On TOGs and MMORPGs

[paenggoy]

I was looking for more information about Fallout online and found this article:

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/fallout...mmo-221512.php

But after reading one comment (from Tetra) I became less interested in playing MMORPGs. (For more information, please read the page linked above.)

Vetting non-TOGs can be done with games like BF2, but what about MMORPGs?

[JuJutsu]

Originally Posted by paenggoy

Vetting non-TOGs can be done with games like BF2, but what about MMORPGs?

All you can do is squelch @sshats 1 at a time. If the occaisional jerk ruins your immersion and fun, you'll have to stick to single player or small group games.

[Sente]

Originally Posted by paenggoy

Vetting non-TOGs can be done with games like BF2, but what about MMORPGs?

The players are both the best and worst part of MMORPGs. There are a number of things you can do typically, if the player environment might be bothering.

1. Unsubscribe to certain chat channels
2. Put certain players on ignore
3. If there are role-playing servers, pick those to play
4. Avoid pick-up groups (PUGs)
5. Avoid too popular games and some free games

PUGs can sometimes be great and sometimes really bad - all depends on the people. Highly popular games will likely have more people that could be problematic. Although one would hope that it would average out over many different servers and the amount per server would be constant.

To me the good part playing with many other players outweights the bad parts.

[paenggoy]

Thanks for the help! I searched for "role-playing servers mmorpg" and found this link: http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01725p. I'm afraid this is all new to me.

[Kia Mae]

Even if there are jerks and snerts are inhabiting the virtual worlds of a MMORPG, you still have options to avoid them. As Sente points out, you learn to filter them out, some trough game mechanics, and some trough just a filter in your brain. Choose those you want to play with wisely etc.

While it sometimes can feel like you took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in the kindergarden, there are more nice fellow players than the opposite I find. It also comes down to how you yourself meet them I think.

[paenggoy]

I guess what I'm looking for is an MMORPG that has a retail price that's acceptably higher than average (like GW) but no subscription rate (or at most a nominal rate like no more than $5 a month to maintain the server, assuming that there are more than enough players) and at least one server for serious role-playing (e.g., no discussions about that brand-new car or travel plans on chat or VOIP).. I gess even non-TOGgers will be able to play because I've heard that some non-TOGs can follow rules for role-playing servers easily.

[shadowmage]

The other thing you could do is try some of the trial offers for various MMORPG's

WOW and EVE both have 14 day trials, I think City of Heroes does as well then you can decide if you like them enough to pay the higher monthly fee new MMORPG's are charging these days.

another thing is to try the open beta for some of these games when they are close to release to see if you like them.

Yes some people in PUGs are useless - but you can also meet some great people and make new friends.

[Kalypso]

It's kind of like the real world - there are jerks and there are gems. It is always harder to find the gems because the jerks stick out so much more prominently. But when you find a gem - or two - then your whole world can turn around. When I first started EQ I didn't join a guild nor group very much - soloed a whole lot - a few groups here and there. then one day around level 13 I was fighting mobs in Lakes of Ill Omen and met a monk - a Iksar no less, who asked if he could join me. We fought that day like we had been lovers for years - him watching my back and me watching his. No matter who was in trouble (and we always were) the other one would forsake themselves to try and aid the one lower on health. It took us a couple of weeks to work out the best strategy for us as a duo but we did - and we fought together through several different zones and many levels. He found out I was a grandma - and to my amazement he was even older than me with grandkids of his own. My only regret in leaving EQ was he stayed and I lost track of him. For an Iksar he wasn't haven't bad.

Those gems are out there in every game - but you also go through a lot of jerks to find them. Being in a good guild will be a big help, so coming here is a big start to having success in an MMORPG.