The world of MMORPGs is full of things to fall in love with and enjoy. However, the same things can also quickly become really annoying…
MMORPGs are probably among the time-consuming hobbies into which we invest hundreds or thousands of hours. Yet, even though it is definitely one of the most enjoyable pastimes, there are also plenty of things we like and simultaneously cannot stand. We have here the 7 things in MMORPGs that you surely love and hate at the same time.
1. Random Loot
Most likely everyone remembers how they first obtained a special item from a mob. Be it the first epic item in World of Warcraft or the first piece of legacy armor in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The euphoria of the find and the congratulations or envious looks from friends and guild members are well-remembered by most. A wonderful experience that is part of most MMORPGs.
At the same time, however, random drops already have the word “random” in the name, and that is rarely a good thing for MMO players. Because conversely, this means that the corresponding items are difficult to farm deliberately. It can take hours, days, weeks, or even months when chasing that one item that never seems to drop. Naturally, with the exception of all the other players who seemingly have the item after the 3rd enemy.
2. Auction Houses
Auction houses are both a curse and a blessing in an MMORPG. On one hand, it is a great place to earn some in-game money and sell the occasional item. You might even be able to rip off an inexperienced player and profit from them – perfectly legal, just with a hint of bad conscience. After all, no one forced them to buy, right?
This positive attitude changes abruptly when you are the needy player looking for a very specific item. You quickly become angry and question how stupid someone must be to sell a “Bronze Copper Tube” for 30 gold, which is generally offered for 20 silver on all other days?
3. Other Players
Yes, MMORPGs are by definition designed for playing with other people and sharing a world. This also provides the great appeal of the games. After all, social interaction is an important component, and many tasks can usually only be completed in a group.
Anyone who frequently looks for a random group for a dungeon in their chosen MMO has probably wondered several times: “Help, with which idiots have I been lumped together? That was probably another six in the idiot lottery.” With some groups, it is hard to stick around until the end and still end with a friendly goodbye. But the nice thing is: If you think that everyone else is an idiot, they are most likely also thinking that about you.
4. A Lively Game World
The game worlds of MMORPGs are huge, and there is something to discover at every corner. For a world to truly feel “alive”, players need to be present in as many areas as possible. It is always nice to meet another player on the way, perhaps exchange a few words, and buff each other. These are short but nice encounters that enhance the gameplay experience and contribute to the perception of being in a lively world.
However, this appeal disappears if the “lively game world” results in having to share a limited number of enemies with other players. Every player knows the annoying problem when there are not enough mobs for all players to pursue their gameplay in peace. The most recent example is probably WoW Classic. Here, players sometimes had to wait an hour for their mob, because more than two dozen players were coming for a quest enemy. The game world may have been lively – but everything else was permanently dead.
5. The Eternal Item Spiral
Constantly improving one’s character is one of the greatest tasks in an MMORPG. It is the eternal carrot on a stick that dangles in front of us. New items or the next level-up lure 1% more damage, slightly improved healing, or the ability to hold one more enemy as a tank at once. Every upgrade enhances the character, and every item brings us a little closer to perfect equipment, with which our character is “finished”.
However, this “finished” state does not last very long in most games. In the distance, the next content patch or expansion is always looming, which “devalues” all our efforts from the past months. The search for new equipment is regularly reset and often leaves the feeling of emptiness behind, coupled with the question: What the hell have I actually done for the last 3 months if I now have to start over?
6. Fame – Showing Off a Bit
What could be better than standing in the middle of the marketplace after days or weeks of hard work with a special sword and being admired by other players? Nothing. You bask in the glory of your own achievements, quickly check who is targeting your character, and enjoy the compliments or envious glances from other players. The beautiful, fulfilling thought “Look at what I have accomplished, you little underlings” always leads to an uplifting feeling. Like when you go for a walk with a giant tree.
However, when that annoying druid you could never stand stands prominently in front of the inn all day with the legendary weapon and mount for 5 million gold pieces, then the story looks different. He is a damn poser, who probably has nothing else in life because he plays all day, has no girlfriend, is socially incompetent, hasn’t showered in 5 days, probably lives in his mom’s basement, and is throwing away his studies for stupid achievements in an MMORPG. But thankfully that’s always just “the others”…
7. Guilds
A steady pool of players, a relaxed guild chat where you can also have some fun, and a large guild bank prepared for all eventualities. A guild offers many advantages and enhances the bond with the game. How nice it is to log in every evening without having to look for tanks and healers forever, because there are always a few available in the guild just waiting for you to join them in dungeons and raids.
However, this joy quickly turns to frustration and a tedious affair when participation in content becomes an obligation. After months, “3 raid nights a week” somehow loses its charm. The social pressure to continue being there for the guild even though you would much rather play something else or relax watching a series can be quite annoying. But luckily, there is always the good old excuse of a faulty router or an incompetent internet provider. It is also annoying that their outages always fall exactly on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM!
Have you found yourself in these points? Or what things do you love about MMORPGs but also hate at certain times?
