Article From SubmitYOURArticle: Why MMO Players Play on Private Servers

Hi Sylvester

Please accept the following article for possible
publication in 'http://computers-n-internet.blogspot.com',
or wherever you feel may be appropriate.

Title: Why MMO Players Play on Private Servers
Word Count: 1144
Author: Richard Scorpio
Category: Computers & Internet
EasyPublish: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=29796

It is preformatted to 60 CPL.

You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are
included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be
appreciated - send to contact@wdxdesign.com.

Best regards

Richard Scorpio
http://www.wdxdesign.com

Why MMO Players Play on Private Servers
Private servers are available for almost any MMO (short for
MMORPG or Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game)
out on the net. It would seem that there are PS (private
servers) for even NON subscription games as well. For
instance, there are PS for R.O.S.E. Online, FLYFF and
Lineage II. These games are not only free, but they have no
monthly fee either. Why would people play on those games,
and what hope does a GM (game master) have of running one
of these games while their users can simply play on a free
one that is hosted professionally?

Being a heavy MMO player myself, there are a few reasons
that come to mind. First and foremost, no spamming and or
crowded playing field. One of the major setbacks FREE MMO's
suffer and monster behemoths, such as World of Warcraft,
are the constant overcrowding. Monster MMO's like
WoW(World of Warcraft) seem to have most of this under
control with their some 200+ servers, other MMO's
especially the free ones, have a bad issue with this. When
you go to the towns or on a quest, there are so many
players that the quest items cannot spawn fast enough, or
you cant even click on a NPC to even GET a quest. However,
As we all know, with over population, comes spam. Like a
disease or a cancer they spread out. The spammers log on
and make their level one characters and set about with
their creative ways of getting you to listen to them spam
about their gold (or other monetary sources given the game
that you play) making oportunites, or leveling services.
Its almost worst than email spam because this one is live,
they can find you and whisper to you these annoying adds.
While blizzard (makers of WoW) have put a dampener on some
of them, they now do group invites, and when you accept
thinking someone needs a hand, its spam time. It would seem
as fast as you rid one character about 5 more take their
place.

Another popular reason for playing on a PS, is that the
gaming experience is completely different. For one,
depending on the GM settings of the world, you level
faster, can get on demand better gear, move faster (in some
PS WOW engines, you can actually teleport from city to
city. So the need for flying is mute. And speaking of
flying, some GM's have made it possible that you can fly
your mount through Azeroth, something you cannot do in the
real server.). Its quieter as well. You can actually move
about with your buddy exploring things you could not
before, and maybe a different levels access area's that
would have taken months before, just to get a look at what
all the hype is about. You can actually cover all aspects
of the gaming experience in one day, without having to
level. Something that is impossible to do on ANY game
server.'

After awhile, these gamers become more proficient at making
this game work on their own and thus is born the GAME
MASTER. As the GM in the PS world s/he is in charge of
making a functional world (which Is not possible ' see my
other articles), maintaining the database as well as
running a semi- ok website to accept new users and to
monitor the forums. It no longer becomes a game to him/her.
But a very addicting hobby. There is constantly something
that needs to be done, they find themselves busily every
day, changing this, and changing that. At some point, most
of the GM's no longer play, but find their enjoyment of
watching other play in their world that they created. I
don't believe that there is any other hobby out there that
is more demanding than running and maintaining the upkeep
of a game server. But is this some form of piracy? Its a
never ending heated debate. While the players them selves
have purchased their game from a local retail store plays
on a private server (of course oblivious to the terms of
agreement and other countless fine print that pours over
their screen that they, in a fit of excitement to get to
the game, scroll down and hit agree) they are in fact not
breaking any law. Except that if they would have read the
agreement which stats that they cannot use their software
to access any other software that is not owned and operated
by blizzard. So I supposed ethically maybe. But we are not
RENTING the game, we bought it. Private servers are for
free. If I pay $15/month for blizzard, and I STILL play on
a PS, how are they out anything financially? There are many
players that play on both. After all Tuesday is not a short
day, so many will hop over to a PS and play around while
the "patch day" completes.

Ironically, the FREE MMO's are the ones I believe get
stung. Because the reason that the FREE MMO's like FLYFF
and SCIONS OF FATE for example, are free, is because they
limit players on what "special items" they can obtain. If
you want them, you have to use REAL money to get them.While
you can easily play the game quite comfortably with the
free version, the only time you need the heavy artillery if
you will is if you are a heavy gamer. Ahhh, now its gets
really corny. Now I believe these guys are the ones that
pay. Because when you run a PS from one of these games,
you really do take from the MMO company. Because on a
private server, you can now get those things for free
instead of paying for them. Suddenly the big MMO's like
WOW, LORD OF THE RINGS etc..aren't hurting so bad after
all. If they loose clients its because of their inability
to keep them satisfied. Not because some PS came along and
said "..play with me. My server doesn't work all the great
but I'm your friend". If the FREE MMO's loose money its
because of a private server offering free specials that
normally the players would have to pay for on the real
server (almost sounds like, why buy music from best buy,
since I can listen to it there if I like, except if I want
to have it, I have to pay for it, but why, if I can
download it for free).

Private servers are here to stay. They will never go away.
No matter how many they try to shut down, just as many will
spring back up. However, if there was a way to shut them
down, it would be to watch your own server and see what it
takes to keep me there as a player. What can you offer me
that my buddy cant? Think about it.

----------------------------------------------------
Richard is a MMO hobbiest. He has clocked over 1700+hrs
into WoW alone and an equal amount in other MMO\'s. He has
written many articles and tutorials on private servers and
is considered very knowledgeable in the field.
http://www.wdxdesign.com