What do you want out of a MMO?

[Blitz0309]

A simple question, but apparently one that isn't easily answered. Apparently ffxiv isn't doing that job well at all, but some aspects have people coming back day after day.

Long before MMO's i played on MUDs, back when there actually used to be a ton. New ones would pop up daily each based of a few basic designs with some standard and some heavily customized. Some with 10 players, others with 1000's. Toward the end of my MUDing days i even did a bit of implementing but thats another story.

The MUDs i played i would play with friends. And first and foremost that is what kept me somewhere. Secondly i loved a challenge. I'd always pick a MUD that offered multiclassing. With my favorite being Intrepid, where you picked a class and every 10 levels you could multiclass down to level 1 again with the abilities of both classes, but your TNL doubled each time you did this. It make your character incredibly stronger, but took longer and longer to level. It was a great concept as you could go warrior, then multiclass as priest and basically be a paladin, or blm for dark knight... ect..

I knew a guy who was a warrior, and never multi classed. He hit level cap (think it was 60, its been a while) and formed a guild. Eventually i joined however i had about 5/6 classes. When we got into a fight with another guild.. he would get destroyed by a level 20 multi classed character. Eventually it sort of made him rage quit. But i digress.

I play games for a challenge, and to occupy my time. I view MMO's as most view life. Its not about the end, its about the journey. I don't want to play a game where i can cap my level in a few months, i want a game thats challenging. Hell, i've beaten boarderlands so many times its not funny, but that doesn't stop me and my friends playing it again always having fake connections to have the mobs spawn harder and skip missions to avoid leveling to fast and getting ahead of the mob levels.

This is why i enjoyed FFXI, hated wow/warhammer/guildwars/everything else. FFXI basically forced interaction so you talked with people, made friends. Wanted to play with those friends. Was it too hard, not generally (though some of the CoP missions were a pain), but it took you time. The combat wasn't terribly fast paced, but it allowed you to talk to your friends and enjoy the world with them.

I want a diverse crafting/gathering system. I don't mind if its all dependent on each other, but make an auction house so goods are easily searched and found. Have story lines that shoot out everywhere, have a point to the path you choose.

I want classes that are unique and each have their strengths and weaknesses. Promote a sense of pride for being a class, for developing your character the way you choose. Make gear have requirements, so you have something to work towards. Have a wide selection of gear/armor/spells.

Oh yeah, player home/storage. What is the point of living in a world if all you have is your eq and inventory... talk about a bum life.

[Evangela]

I want FUN which this game has not enough

[Demacia]

First two posts covered what I want pretty nicely. Exploration as well. Love discovering new areas, mobs, lore, characters, all that.

[Ruri]

Long before MMO's i played on MUDs, back when there actually used to be a ton. New ones would pop up daily each based of a few basic designs with some standard and some heavily customized. Some with 10 players, others with 1000's. Toward the end of my MUDing days i even did a bit of implementing but thats another story.

The MUDs i played i would play with friends. And first and foremost that is what kept me somewhere. Secondly i loved a challenge. I'd always pick a MUD that offered multiclassing. With my favorite being Intrepid, where you picked a class and every 10 levels you could multiclass down to level 1 again with the abilities of both classes, but your TNL doubled each time you did this. It make your character incredibly stronger, but took longer and longer to level. It was a great concept as you could go warrior, then multiclass as priest and basically be a paladin, or blm for dark knight... ect..

I also started my "mmo" gaming from MUDs. It was all text but still fun if you use your imagination. I pretty much played this from when I got home from school until I went to sleep. I felt the same way with 11 but not 14 yet. Once 14 is improved I'm sure it will steal my life again. Although now I don't have school but same would apply to my job.

[Xatsh]

1) Something that is near impossible for the hardcore gamer to beat
2) Something that required a strong guild environment to excell in the game.
3) Something that is more in-depth then just pressing a button
4) Something that makes me work to be the best
5) Something that is challenging requiring strategy and focus from large numbers of people.
6) Something that does not force me to solo while leveling up.
7) Something that does not force me to replay the whole game to try a different class
8) Something that separates those who are true gamers from those who are just casual.
9) Something that gives a feeling of accomplishment when you do something.
10) Something that is not focused on PvP

That is what I require for me to consider a mmo good, something that will never end, has a strong community requirement, and is rewarding. Cheap fun only last so long... like 2mins. A true feeling of accomplishment and being able to log in and be like damn look what I accomplished is what I want.

Unfortunately FFXIV is falling short on several of those areas, but it is closer then any other mmo.

-WoW fails in most those areas, it is targeted for casuals with instant gratification at every corner.
-FFXI fails post abysea, where they destroyed the need for a large guild and made it where anyone can be the best without any work. It throws the best at you with no gratification.
-Rift, See WoW
-Aion that game hit more points but the fact no one groups and the region locking/low populations killed that game in the west.
-AoC, Lolz bad wow clone
-War, Lolz bad wow clone
-GW, Solo mmo
-GW2, from what I read there is no grouping in that game just a bunch of people soloing mobs that change level
-Starwars, Solo based mmo
-Tera, Solo based/Small Group
.... see the problem with mmos now days they are all designed for those who hate mmos.