The biggest difference for me IS what they advertise: the combat.
TERA isn't a revolutionary MMO, as it still has most of the cookie-cutter features.
But it's definitely a step in the right direction, and after playing TERA I don't think I could go back to tab-targeting.

Sure, you're still grinding x-amount of mobs. But once you hit about level 20 (really doesn't take too long to get there) things start picking up pace.

x-amount of mobs are a real challenge. I LOVE fighting things in TERA. Farming things in WoW was really boring. You know exactly what is going to happen.

In TERA, especially lvl20+, combat feels like actual combat. You don't know exactly what is going to happen, and there's a chance that mob#2 will own your [filtered]. I'd farm and not realize I'm farming.

I stuck around and killed Basilisks for hours with my boyfriend because it was fun. And then when we encountered Kumas and Naga Mercenaries...

Yep, I like Tera lots and lots.

OP: Maybe MMO's just are not for you, since you listed almost all of the major ones as not good. There comes a point where you just need to accept that a genre is not your style, and stop expecting it to change to be for you. I do not wait for a FPS game that changes everything about them so I can finally play one I like, I simple skip them.

Quote: bentcurve on 04/12/2012, 11:15 AM - view

I never said they weren't good. I was just tired of every MMO that kept coming out, being the exact same and not offering anything new.

I do enjoy playing MMO's, and do enjoy the way they are. The issue is, when a new one comes along that is the same as the one you've been playing, what is the point in playing the new one when you already have the same thing already?

I tried the new hype MMO that came out each time, and each time, I was let down as it was the same as what I was already playing. So figured, what is the point in paying for a whole new game that is the same, when I already have it?

Don't get me wrong, each one had small little changes to make them differ, but it wasn't something that amazed you and wanted to keep you there. In the end, they were all the same. So again, I'm not saying I disliked them cause of their style, I disliked them cause they weren't anything new.

There is MMO's out there that veer from the traditional style, that are actually worth playing. But when an MMO comes out that is just a copy of the previous one with a minor change, I see no reason to play it as I already am in the previous MMO.

Quote: SpyderArachnid on 04/12/2012, 05:58 AM - view

You have been very misinformed. Most of us that like TERA like it because we have played all those other MMO's and are tired of the same old thing. TERA is different in many ways and gives us that new, fun, innovative thing we're looking for while keeping the features we liked in other MMO's.

-Combat is nothing short of amazing. You'll never be able to play anything else again after this. All your old games become so uninteresting. No joke. And this is very important because combat is the backbone of any game - it's what you'll spend the majority of your time doing.
-No grind at all. In fact with the sheer amount of quests of varying types, and BAMs, and instances, and story quests, you will have far more leveling content than you could ever do. You will find yourself outleveling the quests in your log and abandoning them for higher level stuff.
-Gear is easier to gain and easier to enchant than many other games while still being enough work that it gives you something to work towards.
-The classes are all fun and with this new combat they are different than what you're used to.
-Graphics are amazing
-From what I've experienced in 5 betas, the community cares as much about this game as EME does. And the community is not "split". We have PvEer and PvPers as well as RPers that are all happy to go enjoy their style of play on their own servers and not have to complain that they can't play how they want.
-BAMs are nothing you've ever played before.
-Game will have both OwPvP in a beatiful, open world (no instancing). BG PvP. Guild vs. Guild PvP
-Political System with Vanarchs elected both via PvE and PvP
-Nexus system
-Really cool races
-They did NOT steal any content from any other company. That honestly is a load of bull. That company lost the lawsuit in Korea and obviously have not gotten anywhere with the suit here, either.
-Best customer service I have ever seen from a gaming company (not exaggerating here)
-EME is more than just a publisher - they have a dev team at BHS devoted to truly westernizing this game. We already have a long list of changes that EME has done to the game specifically for the NA audience.
-EME is also a bunch of cool, real people - they don't worry about being PC and proper all the time which is refreshing. They are also some of the most talented and experienced people in the MMO world.
-Did I mention how awesome combat is yet?

Play Open Beta. It starts Friday, April 20th at Noon PST, 3pm EST. Once you go TERA you never go back! OK that sounds dumb but I had to say it. xD

The best thing that can be said about TERA, if you are tired of ofther MMO's, is the variety it offers. There are tons of dungeons, tons of quest, BAMS to kill and farm if you want, lots of various PVP types, an entire political system to get envolved with, a pretty deep economic system, and some other stuff all going for it.

The combat is amazing, and fun, but it is the ability to play how you want that matters and that will keep people playing. I love the fact that you could really just spend your entire play time after 11 in the cap city campaining for your own election, and it would be totally valid.

It is true that there are a lot of "kill x amount of mobs" quests but the combat is so fun that those quests are not boring like in other MMOs.

@SpyderArachnid: I'll start this off in a weird sounding way: Why are you looking forward to or choosing to play GW2? Not intending to flame or anything, but instead of telling you what I personally out of TERA, things that you might not care about, I want to know what kind of things you look for and get excited about and try to give you better answers.


@Tempestes: If you want first person view, you can actually zoom in all the way to get a first person view. The only problem with that would be not being aware of your surroundings, which is a big deal when fighting in TERA.

@tamoketh Yes thats what I was told and I am sooooo excited bout that. I do plan to play 3rd person but at least I have the option. That was the only thing that gave me any reservations.

@Spyder If you REALLY want one of the most competitive and most difficult mmos, I have to refer you to Everquest, NOT Everquest2. (never played EQ2)

I have played mmos for 13 yrs and it is the ONE I have never matched. BUT be prepared to spend about 15+ HOURS a day to stay on top in the best guild, best gear, etc......Unfortunately there is only one pvp server left I think, if u like pvp, and the population there is very low.

Not everyone likes it, but I can assure you it is one of the most difficult to play and stay on top. Burnout is high and it becomes more like a job at times. I played it 8 yrs. I was ready for a change and have been thru Age of Conan (the worst mmo EVER), Warhammer ( much like AoC), WoW (well it wasn't EQ at all), and AION, which was acually very fun. I can't remember why I left Aion> LOL Alas, I am here ready to try Tera. I love the graphics and something new as it has been awhile since I played at all. Many of the players in EQ have been there from the beginning, so since around the year 2000. It will take you alot of time to catch up, but you may love it.

I would bet u veteran EQers are some of the most skilled mmo gamers around. U might even find a few trying Tera. But many of them end up back at EQ ! haha I still keep my acct active and level up and get more aa, just in case.....I have 3 accts even. Now u know why I am trying somthing new! ;p

When you play EQ, it IS YOUR LIFE> EVERCRACK

AND ONE MORE THING....Don't attempt EQ if you have a girlfriend, wife, or kids, UNLESS they all play too. Seriously LMAO

Best of luck.

I look forward to the start of Open Beta :3

@Tamoketh

Well, with GW2, there is a bunch of stuff I like. For example:

Dynamic Events: I enjoy that the game cares that I exist. Most MMO's tell you to go kill things that are threatening their town or go kill a boss. Yet those things are just grazing in a field not doing anything, and the boss is no visual threat. So I kill the boss, he respawns for the next person. Nothing changes, no celebration or anything special. You turn in the quest for a few gold, maybe a pair of boots, and move on to the next quest.

It doesn't care that I was there or that I did anything. I'm just another pawn that is easily replaced by the next player.

In GW2, things matter on a large scale. When I go into a town and an NPC runs up to me and screams "Help! We are being overrun!" you actually see it really happening. Mobs are tearing through the village, killing npcs and destroying buildings. It is up to me and whoever else is in the area to save this city or else it gets overtaken. And it's a choice as well. I can choose to walk away and let the mobs take over (which in turn gives them the city as a base and they start building on it for reinforcements and such), or I can defeat enemies and save the villagers (which in turn allows us to rebuild and reinforce and hire guards to protect the people).

I matter. The game relies on me to help. It doesn't give me some generic quest that everyone is doing that has no effect on the world. The things I do in the game affect the world and all players around it. As well, there is no traditional questing system. No "go kill x amount of mobs" or any of that. "Questing" is all done via dynamic events and personal story.


Flat leveling curve: I was always frustrated that the higher level I got, the longer I had to grind to get another level. In GW2, every level takes the same amount of time to reach. If it took you say for instance, 50k xp to reach level 20, it will take you 50k xp to reach level 80. Everything is even.


No gear grind: Obtaining max level gear at max level doesn't take months upon months to obtain. All gear is equalized at max level and is easy to obtain. The only difference is cosmetic in gear. So you aren't spending months grinding the same dungeon over and over a million times waiting for that one piece to drop, and instead actually enjoying the content. Dungeons drop tokens that you can exchange for a piece of gear of your choice. You don't have to farm for the chest token to drop just so you can get your chest armor. You just get a guaranteed token at the end of the dungeon and you can exchange it for whatever piece you want.


The combat system: No more holy trinity. No more sitting in queue or searching in chat for hours just to find a healer/tank. Everyone can support each other with healing, damage, and assistance. There is no dedicated tanking roles and no dedicated healing roles, and requires more strategy than the usual tank and spank. You have to actually use skill in combat to dodge and avoid damage, while assisting your allies by healing each other and protecting each other. As well, it uses an action combat system too. You can cast while moving, aim and dodge out of attacks. There is no standing still and auto attacking like most games use, and instead, you have to rely on your movement in tough battles to stay alive.


I'm going to cut this short as I could on and on about a bunch of things that really draw my attention to GW2 (still the crafting system, PvP system, artistic style of the game, etc). These are the main things that draw me to GW2. It is new, it is different, it is taking the chance that other MMO's won't and veering away from the traditional copy/paste style that all other MMO's use.

Oh, and it doesn't require a monthly subscription as well. And no P2W cash shop. This is another big thing for me too as I feel that subscription based games are outdated and not needed anymore.


Hope that answers your request. And sorry for the wall of text. :)