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I went back to WoW when LotRO was down the other day.
Going back to WoW it amazed me how cartoon-like or "Mickey Mousey" the graphics are.
In comparison, LotRO's graphics are so realistic and breathtaking, especially on the ultra-high graphics setting (I downloading the high definition data).
I think WoW has some serious compensation. In fact, given time I think LotRO will become the dominating force behind mmorpgs. In short, it won't be too long, I feel, before "WoW" will be short for "Worn out Warcraft".

LotR wont even touch WoW for subscribers, it's just aint gonna happen.

I do agree though, I didn't like WoW's graphics too much, dunno if they've updated it but WoW's graphics engine was also rather dated on the day it was released, but then I guess that's what happens when a game is in development for 6+ years

[quote="Gandelf"]I went back to WoW when LotRO was down the other day.
Going back to WoW it amazed me how cartoon-like or "Mickey Mousey" the graphics are.
In comparison, LotRO's graphics are so realistic and breathtaking, especially on the ultra-high graphics setting (I downloading the high definition data).
I think WoW has some serious compensation. In fact, given time I think LotRO will become the dominating force behind mmorpgs. In short, it won't be too long, I feel, before "WoW" will be short for "Worn out Warcraft". ]

I dont agree.
I think either people will stop playing mmorpg (most peeps I know - which isnt many granted - have become so disallusioned with mmorpg theyre just not interested) or go back to the games they used to enjoy.

MMORPG games have become .. well... Final Destination 3.
Final Destination was brilliant. Innovative etc. You could just about getaway with Final Destination 2 - with death retracing his steps. You knew what the film was about but it did miss something from the first one.But Final Destination 3? sure the deaths were brilliant but working on photo? purlease...

In short (and i dont know any mmorpg before daoc so please forgive me )

DAoC = Final Destination 1 (new brilliant addictive)
World of Warcraft = Final Destination 2 (brilliant addictive but missing something that daoc had)
Everything else = Final Destination 3 (a case of been there done that - dun wanna group with newbies only friends yadayada)

I think LOTRO is final destination 2.5
It is still a good game but well, if youve played mmorpg for a while you only play with friends and have little time for other people.

Does that make sence??

It might make sense if DAoC had been the first MMORPG to be new brilliant & addictive, but DAoC was about 5 years too late for that. There had already been about a dozen MMORPGs before that, & some of them even had better PvP, just not RvR, although DAoC seemed to make the mistake of changing from being about RvR to being about PvP sometime around ToA/NF.

You also can't necessarily measure a MMO purely by the number of subscribers. That would be like saying a VW Golf is a better car than a Ferrari just because it has higher sales. Also by that measure DAoC must have been absolutely lousy.

It makes sense to me Nana

I also started MMORPGs with DAoC, I tried a couple before hand such as EQ & Legends of Mir but it wasn't until DAoC that I finally paid a subscription!

I joined DAoC around the release of Shrouded Isles, but there were still loads of people around the lower level XPing locations etc.

My early memories are all about meeting new people, other "noobs" & "vets". Almost all of who were friendly and very helpful. The game actually seemed like a secondary thing to the chatting and socialising.

Every other MMORPG since I have found that the game is the important thing and it takes away from what MMORPGs are about. I don't think it's because games are any worse than they were, just that the way they are played has changed.

I have now gone 2 months without a MMORPG subscription, and currently I can't see me starting a new one, because they don't offer anything an old one doesn't so I may as well play the old one and benefit from my existing levels. It was actually while I was playing the trial of vanguard I came to that realisation.

Even though I really like LotR I still can't see me splashing the cash for it, although if there is a free demo at some time I will probably give it a whirl.

OohhoO wrote:You also can't necessarily measure a MMO purely by the number of subscribers. That would be like saying a VW Golf is a better car than a Ferrari just because it has higher sales. Also by that measure DAoC must have been absolutely lousy.

That analogy is flawed, because of the obvious price difference. MMOs are all pretty similar price wise so consumers can realistically choose which they prefer. If Ferraris cost the same as VW Golfs then of course they'd have the higher sales.

...makes sense apart from the fact that all 3 of Final Destiny are worthless

/Ankh

Xest wrote:That analogy is flawed, because of the obvious price difference. MMOs are all pretty similar price wise so consumers can realistically choose which they prefer. If Ferraris cost the same as VW Golfs then of course they'd have the higher sales.

Still, by your logic WoW must be 10 times better than DAoC was at it's peak...

OohhoO wrote:Still, by your logic WoW must be 10 times better than DAoC was at it's peak...

You also can't compare different periods in time. There is a much larger audience for MMORPGs now than during DAoCs peak. Also it's hard to compare when there is such a difference in the marketing of the two products, wow = saturation marketing whereas DAoC = Zero marketing (in the UK at least).

Going back to the point about WoW's engine looking dated, that was not just because of the development time, but also partly by design. Blizzard purposely aimed it at a lower spec machine, in order to allow as many as possible to play it. The figures would suggest that it was probably a good decision.

Of course some people are as interested in a fantastic looking game as well as the playability, but for me playability >> looks, and Wow is certainly playable. That is why there is room for more than one game in the market place. I don't think that LotR will dent Wow subs much though for the reason I gave above, it isn't different enough to give up the 12 months+ I have spent accumulating experience levels and gear in WoW.

I also don't think it will dent WoWs figures all that much. For a start LotRo is aimed at a very different market segment. Probably only more mature & RP-oriented players will migrate from WoW to LotRo, which probably isn't all that big a number really.