Why do you love this game?Follow

This was my first MMO and still holds a place in my heart as the best. Maybe it's because the servers were small. Good and bad things you did traveled by word of mouth and there was an actual community to be a part of. I remember using the tiny, archaic map given in the booklet that came with the game to map out my routes, almost all of which were wrong, since roads only went so far. This forced exploration. There were so many little cool camps of enemies or points of interest that weren't mentioned (to my knowledge) in the game. I remember trying to escort a friend to Qeynos simply because we wanted to see it. We passed over mountains, got killed by Gertrude, wandered aimlessly in circles through forests, met and chat with others exploring as well. Exchanging directions, trading items, sometimes banding together for mutual benefit.

I guess for me it wasn't so much the game, it was the world and the community of players within it. Everything was personal. Everyone (mostly) was personal. You had to be, because your name being mentioned as a ninja, trainer, troll, etc. could really effect your status. Maybe my judgement is clouded with nostalgia.

So, why do you love this game?

(and is it worth coming back to?)

More in depth then any PC mmorpg I've played yet, yet still simple in it's game play, achieved a casual style without turning into a shallow game like WoW or EQ2.
-Character building, CM system puts Eq2 to shame, master classes, etc.
-real full open world
-"camps"of mobs as opposed to random dungeons(it's a shame all but a few camps are even visited anymore)
-different factions and the lands they control
-starting cities each with several of their own stories
-having to travel to get to places, PITA as times but better then magically telleporting across the world
-mechanics of the game, may be simple in many regards but I like them
-group flexibility: from the standard 1 tank, 2 dds and a healer to all classes taking on different roles
-grouping:PLs, OSD(outside damage, new term I think is used on CLW now, don't remember it tho) OSH, etc...

and I could go on...maybe it's because it is my first MMORPG, and I know it has many flaws and things to be improved on, but there has yet to be another that holds me like this game does, I can only imagine how much more great this game would be today if it were on the better market of the PC(using the controller and it's controls of course still)...

One thing I love about the game is the openness of the world except for the godforsaken mountains in the middle. I've played ffxi since I left eqoa and I have always hated the loading for the different zones.