WOW

[Salient]

Anyone here plays/played World of Warcraft?
I'm getting a free copy tomorrow (one of the advantages of my job [:D]) and I'm really anxious to try it out since I never played a massive online role playing game.
Since it's a blizzard product I have high hopes, enjoyed Warcraft and Starcraft alot.

Is it worth the monthly fee?

[Challerain]

Yeah, I think so. I'v been playing for a little over a month and it gets pretty addictive. A lot of people on the forums complain about a lot of different things, but I enjoy it and feel that I am getting what I pay for and bottom line is that is all that matters.

Pop into the official forums and see what the players are saying.

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Salient

I'm really anxious to try it out since I never played a massive online role playing game.

I'd keep it that way, if I were you ! [:D]

That's a little unfait, they can be quite addictive initially. At first there is much to see and do (or at least it seems that way) and they can really pull you in, but it doesn't take long to realise that at heart MMPORPGS are very, very repetitive. All of sudden you realise you are wasting vast amounts of time that would be far better spent playing, or doing, something else. Don't expect to find much "role-playing", either.

Is it worth the monthly fee?

Never an issue. If you get as far as a second month you'll be more than happy to pay. If you get bored before that, you won't have to.

[ravinhood]

There's nothing like the first time they say.

And losing your mmorpg virginity in any of them will be exciting. But, as stated above, once you see how it plays from day to day, month to month, year to year, every mmorpg afterwards will not give you that initial feeling back ever again.

I put nearly five years into Everquest. The first couple of years were a blast, in fact it was a blast until they released Lucilin and Planes of Knowledge. They began making everything easier for newcomers and really took away the challenge for the old timers.

I didn't even purchase 3 of the last 4 expansions. Legacy of Yakesha, Gates of Doom, and Omens of War. Did get Lost Dungeons of Norrath, it was pretty good.

You definitely will enjoy your first experiences though, the "unknown" is the greatest part about most things, including games. And from the readings; WOW seems to have done it correctly by removing the feel of a grind and you can level up quickly if you want to or casually stroll through the game either in groups, duo, guilds, pvp/pve or solo. There is no pressure to group or join a guild like most other mmorpgs, that to me is what makes WOW greater than them all.

You might want to try out Anarchy Online, for now it is FREE to play till 2006 and you can't beat FREE when it comes to a MMORPG. Anarchy Online is a Sci/fi game with WWII weapons lol. Well it has a few laser weapons, but, I found for the most part the weapons to be WWIIish. I played an Engineer so I could design pet robots. And with the unique implant system of enhancement discs, one could create a robot 20 levels higher than themselves, possibly higher, but, that was as far as I got.

Enjoy either, when they are NEW, most often you will.

[Gem35]

Ah, Evercrack, my first love.... If you like hibernating and not being in the 'real world' go for it, just don't say I didn't tell you so..[:-]

[Salient]

Shit I think I'm hooked, just played for six hours, jesus sweet poison!

[degen]

Bizzard's work is top notch, excellent mechanics and excellent graphics. So if you are into MMORPGs I am sure you will not be disappointed with WOW. Myself, I prefer Starcraft and Warcraft 3. I also do not like the concept of paying a monthly fee just to play one game. In contrast, a monthly fee for Xbox Live makes more sense because it covers all Xbox Live games.

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: degen

I also do not like the concept of paying a monthly fee just to play one game. In contrast, a monthly fee for Xbox Live makes more sense because it covers all Xbox Live games.

Not really. The X-Box (currently - the next one will) offers nothing like WoW, Everquest, or WW2OL come to that. Xbox Live games are those where you get to play the PC equivalents online for free anyway.

PC PtP (at present)is restricted to styles of game that it just isn't possible to deliver with a one-off fee. The servers, and continual expansion and development, all cost big money and a continuing income source (above first time sales) is needed to support them (and make a profit, of course).