| As a huge advocate for VG before it came out, my opinion at this point is that tedium as a device for making a game 'hardcore' is outmoded. I don't feel that every new game must be EASY, simply that the difficulty should be presented through content, not mechanics. An engaging story that presents a challenge would be a huge draw. To hell if the mechanics aren't the 'hardcore' bullshit you remember from EQ. I shudder to say it, but the MMO industry would do well to look at other genres of gaming in this respect - easy mechanics + difficult goals are more effective and more enjoyable than retardedly-hard mechanics with less challenging goals. | 