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Lasereth · 09-13-2004, 07:21 AM

Time for some more WoW observations!

I will compare this game to EQ a lot, and I don't think it's unjustified since EQ is easily the biggest and most popular MMORPG of all time.

I remember when I first started EQ. I made a Ranger and started in the Wood-Elf city. The first thing I remember seeing was this other ranger that had really, really cool armor. He had a breastplate that had a neat design on it. From the time I started, I was compelled to get that piece of armor, and sure enough, 20 hours later I had it. I save up enough and bought the armor I wanted, and sure enough, I looked cool as hell. My time spent working towards the goal (the breastplate) was worth it.

Before I draw my comparison, I'd like to talk about the way EQ is played. How many screenshots have you seen of WoW in the first-person view? Barely any, because the third-person view works great. In EQ, the first-person view worked great and the third person sucked. So basically, EQ had the perspective of first-person which allowed players to get a really good look at other players, their class, distinct traits, and most of all, equipment! EQ is about how fuckin cool your character looked and what spells he/she had. WoW...well, the third-person rocks, but the camera is freakin 20 feet behind you! The other players look the same because you can't get a good look at their traits. Rogues and warriors look a lot alike and warriors and paladins look alike. Mages and priests look the same. Why? Because the camera isn't close enough to tell people apart!

This may seem trivial, but it all comes back to my goal of getting the breastplate in EQ. I had the goal to look cool with the breastplate. Now in WoW, it doesn't matter if I get the cool breastplate because my character won't look cool with it. No one else will care. Just another mindless ranger running through the world with the same look as everyone else. The mapping technique's absence that Bltzkrieg brought up is painfully obvious...plate armor and mail armor look the same, as if it's painted on your skin. Getting newer armor serves one purpose: better stats. 90% of the time it doesn't make your character look better or stronger. There is a very odd absence of cool-looking armor and weapons in WoW, and frankly, it makes the characters lackluster! I want my dual Glowing Black Swords from EQ! I want my giant trident Wyrmslayer! I want my dual Centi Longswords! Characters in EQ looked freakin awesome, very individualistic. In WoW, everyone looks like they just got out of a shopping spree at Goodwill using their nephew's plastic sword.

To further this problem, the whole basis of getting cool stuff is ruined by level restrictions on every piece of armor and weapon in the game. People who want to work hard to get that cool sword are screwed. Even if you do get it, you can't use it for 5 levels...in 5 levels, everyone will have it and ALL LOOK THE SAME AGAIN.

I understand that the level restrictions are in place to prevent massive twinking (putting high-level gear on low-level characters) but it really puts a damper on the people who want to earn cool stuff in the game. Many people play the game to make a character really cool, and in WoW, it's nearly impossible.

It's sort of embarassing when a level 5 paladin looks way better than a level 40 paladin. This happens all the time! Low-level characters have the ability to look as good (and better in many cases) than the high-level players. It should NOT be this way! People who want to spend the time to make their characters look neat are screwed. Picking up random shit armor off of enemies at level 5 renders you a level 40-look. In EQ, if you were new, you fucking looked new. At level 40, you looked like a walking Demi-God ready to slaughter Norrath if necessary. The environments look good in WoW, but the character models need improvement. I know it's the style of WoW, but I'd rather the style at least make your characters look neat and individualistic.

-Lasereth

09-13-2004, 07:21 AM	#56 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	Time for some more WoW observations! I will compare this game to EQ a lot, and I don't think it's unjustified since EQ is easily the biggest and most popular MMORPG of all time. I remember when I first started EQ. I made a Ranger and started in the Wood-Elf city. The first thing I remember seeing was this other ranger that had really, really cool armor. He had a breastplate that had a neat design on it. From the time I started, I was compelled to get that piece of armor, and sure enough, 20 hours later I had it. I save up enough and bought the armor I wanted, and sure enough, I looked cool as hell. My time spent working towards the goal (the breastplate) was worth it. Before I draw my comparison, I'd like to talk about the way EQ is played. How many screenshots have you seen of WoW in the first-person view? Barely any, because the third-person view works great. In EQ, the first-person view worked great and the third person sucked. So basically, EQ had the perspective of first-person which allowed players to get a really good look at other players, their class, distinct traits, and most of all, equipment! EQ is about how fuckin cool your character looked and what spells he/she had. WoW...well, the third-person rocks, but the camera is freakin 20 feet behind you! The other players look the same because you can't get a good look at their traits. Rogues and warriors look a lot alike and warriors and paladins look alike. Mages and priests look the same. Why? Because the camera isn't close enough to tell people apart! This may seem trivial, but it all comes back to my goal of getting the breastplate in EQ. I had the goal to look cool with the breastplate. Now in WoW, it doesn't matter if I get the cool breastplate because my character won't look cool with it. No one else will care. Just another mindless ranger running through the world with the same look as everyone else. The mapping technique's absence that Bltzkrieg brought up is painfully obvious...plate armor and mail armor look the same, as if it's painted on your skin. Getting newer armor serves one purpose: better stats. 90% of the time it doesn't make your character look better or stronger. There is a very odd absence of cool-looking armor and weapons in WoW, and frankly, it makes the characters lackluster! I want my dual Glowing Black Swords from EQ! I want my giant trident Wyrmslayer! I want my dual Centi Longswords! Characters in EQ looked freakin awesome, very individualistic. In WoW, everyone looks like they just got out of a shopping spree at Goodwill using their nephew's plastic sword. To further this problem, the whole basis of getting cool stuff is ruined by level restrictions on every piece of armor and weapon in the game. People who want to work hard to get that cool sword are screwed. Even if you do get it, you can't use it for 5 levels...in 5 levels, everyone will have it and ALL LOOK THE SAME AGAIN. I understand that the level restrictions are in place to prevent massive twinking (putting high-level gear on low-level characters) but it really puts a damper on the people who want to earn cool stuff in the game. Many people play the game to make a character really cool, and in WoW, it's nearly impossible. It's sort of embarassing when a level 5 paladin looks way better than a level 40 paladin. This happens all the time! Low-level characters have the ability to look as good (and better in many cases) than the high-level players. It should NOT be this way! People who want to spend the time to make their characters look neat are screwed. Picking up random shit armor off of enemies at level 5 renders you a level 40-look. In EQ, if you were new, you fucking looked new. At level 40, you looked like a walking Demi-God ready to slaughter Norrath if necessary. The environments look good in WoW, but the character models need improvement. I know it's the style of WoW, but I'd rather the style at least make your characters look neat and individualistic. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert Last edited by Lasereth; 09-13-2004 at 07:27 AM..