• The ability to tailor my character's skill set
• The ability to adjust a character's skills if existing skills turn out to be uninteresting or useless to me
• The ability to play "solo" and still enjoy myself, with the option of greater reward for teaming up with other players
• Making PVP combat an opt-in feature
• The ability to own virtual property in-game
• A way to conveniently sell loot and crafted items to other players, even when I'm not playing, and a relatively easy way for other players to find the items I'm selling and vice-versa
  
• A variety of equipment options that allow me to tailor my weapons and protection to the enemy I am dealing with
• The ability to craft items in the game, and the fact that some items are "rare" to obtain and/or create
• Regular additions to the in-game content (enemies, quests/missions, equipment, etc.)
• A mechanism for turning in-game money into real money within the game, and vice-versa
  
• A reasonably large "universe" in the game, featuring a variety of locations and "themes" (e.g., desert, polar, tropical, etc.)
• The ability to travel to previously-visited locations nearly instantly
• In-game activities, story lines, and other content that I can optionally choose to be part of
• Some "instanced" content, to eliminate the effect of other players "camping" or "farming" popular areas
• Gaining of skill through USE of the skill, not through anything related to "leveling"
  
  

• Fancy 3D graphics and sound effects (UO has a very dated 2D look and I don't mind that.)
  
• A musical soundtrack (This is one of the first things I turn off anyway.)
  
• In-game characters voiced by human beings (I can read just fine.)
  
• Prohibition of the sale of currency and items on eBay (or elsewhere)
  
• Extensive customization of character appearance (I honestly don't care if my character doesn't look "unique" so long as I can recognize which one's mine.)
  
• In-game social events and locations, like discos or weddings (These are optional to me.)
  
• Official "groups" like guilds, super-groups, clans, or corporations (These often wind up being more trouble than they're worth.)
  
• Support for audio chatting in the game (i.e., a "TeamSpeak" equivalent)
• Efforts to eliminate "farming", "camping", or other such acts (People are going to do this anyway. If you have "instanced" content then these activities won't unnecessarily harm other players.)
  
• An assurance from the developers that no character can progress faster than any other (I don't care if someone else's character hits level 20 in 2 days while I only get to level 10 in the same time.  If I want to level as fast, I can create a character just like it.)
  

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