Thread: What makes WoW so damn addictive?

You do understand Sly, that for the most part that is a subjective opinion of yours. Otherwise nobody would be playing these games. Some surely enjoy them and, while agree that they may be inferior technology and game-design-wise, they still offer a lot of enjoyment. Enjoyment meanwhile being the meaningful word on this discussion... isn't it?

Again, I'll try to explain this... I'm not discussing the intrinsic quality of the game. I'm discussing the quality of the service provided.

"Pay to play" games are offering for a price the same free games offer at no cost. Additions that only add game elements. This is my only beef. Nothing more. And it is not even a particularly big problem for me. I can certainly appreciate the quality of WoW. But it does worry me an online community provides a gamming company a near endless money influx that by far surpasses original sales. And the best they can come up with in return is a new set of weapons/armor/etc or a new area.

However, I'm not an accountant in Blizzard. So I know little of what they do with the money. It wouldn't surprise me much if it was being diverted to research and the development of other titles. Which would always be good. In fact I can't think of anything else considering what I consider poor quality of the service being offered once the community is established.

Originally Posted by Mario F.

What do you mean name one MMORPG?

Runescape, Guild Wars, Rubies of Eventide. Or do you want a list of free MMORPGs?

Runescape ? The game that has the graphical finesse of an 1988 Atari ST game ? Or Guild Wars... snort... not going to say anything about that even. I don't have any experiences with Rubies yet, but I'll take an educated guess and say they don't provide the whole featureset WoW has for free if it would be worth charging money.

You don't really think Runescape or Guild Wars compare to WoW, do you ? As I already said, I'd like my car to have four wheels and an engine and I will pay for it, even if I can get a totally free rusty car with half an engine and 3 tires from the trash.

I mean I pay for the daily newspaper although I could get the one from yesterday for free... there seems to be a pattern

Did you actually read the post just above yours?

I'm not going to repeat myself. Where you read "Sly", change to "Nvoigt"

A guy could think eating a bowl of horse turds is better than playing WoW, but it doesn't change the fact that I'll argue with him when it says it's a waste of money.

Who cares what your opinion on the free crappy games are. The discussion is whether or not the $10 going into subscription games is worth it. We're saying it is because they use it towards servicing the game and maintaining its future. You're saying it isn't because of several opinions that are beyond the point. "People might like the free games better" or "They don't service the games enough". The point is, they're servicing it as much as they're able to with the money they're receiving. It's not all going into some executives Christmas bonus, and the gameplay and popularity of WoW shows that.

Who cares what your opinion on the free crappy games are.

sigh... I didn't bring my opinion on free games to compare them with...

In fact, I already said it 3 times. kinda tired. To each his own.

I downloaded the 1.11 patch. Just need to install and
reactivate my druid. I'm not a raider, so I'm going to work
on my tier 0.5 set. I can still gank level 30s with that set.

Druids get Innervate for free this patch. I'm going to spec
feral up to Heart of the Wild and keep Nature's Swiftness
and STILL have Innervate. I'm going to be an unstoppable
monster! RAWR!

Did you actually read the post just above yours?

Yes. It still reads "there are games that provide the same, for free". Which is simply wrong. No personal preferrence, no like/dislike. Show me a game with the same graphics, same story and same featureset. You will not be able to.

Your argument is that you don't understand why people are buying Ferraris when there is a Toyota for a much lower price. Guess what, apart from the basic design of four wheels an engine and a set of brakes they have nothing in common. It simply is not the same just for free.

Yes. It still reads "there are games that provide the same, for free". Which is simply wrong.

It doesn't suit you to take a phrase and remove it of it's context. The above is in relation to the service provided, not the game itself. The service provided to the online community.

You can read on that same post...

Originally Posted by me on that particular post

Again, I'll try to explain this... I'm not discussing the intrinsic quality of the game. I'm discussing the quality of the service provided.

It's amazing that you keep not seeing it. It's amazing that your eyes are fixed on one phrase and your brain fails to tell your eyes to read the whole post and think that perhaps, just perhaps, Mario is using it on some other context.

Guess what? I agree WoW is far superior to these games. The technology involved and the game design are simply awsome. But... as I said, I was never discussing that.

Then what exactly is your point ? All games offer enjoyment. Some more, some less. People pay for what they perceive is "more". You probably won't find many products where this is radically different. Yes, bashing enemies, grabbing loot and being generally better than others hasn't changed since the dawn of time. You see this in Chess, Football and MMORPGs.

Actually, to tell you frankly i've just realized my argument is invalid. Sometimes we forget the big picture when trying to analyse things in detail. And the way you put it, brought me back into perspective.

My point has been so far, that once the community is established and the game is running with a player base, a new ball starts rolling. That of maintaining the player base. Game improvements have been the way to go since ever in the shape of new items, areas, etc...

In this context many games offer this same principle for free, whereas others offer at a monthly price. It was my view then, if it costs me to pay, then I should expect more. Not necessarily just more areas and more items. But more technology and more design being thrown into the game at regular intervals.

However, it is obvious this is dangerous business-wise and impractical code-wise. This approach is done, but in the shape of a new shelf version. The amount of effort needed to produce or incorporate new technologies and alter/better the game design can only justify this approach.

My argument was thus quiet silly and I can now understand the confusion it was bringing.

Dude, this game sucks. I'm quitting again. 45 Minute Baron
run is bloody impossible. 48 minute is doable. But not 45minute.

And everything is too damn expensive. I'm sick of farming.
I like my new feral spec, though. 5 Balance, 25 Feral, 21 Resto.
I dominate PvP