what is it that makes WoW so good?

[vindicatorx]

uhm I guess you have nothing more fulfilling to do in your time? I mean I don't see how you can log in now and be "hooked" I logged into the beta for about 20 min and was like yup same game a few changes and logged out again that was over a week ago and I have had no urge to log in again.

[Deleted]

The constant stealing of ideas that make other MMOs unique.

[Testaxc]

This is basically why they've been out of ideas lately.

[Queen of Hamsters]

11 years of content
The world
Community, my guild
Controls
Art style
Collections I care about
Raid content
Characters I've had for 8 odd years
I care about the Warcraft universe. Never managed to give a damn about the story of any other mmorpg.

Even when they're dropping the ball on many fronts (WoD) I still rather spend my time and have fun in WoW over any other mmorpg on the market. When they do everything right, it's even better.

- - - Updated - - -

For you perhaps? I am still having fun after all these years.

No other MMO comes close

Indeed. People assume that their own lack of passion for the game somehow applies to everyone else, or everyone else is a fool for enjoying the game when they don't.

[SteveRocks]

I love WoW for many reasons. It has a little bit of everything in it and I have never gotten bored of it. There is always something to do or work towards.

[FobManX]

One thing I've always liked about WoW is how clean and polished it is. Gameplay, animations, things like that are just very fluid and feel good. And everything is easy on the eyes. That's a Blizzard theme in general though, their games are just really well done from a polish stand point.

[Riistov]

11 years of content
The world
Community, my guild
Controls
Art style
Collections I care about
Raid content
Characters I've had for 8 odd years
I care about the Warcraft universe. Never managed to give a damn about the story of any other mmorpg.

Even when they're dropping the ball on many fronts (WoD) I still rather spend my time and have fun in WoW over any other mmorpg on the market. When they do everything right, it's even better.

- - - Updated - - -



Indeed. People assume that their own lack of passion for the game somehow applies to everyone else, or everyone else is a fool for enjoying the game when they don't.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Kokolums]

The realm communities back in Vanilla and BC were the core feature of the game for me. The social tools were VERY strong. Sure it was polished, but there are polished games with no social aspect that I don't play. Torchlight 2 is a CRAZY polished ARPG but I don't play it because there's no social community.

If WoW was in its current state in 2004, I probably never would have even purchased the title.

[PuffyPussy22]

I took a break from the game for like 5 months and just recently came back. The first thing I did was randomly log on my level 70 druid to fly around in Feralas to pick up some herbs and moonfire some mobs. I was instantly absorbed, hooked, spellbound again by this game. WHAT IS IT that makes it so great? Just what is IT?? I can't explain it. Is it the incredible responsiveness? The fact that everything is so fluent? I really don't think that it's solely nostalgia. There is something else but what is it? Simply jumping around on my undead mage feels great. haha it's crazy, I know, but there is something with this game...so unique.

can anyone explain?

I dunno man, if you are having that much fun just jumping in place I would say the reason you are having so much fun probably matches the amount of substance you have abused very recently. Other than that I have no answer

[33kamous3]

I think it's a combination of freedom, accessibility, immersion/escapism, familiarity/nostalgia, "community", and classic RPG addiction.

Mainly I think it's the freedom to create your own character with which you feel somehow connected, and to choose your focus and playstyle and set your own goals. Some people only PVP, some only raid, some just play the AH and make money, some just troll the chat channels, some just explore the map.

It's easy to get into, there are penalties for death etc, but they aren't severe. The themes and story-lines are pretty basic on the surface, but expand into greater depth and detail as you get into the lore.

It's easy to get lost in, the map is huge, and everything has a backstory. There's a rich variety of classes, themes, factions, races, and the world has the feel of a living, breathing ecosystem that is not just centered around a single main player-character. All of the classic fantasy tropes are there, and you can go as deep as you want.

Over time (and it doesn't take long) most players develop a sort of psychological connection with their character. In some ways the avatar is like an extension of yourself into the game world. On some level you identify with or as the characters you play, and when you look at them you see a bit of yourself. In other ways its like an old friend you miss when you're away. Experiences and memories stay with you. I still remember wacky guys I met doing dungeons a decade ago. I remember the feeling of being in these places for the first time so long ago.

Although the level and qualities of "community" have been fluid throughout the span of WoW, it has always been a factor. One of the main things here goes back to the freedom to be involved or not involved with other players however you want. This also contributes to the feel of a living game world.

On top of all that, it has the same addictive qualities of RPG's which so many of us love.

[purebalance]

I took a break from the game for like 5 months and just recently came back. The first thing I did was randomly log on my level 70 druid to fly around in Feralas to pick up some herbs and moonfire some mobs. I was instantly absorbed, hooked, spellbound again by this game. WHAT IS IT that makes it so great? Just what is IT?? I can't explain it. Is it the incredible responsiveness? The fact that everything is so fluent? I really don't think that it's solely nostalgia. There is something else but what is it? Simply jumping around on my undead mage feels great. haha it's crazy, I know, but there is something with this game...so unique.

can anyone explain?

You're claiming unique, but almost nothing you described is unique.

I came in thinking this was compared to other games to which I would say that it isn't better, it just has a cult following.

[Deleted]

Great zone design is a huge part of the succes or fail for any mmo. Every zone needs to feel unique but still need to in some way feel connected to the zone next to it. The urge to look inside caves, around the corner and at the top of the hill, need to be there - the world need to be exciting and engaging.
Everyone have at least one favorit zone in wow- and favorit spots in a few zones.
If a zone is boring you will care less about the story and quests.
At least that is how I feel about it , based on 16 years of playing mmo's
Ps: Music connected to specific zones can make a big difference to the gaming experience. If you don't enjoy a zone, then toggle on the ingame music

[Teramelle]

Part of the reason WoW has proper longevity is the graphics - they're cartoony, so they don't age easily. Yeah, the stuff from 10~ years ago sure isn't as polished as what we get now, but it doesn't look horrifically bad.

Compare that to all the MMOs out there that go for the "realistic" graphics - within a few years, it looks bad. It looks dated. WoW has never had that problem; sure some things haven't necessarily held up against the test of time, but it's not as noticeable.

[Deleted]

You instantly feel like home .Every time.Even after huge breaks.

[Zhira]

"what is it that makes WoW so good?"

Accessibility and availability

No matter how long a break, you can always return to the game and not feel completely lost.

Z.

[ItachiZaku]

Compared to other MMOs WoWs gameplay is incredibly smooth, I have tried a fair share by now and not a single one has matched how well WoW runs in terms of responsiveness and fluidness.

Unfortunately, this. Every time I flop back over to Rift or SWTOR, I'm met with some little annoying gameplay issue and... that's the end of it.

[Deleted]

How you can always return to WoW right from where you left off, even after years (Although that'd involve a good deal of spring cleaning in your bags and UI).

A platform for roleplay in a 3D world. We don't have many of those, and certainly not up to WoW standards.

I think what truly makes WoW wonderful to me, though, is the sheer scale of the world and the community. I love seeing other players going about their daily business in Stormwind. I love how we all get excited and passionate, for better or worse, over this game. I love how there are running jokes (Even if they're sadistic and grating as hell after a while) amongst the server. I love watching people being derpy on Trade. I love seeing the entire server swarming different areas or going crazy in the capital city on the night before an expansion launch. For example, permanent tree of life parties on the eve before Cata's pre-patch, or how everybody on my server swarmed and perched on the Dark Portal hours before the pre-patch for WoD.

I love this world we get to be a part of, really.

[Deleted]

what is it that makes WoW so good?

currently nothing except the engine.
the engine is the only good thing left.

[unbound]

I took a break from the game for like 5 months and just recently came back. The first thing I did was randomly log on my level 70 druid to fly around in Feralas to pick up some herbs and moonfire some mobs. I was instantly absorbed, hooked, spellbound again by this game. WHAT IS IT that makes it so great? Just what is IT?? I can't explain it. Is it the incredible responsiveness? The fact that everything is so fluent? I really don't think that it's solely nostalgia. There is something else but what is it? Simply jumping around on my undead mage feels great. haha it's crazy, I know, but there is something with this game...so unique.

can anyone explain?

It's like coming home...so mostly nostalgia. You know where everything is and how it all works since you put in your time long ago.

However, if you continue to play, you'll start noticing that the parents haven't kept the house up. You find that most rooms in the house are empty because all the effort is put into maintaining the living room.

But even that living room gets old after a while. You remember a time when you used to go outside and play with friends, or head down to the basement to play games that were engaging but very different than the games available in the living room.

Stay around long enough, and you finally realize that the house you grew up in is more in your memory than in the reality of here and now.

But the parents are promising bigger and better improvements on the house. If you are dumb, you'll buy into what your parents are telling you despite the evidence that they haven't cared about most of the house in a very long time and despite the claims for the past 8 years of improvements that never happened.

If you are smart, you'll realize the truth and that it is time to move on with your life. You'll accept the truth that there are better houses out there, but that you have to take the time to learn about them and appreciate them for what they are, not based on memories of house that no longer exists.

[Sierra85]

the social aspect and the teamwork are what has made wow so good and last so long. the chat features are really fun, you can log in and achieve something.

not to mention the guild & battle.net integration with other games. it is genius level coding.