[Mae]

Eh, IRE was by no means my first MUD. It wasn't even my third or fourth. It wasn't the first game I got really into. It's just the best example of what I enjoy rolled up into one package and it's hard to step away from something that has -everything- I want at some level of competency and sacrifice -some- of the things I want for greater competency in one or two areas.

I think that's probably the frustration of all folks who get involved in (and enjoy to some extent) IRE games and decide they want something more. It just doesn't exist (yet). Personally, I have no problem with the pay for perks, and arties don't bother me. If someone -really- wants to shell out insane amounts of cash to be harder to kill, more more power to them. They keep my game free to play.

I have the exact same issue with RPI. I love RP, but getting into an RPI seems tedious. I've tried and failed many times over. PK is enjoyable, but in order to get advanced PK I have to sacrifice the sort of environment I want. Crafting is awesome - but most of the good non-IRE crafting games have their own challenges. Basically, IRE is like the crack of the MUD world, it's awesome for the first year (or -cough- five) but then once you try to break free you find you are stuck. Can't even go back to those plain ol' gateway drugs. They just don't hold that same luster anymore. :<

-end bad metaphor-


Anyway, I understand the challenges of developing new games. I've been involved in several games-in-development. I don't think it's a huge thing to ask for a game that can balance RP + Combat + Customization + Quality Lore/Environment with enough of a playerbase to make those things usable. Sadly, I have yet to find it outside of the IRE collection.