love for it.

WoW, every time I try to play that damn game I get bored or 1 too many idiot encounters who make me want to run from it screaming.

Vanguard basically went the way of EQ2 with a failed launch, and SOE bought up the remains. After seeing how they recovered on EQ2, it's possible VG may not be total shite someday. The concepts are good, but the implementation is horrid.

Tabula Rasa just came out last month. It's an MMO FPS. I haven't heard much about it, but then again I haven't been reading boards enough. If you ever played quake and enjoyed it, this game may have potential for you.

EVEonline has an expansion coming out soon. The game is cool for spaceship sim. That's how it plays. Like a SIM. Not really an MMO that I can see. Maybe after a billion skill points and several millions of ISK you'll be in a decent ship and in a good guild doing something, but other than throwing sand at each other in the sand box, it's just a cool spaceship sim.

I'd recommend doing the EQ2 kunark expansion, play some now to get use to the game, spin up an iksar. Then jump to WoW for their expansion due sometime "when it's ready" next year. Maybe also spin in some Tabula Rasa if you like FPS's.

If you wanted to checkout Vanguard still having some hype in your veins, you can station pass both EQ2 and VG. Expect a lot of empty servers on VG, and fanbois still screaming from the highest mountain on the games superiority.

Hope that helps Masj.

Azzi

Iksar has been a playable race since the org launch of EQ2

the new playable race in RoK expansion is Sarnak

with a new starting area in Timorous Deep

Don't play eq2 unless you hate yourself. If you hate yourself play eq2.

anybody that plays a MMORPG with any level of success has some hate for themselves.

that's probably the wrong thing to say on this board, but it's true.

Disagree strongly.

Thats like saying he likes to build ships in a bottle and he is good at it, he must hate himself.

Just like with every hobby. You always hear the horror stories and about the dregs over the millions that can enjoy it and lead normal lives and play at various levels.

what if you walk into a dudes house and he has literally thousands of ships in bottles? you would probably think that guy had fucking issues.

when you MMORP you tune out of real life - you might as well be doing drugs, - least if you are a pot head, you have lots of friends and get laid.

Same thing with compulsive TV viewing. It's just zoning out.

the key word in my previous statement was "success". I feel I enjoyed a fair bit of "success" in EQ1 and EQ2 - but holy shit, at what cost.. I spent HOURS/DAYS and millions of mouse clicks to build something that doesn't even exist.

I dunno, this really isn't the right crowd to be talking to about this sorta thing, since a lot of you still play and don't see the harm in it. But think about your time /played on just EQ1 alone - what if you had dedicated that time to something more constructive in your life?

To each his own though, I don't wanna come down on anybody for what they do for entertainment. It's not like I'm holier than thou - I play FPS's probably 10-15 hours a week - If I spent that time jogging I would probably add another 10 years to my life.

I'm not going to argue with any of you about it. That would be like me heading over to the IloveJesus boards and trying to debate the bible.

Shit what do I care about how you spend your time anyway? - it's your life, not mine. I have a different philosophy about time, money, family and many other things that most of you don't share. If your idea of a full, happy life is playing a MMORPG 1 hour a week or 8 hours a day - then do it. I recommend EQ2, I think it's a good game.

You could have also died from heart failure or been hit by a bus while jogging.

I made almost 900$ when I sold my account. I took a trip to New York City. =) Granted, breaking down the hours I spent in EQ I got like, .02 cents per hour.

Thank you for the replies. I had Jumpmaster refresher all week and that was very stressfull, but now that I am free again I will look into some fun stuff. I missed all the Lanys board drama this past year. Being able to read these while I was away would have helped during some rough periods. Really it boils down to friends being able to tell friends anything.

I am trying out Hellgate:London, I will write up my short review of it for benifit of everyones feedback for my request. I then may go to EQ2 since I have a burning desire to play Vanguard despite the aweful reviews...at least I won't waste a subscription if I don't like it.

My favorite was my high school health teacher who was a born again and believed she was also a born again virgin after a long drug and whoring lifestyle. Anyone who tells others how they should live their lives are usually trying to self therapy or make $$$.

FPS are nice short breaks from reality, while MMO's tend to be more of a split from reality. Looking forward to FPS Crysis since it will fit my short play times. Tabula Rasa might be good too.