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A Spider Covets
May 4, 2009


crazystray posted:

It's only in Alpha, and who knows where it will end up, but Albion Online fits what you are looking for. It's not 'hard' but it does have full loot, plenty of places to explore, and will be persistent. It will also definitely require teamwork, and forces territory battles into 5v5 or 25v25 to avoid giant zerg. Open character progression and limited abilities means teamwork will be essential in pvp.

Thread here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3665294

this actually looks really fun and im gonna check it out, ty for posting

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ChadBroChill17
Sep 6, 2007
Plato, Heidegger, Aristotle, LOL
I've actually gotten into p1999 in the last year or so. I played EQ originally in 2001 and have played a lot of different MMOs over the years and EQ actually holds up really well.

Plus you've probably forgotten most things so it'll feel new, mixed in with a bunch of 'OH YEAH I remember camping here literally a decade ago'.

rage at me
Mar 7, 2006

i can feel your anger
I'll throw Dark Age of Camelot into the hat. It's old and clunky but it promotes teamwork like no MMO I've ever seen and they've really scaled back the grind so that it's pretty easy to play only on a periodic basis and still make progress.

nigga crab pollock
Mar 26, 2010

by Lowtax
Eve online :unsmith:

Dracneir
Oct 11, 2009

HAHA I TOOK AWAY YOUR SPAESS MAREENE AVATAR FAGGOT :qq: SOME MORE
The Al'Kabor Project!

http://www.takproject.net/forums/
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3644018&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1

It's an emulation (now in Beta with just classic content) of EQMac which went up to the PoP expansion. It's very playable right now and you can run up to 3 characters at once. I've found that playing 2 or 3 characters at once alleviates a lot of the tedium that classic Everquest had because combat becomes so frantic. It also opens up way more content for those times you can't find groups, or can only find 1 or 2 other players in your level range. Way fun to dungeon dive with a friend who is also running 2 or 3 characters. The client is kind of old and lovely but you can get by just fine. If anything it just adds some challenge and quirk which some people like.

Goons seem to hate it, tho. Most of the interest in the thread here died off pretty quick :smith:. I'm sure it'll get better given time with regards to server stability and content release. P99 was rough when it first came out too. Try it now, if you don't like it, keep an eye on it and check back every few months.

Another goon and I are level 25 right now, I have a SK/Shaman/Mage and he has a Warrior/Druid. We're working on adding a Bard as his 3rd character then we will be able to tackle almost any content in the game with just us. The cool thing about the somewhat lovely client is for harder content you really can only play one character at 100% efficiency. 3-boxing still helps to open up a lot more options for solo/duo/trio play but still maintains the challenge and coordination required in late game raids, if that's your thing.

Dracneir fucked around with this message at 06:24 on Jan 30, 2015

Al Borland
Oct 29, 2006

by XyloJW
Exploration in MMOs seems a little contrary. I could see maybe a small group oriented game where a group of friends could get together and explore a RNG world. But to my knowledge I can't think of any big MMOS now a days with high value in exploring.

Mr. Pickles
Mar 19, 2014



goat simulator can suck my rear end

Jackard
Oct 28, 2007

We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It

rage at me posted:

I'll throw Dark Age of Camelot into the hat.

Dracneir posted:

The Al'Kabor Project! It's an emulation (now in Beta with just classic content) of EQMac
Man, he stipulated good graphics. Obviously this means he should take a look at ArcheAge.

OWLS!
Sep 17, 2009

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Dipes posted:

Priorities:
1. Good graphics
2. meaningful exploration
3. difficult, team-based combat

1. EvE online. It's pretty.
2. EvE online. Enjoy poking around space? It's there for you.
3. EvE online. Do you know how difficult it is to herd 10 drunk goons into shooting the same thing?

Also you are a masochist.

Roflan
Nov 25, 2007

To amend my previous recommendation, which was based on the assumption you wanted to play with other people, I want to add 2 solo options. Both are pretty old and so have old graphics. But unlike EQ, which I don't recommend due to being janky as all hell and absolutely schizophrenic due to dozens of abandoned and half assed systems added over the years, my recommendations are consistent in design and presentation. They are Guildwars 1 and Final Fantasy 11.

Both can be played completely 'solo' while seeing all of the content with NPC party members. Both have extremely huge, beautiful(for their time) and interesting worlds. Both require a lot of knowledge about how to play your character and/or how to use/set up your group to get things done. GW1 is more about execution while FFXI is more about preparation.

As far as good graphics, I'm not sure if you judge that by DirectX version or not. But if not, then yes, both have good graphics.

Just don't try building an ultimate weapon in FFXI or vanquishing in GW1 and you'd be fine...

Flesh Forge
Jan 31, 2011

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY DOG
Age of Conan is what you want, you can flat out buy fully leveled characters and gear from the cash store when you realize the futile agony you're inflicting on yourself just playing the game.

Stik3
Jan 28, 2015

From President of the colonies to this.

Colgate posted:

Or perhaps something like WURM Online if that's a thing that still exists.

It does. I wouldn't recommend the game to OP, though, because it's a huge timesink which doesn't look like what he's interested in. There's definitely meaningful exploration there, but graphics.. hah.

I'd recommend Eve Online, it's definitely got good graphics, and it's a hugely team-based game ( as long as you want it to be. ). It's also a game that definitely will -not- gimp you if you choose to jump in and out of the game from time to time, as long as your corp does not boot you.

Ihki
Dec 28, 2005
Hiik
Maybe I'm just believing the hype but Everquest Next might have some cool stuff in it, maybe it might even have some challenge to it but who knows. If you have easy access to a cryogenic chamber, have someone wake you up once you and your grandson can pay 300$ to access its pre-alpha.

Last MMO I played where I actually thought I was exploring an immersive game world, where I wasn't running on the "you're the chosen one" kind of railroad tracks, was Age of Wushu. That game is too full of bullshit to recommend in good faith, though. Its difficulty is in how bullshit it is, and you need a group to deal with that. A therapy group. It's much worse these days I hear.

Dipes
Oct 24, 2003
I'm definitely going to take a look at EQ Next, in the hopes that it has that old EQ feel to it.

I also looked into Albion Online from a recommendation here, and I'm impressed. Looks cool and I think I'll definitely get into it when it's ready to roll.

crazystray
Aug 7, 2005
Grow or die.

Al Borland posted:

Exploration in MMOs seems a little contrary. I could see maybe a small group oriented game where a group of friends could get together and explore a RNG world. But to my knowledge I can't think of any big MMOS now a days with high value in exploring.

Elite: Dangerous is actually pretty exploration focused, and does reward you for it. That's really the majority of the game at this point though, everything else is pretty shallow. It is a huge world and you get paid to boldly go where no man has gone before.... and find the exact same system design from whence you came.

FunkyFlashman
May 10, 2013
Thanks for the Albion hint, that sounds great.

FunkyFlashman fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Jan 31, 2015

Dipes
Oct 24, 2003

crazystray posted:

Elite: Dangerous is actually pretty exploration focused, and does reward you for it. That's really the majority of the game at this point though, everything else is pretty shallow. It is a huge world and you get paid to boldly go where no man has gone before.... and find the exact same system design from whence you came.

I have been playing some Elite and I agree - the exploration really shines there. You feel like you're out there alone and every action you take can have severe consequences.

darkhand
Jan 18, 2010

This beard just won't do!
PSA: Please don't believe the hype of unreleased games

OP, exploration is still in EQ/P99/Alkabor. You have sites like ZAM tell you "where something is" but you definitely still have to run around the zone getting your bearings, almost none of the zones are linear. That being said it is more frustrating than enjoyable, and an mmo will pretty much never be made in that vain again for that reason.

If exploration were rewarding then there would be sites telling you how to get everything from them, defeats the purpose, it's a double edged sword.

darkhand fucked around with this message at 01:43 on Jan 31, 2015

Cao Ni Ma
May 25, 2010



darkhand posted:

PSA: Please don't believe the hype of unreleased games
Always believe the hype specially if its $150 to join the alpha and you already know it sucks because it came out in Korea 5 years ago.

Jackard
Oct 28, 2007

We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It

darkhand posted:

PSA: Please don't believe the hype of unreleased games
No, that's when they are the best.

CuddleCryptid
Jan 11, 2013

Things could be going better

Cao Ni Ma posted:

Always believe the hype specially if its $150 to join the alpha and you already know it sucks because it came out in Korea 5 years ago.

God drat it, Archeage...

But seriously, beta mmos are simultaneously the best and worst. Best because everything hasn't been datamined to hell and it's still fun. Worst because mmos are still bad and you get burned out before it even releases. I've payed into so many MMO betas and didn't continue playing them for more than a month after release topped with the fact that the devs never deliver.

Caveat emptor

SolidSnakesBandana
Jul 1, 2007

Infinite ammo
I feel like there's an alternate universe out there where Archeage wasn't terrible and actually killed WoW. It was so very close to being a good game.

Blazing Zero
Sep 7, 2012

*sigh* sure. it's a weed joke

SolidSnakesBandana posted:

I feel like there's an alternate universe out there where Archeage wasn't terrible and actually killed WoW. It was so very close to being a good game.

source your quote

SolidSnakesBandana
Jul 1, 2007

Infinite ammo

Blazing Zero posted:

source your quote

SolidSnakeBandana, April 5th, 5:13pm EST, Somethingawful.com Forums, Internet.

Captain Oblivious
Oct 12, 2007

I'm not like other posters

SolidSnakesBandana posted:

I feel like there's an alternate universe out there where Archeage wasn't terrible and actually killed WoW. It was so very close to being a good game.

That is a very broad definition of "close"

Helpimscared
Jun 16, 2014

EVE pretty much immediately comes to mind. But it's very different from pretty much every other MMO and it's not for everyone. Read the thread if your interested.

FormerFatty
Jul 18, 2006
Ultima Online.... yes, we still play it.

Bieeanshee
Aug 21, 2000

Not keen on keening.


Grimey Drawer
Avoid the UO production shards, Trammel was only the beginning.

Britt Burns
Nov 24, 2007
Biscuit Hider
If you want a pretty game that rewards exploration, give ESO a try! ( :q: ) It's very solo-y, though, so ymmv.

Flesh Forge
Jan 31, 2011

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY DOG
Once upon a time, Anarchy Online had a solid exploration experience, but it has not aged well at all.

Don't touch Age of Conan at all, it's absolutely horrible in the exploration sense (get spotted by NPCs, swarmed, unable to flee, die, quit, uninstall)

LITERALLY MY FETISH
Nov 11, 2010


Raise Chris Coons' taxes so that we can have Medicare for All.

Just go play the most online-active dark souls game, so right now that's probably the new release of DS2.

OWLS!
Sep 17, 2009

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Dipes posted:

Priorities:
1. Good graphics
2. meaningful exploration
3. difficult, team-based combat

EvE online has 1 in spades, 2 and 3 if you go join goonfreet or something. It is also "hard"

Byolante
Mar 23, 2008

by Cyrano4747

Bauxite posted:

Just go play the most online-active dark souls game, so right now that's probably the new release of DS2.

No other game has this level of quality in it's online interactions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d13fCKP6hB4

Boris Galerkin
Dec 17, 2011

I don't understand why I can't harass people online. Seriously, somebody please explain why I shouldn't be allowed to stalk others on social media!

Dipes posted:

I think I'm probably just chasing the dragon here. I remember in Everquest stepping outside of the gates of the Erudite starting city and not knowing what the gently caress. There's no game map, there's limited fast travel, and you're rewarded for finding cool camps with unique loot by just roaming the world. I really liked that sense of discovery.

It's probably not possible to recapture that feeling. I remember playing Ahseron's Call though and that had a similar thing going on. The MMOs that I've dipped into since those early days all have a sort of Theme Park vibe going on. Get on the ride, go here, here, here, level up, go here here here etc. In Asheron's Call it was "do whatever you want, gently caress you. Also get ganked right now". But I also felt like I could find a slice of the world that not so many people knew about, because I trudged my rear end across a desert for 45 minutes and found a sweet spot to farm golem motes in the middle of no where.

That kind of thing really appeals to me.

I remember a totally different experience with "exploration" which involved going to Allakhazam and that one map website where some guy actually did go and hand chart every single zone down to the proper scaling. Then there was The Safehouse and various class forums for new expansion stuff. I mean if you liked trying to figure out which of these specific placeholders to kill on the other end of the zone in order to spawn the giant you actually want then more power to you I guess.

The holy trinity has been taken a few notches down, and that's a good thing. It was ridiculous that in a 6 player group you needed 3 of those spots reserved for a tank/healer/enchanter. I think I remember sometimes you even needed a 4th spot for a shaman because their slow was better or something. In WoW you just need a tank and healer for 5 man groups, which is an improvement I guess. Being able to solo is great too. I remember maining a wizard and leveling or finding groups was the worst experience until I learned how to quad kite.

You also mentioned low level teamwork. Nobody does that anymore because nobody cares about the pre max level content. The whole purpose of all of that is to get you to max level. It's better this way too, as long as the lvl 1-100 or whatever experience is enjoyable. The wow expansion Cataclysm went and redid all the low level zones and guess what? Nobody gave a drat because it turns out 99% of the player base are max level and want stuff to do at that level.

Jackard
Oct 28, 2007

We Have A Bow And We Wish To Use It
I came back just for the new low level cata zones

Normal Adult Human
Feb 12, 2012

by FactsAreUseless
The OP wants to, an does not want to, play wildstar.

Jesustheastronaut!
Mar 9, 2014




Lipstick Apathy
EVE Online or Haven & Hearth.

H&H has good graphics for what it is. Has a good sense of the game unfolding before you as you go along. You can play using as much or little metagame as you want and still get by. The real difficulty mainly comes from the permadeath element and trying to not get ganked

Sorvah
Dec 1, 2014
It sounds more like the OP wants to take up synchronised swimming but like, in a rough a neighbourhood.

Vittek
Nov 8, 2006
Yeah remember when walking through a zone was actually dangerous cause all you knew about it was from other players and maybe somewhere on the nets you found a not really accurate hand draw map? When dying actually was a major setback? Yeah not gonna happen again.

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Harrow
Jun 30, 2012

Can this also be a "tell stories about old MMO nostalgia" thread? I really love reading stories about old DAoC or EQ from people who played then. Often they're about things I'd never want to do myself, but I still like the stories. EDIT: Actually, maybe I'll make a thread for that rather than posting my long-winded crap here.

Boris Galerkin posted:

You also mentioned low level teamwork. Nobody does that anymore because nobody cares about the pre max level content. The whole purpose of all of that is to get you to max level. It's better this way too, as long as the lvl 1-100 or whatever experience is enjoyable. The wow expansion Cataclysm went and redid all the low level zones and guess what? Nobody gave a drat because it turns out 99% of the player base are max level and want stuff to do at that level.

What is so annoying about this particular trend in MMO design is that it makes a huge portion of the gameworld into something each player only cares about once (while rushing through to max level) and then never really has a reason to see again. A lot of MMOs have tried ways to alleviate this (like GW2's level scaling and collection quests that send you back to lower-level zones) and it's never quite worked.

To me, the logical endpoint is to find a way to do away with leveling altogether. I have no idea how you'd pull it off, of course, but the idea of a level-less MMO where you progress more by getting good at the game, finding cool things, and getting cool stuff right from the start appeals to me a lot.

Harrow fucked around with this message at 22:07 on Jul 17, 2015

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