Tell him to stay away from MMOs because they suck away your time and steal your life...
/second
I admit that persistent worlds have their appeal, but maybe a Wii and a copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk can scratch that itch?
If not, I would recommend researching free MMOs (more because then you won't feel financially obligated to play x number of hours per week/month) or Guild Wars (for the same reason).
After re-reading my post, I felt convicted for posting language that could be construed as "bashing" MMO games. I apologize for my previous post.
Instead of seconding Sarugon's advice to stay away from MMO games, I should have replied with a warning that they
can suck away your time.
I played Dark Age of Camelot during beta and 6 months after retail release. I have fond memories of DAoC.
Looking back on the number of hours I spent playing DAoC and World of Warcraft, I admit I also feel a twinge of regret--but that's my own personal experience.
As the President of a gaming group whose activity is largely based in its MMO guilds, I believe in the theory and practice of creating Christian guilds for Christian gamers.
Tribe of Judah currently runs 4 successful guilds across 4 popular MMO games.
No other genre of game offers the social structure of MMO titles, where players can drop in and easily find, chat with, and quest with other guild members.
I miss two things about MMO games: The socializing and exploring persistent worlds.
My experience with and opinions on MMO games are not nearly as simple as what I communicated in my previous post and for that, I apologize again.
I would still advise anyone not already familiar with MMO games to pray when considering the money and time they are likely to invest before making the plunge. I'm not saying every gamer should stay away from MMOs; I'm saying every gamer should count the cost before committing the time and money to a MMO.
MMO games are like most multiplayer games: It's more why you play than how much you play that determines if your time is well-spent or wasted. If you spend all your time focused on questing for that next item, then you'll likely back on those hours as wasted; however, if you spend your time making friends, encouraging other Christians, and living as an in-game witness for Christ, then that's time well-spent.
There's still the matter of balancing priorities. If a man or woman witnesses for Christ in a virtual world but neglects his or her own family, then that person's priorities are not in line with God's Word.
So
I retract my previous "stay away" stance toward MMOs and would like to replace it with a "tread with caution" approach.
If you have the discipline to play and continue playing for the right reasons (i.e. Christian fellowship, making and encouraging friends who will build you up, witnessing for Christ in a virtual world, fun) rather than the wrong reasons (i.e. immersing one's self in a game to ignore reality, perpetually "grinding" levels and stats to get that next best item, using a virtual world as a substitute rather than a supplement for face-to-face interaction with others), then MMO games can offer a terrific experience.
As for why I don't play: I'm at a point in my life where I don't feel I can make the investment, both in regards to time and money, to play MMO games in good conscience. Since I'm currently unemployed, paying $15 a month and/or $30-$40 per expansion is not an option.
I'm sorry I just get the image of some gaunt faced specter with hallow eyes worn down by the years of MMORPG playing. He raises his withered hand feebly waving a lamp chanting "go back, gOOOoo back".
I think most MMO gamers don't get "sucked into" the game, but some do. While Gerbil's image of warning is humorous, it's also relevant: People with tendencies toward addiction should refrain from playing MMO games or use serious caution.
Some people will spend too much time playing MMO games, prioritize those games over more important matters (e.g. school, family, church), and set up MMO games as their own private idols. Some people will do the same with first-person shooter, strategy, or console games, though the risk of addiction is higher with MMO games.
That doesn't mean MMO games are in and of themselves bad or evil. It just means that MMO players need to be cautious that their priorities are in proper order.
I can think of numerous painful things I'd rather do than play another free MMORPG.
I agree that most
free MMO games are...not that fun--at least, not the ones I've played.
I've played a few and, while I respect the effort, I quickly grew bored with those titles. The most recent free MMO I tried was Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online and it felt like the same old thing.
Guild wars is the only decent one.
Aye, but Guild Wars isn't
free. True, it doesn't charge a monthly fee, but each expansion that comes out does cost money.
