What MMORPG: Exploring the MMO Industry

6 Things That Are Destroying MMOs

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:30:00 -0600

Spend any time in the MMO community - especially online forums - and you'll notice a lot of complaints, worries, and rants. There's a general perception among some circles that MMOs are in a downward spiral, that the entire genre is slowly destroying itself by repeating certain mistakes. We here at WhatMMO thought we'd collect some of the more mentioned issues, and we now present you with the top things that are destroying the MMO genre… according to its community.

Mid Life Regret

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Reasons to Play an MMO (Alone)

Wed, 8 May 2013 21:30:00 -0600

Massively multiplayer games are a social medium, and their high end content almost always requires cooperation between players. Even so, there are a surprisingly large number of MMO players who play mostly or entirely alone. Whether these players are a good thing or a bad thing for the genre is a discussion for another time, but they're definitely here to stay. If you've been tempted to try MMOs but are intimidated by the social aspect, or if you ever wondered why someone would play an MMO alone, this article will provide some of the reasons to play an MMO that have nothing to do with other people.

Vertigo

Tue, 7 May 2013 12:30:00 -0600

Neverwinter Beta Impressions

Wed, 3 May 2013 22:00:00 -0600

, the new action MMO from Cryptic Studios, has opened its doors to players with an open beta. I've spent the last few days spelunking through the sewers beneath Protector's Enclave, smacking kobolds around, and seeing all there is to see in , and now I'm ready to bring you my thoughts on the game. Is it worth your time? Read on to find out. (click title to read the full article.)

Transmutation

Thu, 2 May 2013 11:15:00 -0600

Early Expansion

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:30:00 -0600

Rejected Creatures

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:00:00 -0600

What is Project: Titan?

Wed, 24 April 2013 22:00:00 -0600

If you've been active in the MMO community for any length of time, you've probably heard the name spoken of in reverential tones. is the codename for the next MMO being produced by Blizzard Entertainment, the same people who brought us . (click title to read the full article.)

Most Powerful Loot

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0600

6 Most Iconic MMO Characters

Wed, 17 April 2013 23:00:00 -0600

To keep the focus on players, MMOs generally don't put a lot of effort into their NPCs. They exist to provide quests or be killed for loot, not to be deep and memorable characters. But despite this bias of the genre, some MMO characters have risen to greatness. Whether they're especially well written, have special historical importance, or have just been given a lot of marketing, they're icons of the MMO industry, and even people who've never played the games in which they appear probably recognize them. (click title to read the full article.)

Don't MMO IRL

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Nerf Sword

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0600

Top 8 World of Warcraft Memes

Wed, 3 April 2013 23:30:00 -0600

World of Warcraft is a strange cultural phenomenon with a language, a set of customs, and a history all its own. Due to its extreme popularity, has almost become a distinct society unto itself. But it's not an ordinary society; it's an online society, and that means one thing: memes. Lots and lots of memes. The following are just some of the more popular memes to have arisen from the world of Azeroth. (click title to read the full article.)

Restricted Purchase

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Top 6 MMO Minigames

Fri, 29 March 2013 17:30:00 -0600

Despite the best efforts of developers, players will inevitably get bored with their favorite MMOs. Even if there's a steady stream of new content, you can only raid and PvP so much before you start to get a little bored. This is where minigames come in. Minigames allow players to take a break from their favorite MMO without ever leaving it. In stark contrast to the advancement driven content that usually makes up MMOs, minigames are self-contained and generally serve no purpose but fun. This list will cover some of the most entertaining and addictive minigames to have appeared in the world of MMOs. (click title to read the full article.)

Scarlet Blade Interview

Wed, 27 March 2013 17:00:00 -0600

Scarlet Blade, which has been available overseas under the title Queens Blade, is a mature MMORPG that has seen a lot of success. With its recent launch in the US, WhatMMORPG got to sit down and chat with the lead producer of Scarlet Blade to discuss what the North American version of the game would be like. (click title to read the full article.)

Alt Fever

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Famous Last Words

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Organic Pockets

Fri, 16 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Top 6 MMOs for Housing

Wed, 13 March 2013 23:30:00 -0600

Player housing is an odd topic in MMOs. For a relatively simple feature, it tends to spark a lot of passion from both its fans and its detractors. For some players, it's a meaningless fluff feature that serves no purpose but to waste developer resources. For others, player housing is a criminally underrated feature, adding an incredible level of depth to a game. For these players, in game homes can make or break a game, and when done well, player housing can win their eternal loyalty. If you're one of these people and are looking for a new game to try, this list will provide a sampling of the MMOs with the best player housing systems around. (click title to read the full article.)

Specifics

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0600

More Great MMO Players of History

Fri, 8 March 2013 23:30:00 -0600

A few months ago, we imagined what would have happened if some of the greatest figures in history had been MMO players. But there are many more noteworthy individuals from the pages of history, and MMOs are a big genre. It's time once again to let our imaginations run wild and try to picture what kind of players our historical heroes would be if they were alive today. Who would be fail, and who would be leet? Who would you want in your guild, and who would be on your /ignore list? (click title to read the full article.)

Shiny is Better

Thu, 7 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0600

ReligionCraft

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 14:00:00 -0600

Scarlet Blade Sneak Peek

Mon, 4 March 2013 23:30:00 -0600

The sex appeal is certainly there and will bring some people to Scarlet Blade, but does it look like there's enough content to keep them around? What MMORPG takes an early look. (click title to read the full article.)

Great MMO Players of Fiction

Wed, 27 February 2013 19:30:00 -0600

Sometimes, it can be fun to imagine that your comrades in an MMO are more than just average players. Perhaps they're developers incognito, gathering information on the mood of their players. Maybe they're celebrities gaming in secret so they're not swarmed by fans while they try to relax. Not so long ago, we imagined what it would be like if historical figures, the celebrities of the past, played MMOs. Today, we'll take a similar tack, and try to picture what it would be like if some of the most famous fictional characters were playing alongside us. (click title to read the full article.)

When in Doubt

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0600

The NPCs of MMOs

Wed, 20 February 2013 21:30:00 -0600

Players aren't the only ones populating massively multiplayer worlds. MMOs also offer armies of NPCs. In fact, there are so many NPCs in each game that it eventually becomes impossible to make them all interesting and memorable. They all inevitably start to feel the same, blending into certain archetypes that pop up in every game. From Azeroth to Atreia, from Tyria to Telara, you will eventually find the NPCs all falling into these standard patterns. (click title to read the full article.)

Awkward

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:20:00 -0600

Taunt

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Top 5 F2P/B2P Business Models

Wed, 13 February 2013 20:30:00 -0600

The MMO community tends to be a bit too quick to declare things dead, but if anything could be said to be on its last legs, it's the subscription only business model for MMOs. You could count on one hand the number of big name MMOs still clinging to their subs and have fingers left over. Many free to play or buy to play games are shameless cash grabs, making life miserable for players who don't shell out cash, but a few are much more gamer friendly. No game is truly free, but these games offer great gaming experiences even if you don't want to pay much, and lack any truly absurd cash grabs. (click title to read the full article.)

Every Two Faction MMO

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Spare XP

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 23:30:00 -0600

Secret Exit

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:30:00 -0600

6 Most Outrageous Cash Grabs

Wed, 30 January 2013 20:30:00 -0600

Nothing in life is truly free. For the most part, MMO players accept this. We recognize that developers are businesses and that we're going to have to pay to keep playing our games, even so called "free to play" titles. We might grumble about the cost, but we'll accept it. Most of the time. Sometimes, a developer's greed overwhelms common sense to the point where no one would fork over the cash for their outrageous moneymaking schemes. These absurd cash grabs insult our intelligence, and can ruin the reputations of games, or even entire genres. (click title to read the full article.)

Clothing Tag

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:30:00 -0600

Kickstarter

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0600

Parenting MMO Style

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0600

6 MMO Concepts That Should Be Banned

Fri, 18 January 2013 17:00:00 -0600

People often say that MMOs are a genre that lack in creativity, and there's a lot of truth to this. In fairness, many elements that are overused are overused for a reason: they work well. But then there are those other design concepts, ones with no justification for their popularity. Most of these were never good ideas in the first place, but they keep popping up simply because they've become habits. These are concepts that should simply be banned so that developers are forced to think of some fresh ideas. (click title to read the full article.)

Time Share

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0600

First MMORPG

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Retirement

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Top 6 Character Origins

Wed, 9 January 2013 11:00:00 -0600

Odds are that your MMO character is not some ordinary Joe Shmuck. If you're like the vast majority of MMO players out there, you're probably playing as some daring hero. They possess fantastic physical strength, incredible magic, superhuman agility, or some combination of the above. With thousands of amazing heroes running around, many games seek to explain how this came to be, providing epic backstories for why their worlds are crawling with such powerful fighters. This list will cover some of the more clever and compelling backstories MMOs give their players. (click title to read the full article.)

Overquested

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0600

6 Biggest Boss Mistakes

Mon, 7 January 2013 11:30:00 -0600

MMO bosses are many things: epic, exciting, terrifying, lucrative. One thing they don't tend to be, though, is smart. After all, they all inevitably end up getting killed by us. Even the most all powerful, mind numbingly difficult boss eventually finds itself falling before the might of the players. They must be doing something wrong to always fail in this manner. When you think about it, there are a number of incredibly obvious mistakes that every single boss seems to make. (click title to read the full article.)

Responsibility

Thu, 3 Jan 2013 14:00:00 -0600

8 Underused Class Archetypes

Wed, 2 January 2013 22:30:00 -0600

Classes in MMOs tend to fall into a few standard archetypes, generally inspired by those found in and other old school tabletop RPGs. You’ve got your fighter, your ranger, your mage, and your cleric. But there are other class archetypes out there, filling in gaps left by the more mainstream classes. MMOs, always wary of alienating players by being too different, are especially guilty of ignoring more unusual archetypes. (click title to read the full article.)

It's Christmas

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:00:00 -0600

9 Great MMO Quotes

Wed, 19 December 2012 22:00:00 -0600

MMOs are big games, and even though they haven't traditionally been the most story driven genre, they still contain massive amounts of dialogue, from boss quotes to quest text to background NPC chatter. We here at WhatMMORPG have decided to pay tribute to some of the most powerful, exciting, and amusing quotes from the world of MMOs. It's far too big a field for this to be considered a definitive list, but these are a few of the more memorable MMO lines and speeches - from the epic, to the touching, to the humorous. (click title to read the full article.)

Bros Are Bros

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:00:00 -0600

City of Steam Interview

Wed, 12 December 2012 23:30:00 -0600

City of Steam is a brand new browser based MMORPG that’s entering closed beta late this week. Its combination of being browser based and high quality graphics make it an enticing title, and we’re excited that WhatMMORPG got to take a sneak peek at it. City of Steam is based in an industrial fantasy world, making this game very appealing to steam punk lovers. With so many interesting facets to the game, it should appeal to a large variety of gamers. We at WhatMMORPG got the chance to chat with Gabriel Laforge from the game’s developer, Mechanist. (click title to read the full article.)

Cave Paintings Online

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:00:00 -0600

Top 6 MMO Features That Would Enrich Reality

Wed, 5 December 2012 19:00:00 -0600

We've spent a lot of time comparing reality and the world of MMOs. Recently, we talked about how living in an MMO world probably . But that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of aspects of MMOs that would make real life a whole lot easier and much more fun. Developers have put a lot of work into making MMOs compelling realities, and a few of their features could only make the real world a far more awesome place.(click title to read the full article.)

Modern Family

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 14:00:00 -0600

5 In Game Memorials

Wed, 28 November 2012 11:30:00 -0600

Sometimes, MMOs aren't all fun and games. Amidst all the pretty graphics and epic combat, we sometimes forget that our fellow players are also real people with real lives, with all the joy and tragedy that entails. But sometimes, we are reminded. Sometimes, a memorable player leaves this world too soon, and their loss is felt by all within the MMO community. In these cases, developers may choose to immortalize these departed individuals with in game memorials. This list will chronicle some of the more touching memorials within the world of MMOs.(click title to read the full article.)

Pet Skills

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:00:00 -0600

Thanksgiving 2012

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:00:00 -0600

6 Ways Living in an MMO Would Suck

Wed, 21 November 2012 10:30:00 -0600

Be honest: At some point, you've fantasized about what it would be like to become your MMO character and live in the virtual world full time. No need to be ashamed; we've all done it. You have a bad day, and you think how much better it would to roam the fields as Pwnster the warrior, beholden to no one. But would it really be all that great? When you think about it, there are a lot of ways living in a game world wouldn't be all that fun. In fact, it would downright suck.(click title to read the full article.)

IRL vs MMO: Death

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:30:00 -0600

6 MMOs Deserving Resurrection

Wed, 14 November 2012 21:30:00 -0600

Resurrection is something you see plenty of in MMOs. Whether you're respawning at graveyard or being brought back by a friendly player, death is rarely permanent in these games. However, for the MMOs themselves, death is much more permanent, and resurrection much more difficult to achieve. Many technical and financial hurdles face any MMO that has been shut down, making their return extremely unlikely. But one can dream, and so for this list, we will cover some of the sadly departed MMOs most worthy of being given a second chance at life.(click title to read the full article.)

MMO Diet

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:00 -0600

Second Class Goblins

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 14:30:00 -0600

Honest MMO Previews

Wed, 7 November 2012 22:00:00 -0600

MMOs are a genre filled with hype. The massive nature of the games leads people to view any game that isn't an immediate smash hit as an utter failure. Thus, whenever a developer prepares to release a new game, they do everything in their power to convince people it will be the Best Thing Ever. Whatever the case, we thought it might be fun to imagine what their previews would have looked like if they'd been just a bit more honest.(click title to read the full article.)

Bag Shopping

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 17:00:00 -0600

Guild Wars 2: The "Single Player" Effect

Wed, 31 October 2012 20:30:00 -0600

Few MMOs in history have received the same level of pre-launch hype as . Its fans treated it like the coming of the Messiah. To ArenaNet’s credit, they did a remarkably good job of living up to that hype, but now, concerns have started to filter through the fevered cheers of fans. One of the most common is that, according to some, the game doesn’t feel like an MMO.(click title to read the full article.)

Item Collecting

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0600

7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Players

Sat, 27 October 2012 09:15:00 -0600

There are a lot of sites out there offering guides on what to do to be a good MMO player. This article is the opposite of that. This is the guide for what not to do if you want to be a good player. These are the seven habits of highly ineffective players.(click title to read the full article.)

30 Years

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Trial Edition

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:00:00 -0600

Deja Vu

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Top 6 MMO Hidden Talents

Wed, 17 October 2012 17:45:00 -0600

Every MMO has features they sell themselves on. When you think of , you think of dynamic events and a unique class system. Every developer thinks they do one thing better than everyone else, and they make sure you know it. But what about the unique features of games that don't get so much publicity? These hidden talents are sometimes what make a game shine more than anything else.(click title to read the full article.)

PvS

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:30:00 -0600

Adventurer Priorities

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:30:00 -0600

AVA Interview

Wed, 10 October 2012 16:15:00 -0600

Released in North America in 2009, Alliance of Valiant Arms - commonly referred to as AVA - has been keeping first person shooter fans entertained for nearly 3 years. What makes AVA special is its ability to balance the FPS and MMO experience. Players have a persistent character, like in an MMORPG, which they can customize as they acquire new skills and gain levels. This character enters instances, in which they engage in FPS combat, allowing for the First Person Shooter action gamers crave. Aeria’s Scott Hartz took the time to chat with WhatMMORPG about Alliance of Valiant Arms (and gives us details about a giveaway they are doing through our website!)(click title to read the full article.)

Gender Customization

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 14:30:00 -0600

Wood Gathering

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0600

5 Ways People Take MMOs Too Seriously

Wed, 3 October 2012 23:00:00 -0600

A common stereotype of gamers in general and MMO players in particular is that they take their hobby much too seriously. They treat raiding like a job, and they become more attached to imaginary avatars than real people. They lose the ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy. In most cases, this stereotype is completely untrue, and most MMO players are, in fact, perfectly ordinary people. Most, but not all. There will always be a small minority of living stereotypes who embody the worst of the way the public perceives MMO players.(click title to read the full article.)

The Power of Pandaren

Tue, 2 Oct 2012 12:30:00 -0600

IRL vs MMO: Attire

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Top 6 Little Touches

Wed, 26 September 2012 17:00:00 -0600

One of the great strengths of the MMO genre is immersion - the ability to lose yourself in a complete virtual world. People might buy a game for its major features and innovations, but they'll stick with it for the little details that make the game world come alive. Often, the simplest of things can make the difference between a bland, generic gaming experience and a rich, vibrant online world.(click title to read the full article.)

Underground Logic

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Think Twice

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0600

6 Surprises Players Can't Handle

Wed, 19 September 2012 20:30:00 -0600

As much as MMO players may pine for more dynamic games, the truth is that they are, by and large, a group that doesn't like the unexpected. These are some of the unexpected things that can fill MMO players with horror, anger, and utter incomprehension.(click title to read the full article.)

Local MMO Pub

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:45:00 -0600

IRL vs MMO: Parenting

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:45:00 -0600

Top 5 Underrated MMOs

Wed, 12 September 2012 15:30:00 -0600

MMOs are a big genre. There are a lot of unique and interesting games out there that aren't getting the credit they deserve. These games might not be perfect - they wouldn't be underrated if they were - but they all bring something good to the table, and they might just be worth a second look.(click title to read the full article.)

New to MMOs: Where to Begin

Fri, 7 September 2012 15:45:00 -0600

If you're new to MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games), they can seem overwhelming. MMOs are, well, massive; there are so many things to do in each game, and so many games to choose from. WhatMMORPG can help you pick a game, but what if you don't even know what to look for? (click title to read the full article.)

Government Spending

Thu, 6 Sep 2012 11:30:00 -0600

Birth Control

Tue, 4 Sep 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Reward Disparity

Thu, 28 Aug 2012 16:00:00 -0600

Top 3 MMO Trends

Wed, 29 August 2012 17:45:00 -0600

It's an exciting time for massively multiplayer games. For a long time, the industry has been marked by a lack of creativity. In this article, we'll highlight some of the major trends currently shaking up the world of MMOs, as well as offer some completely biased opinions on why these trends have risen to prominence. (click title to read the full article.)

Shop Owner Application

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:00:00 -0600

Jumping Puzzles

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

8 Great MMO Players of History

Wed, 22 August 2012 16:45:00 -0600

Imagine what kind of folks you might have run into if MMOs had existed decades or even centuries ago. What would it be like to run into the most memorable figures of history in game? What kind of players would they be, and most importantly, would you want to group with them? (click title to read the full article.)

Limitations

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Top 10 Party Members from Baldur’s Gate Series

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:30:00 -0600

So I was having a rather one sided discussion with my wife today about how clearly Minsc is the best character. She had no counter for Boo, mainly because she hasn’t ever played any of the Baldur’s Gate games. “Minsc is clearly number one!”, I exclaimed as I raced to the internet in search of lists to validate my claims. Alas, I found no such lists. Only forum posts littered my search results discussing the best party from a strategic perspective. Look, I know there wasn’t a lot of voice dialogue but party members in the Baldur’s Gate series (especially the second one) had character! Also, I realize Baldur’s Gate has nothing to do with MMORPGs, but BG1EE is soon to be released, and this is a blog post so I do what I want.

Spoiler alerts, etc incoming. Seriously, if you haven’t played the game by now why are you even reading this list? OK on to the top 10!

10. Garrick - “Brave, brave Sir Garrick, Sir Garrick ran away.”

Garrick, it’s going to take more than a Monthy Python reference to get on this list. Wait, what’s that? Ah, OK we have room in spot #10 so come on in. Garrick is a romantic opportunist who lives a carefree life. He thinks more of himself than everyone else who lives in a non-make-believe world. His personality is best expressed in BG2 where he falls in love with a beautiful girl, attempts to woo her with a friend’s help, that friend ends up marrying that girl, so he shrugs his shoulders and runs off with a bridesmaid. Garrick may be able to teach some good lessons on the fluid nature of love, but other than singing bardic songs of bravery I can’t say he’s an ideal contributor to combat.

9. Xzar - “I ate his liver with a nice chianti and some fava beans.”

Xzar, half the time you are one of the most perceptive wizards I have ever met. Unfortunately, the other half you are a rambling mass of nonsense. It’s hard to differentiate between the two when they come seemingly at random. His bouts with sanity are a thing to behold and while not playable in BG2, he does make short lasted appearance.

8. Edwin - “O, YES, MASTER. What shall I FETCH NOW?!”

Edwin, you are a douche but there aren’t any other pure wizards that seem to be available for god hunting so come along now. What’s that? You are a really powerful mage so we should be glad to have your company? Then why did you muck up reading a scroll that changed your gender and then later contest the powerful Elminster (i.e. the D&D version of Gandalf/Merlin) which led to a permanent change into Edwina? There’s nothing more fitting than seeing a douchebag getting toyed with by forces far more powerful than his own.

7. Anomen - “There is no glory in watching the grass grow”

At first was I like “ugh”, but then I was like “awww yeah”. Unfortunately from time to time I still get reminded of why I used to feel “ugh”. Anomen is an interesting character because my opinion of him changes throughout BG2. Like many characters, he is overconfident, and he loves flattery. He’s also the son of a lord who would rather spend his life as a noble warrior of the Order of the Radiant Heart than take over the lucrative family business. He begins to show his “weak” side when family duties later conflict with duties of the order. His internal conflict between two powerful forces opens our eyes to the depth of Anomen’s sometimes annoying character. In the end, he’s a good guy who wants acceptance to a fault.

6. Jan – “I’ll do it, for a turnip.”

There isn’t a single thing you can say that I will trust, but I’ll still listen to every word. Part inventor, part thief, part businessman, and all eccentric, Jan is as much an opportunist when it comes to making money as Garrick is when it comes to making love. It’s quite convenient that he makes his own crossbow ammo and he’s pretty good at getting out of (and into) sticky situations. He’s useful in a lot of ways, but none more so than his storytelling abilities. Got to keep morale up one way or the other!

5. Sarevok – “Face ME! FACE THE NEW LORD OF MURDER!”

Hey bro, care to fight for the ascension of godhood? No? Well maybe you shouldn’t have tried to kill him! Despite killing Sarevok in BG1 he makes a return in BG2:Throne of Bhaal through some improbable events involving the protagonist or Imoen giving up a piece of their soul to progress their adventure forward. No longer blinded by power, he is pretty confused on where to go in life. You can slowly direct him towards the side of good if you like, but whatever you do it’s pretty hard to go from being a full fledged Bhaalspawn close to ascension to just a big, beefy fighter. Redemption is out of the question but props to Sarevok for trying to figure out his life.

4. Imoen – “Heya! It’s me, Imoen.”

Seriously, I know your name. Stop reminding me. Imoen would probably be a fun girl to hang out with in short spurts. She can act really childish and that’s not something I like to deal with when I’m fighting powerful mages and spawns of various gods. However, she’s the protagonist’s bhaal-sister and has some godly powers so it’s probably best if she stays close to your side. She darkens/matures after Irenicus’s torture, but handles it all like a boss. Her biggest asset is her nearly unflappable loyalty to the protagonist, and she is the staple of a good adventuring party.

3. Viconia -“I am beginning to tire of spending my time with fools”

Viconia, you are a bitch and for some reason I’m turned on by it. This drow cleric is an interesting dichotomy of personality from Jaheira. They’re both strong, secure ladies with healing abilities to keep parties going. While Jaheira has led mostly a happy life, Viconia’s life has led to a crueler personality. She was nearly sacrificed by her mother, saved by her brother who was then turned into a half-spider, did time as a sex slave, and was buried alive. Coming out of that with a “neutral evil” alignment and not a “murder everyone” alignment takes some strength of character. She has absolutely no patience for weaknesses or silliness and pokes fun at many characters while showing intrigue in characters such as Sarevok.

2. Jaheria – “Yes, oh omnipresent authority figure?”

Jaheira, how on earth did you marry Khalid? He is a baby and you are a strong, stubborn, proud, and beautiful woman. You fight fiercely and offer assistance to the party through druidic magic. How she handled living with him was almost as impressive as how she handled his death at the start of BG2. Clearly broken up over losing her husband, she manages to stay focused and continue assisting the protagonist with his journey. Jaheira is with the protagonist practically at the beginning of his journey and for many, she lasted until the end. Her inner strength and depth of character places her at #2.

1. Minsc - “Go for the eyes Boo, GO FOR THE EYES!! RrraaaAAGHGHH!!!”

Minsc, you are batshit crazy and you give 0 fucks. That’s why we love you. Minsc talks to his “mini giant space hamster” often and his sanity ebbs and flows pending the status of his current “witch” (Dynaheir from BG1 and Aerie from BG2). It’s pretty easy to set him off if he believes evil is afoot and he is a brutal warrior. Despite his mental issues he has a good heart that can be directed well by others of similar values. Minsc’s value as an ally, his amusing bouts with mental clarity, and references to him in Mass Effect makes him an easy #1.

IRL vs MMOs: Tailoring

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Drugs as MMOs

Wed, 15 August 2012 17:45:00 -0600
A lot of people like to make comparisons between massively multiplayer games and drugs. Some do so to point what they view as serious video game addiction, while others are just being tongue in cheek. Even the players often joke about the withdrawals they feel if they don't get enough time to play. But what if MMOs really were drugs - or, perhaps, if drugs were MMOs? (click title to read the full article.)

Why Superheroes Don't Play MMOs

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Insensitive Insults

Thu, 9 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Real Life vs MMOs

Wed, 8 August 2012 15:30:00 -0600
MMOs are like worlds unto themselves, and there are many parallels between them and the real life. You can't deny that you have at some point wondered which reality was ultimately better - it's something we all do eventually. With this article, we hope to settle the question of real versus virtual once and for all, one category at a time. (click title to read the full article.)

IRL vs MMOs: Loot Acquisition

Tue, 7 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

If Job Promotions Were Like MMOs

Thu, 2 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Gaming Blogs You Didn't Know Existed: Part IV

Wed, 1 August 2012 11:00:00 -0600
It’s been a little over a year since I last wrote about some of the unsung oratorical heroes in the gaming community. I read a ton of gaming blogs, and obviously I have found more than a handful of hidden gems since the last time I posted, but here are some of my current favorite reads. Some of these blogs are already pretty popular and others are up and coming, but all of them deserve to be read since they are covering great material. (click title to read the full article.)

IRL vs MMO: Exercise

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0600

World Traveler

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0600

6 Most Exciting Races

Wed, 25 July 2012 15:30:00 -0600
For this list, we will chronicle some of the most interesting playable races in the MMO genre. Some are original, some have great backstories, some just have that indefinable cool factor, and the best combine all of these factors, but they're all exciting for one reason or another. (click title to read the full article.)

Doctor Visit

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 11:45:00 -0600

MMO House Logic

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:45:00 -0600

Balancing Paid Content in F2P MMOs

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:30:00 -0600

So many free to play games everywhere, just coming out non-stop. Then you have games like Vanguard that used to be pay to play but are switching gears. There are a lot of different ways to approach “free to play” and all of them have to generate revenue for the company.

As much as some idealistic gamers seem to believe, servers, development, and support are not free. That’s not to say that people who never spend a dime on free to play games don’t provide something back to the company. More warm bodies make the experience better for the population at large, encouraging more of those who would spend money to stick around. So while it’s great business sense for developers to think of ways to get spenders to spend money, the freeloads can’t be shut out without a massive population decline.

I got to thinking about this over the previously mentioned Vanguard’s initial proposed move to to free to play. It severely limited max money, quality items, the inability to send mail, limited chatting, and a few other annoying quirks. This was no way for free players to enjoy the game and the developers wisely changed their minds. I’m still not sure it’s the best balance of revenue and free player retention, but it does highlight the importance of these matters.

In my opinion, the best system for a company is to follow in the footsteps of League of Legends. Basically, with real money, you can buy faster advancement and cosmetic only skins. Paid players might get to unlock champions faster and look cooler, but the champions they unlock aren’t exclusive to them. There’s no reason this can’t be applied to a traditional MMORPGs. Don’t make paying for the game a requirement to have fun or be as powerful as other players unless you want your game to die an early death.

Top 9 MMO Cinematics

Wed, 18 July 2012 14:30:00 -0600
Cinematics are a crucial part of any video game, MMOs included. Within the game, they tell the most important and dramatic parts of the story, and as trailers, they are crucial to attracting attention and bringing players to a game. The following list contains some of the most powerful, gripping, and intriguing cinematics to come out of the MMO genre. (click title to read the full article.)

So Lonely

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:45:00 -0600

Soulbound

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:45:00 -0600

6 Awkward MMO Moments

Wed, 11 July 2012 23:30:00 -0600
MMOs are social games, and as such, you can expect to experience the full range of social interactions as you play. For this list, we’ll cover some of the most awkward, uncomfortable moments possible in MMOs - perhaps prior warning will help you avoid them. (click title to read the full article.)

Mount of Choice

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Training Time

Thu, 5 Jul 2012 11:30:00 -0600

6 Rites of Passage

Wed, 4 July 2012 12:00:00 -0600
Massively multiplayer games offer a huge variety of unique experiences, and everyone plays them differently. This list covers some of the most common rites of passage for MMO players. (click title to read the full article.)

For Us

Tue, 3 Jul 2012 13:30:00 -0600

Winning Boss Fights

Thu, 26 Jun 2012 13:00:00 -0600

Free to Play MMO Outlook

Wed, 27 June 2012 16:30:00 -0600
In some circles, using the phrase is akin to a four letter word. In some ways, this is because the whole free to play genre has gotten a bad reputation in some ways from the many lackluster games that inundate the market each year, particularly from Asian regions. And while a grim opinion on the genre as a whole is not fully unwarranted, it would be foolish to assume that all free to play games have the same blandness as those that are pushed by these Asian corporations. (click title to read the full article.)

Hide and Seek

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Static Nature

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:00:00 -0600

MMO Communities: Personal Responsibility

Wed, 20 June 2012 23:30:00 -0600
Massively multiplayer communities tend to get a bad rap, and with good cause. Some games have better communities than others, but even the best are usually still ripe with trolls, griefers, noobs, elitists, jerks, and asshats. With the anonymity provided by the online setting, people feel free to let the nastiest parts of their personality take the reigns and abuse other players as much as they please. (click title to read the full article.)

IRL vs MMO: Exchanging Currency

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:00:00 -0600

IRL vs MMO: Crafting

Tue, 14 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Six Untapped MMO Concepts

Wed, 13 June 2012 11:45:00 -0600
For all their popularity, MMOs are a genre with a surprising lack of originality. Not only do most MMOs copy the basic mechanics of the most successful games, mainly and , they also tend to emulate their settings, resulting in an endless array of high fantasy games. The following list contains just a few of the many concepts that could make for fantastic MMOs. (click title to read the full article.)

MMO Monster Design

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:15:00 -0600

IRL vs MMO: Female Protection

Thu, 7 Jun 2012 16:30:00 -0600

The Checklist

Tue, 5 Jun 2012 12:30:00 -0600

Best Feelings in an MMO

Mon, 4 June 2012 20:00:00 -0600
We all have different reasons for playing MMO games - certain moments and experiences that keep us coming back for more. Many of these are simple, everyday things: owning newbs in PvP, weekly raid nights, leveling. But then there are those special moments where everything falls into place. These are the moments that remind you why you started playing MMOs in the first place: moments of triumph and just plain old fun. For this list, we bring you some of the best feelings available in an MMO setting. (click title to read the full article.)

Loot Assignment

Thu, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 -0600

Guild Wars 2 Beta Superiority

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:00:00 -0600
Each year a plethora of MMORPGs storm the market, each one hoping to take its share of the available market and make a name for itself. Invariably, many of these games tout that it offers something that no game before it ever has and that it will mark a new trend for the future of gaming. These self-proclaimed "World of Warcraft killers" always make lofty claims, yet none has truly managed to succeed in what it has promised its players. (click title to read the full article.)

Unit Collision

Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Most Famous WoW Players

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:30:00 -0600
If you're a big MMO player, you probably remember the first time you logged into your first MMO, and the feeling of awe you felt as you entered a massive virtual world. One of the great appeals of the genre is the ability to enter an imaginary world and truly immerse yourself in it. For this list, I'll be going through some of the best virtual worlds ever created for MMOs.As the name would imply, is a world unto itself. By far the most popular MMO of all time, it has become a unique culture and society. It has its own etiquette, slang, memes, subcultures, and even celebrities. Some players have risen to fame (or infamy) among their fellow gamers due to their spectacular achievements (or failures) within the virtual world of Azeroth. We here at WhatMMO now provide our list of the greatest and most well known players. (click title to read the full article.)

IRL vs MMO: Leveling

Thu, 24 May 2011 11:55:00 -0600

Players Hack

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:45:00 -0600

Best MMO Settings

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:30:00 -0600
If you're a big MMO player, you probably remember the first time you logged into your first MMO, and the feeling of awe you felt as you entered a massive virtual world. One of the great appeals of the genre is the ability to enter an imaginary world and truly immerse yourself in it. For this list, I'll be going through some of the best virtual worlds ever created for MMOs. (click title to read the full article.)

Story in MMOs: A Paradox

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:00 -0600
Massively multiplayer games have a reputation for possessing very weak plots and lore compared to story driven single player games. When listing the video games with the greatest stories, you'd expect to see names like and , but you probably won't see names like or . There does seem to be something about MMORPGs that inhibits good storytelling. But does this really mean that story is irrelevant in MMOs, or that we are doomed to never see a massively multiplayer plot that equals its single player counterparts? (click title to read the full article.)

OP Cooldowns

Thu, 15 May 2012 14:15:00 -0600

Oh, Willpower...

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:15:00 -0600

Signs Your Dungeon Group is Doomed

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 -0600
The majority of group experiences are fun and productive, allowing you to progress your character in the company of friends new and old. But then there are those other groups, the ones destined to end in bitter disappointment or furious nerd rage. In such cases, your best choice may be simply to bail and find a new group. These are some of the top signs that you should do just that. (click title to read the full article.)

Spoils of War

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:45:00 -0600

Six Ideas for Your Next Player Hosted Event

Wed, 9 May 2012 11:00:00 -0600
Perhaps you're feeling a bit burnt out with your current MMO of choice. What's the solution? A player hosted in-game event. For those with a little creativity, there's no need to wait on a developer for something to do.(click title to read the full article.)

Battleground Points

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:45:00 -0600

Failed Club Songs

Thu, 3 May 2012 12:45:00 -0600

Aeria Mobile Interview

Tue, 1 May 2012 13:00:00 -0600
In March of 2012, Aeria Games announced that they were growing their brand to include a mobile division. At Aeria mobile's launch, there were three games available with more titles on the horizon. WhatMMORPG.com got the opportunity to chat with the mobile team about their exciting new division at Aeria Games.(click title to read the full article.)

Special Pets

Tue, 1 May 2012 11:15:00 -0600

RIP 17 MMORPGs

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:15:00 -0600

A recent priority of ours has been sifting through our MMORPG List to make sure all of our links are working properly. We’re also updating every game to include screenshots on respective individual review pages. In doing so we found that an astonishing number of MMORPGs have closed over approximately the past year. Was 2011 a brutal year for MMORPGs or are we just inundated with subpar products in the genre?

Here’s the list with some comments attached for each:

9 empires – Kind of cool gameplay reminiscent of Heroes of Might and Magic. Ironically, it may have been better than Might and Magic Heroes, especially for PvP fans. The community was always pretty small.

Faxion Online – Heaven vs. Hell with epic RvR and semi-offline skill training. Except it was released with bugs, without features, and they failed at listening to their community.

Kitsu Saga – Nice cell shaded graphics. That’s about all it had going for it. Who knew that gameplay mattered?!

Legendary Champions – This game lasted less than a school semester. It tried to offer a lot of things and was pretty bad about all of them.

Luna Online – Sad and surprised to see this one go. It had been up for 3 years, had a cool job system, the ability to raise pets, farm, and fish. It was pretty damn grindy though. It also seemed somewhat popular. I guess they just weren’t monetizing very well.

Prius Online – Same company as Luna Online but lasted less than a year and with good reason. This game was generic and awful in every way.

Secret of the Solstice – Ragnarok Online without quite as much charm or fun.

Tales Runner – A cutesy racing MMO. Please be more niche kthx.

Three Kingdoms Brawler – I love the 3 Kingdoms setting, but I’d rather play a good sidescrolling brawler. I’d take Final Fight from freaking 1989 over this and an AOL chatroom over this.

Upshift Strikeracer – Mario Kart with some legit graphics. It was pretty cool, but I’m not sure the market for MMO racers on the PC is very big. Perhaps it’s also a tough balance between providing free content and balanced paid options?

Wonderking - Like a lot of games on this list, this is a crappy rip off of MapleStory.

The Chronicles of Spellborn - Oh Spellborn, your tale is so sad. This actually closed in August 2010 but was supposedly going to come back revamped. That hasn’t happened and probably never will. It offered a free targeting system that’s not getting popular with games like TERA and Dragon Nest. Players could combo abilities and experience was gained pretty much exclusively through quests. Basically the developers went bankrupt, Acclaim bought it but didn’t support it, then they sold it off, and it died.

Caesary – Generic strategy MMO. They were getting sued for something that led to the closedown.

Divine Souls – A pretty crappy version of Dragon Nest.

Majesty – Strategy MMO with tactical turn based combat, completely under the player’s control. People complain about no real tactics in these games, but every online strategy game that breaks the mold “build up troops and overwhelm the enemy with numbers” fails or ends up clinging to life.

Troy Online – Many were heartbroken over Troy. Not because it closed, but because it was ever made. I mean you could level up. That’s a feature right? Oh, it had some borked PvP too. It closed after 3 months. No idea what anyone involved with this game was thinking.

World of Kung Fu – This lasted for a while based on fast paced combat (for an MMO) and the odd lack of MMOs set in ancient China at the time of the game’s release in 2008. It had a good run filling a market void, but at it’s core this game was pretty bad unless you enjoyed mindless grinds.

Outside of Luna Online and The Chronicles of Spellborn these games were hopeless. Spellborn needed more development time and perhaps better developers. Luna still appeared to be a strong contender amongst cartoon MMORPGs. Perhaps they should have lessened the grind and figured out how to monetize better. Empires and Majesty failed probably by adding a tactical features most strategy gamers complain about not having. They may have had a pay2win model though. Always a deal breaker for me and many others.

I don’t think there are too many MMOs. I think there are too many bad MMOs. Now there are ~17 less.

Don't Work Too Hard

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0600

Investing in 1s and 0s

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:45:00 -0600
If you heard that someone invested a whopping 2.5 million dollars into a video game, more than likely you'd suspect that they invested in buying either the rights to a small indie game or control over an indie game development studio. More often than not, this would actually be a safe bet - but in this case you'd be dead wrong.(click title to read the full article.)

Sony MMORPG Free to Play Transition

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:00:00 -0600
All Sony MMORPGs will be Free to Play by summer 2012. See how this will affect your gameplay.(click title to read the full article.)

GW2, TERA, and The Secret World: Who Comes Out on Top?

Thur, 12 Apr 2012 22:00:00 -0600
, (better known as ), and are three of the most hotly anticipated new MMOs coming down the pipe right now, each with legions of feverishly excited fans clamoring for their releases. But how do they rank against each other?(click title to read the full article.)

Middle Game vs End Game

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 14:45:00 -0600

Generally in a given MMORPG the goal of the game is to rush through the leveling process so you can begin “end game”. This is the point where you are max level and to advance your character you must spend long hours for relatively small gains. This has been focal point of the genre for a while. “End game” provides the most challenging content, emphasizes group play, and allows access to most (if not all) of your abilities. It’s also where you get the shiniest loot to show off to the rest of the world.

There are games that do more to focus on the journey itself though. The journey in a typical MMORPG is a way too overextended tutorial where one only cares about max level. I think the journey and progression in SWTOR is good, but the MMO elements feel too tacked on to immerse myself in the game. A strong middle game is created by several small, frequent achievements alongside branching content paths that are useful over the career of your character.

One example is Eden Eternal and it’s job class system. It’s similar to FFXI but boasts a better UI, easier leveling, alternate solo/group advancement possibilities, and friendlier gameplay. At it’s core you can level up multiple classes which later unlock more advanced classes. You can then combine them in a variety of ways to supplement your main class. You can also change classes during fights which provides greater incentive to level up these classes. I’m a big fan of the multi-class, only need for one character, job class system and right now I feel like Eden Eternal does it best. It has it’s faults, but it’s a game that I like to keep installed because I don’t feel like maxing out everything on my character is the only point.

LOTRO is another good example, mainly because of the crazy amount of achievements (deeds technically) one can attain. A lot of these you will need to do some heavy grinding like killing hundreds of some type of creature. Others are a little more interesting with story based quests or exploration at the helm. What makes LOTRO interesting here is that these deeds provide virtues that noticeably enhance your character’s power. Instead of focusing purely on levels, one also will have the desire to complete these deeds because they are useful now and they are useful later. There are a lot of deeds available and they provide a lot of “middle game” content to enhance your character.

Eden Eternal and LOTRO are strong casual game options because there is a lot to look forward to without the need to max out your level. Neither are my ideal MMO (which sadly doesn’t exist yet, but I’m hopeful for 2012), but they perform better than many competitors by providing a strong middle game.

Top Free to Play WoW Clones

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0600
So you love , but you’re a bit hard up for cash and that monthly subscription is starting to hurt. There’s no shame in that. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best and most popular free to play massively multiplayer games that closely resemble . (click title to read the full article.)

Writing About Writers

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:15:00 -0600

How do you feel about the quality of the article writing at whatmmorpg.com? I think it’s fair that if you enjoy it, you might want to look for where you can find more. So here’s a “better late than never” introduction to our two most frequent contributors.

Tyler Edwards has been writing for whatmmorpg.com for a few months now, primarily providing ‘Top 10′ type articles on the MMO community. Some of my favorites include Most Shocking MMO Incidents and 10 Common MMO Player Types. If you haven’t already these are certainly articles worth checking out. Tyler posts about his work as a freelancer, reviews on games, books, and more, and other musings on gaming. You can read more about him over at his personal blog, SuperiorRealities.

Jessica Brown has been writing and contributing to the site for several months now. Her latest articles discusses censorship in TERA. She is a full fledged gamer and is now getting into creating videos in addition to playing and talking about games. Allahweh’s Domain is her internet home and you can read more from her there.

We are always looking for other talented writers and media professionals to help promote the site. If you have video, writing, or other media skills please feel free to email us. Maybe we can figure out something to work on together!

Guild Wars 2: High Risk, High Reward

Tue, 26 Mar 2012 4:45:00 -0600
is one of the most hotly anticipated MMOs in history. In an industry where new titles are routinely given messianic levels of hype and lauded as “game-changers” and “-killers,” seems to have achieved an even greater level of hype. Why? (click title to read the full article.)

The Lighter Side of MMOs

Tue, 19 Mar 2012 11:45:00 -0600
There are some extreme stories of addiction and obsession, but MMO players are as diverse as any other group of people; for every horror story, there’s a story of friendship, love, or maybe even heroism to come out of our virtual worlds. (click title to read the full article.)

MMO Mechanics That Need to be Reexamined

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:30:00 -0600
There's an old saying that goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." And for the most part, it's good advice. But MMO developers seem to live by this idea a little too heavily. The genre has evolved very little since it first started to gain popularity over a decade ago. (click title to read the full article.)

Most Shocking MMO Incidents

Fri, 8 Mar 2012 12:00:00 -0600
While most people can play MMOs for years with no ill effects, there are a select few who have lost their sanity, their dignity, or even their lives to their hopeless video game addictions. Here is a list of some of the most shocking stories to come out of the world of MMOs. (click title to read the full article.)