I fully agree. The mystery and eeriness of the world was one of the things that made it so damn interesting to play. As much as the interactive map, youtube videos, and calculators suck...yeah its just the way it is. Me and some guildmates would spend literally hours and hours perfecting the optimal protection to weight hybrid set. When a new armor came out we would have to do it all over again. We loved it. Some of the best PvPers in the game wouldn't take the time to optimize sets like those. Now we have all the stats you need to know if you hover over the weapon or armor, which definitely makes it more accessible for people who just want to quickly put on the best stuff, but it removed a core part of theory crafting imo. I don't think things like that are good in MMO's like this. If its WoW or a game where numbers mean everything, then sure. MO2 boasts being a "mastercrafter" but there are literally zero crafting secrets. No sliders you need to adjust. Just throw in the mats and click craft. Anyway, I kinda went on a rant there.That is true.. No individual skill in the game currently, there wasn't much in MO1 either to be honest. But at least back then we didn't have videos and streamers telling every secret in game or websites with calculators and workbenches and step by step guides. There is no mystery in MO2 like there was in MO1. But in some ways that is good in many ways it is bad. But hey that is the age we live in. Screw player skill or individual exploration lets just have everything spoon fed to you.
I guess the point is...its not just MO2 that is hurt by these things. All MMO's are having a core part of them taken away from Youtube and oversimplification. You are having meta's made and mystery removed before games even launch now. Maybe I'm finally just one of those old dudes that is gonna start saying "back in my day" all the time.
When can we get an MMO where you have to sign an NDA?