This is clearly a biased post based on my own opinions formed from years of online play. I have read a good deal of the thread, agree with some and disagree with most. Here are my thoughts, please feel free to correct me where you believe I am wrong. Please forgive the formatting of the below text, I know nothing of markup and have done this with spaces and carriage returns.
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Graphics:
1. Effects
By this I mean the spectacular spells, reflective water,
and even the motions and movement of the characters.
WoW - 4
EQ2 - 3
EQ1 - 2
UO - 1
This was a tough call. The water is better on EQ2,
hands down. The spells were about even, except that
projectile spells in WoW definately tracked and flew
better. The real problem was EQ2's character motions.
They are terrible.
In their defense they tried to make it realistic when
a character swings and hits a mob the mob reacts to
that swing...but it wasn't pulled off well.
2. Level of Detail
By this I mean the number of pixels, the number of
polygons, and the ability of the game to push a system.
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 1
UO - 0
This was an easy call. While EQ2 really seems to
personify the next-gen mmorpg with the fact that
I have to set the detail levels to minimum and my
system still barely runs it, WoW is set to max and
it runs fine. This is good in that I can see it
as good as it gets, but bad in that as good as it
gets isn't that great. Also, even on the highest
detail settings, the most you see with chain armor
(for example) on your character is a gray textured
matte. On EQ2, on 2/3's detail, you can count each
individual rings (some actually missing). No
contest on this one.
3. Atmosphere
This one is more of a matter of preference, but refers
to the use of light, shapes, colors, and general art to
convey the message of the game.
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 2
UO - 1
I may be biased, but here is where the 'cartoony'
feel really kills me. The WoW artwork reminds me
of an attempt at the exaggerated limbs and features
of Japanese Animation done by sorry US hacks.
Nothing is done to scale.
Even with this, though, it isn't done well either.
Add to it the over-use of primary colors and the
under-use of actual detailed textures and it makes
it almost impossible to suspend reality. EQ2 looks
like an online world. WoW looks like an online
video game.
After further review and input from others I feel
that I've been a bit harsh. WoW still uses terrible
color choices and only tries to transfer the moods
between 'good' areas and 'evil' areas by a simple
lack of lighting, but it isn't quite as bad as I'd
thought. It can immerse you, just not as well.
Sound:
1. Music
Does it have a dynamic soundtrack? Combat music?
Those damned annoying birds from the PS2 Kengo?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 3
EQ1 - 2
UO - 1
This result is probably more a product of my lack
of interest in music than any actual difference in
the games.
The music is there, and I'm sure I'd miss it if
it were gone, but past that I didn't notice it.
It wasn't great, it wasn't annoying.
2. Sound Effects
How real does the game sound?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 3
EQ1 - 1
UO - 0
Again, not noteworthy, not annoying. WoW may
come ahead when I start seeing more technological
things that go boom, but as of yet they are both
'okay'.
3. Voice Overs
Do the characters talk? NPC's? Monsters?
WoW - 2
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 1
UO - 0
There is nearly no speech in WoW, and the speech
there is can obviously be placed in static voice
over tracks. Honestly, no other games have had
it either, but having played EQ2 first I was honestly
shocked the first time I spoke to an NPC and there
was nothing but text on the screen for most of WoW.
In EQ2 even the monsters taunt you in combat. Not
text taunts, they actually holler insults at you.
It provides a level of emertion beyond anything else
out there.
Mechanics:
1. Power-Gaming
Can high-level characters buff the low into greatness?
Can you twink a character into a low level god?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 1
UO - 1
Another easy one. While EQ2 put a lot of effort
into controlling power-levelling with their encounter
lock system WoW took the approach altering the
downtime between encounters. In my opinion this
is actually worse. Now not only can a high level
character still help a low level character, but kill
stealing and class differences aren't solved either.
Both games have level requirements for equipment to
avoid twinking.
2. Death
Do you fear it? Why?
WoW - 2
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 1
UO - 2
I don't feel either system is great. Both have
equipment damage from a death, but EQ2 nudges ahead
because that is the only penalty in WoW. EQ2 also
gives you an experience hit in that you must pay
part of any new experience towards a debt. Also,
your effectiveness is degraded until you retrieve
your 'shard' (your body stays with you so you don't
have to if you don't want to). Death isn't a
day-ruiner like in EQ1 for either game, but in WoW
it doesn't even really matter. At least in EQ2 you
fear death.
3. PvP
Can you do it? Is it good?
WoW - 5 (with two gold stars)
EQ2 - 1
EQ1 - 3
UO - 2
EQ2 took the sad way out of just not having PvP.
WoW implemented the best PvP system I've seen to
date. No contest.
4. Quests
Are there enough of them? Good rewards?
WoW - 5
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 3
UO - 1
As far as I can tell they are very close. Good
systems, plenty of them, good rewards. WoW
nudges ahead as the spawns are more rapid for
their quests, however EQ2 pulls even once more
with their huge additions to both solo and group
content (instanced or otherwise).
5. Grouping
Is it easy to find a group? Do they work well?
Is it worth it?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 2
UO - 0
I rated WoW a 3 because I haven't had enough
grouping experience to say. I do like EQ2's
spell and attack re-direct system though. Sadly,
you still hear a lot of 14 War LFG on the channels
though. EQ2 is fighting against this, however, with
their new emphasis on solo and small group encounters.
There are even solo instances and these are the
most fun I've had in a long, long time.
6. Trade Skills
Are they there? Do they matter? Are they fun?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 2
SWG - 5
UO - 1
I've thrown in other well-known mmorpg's for a
mainline here. WoW does have multiple tradeskills
trees, and you can choose up to two of them, but
past that it seems stagnant. Yes, you can make
things, but you still harvest raw materials in
the same ways and create in a fairly success/failure
system. EQ2 gives you all of that, plus it actually
treats your tradeskills as a class. Like UO you can
actually be a tradeskill only person. Also, creating
items uses the same system as combat with special
abilities, life, and power. It makes it fun to craft,
not tedious. SWG still wins, though, with signable
items and create your own blueprints.
7. Mentoring
Can you mentor? Are you stuck alone?
WoW - 1
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 1
UO - 1
AC - 5
Once again, there are other popular mmorpg's in
this one for a comparison. While WoW, EQ1, and
UO have no noticeable mentoring system in place,
EQ2 has made a recent (and soon to be publicly
released) effort. This is a huge category as it
effects grouping (now level differences don't
matter), status (compare to the guru's of India),
and quest playability. Asheron's Call (and Lineage
I've heard, though not played) wins however with
their tribute system.
8. Additional Content
How often are meaningful updates made to the game?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 2
UO - 1
WoW doesn't patch as often, and the majority of
its patches are bug fixes. In their defense the
Battlegrounds addition, which will be free,
looks to be one of the best game updates in history.
However EQ2 launches ahead with daily bug fixes,
weekly game updates, and many methods of adding
new content with great regularity.
Gameplay:
1. Griefing
What is the observed maturity level of the general
playerbase and how does it affect the game?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 4
UO - 2
While the EQ1 community is generally friendly
and often quite helpful, it seems that WoW has
taken a large number of players from Diablo 2
who truly enjoy making life painful for others.
EQ2 has improved upon the EQ1 community through
natural selection, being more expensive it roots
out at least the poor or cheap griefers. This
category and results were given to me by a friend.
2. Group Control
How easy is it to help others in your group? Assists?
Heals? Buffs?
WoW - 3
EQ2 - 4
EQ1 - 2
UO - 0
WoW has noticeable improvements such as one key
assisting, one key pet targetting, and one key
group pet targetting. EQ2 has all these, though,
and one MAJOR improvement. EQ2 introduces ability
transferrence. If you target an ally and hit
attack, you automatically attack it's target
(if enemy). If you target an enemy and cast a
healing spell, you automatically heal it's target
(if friendly). In this way it makes it MUCH easier
to get your heals and assists on the right group member.
3. Environment Interactions
Is that a real door, or just a cleverly painted wall?
WoW - 4
EQ2 - 5
EQ1 - 2
UO - 1
WoW is good, it allows you to touch many things
in the environment that in previous mmorpg's were
simply eye-candy. EQ2 is better because it not
only has more volume in the number and types of
things you can interract with, but it also refrains
from adding too many items that you can't. While
WoW still has many objects you can interract with it
has just as many that you can't, simple static things
like fake doors and odd levers.
Totals:
WoW - 52 out of 85
EQ2 - 68 out of 85
EQ1 - 32 out of 85
UO - 15 out of 85