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I stress tested WoW before it's release. I was incredibly bored. I just didn't get the appeal at all. I just got the feeling that the open world was an interactive lobby with mini games. The actual game came in the form of instanced dungeons. I couldn't get over this glaring loophole that seemed to be an excuse to charge you $15 a month. I thought it was going to be like Diablo, just bigger and better, but it just wasn't. Sure there were big expanses, but the detail in those expanses was sorely lacking.
I also beta tested Eve Online. Now that is a remarkable game. I didn't stick with it, because I never really found a Corp I clicked with, but even in the early days with a lot less of the game implemented than is today, it was pretty much amazing. One server for all players, almost entirely player driven, absolutely massive-- probably the only true sandbox MMO (WWII Online was close, but it's been offline for a long time.) If you want to be a pirate, you don't go find some NPC to talk to who will give you a "pirate" quest. You just go find a merchant convoy (which is comprised of actual players) and fucking rob them. Corporate espionage? Gain trust and status in your corporation, then sell out to the competition. I mean, the possibilities are just endless.
All that being said, like Renton mentioned, it is not a game for someone who just wants to tune out. Roleplaying is essentially a must. They give you the framework, and an excellent one at that, but you need to create your own missions, excitement, entertainment, etc within the framework. There is a fairly steep learning curve, and it requires a good bit of time dedication.
I also saw you mentioned Starcraft, presumably you were talking about Starcraft2. This is not an mmorpg, but playing some Bronze League ladder could be the perfect fix for you. Starcraft can be a time sink if you want it to be, but with the way they have ladder setup, you can also compete casually.
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