Might as well come out and say it: after the RP campaign "Year of Steel" is done, I am taking a long break from DDO.
I have been looking around at other systems, and what lacks the most in DDO for me is the roleplaying. The people are terriffic and there is so much talent there... but the tools are few, the world is static and there are richer venues to explore. The deriders say DDO is not enough D&D. I say it's the other way around: DDO is too much D&D. It's too much XP, and enhancments, and getting +5 equipment for everything. It's all rules, no heart. That is my opinion.
As I mentioned in another thread I have been on the Arelith RP server in NWN. I have taken slight peeks at other RP servers and in all, there the focus is on RP and very little on grinding or leveling or XP'ing. NWN may be an old game, but in terms of RP it is also one of the most mature.
NWN2 is not mature yet... but when the worst glitches are taken out, I expect it to be just as good as NWN.
I have been looking slightly at WoW. While the world is impressive, I'm not quite as impressed with the roleplaying. The roleplayers are there... but I have still to see to what extent.
I downloaded Lord of the Rings Online yesterday. The world absolutely blew me away. And having read on the forums where people create extremely elaborate characters and backstories, not to mention the fact that unlike DDO LotRO will have dedicated RP servers, I expect LotRO to have much more potential for RP than its older brother DDO.
And then there is Age of Conan. Too early to say... but if half the hype is to be believed, then the game has huge potential for gritty, gory and adult roleplaying.
So... the main question: will I leave the Company of the Black Thorn?
Absolutely not... CotBT is an extremely creative and mature gathering of roleplayers and I enjoy playing with you all very much. I intend to keep this website running with the help of Lirandel, Adjanah and all that wish to participate, even across games. Also, I fully expect to be coming back to DDO to see what has happened to it later in 2007. I also will keep Sayvara as I have come to really enjoy the character and the RP I can generate with her.
But for now, when "Year of Steel" is over, I will be suspending my DDO subscription.
/S