- Tharagor – RR65 Runepriest
- Fastrada – RR75 Warrior Priest
- Blaq – RR55 Ironbreaker
- Ensiferum – RR57 Swordmaster
- Nariya – RR42 Shadow Warrior
- Medhbh – RR44 White Lion-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It means that you'll have some tough decisions to make. Here are some key questions which you need to ask yourself in order to be able to choose a game that will hold your attention for a long time while providing you with the fun you crave for.
How much time can I devote to an MMO?
Online games are usually divided into either casual or hardcore. If paraphrased, casual would mean that it occupies only a small fraction of your free time, while hardcore usually means that it takes up more than half your free time. Although you most likely won't be able to identify exactly if an MMO will cater to the casual or hardcore, nosing around fan forums and looking up previews of the game can give you some idea of how big of a time investment it is. Most of the games will usually claim to appeal to both crowds though, so figuring out just how much of your time it will eat up is tricky.
What am I looking for in an MMO?
You can find an MMO for just about anything these days. Figuring out what exactly is your fancy is always recommended before committing to a certain game. If you like fighting other players the PvP (player versus player) genre will appeal to you. If you fancy stories, epic quests and battling giant monsters then PvE (player versus environment) games will be the thing for you. If you like exploring, building and crafting then sandbox MMOs will most likely draw you in. If you love teamwork and chatting with friends then MMOs with an emphasis on socializing will be your thing. That's just scraping the top and crudely categorizing the MMO genre. You'll need to figure out what kind of player you are for yourself. Something that might help you with this is taking a Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology (gamerDNA hosted test).
How much money am I prepared to invest in such a game?
Although it might seem trivial for some, there are people out there that have a tight gaming budget (mainly students), and won't be able to spend unlimited amounts on MMOs. For them the price they pay to have fun matters.
- Free to play (f2p) games are generally free of charge but with limitations. If you want to play with no limitations a monetary investment is required. In no case should you treat a f2p MMO as a completely free full game, as you would be fooling yourself. Such games require a careful examination of how the need for the developer to make money and the gameplay is balanced, after which you should decide whether to invest time in it.
- Next on the cost list are MMOs that do not require a monthly subscription. Do note however, that the developer will still need to make money after selling you the game, which might appear as a sort of mini-transaction system most f2p games adopt, frequent expansions that you need to buy or in-game advertising.
- At the top of the cost list are MMOs that are pay to play (p2p). Which means that they either require a monthly subscription or paying for play time in advance. The payment method and pricing are usually announced before the game launches, and need to be looked at in case of a tight budget.
An important question overlooked by many. The community can make or break a game for you. If you dislike playing with and against player much younger than you, you will probably be disappointed in the new LEGO MMO, and likewise you probably wouldn't enjoy a mature game if you like your games simple and cute. Gauging a community is usually simple, you just need to take a step back and ask yourself what kind of players the game attracts. If that doesn't help try browsing community fan sites and developer interviews, as they should be a fair indicator of the consumer base the game is aiming at.
Can your computer run the game?
Another fundamental question that usually doesn't come up until it's too late. If you aren't planning on, or don't have the money to update your computer, you might not be able to play games that are highly demanding hardware-wise. With the rapid progress in computer components and game graphics you might be caught off-guard. Buying a game just to install it and find out that it's unplayable, is a situation you don't want to be in.
These are just some of the aspects of playing an MMO that should be considered to avoid bitterness and anger. There are various ways to get your questions answered, but the most important ones are always keeping up with the game's development and the state it's in: browsing the official and fan websites or forums, reading interviews and previews, taking part in conventions where they might be displayed and of course, playing beta tests or trials. By doing so, disappointment is the least likely emotion you will experience when starting a new MMO.
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