Doujin
06-10-2005, 19:35
Michael Sievers
Professor Jim Sullivan
October 1st, 2005
Dark Age of Camelot vs. World of Warcraft
There are many different qualities in which to compare the various Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). Of these, the most important qualities are graphics, price, gameplay, and crafting. In my personal opinion, the best MMORPG on the market currently is a game called Dark Age of Camelot, with it’s competitor World of Warcraft coming in a close second.
While both are great games, Mythic Entertainment, the developers of Dark Age of Camelot, have had more experience in the MMORPG world. Launched in 2001, Dark Age of Camelot has had over one million users in it’s lifetime. However, poor marketing decisions have kept Dark Age of Camelot from getting a vast subscriber base.
World of Warcraft is a much newer game, launched in Q4 of 2004. The developing company, Blizzard Entertainment, had great marketing directors and a larger capital to market the game. While Mythic is only a US Based operation, Blizzard made World of Warcraft a worldwide operation. This has proved to be a very successful gamble, as World of Warcraft has broken over 4 million subscribers world wide.
When it comes to graphics, though, Dark Age of Camelot wins hands down. Dark Age of Camelot is an exciting, vibrant game with an advanced high-definition 3d graphical engine. The online world that is in this game is so realistic, you feel that you are actually living out your characters adventures. This is different from many MMORPGs, as most have a cartoony feel that is absent in Dark Age of Camelot.
In contrast, World of Warcraft has the looks and feels like it is one big cartoon adventure. Where in Dark Age of Camelot the character models look as near human as possible, in World of Warcraft the character models look like a modern day cartoon character. Not to discourage, the graphics in both are stunning. However, the realism is what makes Dark Age of Camelot a better game graphics wise.
If it came to a price war, both Dark Age of Camelot and World of Warcraft are tied. They both charge the same monthly fee for accessing their online servers. However, Dark Age of Camelot has far less downtime than any other MMORPG game currently operational. When it comes to software purchase, however, Dark Age of Camelot has the advantage. World of Warcraft currently costs around fifty dollars to purchase, and it comes with one month free access. Dark Age of Camelot costs about forty dollars for the game and all of it’s expansions, of which Mythic launches two new expansions each year. Dark Age of Camelot, too, comes with one months free access to the game. Alternatively, you can choose to download a copy of the game client and try it for fourteen days without cost to you, with the only charge being the access fee at the end of the fourteen days.
When it comes to gameplay, it’s a tossup. Dark Age of Camelot pioneered a three realm system, instead of the traditional “Light vs Darkness” game. A cornerstone of the Dark Age of Camelot experience is Realm versus Realm combat, where everyone in your realm is your allies and everyone in the other two realms are your enemies. Realm versus Realm combat in Dark Age of Camelot is very realistic when scaled to ancient medieval battles. It is even possible to build siege equipment and destroy keeps and towers, which is a unique feature only found in Dark Age of Camelot.
Dark Age of Camelot, however, is not very “noob” friendly. In other words, for someone starting the game for the first time it is not as easy as it could be. Mythic Entertainment has taken steps to correct this issue, adding a new zone and a new tutorial system in order to show people how to play the game properly.
One of the reason for World of Warcraft’s success is the fact that they are very “noob” friendly. Blizzard turned the MMORPGs into a mainstream gaming market, whereas before it was just a niche for select people. Blizzard also has found a way of making leveling your character seem not so much as a chore, even though it is more of a “grind” in World of Warcraft than it is in some other games. There is one big flaw in World of Warcraft though, and that is the fact that they did not develop a Player versus Player system until months after game launch. This is causing many people to quit the game after they have reached the highest levels, as it gets rather repetitive and very boring killing only the computer. Dark Age of Camelot and other MMORPGs that have a good Player versus Player system will benefit from this, as the many people that quit World of Warcraft but enjoyed playing it will look for a new game to play.
The only are where World of Warcraft truly beats Dark Age of Camelot is the crafting. In Dark Age of Camelot, crafting consists of sitting in an area and repetitively hitting the button that crafts your armor/weapon piece that you want to make. Then, a random generator determines whether or not you will succeed in making it, and if you do whether or not you gain skill in your trade. World of Warcraft took a completely different approach, forcing crafters to immerse themselves in the world and find their own materials instead of buying them from a non-player character as in Dark Age of Camelot, and taking a short amount of time to craft the actual item.
Overall, Dark Age of Camelot has more variety, an advanced Player versus Player system, and is not Player versus Environment oriented – which would have a tendency to drive people away. While Dark Age of Camelot isn’t the best game for beginners, those who try it stay with it. World of Warcraft has the opposite effect once players reach the highest level.
I'll admit, some of this is biased so please don't go calling things inaccurate, because the information itself isn't really going to change.. the way it is presented is. Mid-term portfolios are due in a week and a half, if I remember correctly and I have to rewrite three essays for it. Wish me luck, and help - please!
Professor Jim Sullivan
October 1st, 2005
Dark Age of Camelot vs. World of Warcraft
There are many different qualities in which to compare the various Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). Of these, the most important qualities are graphics, price, gameplay, and crafting. In my personal opinion, the best MMORPG on the market currently is a game called Dark Age of Camelot, with it’s competitor World of Warcraft coming in a close second.
While both are great games, Mythic Entertainment, the developers of Dark Age of Camelot, have had more experience in the MMORPG world. Launched in 2001, Dark Age of Camelot has had over one million users in it’s lifetime. However, poor marketing decisions have kept Dark Age of Camelot from getting a vast subscriber base.
World of Warcraft is a much newer game, launched in Q4 of 2004. The developing company, Blizzard Entertainment, had great marketing directors and a larger capital to market the game. While Mythic is only a US Based operation, Blizzard made World of Warcraft a worldwide operation. This has proved to be a very successful gamble, as World of Warcraft has broken over 4 million subscribers world wide.
When it comes to graphics, though, Dark Age of Camelot wins hands down. Dark Age of Camelot is an exciting, vibrant game with an advanced high-definition 3d graphical engine. The online world that is in this game is so realistic, you feel that you are actually living out your characters adventures. This is different from many MMORPGs, as most have a cartoony feel that is absent in Dark Age of Camelot.
In contrast, World of Warcraft has the looks and feels like it is one big cartoon adventure. Where in Dark Age of Camelot the character models look as near human as possible, in World of Warcraft the character models look like a modern day cartoon character. Not to discourage, the graphics in both are stunning. However, the realism is what makes Dark Age of Camelot a better game graphics wise.
If it came to a price war, both Dark Age of Camelot and World of Warcraft are tied. They both charge the same monthly fee for accessing their online servers. However, Dark Age of Camelot has far less downtime than any other MMORPG game currently operational. When it comes to software purchase, however, Dark Age of Camelot has the advantage. World of Warcraft currently costs around fifty dollars to purchase, and it comes with one month free access. Dark Age of Camelot costs about forty dollars for the game and all of it’s expansions, of which Mythic launches two new expansions each year. Dark Age of Camelot, too, comes with one months free access to the game. Alternatively, you can choose to download a copy of the game client and try it for fourteen days without cost to you, with the only charge being the access fee at the end of the fourteen days.
When it comes to gameplay, it’s a tossup. Dark Age of Camelot pioneered a three realm system, instead of the traditional “Light vs Darkness” game. A cornerstone of the Dark Age of Camelot experience is Realm versus Realm combat, where everyone in your realm is your allies and everyone in the other two realms are your enemies. Realm versus Realm combat in Dark Age of Camelot is very realistic when scaled to ancient medieval battles. It is even possible to build siege equipment and destroy keeps and towers, which is a unique feature only found in Dark Age of Camelot.
Dark Age of Camelot, however, is not very “noob” friendly. In other words, for someone starting the game for the first time it is not as easy as it could be. Mythic Entertainment has taken steps to correct this issue, adding a new zone and a new tutorial system in order to show people how to play the game properly.
One of the reason for World of Warcraft’s success is the fact that they are very “noob” friendly. Blizzard turned the MMORPGs into a mainstream gaming market, whereas before it was just a niche for select people. Blizzard also has found a way of making leveling your character seem not so much as a chore, even though it is more of a “grind” in World of Warcraft than it is in some other games. There is one big flaw in World of Warcraft though, and that is the fact that they did not develop a Player versus Player system until months after game launch. This is causing many people to quit the game after they have reached the highest levels, as it gets rather repetitive and very boring killing only the computer. Dark Age of Camelot and other MMORPGs that have a good Player versus Player system will benefit from this, as the many people that quit World of Warcraft but enjoyed playing it will look for a new game to play.
The only are where World of Warcraft truly beats Dark Age of Camelot is the crafting. In Dark Age of Camelot, crafting consists of sitting in an area and repetitively hitting the button that crafts your armor/weapon piece that you want to make. Then, a random generator determines whether or not you will succeed in making it, and if you do whether or not you gain skill in your trade. World of Warcraft took a completely different approach, forcing crafters to immerse themselves in the world and find their own materials instead of buying them from a non-player character as in Dark Age of Camelot, and taking a short amount of time to craft the actual item.
Overall, Dark Age of Camelot has more variety, an advanced Player versus Player system, and is not Player versus Environment oriented – which would have a tendency to drive people away. While Dark Age of Camelot isn’t the best game for beginners, those who try it stay with it. World of Warcraft has the opposite effect once players reach the highest level.
I'll admit, some of this is biased so please don't go calling things inaccurate, because the information itself isn't really going to change.. the way it is presented is. Mid-term portfolios are due in a week and a half, if I remember correctly and I have to rewrite three essays for it. Wish me luck, and help - please!