Playing an MMORPG during a collapsing bubble...

[Ravensign]

With WoW (and to a much lessser extent EQ2 and Vanguard) coming out, I was wondering if anyone else was feeling as "empty" towards EQ as I am.

I dont want to sound melodramatic, but I can see why it was such a curse for the Cyclops to know when he was going to die. Knowing that, by the end of the summer, every level, AA, item, etc is going to fade away, has made it very difficult for me to spend the energy to keep up in EQ.

Obviously, one should play for the people and good times as well as the classic RPG carrots, but a lot of what drives one to overcome the duller, or time-sink-y aspects to get to the good parts is kind of becoming moot. I am so used to putting in time everynight to make progress, I am kinda stuck with a habit that doesnt match the fun returned from it.

I was wondering if anyone else felt this bubble effect.

[Tuco]

Personally, I never played EQ to have 'that next item'. All my participation in the game was to meet new people, see new things, and most importantly, 'get stuff dead'. Leaving EQ for me was easy, as once the drive for giving mobs dirtnaps had dissipated, I simply gave my account to a friend and didn't look back. I still remember, though, telling my guild I wouldn't be joining them for Vex Thal, I took one look at what we had to do for key quests and said, 'No.'

[Star8urst]

I only play EQ as a "filler" until WoW comes out (or I get in the beta). It's certainly different then when I use to play it before. I only log in for raids, I don't do any more quests or exp grinds. No LDoN either. Just raids. It does seem pointless to do other stuff, I have enough AA's so no skill I realy need, yes it would be nice to finish seru earring quest (only 3 shards to go) and get rid of that head in the bank but I'm not realy stressing about it.

If I had my way I would still be playing FF but that is another rant. But I have found more time to play other games, Sacred looks pretty good at the moment, in co-operative mode is not bad.

[Awanka]

This is evidence that you should have quit before now. If you can't justify playing at this moment on its own entertainment value, than you're not having fun, and you shouldn't be playing.

[The Insider]

It literally makes me physically ill when I talk to my old EQ friends and find out they still play.

[Astaron]

i stopped playing eq because i have time management issues. i can't really be a casual player soo i finally gave up on it. i'm going to try to stay away from playing mmorpgs all together too. i don't know about WoW or any of the other new ones, but a large majority of the time i spent on eq wasn't really fun, so when i walked away after 4 and a half years, i had nothing to show for it and wasn't able to say "at least i had fun" cause i didnt, that monotonous shit was eating away at my insides!

[Iannis]

Originally posted by Ravensign

Obviously, one should play for the people and good times as well as the classic RPG carrots

You should play a game because it's fun and entertaining, raven.

There are obviously bonds that form and while they do contribute to the fun of the game if those bonds are the only reason a person has to justify paying sony their $15 a month or whatever it's come to now and 2-6 hours of their time (more important than the 15 bucks) per night, that consumer is getting played for a lonley sap. There are just so many ways to communicate (at a much lower cost) over long distances in this age. While they all do require a bit more effort than logging into an online service sony provides they're also the better for it. If someone is actually a friend then they'll be a friend in Email, or in Instant Messaging, or on Messageboards, or in what have you. At least that's my view.

To me, it sounds like WoW has reminded you specifically what a fun game actually is and now that you've found an alternative you're willing to accept you seem to be realizing that EQ is a social situation at it's upper stratas and not a game at all. It hasn't been an actual game in a very long time. But that's just me, and i don't know you, so take that observation for what it's worth.

As to your question tho, everyone I've known that has quit EQ (or any similar online game, actually) out of choice and not circumstance feels pretty much this way for a while. Myself included.

[Lizarde]

Originally posted by The Insider
It literally makes me physically ill when I talk to my old EQ friends and find out they still play.

Why?

If they aren't having fun and are just slogging through it, I could see why you'd feel that way. But if they're having fun then more power to them.

[The Insider]

Because they keep quitting, then coming back, then feeling bad when they know that quitting permanantly would be best for them. I went through the same thing a few years ago so I know that feeling. Deleting your account and destroying the disks is the only way to make sure. Been EQ clean for 2 years

I will play this game no more forever

[Jait]

Man, some of you people drive me up a fucking wall. Stop telling people why they should be playing a game. Play for whatever freakin' reason you want to, it's your time.

I swear some of you think your view of things are so absolute you go rabid on anyone who doesn't fit your 20 IQ view of the world.

Were talkin' about games here folks.

[Lizarde]

Originally posted by The Insider
Because they keep quitting, then coming back, then feeling bad when they know that quitting permanantly would be best for them.

Yeah, it can be pretty hard to get it out of your system. I was pretty sure I reached that point when I didn't log in for two weeks and suddenly realized that I hadn't missed it at all. A few days ago I let my guildies and friends know that I am quitting.

I kept thinking it might be a lull, but I didn't get any urge to do those things that people do when they're trying to force themselves to stop. Didn't give away my stuff, didn't try to delevel, didn't find some quiet spot in which to do a dramatic RP ending, didn't delete characters, etc. Just stopped playing and filled the time with other things. I guess it helps that I'm busy enough with RL stuff that I don't sit around staring at the icon on the desktop.

I told everyone that I didn't rule out a return, but the game is so completely out of my mind that I can't imagine it. I never made endgame or anything, just played at my pace and enjoyed it, so that might make it easier as well. So either I'm just fortunate, or I'll be logging back in six months from now, foaming at the mouth.