Why does a monthly fee = quality?

I never said quality. =) There are some MMO's that I wouldn't play even if they were free coughwowcough, coughaoccough.

For the most part most games will give you 20 hours of game time. Some free MMO's give you more then that true and some regular games give you more then that. Usually they don't though. Most good games that your gonna want to put hours of fun in have a monthly fee.

Ignore this ramblings I got sidetracked here
I have had xfire for a little over 2 years. I played WAR for 9 monthes I put roughly 70 hours a month in the game. I spent $190 ($60 for the game and 15 per month) for that $4.70 a week of playing 15 hours a week. That was well worth it. Buy a game $60 and 20 hours if its a good game comes out to $3 an hour. Paying MMO's are far better. =)

Back on course
You pretty much get what you pay for. Its free MMO you can't argue that. Its also something that you don't spend a lot of time on it. I would rather play something that is fun then something that is sorta fun.

Monthly fee equals quality because they will put new things every few months. Other games do not. Free MMO's might put something in every year, might.

runes of magic is the way to go its got good graphics is fun 2 play and the closes thing you can get to WoW and be free lord of the rings online is fun and probally is going 2 f2p

It would be more fair to say that monthly fee = 24/7 live in-game support staff, continual patches, vested interest in the game by development over the course of 5 years and more, continually morphing game, well maintained databases and server farms, etc. etc. etc.

I wouldn't say that WoW is necessarily a better game than others out there. I would say that if I put 60 hours into WoW, the experience would not get so stale that I would be adverse to putting another 60 in. Furthermore, I can have faith that there will be more things for me to do in the future (both near and distant), because the developers aren't looking in other directions for new money. They're getting it here, so that's where their focus is staying. That's a good thing, for someone who puts 180 hours into the game. While it is a completely wasted 180 hours of their life, it's 180 hours they can build off of in 3 years, and not worry about it being all for naught.

Take the L4D/L4D2 fiasco for example. While we do like to poke fun, the naysayers have some of it right: After L4D2 comes out, the player-base in L4D will dwindle down to nothing, and Valve will have less interest in doing anything for L4D, and more interest in doing stuff for L4D2. After all, that's where the new money is coming from. Pretty natural process, and we're all used to it, but if you're in love with the original game, and are not hot on the new one, you best be prepared to deal with whatever glitches you run into, because they won't be fixed anymore. No new content, nothing to keep the game fresh.

MMORPG's can't really operate on that strategy. At least, not very well.

I'm not playing any MMOs at the moment (unless Borderlands counts) but I'm gonna be torn in three months when Cataclysm hits, and when Champions comes to the Xbox...

I'm currently playing Champions Online (though only off and on) and Age of Conan, which I find a nice alternative to WoW

Anyone gonna check out the new Star Trek MMO? http://www.startrekonline.com/

Is the Final Fantasy MMO for the PS2 any good/worth paying the monthly fee for? I just received the HDD and expansions as a gift.

Yep I am in beta right now on it. Its a fun. Not champions online fun but it is fun.

Anyone else get this Star Trek MMO yet? I think its out now, and am planning on trying getting it to try out.

I am not allowed to pick up the game until September. I agreed with my wife to not buy another MMO until a year goes by. (I bought the lifetime sub for Champions.)

I was in the Beta for the Star Trek MMO, and it was not bad. As Manchine said, it was a bit of fun, but not "Ohmigod this is the best thing EVAR!!!one!1!bbq!"

Still playing Champions Online (though only maybe once every couple of weeks or so atm), and Age of Conan (got a 1yr sub for it recently), and have just got Global Agenda, which is sort of an MMO, but more of a third person shooter. I know they have a subscription option for it, but I'm not interested i that, and am only playing the free side of it atm. It's still good fun though.

I still play Champions. Don't play it as much as I use to but as soon as Vibro bay comes out I will be playing it again. Also playing the Free 2 Play Atlantica Online. Its been out for a couple of years. Its not your normal MMO. Its more like Final Fantasy Tactics with MMO stuff.

After taking a year off (but popping in for free reactivation) I just bought in on City of Heroes again. I'm looking forward to the new content in Going Rogue, and it's still fun to pop in and just throw down for a while.

I tried Champions -- again, on a free activation weekend -- and it was okay, but not spectacular. Still prefer CoX.

I should point out I'm an anomaly... I prefer solo to group play. I like playing at my own pace, and being free to check email or carry on a chat between scraps.

-J

After taking a year off (but popping in for free reactivation) I just bought in on City of Heroes again. I'm looking forward to the new content in Going Rogue, and it's still fun to pop in and just throw down for a while.

I tried Champions -- again, on a free activation weekend -- and it was okay, but not spectacular. Still prefer CoX.

I should point out I'm an anomaly... I prefer solo to group play. I like playing at my own pace, and being free to check email or carry on a chat between scraps.

-J