MMO Question: Best Starter Zone?

[Mangala]

Been discussing The Shire V other games starter zones on PCG guild forums, and its quite a common opinion there, that out of all MMO's numerous folks there have tried, The Shire in LOTRO is the best of the bunch.  

So I wondered, do you guys share a similar opinion or if you all have a different favourite?

[Jarkko]

Tortage in AoC is the best starter zone I've seen in any game. Too bad it is the only good thing in AoC

Other than that, the BloodElf starting area in WoW (whatever it was called) is excellent too.

In LOTRO the Dwarf and Elf starting area is my favourite starting area (a nice mix of puzzles, fighting, exploring), Shire is just "kill wolves and insects, while you run around delivering mail" -zone, never really understood why it is so great 

[Keggi]

yeah got to go with tortage in AOC but the dk starter area in WOW is a very close second.

[Kathras]

The paineel starter zone in EQ.  No one in ther right mind ever may an erudite.  So, when I did, I was virtually alone in the newbie zone.  Of course, this was also on sullen zek so there wasnt many people on the server to begin with.

[elv]

tough call i did like the shire but it became a bit boring after a while and made me start to believe i'd rolled compo class in a last of the summer wine MMO. Really enjoyed tortage in AOC has to be a contender, but the draw of the nelf starting zones is too great for me admittedly perhaps unfairly influenced by the fact it was my first MMO but i can still remember the awe that the whole early zones of wow installed in me as a player from the music to the graphics to the quests. slightly unobjective I know!

laters elv

[Kurtt]

Love the Shire, and love Archet also. The whole epic intro to Lotro was awesome.

However, I gotta plump for Elwynn Forest, as thats the first proper MMO intro zone I played in, and it was awesome. Hooked me instantly.

[Taith]

Tirisfal Glades. I enjoy the story of the Forsaken pulling themselves together after waking up from being the Scourge, working who's in their grave and who isn't, who is still with the Scourge and who's broken free. You encounter several spellcasters on your journey through Tirisfal Glades, Undercity and Silverpine Forest, all of whom knew each other in the Kirin Tor, and they really pull all that together for me. The zone has a somewhat post-apocalyptic feel as the Forsaken scavenge what material and people they can from the ruins of Lordaeron.

The Chaos starting zone in Warhammer Online is a strong contender though. I didn't get the most out of it as my system couldn't handle it. But I remember the moment my Marauder stood just outside the portal, looking down at the Chaos staging area and the Chosen waiting for him, and I looked at my toolbar, and clicked on a button, and my Marauder's arm turned into a monstrous mutated claw.

A monstrous mutated claw.

It was a happy moment.