GW community vs the paying rpg gaming community

Since Guild Wars is only my second online game and first mmorpg ever, I was wondering if the GW player base is any less mature or friendly than other mmorpg communities out there. I do not intend this thread to be a slap in the face to any younger players out there, as I have met many mature and well-behaved players in this game, both young and old. However, I have heard it said by others that since GW is free, it attracts younger players and as a result, the overall maturity level of the GW community suffers. Sometimes this sounds believable when I see very immature/cruel/racist/etc. conduct in local chat or while in a pug.

So, to all those out there who are veterans of online gaming and have been around several games, I ask your opinion. Do you find this community to be better, worse or the same as subscription based mmorpg's such as WoW or Eve Online? Are mmorpg communities better, worse or the same as, say, FPS or real-time strategy communities? Does any online gaming community consisting of people in their teens, 20's, 30's and 40's have an equal blend of friendly people and douchebags? Your replies would be greatly appreciated.

i think that gw has more behaved players then wow becuase wow is a nerd magnet and that mean people will get more mad/upset about the game becuase of money cost so it about the same community

One would normally think that Guild Wars would have all the jerks because it's free, and lots of jerks are too cheap/are 7 years old and cannot pay for a subscription.

Apparently that's not the case. Perhaps these are the kind of jerk who think a game that has a fee = awesome making them "awesome". Also, WoW is famous so it has naturally drawn more people in general.

Despite not really being any different from any other MMORPG (in terms of what audience it appeals to), I've found a lot more adults on Guild Wars than teenagers. Once again, perhaps all those immature teenagers who think WoW is awesome just because it has its name everywhere went there?

Then again I'm a teenager. Immature? No.

Having played a number of MMOs for a reasonable amount of time, there is nothing hugely different about the GW population vs WoW or L2 or EQ2.

Generally I'd say that I've met more "older" players in GW than in most other games, but I'd attribute at least 50% of that to my alliance.

If anything I'd imagine pay-to-play only influences the 16-21 demographic, whose parents think they are old enough to work and pay for things themselves, but who find it hard to earn enough to feed all their habits.

Having been a member of both p2p and free MMORPGs for a number of years, I can assure you that you find racists, bigots, trolls & the like everywhere. It isn't the free factor as much as it is the assumed anonymity.

Wrong, GuildWars wasn't your first MMORPG ever because GuildWars is a CORPG.

Sup Loot, Shen here : )

Can't say I've really noticed much of a difference in terms of playerbases. The only two I can comfortably compare are that of GW and WoW, but I'm only one person so I can't have much of an opinion there. I will say that my WoW experience has been a little more favorable than my GW experience, but experiences vary greatly, so I wouldn't take that to heart.

Do you think GW would be as popular as it is now if it wasn't labelled as a "free to play MMO"? Signs point to no. That aside, it's an online game and it shares a much similar community and mindset as MMO games.

I only run across about 1 in 10 being non funtioning human beings. About the same in WoW and many other MMOs, about the same in Real Life.

interesting subject. yeah I have played WOW a little, Ever Quest and EQ2 alot more, almost as much as I have played GW, I have played GW since day one.

for my opinion wow is slightly worse than all I have played. though if filter is off on GW it gets prety bad here too. the best for age and maturity seemd to be EQ and EQ2. is paying like WoW but seemd better, to me anyway.

Im 42 and enjoy playing games where I can just chat with players from all over the world. loved EQ2 alot for that, play with folks from germany or japan in a night, can here too, but I cant understand there text so.... hehe.

I have some kids in my Guild SMTC that were under 10 when we started the guild, some are still with us, almost 3 years later. and I can see how they have matured in game play for sure, and also in the way they talk in game.

most 10 year olds dont understand basic concept of game mechanics, just want to hack n slash, this isnt really thier type of game hehe, but some of the best players are also those kids that DO get it.

I just enjoy playing the games, and this one has been alot of fun.

It was never labeled as a "free to play MMO". It was always labeled "Free to Play" and yes Guild Wars is a CORPG. It eventually took on many MMORPG elements so everyone started to call it a MMORPG when in fact is a CORPG.

Here are some websites that rightly name it a CORPG:

Those are just a few examples. But even though Guild Wars has many MMO elements it really is or, you could say, was a CORPG.

I don't know about the same community as L2 - open pvp tends to generate a lot of online sociopaths with rotten attitudes to their fellow players.

WoW and GW using structured pvp systems dont have so much of this.

Subscription has nothing to do with the overall maturity of the game's players.
I played runescape for 2 years (NOTz one of my best ideas) and I was simply disgusted by the players. They were rude, obnoxious and overall annoying. When I moved onto GW, it was like walking into heaven.Both are a Free to play game, but Guild Wars seemed to have a better population. I suppose it has to do with the level of skill required to play.

Of course, tha tis just my opinion.

You find the exact same people in all aspects of life, not just games.

Keep in mind that many people that play those other games have also played GW, some first here then there other come to GW after trying other games.

Guild Wars takes the best elements of today's massively multiplayer online games...

That's from guildwars.com.

It basically is an mmorpg

I think the community in GW is exactly like paid subscription games. 90% idiots, 8% introverts and 2% trying to get a decent guild going.

If we're getting technical, then Guild Wars isn't an RPG any more than, say, Halo: Combat Evolved is. It's just an MMOG.

When I start seeing real storyline and dialogue choices, maybe then. Until that point, it isn't.

I've been in GW first for a year then wow then back to gw. So for me the group of idiots are the same amount in both sides of the fence. Just because they pay monthly does not make it a tard filter.

Which group are you in?

He's in all