Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Last week Ten Ton Hammer uber-editor Benjamin J. de la Durantaye waxed nostalgic about MMOG communities in Loading and bemoaned the trend of pandering to the solo crowd. While nothing he discussed was in any way incorrect, quite the opposite actually, he hit the nail on the head and it got me to thinking; how can a new player find out which community is the best fit for them without shelling out thousands of dollars to buy all these games? The answer came to me in the form of this guide, a look at some of the communities and what players can expect from the inhabitants of these virtual worlds. 

World of Warcraft

Launched in late 2004, World of Warcraft is the largest and most popular MMOG to date, if you haven’t heard of this game then the rock you live under must be in the deepest recess of another dimension. Boasting over 12 million subscribers worldwide, WoW offers the most accessible gaming experience of a traditional fantasy game.  Set in the land of Azeroth, WoW has released two expansion packs with the third set for release in the coming year.

Style: Fantasy Faction based game with Pv E, PvP and RP servers available.

Pros:

• Huge player base, someone you know is playing WoW, and so are most of their friends.

• Easy game to solo allows new players to develop friends and groups at their own pace without feeling forced to do so.
   
• Hundreds of servers online give everyone an opportunity to find the right time and style to match their needs.

• Ease of gearing lets new players catch up quickly to jump into the action almost as soon as they reach the level cap, which can less the sense of alienation many new players have in an established game.  

Cons:

• Huge player base, someone you know and don’t like is playing WoW, and so are most of their friends. 

• Game can be too solo friendly and create a lack of trust among players which can build up walls that are hard to break through.

• Relative ease of the game allows this community to lack what many of the earlier MMOGs had in terms of a grouping of likeminded individuals.  Not that homogenization is a great thing, but what created such good communities early on was many shared experiences among the player base, which like any social environment, are the seeds that grow friendships. 

Summary:
With so many people playing and so many servers to chose from, WoW is unlike any of the other games by being exactly like all of them, nearly every pro and con from all the other games can found in some degree here. If you don’t have a recommendation from a friend or a group of friends to play with, then I recommend checking out the official server forums for a look at what to expect.  While most of the time I would caution against using forums as a barometer due to the tendency of only finding the disgruntled hanging about, WoW has the advantage of being around long enough that the individual realm forums have grown past that and have started to become an accurate gauge of the communities they represent.

Server Spotlight:

Sisters of Elune – Horde side.

This Central Time based RP server features a vibrant community for both the role playing and more pedestrian players alike. Sisters has a moderate population base that feels neither crowded nor vacant, it has a good balance at virtually all hours. While this server may be lacking in number of highly progressed guilds, it features several guilds that cater to the more hardcore player along with a strong PUG system for a server of its size. If you are looking for a new place to call your home then check out this hidden gem, and if you play a healer or tank then you will definitely feel the love quickly.

Stonemaul

This Pacific Time zone PvP server is the virtual embodiment of Kim Jong Il. Seriously. Chest thumping bravado with nothing to back it up, this large population server has fairly weak progression on both sides, however horde tends to be overall better progressed. The server that never grew out of barrens chat features a sophomoric player base that is as bad in chat as it is in a PUG. Sadly all the negative WoW player stereotypes are on full display here and overshadow the decent players that reside here.

Aion

The newest AAA title on the block, Aion is a high fantasy PvP themed MMOG whose star is on the rise. This Asian import with a western feel takes place on the shattered world of Atreia and pits two playable factions and a third NPC faction against each other for control of the Abyss.  Aion launched in North America in late September of this year after a successful launch last year in Korea.

Style: Faction based fantasy with large scale PvP

Pros:

• New game allows players an even footing and lots of opportunity to meet new people as the populations are generally concentrated in the same area.

• Less soloable than many other MMOGs, creating a measure of dependency as players rely on each other to tackle content.

• Extended leveling curve creates more opportunities for players to meet and interact.

• PvP system encourages strong community building to gain the upper hand over the opposing faction.

Cons:

• Lack of established community can leave some players feeling alone in a foreign world.

• Chat system is weak and often times confusing to new players.

• Long level grind can create tension and boredom, leading to high attrition numbers.

• PvP system can isolate players and create a clique system amongst like factions.

Summary:
While it is still too early to tell what the future holds for Aion, the vital signs are strong for this new kid on the block. Your best bet for finding the right fit is to get the recommendation of someone you trust, however do not fear if you don’t have that option, this game is still young enough that you can server hop until you find a place to call your own.  I would recommend staying away from the forums as a means of server selection as the game is still in its infancy and the vast majority of what you read there will be sour grapes and not worth your time.

Server Spotlight:

Lumiel

This North American Eastern Time server is home to many of the top guilds from other MMOGs, giving it an instant community to rival more established games. Lumiel has also been adopted by the RP community as the unofficial RP server of the game, adding a further maturation process to this young realm.