AW dood.... I know exactly what you mean... There was a sense of a 'living' world, and genuine peril around every corner.... When i left Qeynos for the first time and ventured to West Karana, i was literally ******** myself. I bottled it and ran back...... !!! HAPPY DAYS...
It's just been announced as F2P in March btw .. Might visit again for old times sake.... Or maybe not. Rose tinted etc, so maybe best not to ruin pleasant memories..
Anyway, yeah.... I think the more 'advanced' mmo's of today still have something to learn from those old , less forgiving tropes.
thnx for post,
c.