Someone explain to me...

[Shaver]

...the allure of WoW.

I've speant a big chunk of the morning reading a ton of coverage in the mainstream media about the WoW expansion. I don't get it. What is it about this game that makes 8,000,000 people willingly plop down $15 a month?

I'm seriously asking...

I've never played it.

Never seen it played.

But, this obviously goes beyond the D&D geeks of the world to have a fanbase that size.

What is it?

[fishepa]

Re: Someone explain to me...

Good question, I've never understood the fascination either....

[USF11]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I will never play an MMORPG ever again, I played Ultima Online which was the first successful game of its kind for far too long. Its just those games are incredibly addicting. Due to the leveling aspects of the game.

[Skerik]

Re: Someone explain to me...

Depth. It's probably the deepest MMORPG on the market right now in terms of content. The WoW name also had a pre-existing cult of fans who automatically love anything WoW, unlike any other MMORPG. Additionally, a MMORPG's success is largely dependent on its launch and WoW had a pretty clean launch, all things considered. If you have a bad launch, there's no getting those fans back after they've written off the game.

The surprising thing to me is, as people's lives become more busy in today's society, the MMORPG industry has gravitated towards more casual-play-friendly games in recent times, such as instanced games like Guild Wars, City of Heroes, etc. In those games, you can actually put in 30-60 minutes and accomplish something in the game. In WoW, you'll spend those 30-60 minutes running to where you want to go and then log off - it's not casual-friendly.

Having been a former "powergamer" in Everquest and Camelot, I can honestly say that I'd be pretty stoked about WoW if I had massive amounts of time to play it because those games are what you put into them and WoW has a lot of content going for it. But alas, I don't. But apparently a lot of people do.

[Cyros]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I play WoW to be playing a game with my friends.

[jgo777]

Re: Someone explain to me...

Speaking of WoW, the South Park episode where they are playing WoW is great. I downloaded it from the 360 video marketplace the other day and have watched it 3-4 times already.

[countryboy]

Re: Someone explain to me...

All i know is that it made for one heck of a South Park episode.

[UNC_Pete]

Re: Someone explain to me...

i'll have to donwload the south park episode. I played for a while, got to level 60, but never could find a guild to do the big raids so I just kind of gave up.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I started playing over XMas break cause I had nothing to do and no 360 and it has been a good ride. What gets me playing is signing on for 30 minutes to just joke around and I end up finding someone I met earlier doing a bunch of quests I need. Next thing you know I've played 3 hours and it starts getting ridiculous. I don't think I'll pay for it though after my first 30 days.

[USF11]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I started playing over XMas break cause I had nothing to do and no 360 and it has been a good ride. What gets me playing is signing on for 30 minutes to just joke around and I end up finding someone I met earlier doing a bunch of quests I need. Next thing you know I've played 3 hours and it starts getting ridiculous. I don't think I'll pay for it though after my first 30 days.

Thats how its starts, I dont remember anything of my freshman and sophmore years of high school because of Ultima.

[luv_mist]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I play WoW to be playing a game with my friends.

I hear it's very user-friendly and is a good way to talk to friends online. That might be what appeals to the people paying for it.

[forensicd]

Re: Someone explain to me...

One of my co-workers actually got divorced becuase of WoW, and not because he was playing it to much, but SHE was, and met some other guy in the game! Talk about harsh. Ive never played it, but doubt i would get to into it.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Someone explain to me...

My brother in law used to play it a lot. I have a few friends who play also.

I think what they enjoy about it most is going on quests together and leveling up.

To me, the idea of leveling up is silly. I've never understood the fascination in doing that. In some cases, a guy will sit there and do something for a long time just to level up. What's the point? Do they actually enjoy that?

[Dallasin2K3]

Re: Someone explain to me...

I've heard what MMORPG's do is continually add content. First, you think once I get to level 100, or whatever, then I'm good. I made it. But then, they add in the supersword, that you can only get as a level 100 after 20 hours of doing ****. Then, they add a plane that you can fly around, but only after 50 more hours. Then, etc... Always something that is the latest and greatest.

I've never played, though. I have too much going on in my real life to have the time or desire.

[UNC_Pete]

Re: Someone explain to me...

The only time I'd grind to level is if I'm within like 10 minutes of doing so. Quests give you ton more xp in WoW..