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Your MMO, Your World
by Geoff

Today's MMORPG worlds are vast and expansive. You need to look no farther than World of Warcraft to fully understand just how big some of these worlds can get. I once attempted to run from the southernmost point of Tanaris to Orgrimmar and bailed about half way through. Suffice it to say I was running for a while, and felt that I could be better using my MMO time. So onto my point, what is it about these hugely expansive worlds that draws you in?

When I first start a new MMORPG I take at least a few hours to fully explore the world. Doesn't mater how many times I die in the process, I am very picky about my worlds and if I can't be convinced that I am actually a part of it then I usually just stop playing the game right away. I absolutely can't tolerate a stale or stagnate world. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes was a perfect example of this. I initially started playing the game a few months after it was released (there was no way I was getting trapped in the beta-retail version). I began the game all cheery and figured the world would be awesome to explore and have fun with. Unfortunately, what I found was immaculate graphics attempting to cover up an otherwise boring world. Needless to say, I didn't make it past my first month subscription. Of course, Vanguard isn't the only culprit in this...

As more and more MMORPGs come out I am beginning to notice a trend in the way worlds are built. I don't know what it is, but the World of Warcraft has character and, as such, I never thought the world was boring. For other games, like Tabula Rasa and Vanguard, the worlds almost feel methodical, like it was a randomly generated map. So what gives? How can an almost 4 year old game have a better, more lively world than games that have been released fairly recently? I honestly can't tell you, but I bet it definitely helps to have a solid franshice to build off of. Just ask Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine.

Thoughts? Comments? Let's hear em!