What went wrong? Is it the game or the grenre?

[Wadoka]

Lots of thoughtful posts. I suppose I'm an older MMOer. I played the original Neverwinter Nights when AOL was still pay-by-the-hour and everyone maxed out at half-elf Fighter/Cleric/Magic User 10/11/11 (because any higher and MU's would get Disintegrate, which would kill PvP). I played UO a little; never did EQ; played a lot of Gemstone III and DragonRealms (*text*-based MORPG!); still play SWTOR; and went to look at WoW but didn't stay (eye-searing colors and cartoony graphics).

I came here because I am first and always a "Final Fantasy" fanboy. The MMO aspect is secondary... and the RPG seems nonexistent anyway. Those old text-based RPGs... now there, there you saw roleplaying.

Here's my short gripe list:


- I hate being forced to team up with other players to advance the main story.

Yes, I know, MMO... but still, not cool. Teaming up should be left for free-form, at-will content.

- I don't like this (now apparently industry-standard) slotting of roles - DD, Tank, Heal. Archetypes do have strengths and weaknesses, but it's contrary to my nature to accept being locked in to a role with no flexibility. That's left over from years of paper and pencil D&D.