Potential threat for WOW?

[Frattimonde]

Do you think that Lineage II could be a threat to WOW?

It seems to be very outstanding game that could challangce World of Warcraft.

What do you think?

[Evangielis]

Possibly on some fundamental level, but having spoken to people who played the Lineage II Beta...to be perfectly honest it sounds like the actual gameplay is very lacking. I had a friend tell me that his impression of the game was that the designers had created a world and a system but basically left the players to fend for themselves. Graphically it's gorgeous, but any gamer worth his/her digital salt will tell you that doesn't matter as much as the gameplay itself.

Frankly it just doesn't sound as rich or complex or even _fun_ as WoW. Besides, just look at how many hits Blizzard has under their belt versus the number of games they publish. I'd think their batting average should speak for itself when considering the competition.

[Ole-The-Murder]

I don't think'll Lineage II will be a challenge - I think Guild Wars will be a greater challenge.

[Battlecruiser]

Yeah, lineage is mostly played in Korea. That may be the only place where it is a big competitor to world of warcraft.

[Frattimonde]

Could "Warhammer Online" be a possible competior?

[Graeme]

I'm sure World of Warcraft need not worry about any competitors. Lineage II, by WoW release, will be half a' year old and will have lost much of its original flare. As mentioned earlier, Lineage 2 relies heavily on the players to create content, instead of providing a plethora of quests, missions and whatnot to do(seems to be a trend with the most recent MMOs - ie. AC2, SWG, ATitD, etc.). This, combined with the fact that there isn't a lot of new and innovative ideas being offered in L2, will likely leave it in WoW's dust.

Since the open beta has finished, the number of people I know still playing L2 has decreased considerably. This includes the hundreds of people in the various IRC chats I frequent. During L2 beta, probably 50% of the people had the tag '-L2' at the end of their nickname. I haven't seen this tag since then. Of course, Lineage 2 is much more popular in Korea than it is in North America, so that may be why I've seen this trend (as BattleCruiser stated earlier).

As for GuildWars being competition, I'm generally thinking that GW will work quite well with World of Warcraft. Although there are certain parallels between GW and WoW, they are entirely different games. In addition to this, Guild Wars is a non-monthly fee MMORPG. I would imagine many people will play World of Warcraft, paying the monthly fee, and then as a change play Guild Wars from time to time, since there is no fee. Blegh, at least that's what I plan to do.

Anyway, this could get a bit repetitive, since you could place virtually any game in the query, "Will [insert gamename here] be a threat for WoW?" Of course these games will draw attention, players, fans, cash flow, etc. from Blizzard. Technically any game . . . anything is a potential threat for WoW. Anything that can draw people from spending their days in front of the computer playing this game can be seen as a threat. Food, sleep, sports, books and loved ones are all threats for WoW.

Regardless of the threats for World of Warcraft, we will see the game released and it will undoubtedly run for years. It has the fanbase, it has the publicity, it has the financial backing and it has the playability. WoW will be fine, no matter what competition it faces ^_^.

[Evangielis]

As mentioned earlier, Lineage 2 relies heavily on the players to create content, instead of providing a plethora of quests, missions and whatnot to do...
Just what exactly does this mean in terms of the actual gameplay? I mean, how can players create content when they don't have any building tools?

[Graeme]

A lot of companies are doing this actually. They build these gigantic, beautiful worlds, and have great ideas for when the worlds become 'well populated'. The problem is, the worlds never become well populated because everyone leaves, bored in the anticipation.

Another great example is Asheron's Call 2. In that game, the landscape was vast, there were numerous cities, and there could have been some great times. However, there were very few quests to embark on, and for the most part, the quests were repetitive, boring, and forced you to walk for half a mile. The cities were pretty much empty because the only thing to do in them was craft and visit your guild hall. The developers were relying on a rich populace that would back their efforts.

It's true that, as players, we technically don't have the tools to create ingame content. We cannot spawn extra monsters, nor can we make quests to give us new items and quest experience. However, when a large number of people are all playing in the same area they're obviously going to be motivated to do something. When you get a big crowd of people on a single shard, it's as if the world itself is alive and thriving. There's movement everywhere. People go exploring in groups just for the heck of it. People begin to start PvP battles with others just because they can. At this point, the developers could probably disappear for a few weeks and the world would still be thriving, because the community is creating content, creating a sense of comraderie, and forging a community.

This is the type of environment every gaming company wants to achieve at some point or another. However, as we have seen, it's not exactly easy. A lot of the most recent games are providing the land, providing the ability to PvP, providing the monsters, and there's gigantic amounts of the aforementioned goodies. They expect us to create the community out of this, without any assistance from them. The cities they provide are often bland, and have only a few key people in them. How can we derive a community out of that? The quests they provide force us to march half way around the world, and are just generally boring. How can we derive enjoyment out of that?

Basically, they're missing that extra bit of pizaz that a MMO game needs in order to thrive. When it comes down to it, it's the community that creates the game. In order to get the community, you have to have a strong hook. Once you get them, you can relax (somewhat), and normally the community sticks with the game and sticks with the environment. These games that force the community to create content do not have a hook. They're just another run-of-the-mill MMO game (MAYBE) with a small twist, like a neat crafting system.

When I play MMO games in their early and developmental stages, I often look at them and say, "Hey, yeah, this could be an awesome game. It has everything except for that sense of community. Once it gets that, they'll be set."
In my eyes, once a game has reached that point, it's the developer's duty to generate content, generate a fake community if they need, generate anything they can to make the players feel involved. When the players are involved, they'll begin talking about how great the game is, and more players will become involved. Eventually the developers no longer have to force feed content to the gamers, because the gamers can find enjoyment out of the community itself.

I kind of rambled on a bit, but I said what I wanted :p.

[ShawnManX]

Excellent point Radlin, I doubt I can say it any better, so you get a http://apotheosis.tv/files/cookie%20Jar.gif full of http://apotheosis.tv/files/cookie1.gif

[Frattimonde]

Would a WOW taking place when the legion first attacked for 10000 years ago be intressting.

[SpAnNeR_Boi]

There can never be a threat for the likes of WOW

[Ole-The-Murder]

Would a WOW taking place when the legion first attacked for 10000 years ago be intressting.
Cool enough, but I'd rather enjoy it to continue the legacy of WarCraft III - After Frozen Throne :bigsmile:

[Frattimonde]

Cool enough, but I'd rather enjoy it to continue the legacy of WarCraft III - After Frozen Throne :bigsmile:
If Blizzard should make a sequel to Frozen Throne.

Do you think that Illidan will have found some way to live again?

[Exedore]

If Blizzard should make a sequel to Frozen Throne.
Do you think that Illidan will have found some way to live again?

Again? He never died in the first place. There are at least two sources (the conversation at the end of the FT campaign between Illidan and Arthas, and the Warcraft RPG Monster Manual) that confirm that Illidan was not killed in battle, just defeated, humiliated, and banished to Outland.

[Battlecruiser]

Just what exactly does this mean in terms of the actual gameplay? I mean, how can players create content when they don't have any building tools?
Actually the reason Lineage was such a hit in Korea was because of this. In Korea people would follow orders from other humans which is a form of players creating content. An example is when they are leading an army of soldiers against another army. Each one of those soldiers were real people. What happened in Korea was that one person would take charge in the pc baang (an internet cafe) and would scream out orders on how to attack the enemy and all the other people playing with them in the baang would follow them. The thing was that only the leader would be known. All those soldiers wouldn't really be known because all they did was follow the orders. In America it is the total opposite. We don't really want to follow orders. All of us want to be the hero, the one who is commanding. We don't want to be that measly soldier. No one would follow the orders which makes the game pointless. That is why those types of games don't do well in the United States. Of course I made a few stereotypes here, but that is pretty much the truth.

[Frattimonde]

Is there anyone whom know a MMORPG that could concurent WOW?

[Achelus]

There are literally dozens of MMORPGs coming out that will compete with WoW. However, Blizzard is Blizzard, and this game has lots of hype. It will succeed initially, at least. The question won't be "can Blizzard entice fans" or can they "make a better game than the competition". All Blizzard has to do is make a good game with replay value. People will play it then. However, if it lacks replay... gg.

[Ole-The-Murder]

Again? He never died in the first place. There are at least two sources (the conversation at the end of the FT campaign between Illidan and Arthas, and the Warcraft RPG Monster Manual) that confirm that Illidan was not killed in battle, just defeated, humiliated, and banished to Outland.
There is no reason apparantly to why Arthas should've won just out of nowhere over Illidan, the odds where against Arthas anyways. You could hardly ask "Why?" here; Illidan - Powerful demon hunter, backed by powers of the Skull of Guk'Dan AND the demon Kiljaeden...plus his skill as demon hunter from before...AND backed by an army of Nagas w/ Lady Vashj AND Blood Elves w/ Kael'Thalas, there's no avid reason why the weakened Arthas, a Crypt Lord (Anub'Arak) and some few undead should defeat them...unless the Lich King gave Arthas all his spare energy to defeat Illidan, but STILL...Illidan's power where vastly greater, there is no way he whould die instantly of it...perhaps be wounded, but he whould, logically, win in the end...But all Blizzard care for, is epic bla-bla-blah..BLAH!
:shiftyr:

[Frattimonde]

There is no reason apparantly to why Arthas should've won just out of nowhere over Illidan, the odds where against Arthas anyways. You could hardly ask "Why?" here; Illidan - Powerful demon hunter, backed by powers of the Skull of Guk'Dan AND the demon Kiljaeden...plus his skill as demon hunter from before...AND backed by an army of Nagas w/ Lady Vashj AND Blood Elves w/ Kael'Thalas, there's no avid reason why the weakened Arthas, a Crypt Lord (Anub'Arak) and some few undead should defeat them...unless the Lich King gave Arthas all his spare energy to defeat Illidan, but STILL...Illidan's power where vastly greater, there is no way he whould die instantly of it...perhaps be wounded, but he whould, logically, win in the end...But all Blizzard care for, is epic bla-bla-blah..BLAH!
:shiftyr: I just say that I agree.

Illidan Is damn much more superior than Arthas.

[davidw00t]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned Everquest 2?

I know a lot of people hate the first one, but my PC Gamer came in today and the sequel looks really, really good. Its graphics stomped WoW's (though I'm not really the type of person that thinks the graphics make the game... in fact, I like bad graphics sometimes... they're simpler). Whichever game is better, I just hope WoW players are prepared--while this game will harbor many similarities to Everquest (like Final Fantasy XI did), it will be addicting in its own way (longtime players have already nicknamed this game World of Warcrack--similar to the nickname Everquest recieved, Evercrack).

This year HAS to have more anticipated games than any year ever had--

Half-life 2, Doom 3, Halo 2, Sims 2, Everquest 2, and World of Warcraft, just to name a few.

[Frattimonde]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned Everquest 2?

I know a lot of people hate the first one, but my PC Gamer came in today and the sequel looks really, really good. Its graphics stomped WoW's (though I'm not really the type of person that thinks the graphics make the game... in fact, I like bad graphics sometimes... they're simpler). Whichever game is better, I just hope WoW players are prepared--while this game will harbor many similarities to Everquest (like Final Fantasy XI did), it will be addicting in its own way (longtime players have already nicknamed this game World of Warcrack--similar to the nickname Everquest recieved, Evercrack).

This year HAS to have more anticipated games than any year ever had--

Half-life 2, Doom 3, Halo 2, Sims 2, Everquest 2, and World of Warcraft, just to name a few. I never figured out how do things and actions In Everquest, so I got tired of It.

[davidw00t]

Hehe, yeah, it has a 3-month learning curve and it takes a somebody else's help to learn it. Still a good game, though.

[Frattimonde]

A "World of Dungeons&Dragons" would have been intressting MMORPG to create.
Especially If It the takes place right after the events of those In Baldurs Gate.

[Graeme]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned Everquest 2?

I know a lot of people hate the first one, but my PC Gamer came in today and the sequel looks really, really good. Its graphics stomped WoW's (though I'm not really the type of person that thinks the graphics make the game... in fact, I like bad graphics sometimes... they're simpler). Whichever game is better, I just hope WoW players are prepared--while this game will harbor many similarities to Everquest (like Final Fantasy XI did), it will be addicting in its own way (longtime players have already nicknamed this game World of Warcrack--similar to the nickname Everquest recieved, Evercrack).

This year HAS to have more anticipated games than any year ever had--

Half-life 2, Doom 3, Halo 2, Sims 2, Everquest 2, and World of Warcraft, just to name a few.

Good point about the addiction factor of WoW. I'm hoping I won't be too brutally pulled into playing WoW when I should be doing far more important things (aka studying for exams and working on getting into the program I want in University). Sucks how WoW is going to be released on my senior highschool year X_x.

I tend to disagree about the graphics though. I'll admit that Everquest 2 has shaped up quite a bit when it comes to graphics(if you've taken a look at their earlier screenshots, you would probably shake your head at EQ2 in shame :p). I'll even go so far as to say that the graphics are beautiful, and probably some of the best rendered graphics for any MMO game currently in its competition. However, I ask, at what cost?

Have you taken a gander at the system req's for EQ2 yet? I don't have them on hand, but I almost gagged when I read them. A person should not have to pay an obscene amount of cash simply to play a game efficiently. Especially the type of cash EQ2 would force a casual computer user to fork out. I think that may be the weak point of EQ2 -- they have a great product, and it looks gorgeous, but a large percentage of gamers will get fed up with the high sys reqs.

And I'm going to go so far as to say that I actually kind of like the cartoony Warcraft graphics over EQ2's realistic graphics. The thing about realistic graphics is that if something looks lifelike, everything else has to look equally lifelike or the entire scene will just look gross and unprofessional. It's a lot of work to follow a realistic model, especially when it concerns a massive online world where there are a large number of graphics being rendered every second. I know there will be certain rough spots in EQ2 that just look blah, because nothing is every entirely perfect, especially when it concerns graphics.

In addition to this, I feel the cartoony warcraft graphics immerse the player into the Warcraft universe moreso than the life-like graphics. I don't play a videogame so that I can experience real life all over again (the #1 reason I can no longer stand 'Sims'). I play videogames to get away from the worries of real life. If I wanted everything to be completely graphically realistic, I would simply enjoy real life as it is.

The Warcraft graphics that we know are from an entirely different world. I have played the Warcraft series, and I am familiar with the various traits and looks of the creatures and the world. To simply revert to life-like graphics now, would be somewhat inane, as the Warcraft fanbase is already in love with what they have.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I love the Warcraft graphics as they are, and I definately enjoy them more than the EQ2 graphics ^_^.

[Frattimonde]

I still think there should be a World of DnD.

[Ole-The-Murder]

Thanks for your remind, in case we forgot. Heheh! But MMORPG...Is easier to screw up. They shouldn't have that mutch graphics, though, make it more laid back and easy, old school setting.

Just look, you got 420 posts! An omen for you? Did Bob Marley haunt you in your dreams?
Did he use his big bad vodoo weed and snuffle it down your throath? Or maybe not...
ARGH! I'm ranting. Gotta stop!

[Frattimonde]

Thanks for your remind, in case we forgot. Heheh! But MMORPG...Is easier to screw up. They shouldn't have that mutch graphics, though, make it more laid back and easy, old school setting.

Just look, you got 420 posts! An omen for you? Did Bob Marley haunt you in your dreams?
Did he use his big bad vodoo weed and snuffle it down your throath? Or maybe not...
ARGH! I'm ranting. Gotta stop!
Ahem, nope he didn´t.

I will only see my posts as an omen when It reaches 666.
Uhm, Yes precious.

Soon, soon.

Frattum! Frattum!

(Whops, now I am ranting.)