what's the oldest MMORPG that's still online?

[Sohaltang]

They would need a new, streamlined UI for me to be able to get into that game. I was very attracted to the potential of the job mechanics, even though I hate grinds, but the UI killed it for me.

Asheron's Call was my first MMO, I got a taste of it in Nov. '99 and was hooked. I started playing in December on a dial-up 28k connection in east Texas. The game was awesome, the Internet connection sucked bad. AC is still going but I wish they could consolidate servers to get the active population up.

Probably the best single thing about AC, to me, was the level of exploration. You could strike out in a direction and get far away from people and find stuff no one knew about. In the beginning you could anyway. It was really fun to be a guide in massive dungeons on some of those quests. Knowledge was valuable, hehe. I want that experience again.

The learning curve was steep no doubt. Once you created macros for everything it was much better. Have not figured out macros in ffxiv and its a major pain

 

[desura]

AC actually had some very good roleplaying ideas...before powerlevelers ruined it all...

But there were things like

-- a magic system which made it feel like you really were on a cutting edge. Because you could "discover" magic recipes, but also ran the risk of burning them out and failing to cast a high level spell all together. Pretty ingenious

-- A magic system which also promoted jealous secrecy. Because the more a spell was used globally, the less powerful it was. So theoretically, you could have one mad genius character who had ultra powerful spells that no one knew and was unstoppable. Adding to the mystery of the game

-- A vender system which promoted community. Because whatever you sold to the vendor could be bought by anyone. So like when high level players sold their trash loot, lower level players would go and hang out, hoping to get some of that unwanted loot

-- Real consequences of death. Losing a piece of armor sucked, but it made death meaningful

there are more.

It's too bad that nowadays MMO's don't have half the features, but are pretty much glorified beat-em-ups.

 

[clok1966]

Depends on how you define "started" I suppose.

SOE certainly shut down SWG.

I believe Lucas Shut down SWG, it was a contract with options to renew, Lucas Arts did not want to renew, hecen it was shut down.

Now the reasons, One could easily argue SONY screwed it up so bad that in fact it was closed because of that (and I wouldn't argue with you). But the facts are it wasn't making money and Lucas Arts had EA making a NEW SW game and they didn't want the older limping along one dragging the new one down (again, the game makers have done that all by themselves in both cases). SONY would have left it going longer if they had a choice.

THE Matrix im not sure about.. as some have stated they don't shut much off, so its easy to guess it was closed by whoever had the Matrix Licence.. but as i played it int he final months.. there was little activity so it could be they closed it simple as that.

 

[ScottAD]

It's definitely not the oldest but I play Asheron's Call occasionally. That was released in '99

 

[Zak_]

Medievia MUD always comes to mind, even though it isn't graphical. Still going, with some folks with over 40,000 hours played, crazy.

 

[DannyLove]

Dark Age of Camelot was my first MMORP, although not the oldest, and I think it went under or free or something.

FFXI, Eve Online still going after so many years, can be considered old I suppose...

 

[Craig234]

Depends on how you define "started" I suppose.

SOE certainly shut down SWG.

Well, that was written 4 years ago. I bought like three versions of galaxies and never played it before it shut down, bleh. Heard mostly good things though, it was too bad.

 

[HTFOff]

Anarchy online anyone? Sci-fi mmorpg. Learning curve was pretty steep from what I remember.

 

[Blue_Max]

I almost forgot about another SUPER fun game, Subspace Continuum - still alive after 15-20 years!

Jump in your 2D spaceship and blast the other guys! Great capture the flag memories...