Last weekend, we remembered your first MMORPGs together. Here’s what you told us.
Here’s what it was about: Our first MMORPGs often leave a big impression on us and remain a fond memory for a long time. We like to think back on the “good old days” and how cool, big, and new everything was back then.
And so you shared with us in the comments under our survey about how it was for you playing your first MMORPGs. There was a lot of enthusiasm and humor about how terrible some of those games actually were. In a nice way.
Fiesta Online
One of the games that was well represented in your comments was Fiesta Online. The colorful anime game from Korea was the entry point into the online world of MMORPGs for many MeinMMO readers. However, even though the comments praised Fiesta, you didn’t view the game through rose-colored glasses.
You are very aware of Fiesta’s flaws and problems today:
My first MMO was a terrible anime grinder called Fiesta Online. How I loved that stupid game. In retrospect, there’s hardly anything that stands out from a gameplay perspective.
The quests were dull and unoriginal, the story barely existent, and the closer one got to the level cap, the grindier it became. Oh, and the pressure from the item shop was at times really significant, as far as I remember – and yet I had fun. Some might say I should have known better – or perhaps I was just easily impressed at 11/12 years old. What I actually find really great about the game, both then and now, is the music. There are some catchy tunes in there. […]
MeinMMO reader Swoobat
Fiesta Online lured players in with the easy entry of a free-to-play MMORPG, where no credit card or bank account was required. On the other hand, it also attracted players with its pretty design, which resonated well with anime fans in Germany.
For a long time, pay-to-win became a significant issue for some of our readers.
For me, it was Fiesta Online. It was fresh on the market and I played it for a few years.
What made it special for me was the anime style, as I was a very large fan back then. […] The problems that made me stop playing were that it became too pay-to-win. At first, I didn’t notice, as the game was my life, and I neglected many other things, investing a hell of a lot into it.
MeinMMO reader Vallo
In one thing, the comments about Fiesta Online were unanimous. You met great people in the game with whom you had a lot of fun. It’s a memory that cannot be tarnished by the harsh pay-to-win and grind aspects of Fiesta. And having cool teammates and good friends is one of the most important things in an MMORPG.
What captivated me completely were the people I met with whom I could explore the new world that seemed so huge and incredible to us back then. I still keep in touch with two of them after over 10 years.
MeinMMO reader Vallo
Dark Age of Camelot
By far the most frequently mentioned MMORPG in the comments under the article and on Facebook was Dark Age of Camelot. Originally released in 2002 in Europe, DAoC adopted the setting of Norse mythology and Celtic high fantasy, taking place after the death of King Arthur.
The game properly introduced many of you to the world of MMORPGs and taught you how this type of gaming actually works.
For me, it was indeed Dark Age of Camelot. […] I still remember being quite blown away after the first login, especially due to the size of the 3D world.
And I remember desperately trying to level my mentalist by beating the mobs with my staff. That didn’t go very well for long. Until I eventually figured out that other “mages” were using spells. I invested way too much time in this game, but I still wouldn’t want to miss much of it.
MeinMMO reader chips
Others were captivated by Dark Age of Camelot especially because of its great PvP system. In the “Realm vs. Realm” PvP, players could bash each other’s heads in huge battles until the rooster crowed.
It’s no coincidence that the MMORPG made it to our Top 10 MMORPGs with the best PvP. It undoubtedly provided a unique PvP experience for its time.
The plus of DAoC was that it was […] three MMOs in one, set up in a triangle, and in the middle was the realm vs. realm.
Then there was also the Minne, a character we called that. She could run, which was pretty nice. And so we went into RvR, Minne at the front, and 50-100 men followed her. It looked like a giant snake as we mowed down everything in our way. But not just other players; there were also bosses to kill in RvR, which was really cool.
MeinMMO reader Tronic48
The dungeons of Dark Age of Camelot also stayed in your memories. They consumed a lot of time and could sometimes take many hours. Additionally, one often had to wait a long time before forming a group to run them.
Flyff – Fly for Fun
Also from Korea came the MMORPG Flyff, which was released in the USA in 2005. Although there was no EU release, many of you still played on the US servers.
The colorful graphic style of the free-to-play MMORPG and its unique ability to fly on mounts introduced many young gamers to the world of MMORPGs.
However, even with Flyff, you make no secret in the comments that it had its flaws and problems, which were often only noticed when you grew older and gained more experience in the MMORPG genre.
I believe my first MMORPG was Flyff. It was a grind festival, and I loved it. What motivated me back then was the leaderboard, where you could see who had the highest level on the server, and of course I wanted to reach it too.
Naive as I was back then as a young person, I had no idea that achieving such a goal required EXP buffs and a party member. I simply didn’t know that the cash shop provided such an advantage and never used it, so I happily ground my time after school and thought it would be fine. […]
MeinMMO reader Keragi
In the comments under the article and on Facebook, many remembered the grind in Flyff. With each level-up, the amount of EXP needed for the next level increased dramatically until one required almost astronomical amounts per level.
But leveling took so long. Often it was 0.02% per mob. I added a “night shift” once. I played through the whole night, died twice, lost EXP as a result, and the night shift was pretty much ruined. […]
Enrico W. on Facebook
Unfortunately, the grind became harder with rising levels until it became unenjoyable for some to battle through the massive amounts of EXP. The loss of EXP after death hit you very hard and also led some to quit the game.
However, you still fondly remember Flyff, and some wouldn’t mind checking it out again.
Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online is probably one of the most famous MMORPGs that have come to us from Korea. About 1.5 years after its release in Korea, the European servers went online.
The colorful anime MMORPG with an isometric perspective offered a wide variety of classes that were upgraded and expanded through the rebirth system, many world bosses, and the PvP system “War of Emperium,” where countless players bashed each other’s heads in.
For some MeinMMO readers, it was their first experience being in a game with so many other people.
My first MMORPG was Ragnarok Online. I played it at release and have never seen so many people anywhere else!
The capital was just so crowded with merchants; you can’t imagine it.
Also, dealing damage to zombies with “Heal”. Or teleporting other players and so on. The class system was just unique, or rather, the job system.
I think the game was very advanced in terms of possibilities for its time.
MeinMMO reader NoSFa
Ragnarok also came to us at a time when “the internet” was a comparatively new thing in private homes. Back when there were still internet cafes and AOL CDs with time limits to spend on the World Wide Web, and we didn’t yet carry flat rates on our smartphones in our pockets.
It was special [Ragnarok Online] because we got a new PC from our doctor, which had a modem in it. I snatched an AOL 650-minute CD, […] so that on the day I was home alone […], I could disconnect the phone and start playing. That was a truly great moment and an amazing day.
I had known about the game for a while, as I often traveled 20 kilometers to the city to the Dragon Cave and to the train station […] to treat myself to anime magazines, video game magazines, as well as White Dwarf, Warhammer figures, and Pokémon cards. […]
I did all this back then because the topic of the internet was rather nonexistent for my parents. Video games were okay, a PC required some persuasion, but the internet was too much.
MeinMMO reader Namma
Since the original release of Ragnarok Online, there have been many attempts to reboot the MMORPG, create a sequel Ragnarok 2, or port the game to other platforms.
They were sometimes more, sometimes less successful. However, none managed to invoke a passion “like back then.”
Which MMORPGs do you still rave about? Was your first MMORPG also the one with the best memories, or was it another? Share it with us in the comments!
