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Noghri
Warrior
346 Posts
    
Joliet, IL
 | | 01/10/2006 12:35 PM |
| Hey all,
I've been playing DDO since Beta 1. A quick overview of the game for any of you thinking about purchasing when it releases in Feb.
First off, the graphics look pretty good, most of the monsters look direct out of the Monster Manual, so they did a good translation.
Gameplay I wasn't too impressed with. Firstly there are only going to be 10 levels at release. It does take a little bit of time to level, you need to find a good group.
Secondly, you need a group. There is pretty much zero soloing. All dungeons and quests are based around a party. This is how they are marketing the game though. But I just want to make sure everyone knows, don't expect to run around by your self and complete all the quests, you will need a group. Fighters can do a couple of the low level quests solo, but over 90% of the quests are group.
Third, you are trapped in the city. All the dungeons are instanced, you and your party go to a door, enter, and the dungeon is there for just your group. But, you can never actually leave the city and just go explore. You have to talk to someone or go in a door and then you are sent to where you need to be. There is no open areas just to run around in, other than the city. They have put in an open area, but once again it's not really the same, you talk to a guy, then you load into the island. Then there are a couple of different quests to do on the island.
Fourth, treasure. You will get a lot of it, by time you are lvl 2 expect to have a few thousand gold, and +1 weapons. By level ten you will have +5 weapons. I thought way too much treasure, they have lowered it a bit recently.
Fifth, combat. It's an interesting change to most MMO's. You have to pay atention a lot more. No just pushing a button and walking away. Enemies do move around and jump away. You have to actively block with your shield, you can also tumble around. Unfortunately, a lot of the melee combat you can just "circle strafe" around the baddie and kill him while taking minimal damage. They have changed that recently to make it harder to do.
Last impressions, I'm definitely not going to be buying it. I don't like being trapped in a city all the time, and then just zoning to the dungeon, i like the exploration of just about any other MMO. Also it is a long drag to level if you don't get a good party. With only 10 levels in the game at release I expect many to get bored. And with the forced grouping from start to finish, this will turn off quite a few people.
Hopefully this helps some of you. Maybe some of you hate my review and you can flame away. :)
Any other questions, ask and I'll answer. | |
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jdb2112
Sneak
163 Posts
| | 01/10/2006 1:27 PM |
| I got into one of the stress tests and pretty much agree with Noghri. The initial 4-6 quests can all be soloed. I did it with just about every class except Cleric. After that soloing isn't an option.
I thought the graphics were good. Combat is pretty much as Noghri described. Only thing I noticed was that sometimes you would get into a combat and the monster would hit you a couple times in the first few swings and then never hit again. Hopefully that was just a bug and won't show up in the finished product.
I have mixed feelings about the zoning to quests. On one hand once I have a quest I just want to get there and get to it, so the zoning thing is good. On the other hand the fact that there really isn't a world to explore with random monsters here and there for those times when you are just interested in wandering around and killing things is disappointing.
The big thing, and this is really why the game can't be soloed, is you do not get xp from killing monsters. XP is only awarded for completing quests. If the game ends up not succeeding I think this will be one of the big reasons.
I not only want to be able to solo in a game, I actually prefer it. Therefore I too will probably not get it. However for what it is it seemed to be pretty decent.
Jim
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Zenako
Commander
3469 Posts
| | 01/10/2006 3:04 PM |
| | Interesting reviews. How long did it seem to take to complete quests? Were they about an hour, 2 hours or more? affects the viability of getting groups together to complete them. If someone gets dropped can they rejoin the session like in Diablo or are they and their play partners hosed like in Starcraft. If someone just stays in the Dungeon and never leaves does the instanced Dungeon remain open or will it time out eventually? In some ways the EXP for quest completion is a nice change, BUT, it does by design end up causing some issues. Do the quests change depending on who is getting them? In other words would a party of all rogues get the same quest as a party of all Clerics? or Wizards? Does the level of quest requester trigger the quest selection? Can you redo quests? | |
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Noghri
Warrior
346 Posts
Joliet, IL
| | 01/10/2006 3:46 PM |
| Let's see if i can answer them all :)
Quests notmally don't take to long, there are short ones that take 10-15 min, and there are long ones, that take 45min-1hr. There are also some that chain together that can take a couple hours to do.
If someone gets disconnected, they can reconnect right away and be in the same party, or they can just rejoin the party and then re enter the dungeon.
If one party member stays in the dungeon it will never close, monsters never respawn though, and neither do treasure chests. You get XP for finishing the quest, so you want to move from quest to quest. Also you can kill 1 monster, or 100 monsters, you get the same XP. Most quests do offer some bonus XP if you do kill all the monsters in the area.
Everybody can get the same quest, just talk to the different people, there are no specific class or racial quests, would be cool to add though. A long series of hard quests for a paladin to get a holy avenger would be a neat addition.
The level of the quest is always static. If you or anyone in your party is higher level than the quest, the whole party gets less xp.
The opposite is true if everyone in the party is lower level than the quest.
Quests you can reset and do again at a harder difficulty, which will raise the level of the baddies, treasure, and XP reward you get.
Also, to go from Level 1 to Level 2 requires 10,000 XP. A lot of the Level 1 quests you only receive 35-150XP for completing. So most of the times the level 1 quests are skipped and the party starts with the longer quests because the pay out is much greater. | |
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Vrecknidj
Warlord
10446 Posts
United States
| | 01/10/2006 5:30 PM |
| Thanks for the info. I probably won't be playing due to a lack of funds and a lack of time. But, in the event I win the lottery or something, it's nice to know what the game is like before I'd have a chance to play it.
Dave | |
Knowledge Arcana editor issues 5-9, Phoenix Lore Magazine editor, assistant editor for Rite Publishing;
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Zenako
Commander
3469 Posts
| | 01/11/2006 12:16 PM |
| | Thanks for the answers. Was trying to get a sense of the actual dynamics of play and your replies helped. | |
Built the addition for this addiction, now on to the "gaming table" project....
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Fry
Underboss
1724 Posts
| | 01/11/2006 12:47 PM |
| If you don't have to kill monsters, does that make it reasonable to build a stealth character to sneak past fights?
How badly are you penalized for dying? | |
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Noghri
Warrior
346 Posts
Joliet, IL
| | 01/11/2006 4:42 PM |
| You can build a rogue and sneak around, but there is no way you would avoid all the fights. A lot of the quests you need to defeat a specific creature to advance through it. Sneaking used to be a lot easier, but they applied a patch that makes it harder. If a monster is looking in your direction, it is a lot easier for them to see you now. Also like I stated before, you can not solo, you'll be in a party, sneaking may help you avoid the fight, but the rest of the party won't be able to. :)
The death penalty isn't much. When you die in a quest, one of your party members can pick up your Soul Stone, take it to a resurrection shrine inside the quest, and you can resurrect there, with no penalty.
If your entire party dies, you can release your spirit. This sends you back to an inn that you set as your resurrection spot. You simply heal up then reenter the dungeon. But reentering the dungeon applies an XP penalty starting at 10%, and going higher the more times you reenter a dungeon. This also prevents players from clearing some of the dungeon, leaving, healing, and buying supplies, then reentering the dungeon. | |
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Wrackspawn
ChristopherGroves
Warlord
6093 Posts
| | *censored*
glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:04 PM |
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easytiger1
Warrior
231 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:33 PM |
| | I have heard there is no storyline just a whole lot of quests. I am dissapointed with what i have heard i have been following ddo for a long time(didnt make it into beta though). Anyone know of some decent online games that are coming out as by what i have heard i will not be buying this game. | |
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:47 PM |
| | NWN2 | |
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easytiger1
Warrior
231 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:52 PM |
| | i didnt think that was a massivly online game, though conan age of hyboria still have got my hopes up. But yeah NWN2 will be groovy, pity about ddo :(. | |
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Noghri
Warrior
346 Posts
Joliet, IL
| | 01/14/2006 9:03 AM |
| Yeah I wanted DDO to be great, but unfortunately it's not. And you are right, no real storyline, just different people to get quests from. None of them related. A few quests continue for 3 or 4 more quests, that's about as much of a story as you get.
That comic is awesome :)
Conan looks interesting, don't know if I'll be playing it though. Neverwinter 2 looks good too.
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2313 Posts
Toronto
| | 01/15/2006 7:49 AM |
| I was in the stress test and while all the above is true, I found I enjoyed the experience of the game.
Sure WoW is fun as well, but what I liked about DDO was the fact I didn't have to run around constantly looking for my targets. The quests I felt were better then in other MMO's. The dungeon crawls had a feel to them that I'd never felt in a EQ or DAoC.
Sure I'd love for them to comeout with some wilderness, to allow for exploration. I want to see Griffons, Wyverns and Dragons for heaven's sake! Maybe when they do that's when we'll see druids as well.
I still plan to join DDO when it comes out, which will be strange for me since I'm one of those who typically play MMO's for the most part solo. This game will force me to be part of a team and let's face it that's what D&D is all about.
YMMV, for me the game looks and feels promising. | |
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rocksalt
Warrior
194 Posts
| | 01/15/2006 2:52 PM |
| | I quit WoW when I hit 60 and felt I was forced to group so I'll probably skip this one. | |
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 01/16/2006 9:50 AM |
| | I played a brief snippet of the beta, and I think the main thing that works for DDO is that they made it actually feel like D&D. All the changed they made from your normal MMO seems to be to make it more resemble the experience you have at the D&D table than just the average MMO. | |
Champion of the Beholder and Beholderkin
The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. | |
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Ghendar
Warlord
12482 Posts
The G Spot
| | 01/16/2006 11:27 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Noghri
Yeah I wanted DDO to be great, but unfortunately it's not. And you are right, no real storyline, just different people to get quests from. None of them related. A few quests continue for 3 or 4 more quests, that's about as much of a story as you get.
Aren't most of these types of games like this anyway?
The one thing that's kept me away from these multi player games is that they seem to be just "accept the quest, kill the monster, gain XP" and then repeat ad nauseum(sp?)
For me anyway, there has to be an end to the game, there has to be some reason to keep playing other than gaining XP, there has to be an objective to reach and I don't just mean the current quest objective, I mean the objective of the entire game otherwise it just devolves into mindless monster hunting. | |
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Noghri
Warrior
346 Posts
Joliet, IL
| | 01/16/2006 12:19 PM |
| Yes, most MMO's are just quest after quest, no big arcing storyline.
There is no real endgame, and there can't really be for MMO's, otherwise you'd just find one big camped monster all the time.
But I still enjoy them, I've played many and always get dragged into another one by friends. Just DDO hasn't lived up to my expectations.
I'm also not a huge fan of the Eberron setting, so to me that also leads to my low opinion of it. | |
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Iksander
Underboss
1010 Posts
| | 01/20/2006 11:54 PM |
| I so knew this would suck. All the warning signs were there. The biggest being the huge stormcloud that is Atari hanging over it. Face it, Atari suck ass.
I'm playing WoW and although there are definitely some things that bug me about it, I paid six months in advance for a reason...
Also, I'm really looking forward to Diablo III which is going to be an MMO as well. I'm hoping Blizzard will have learned from all their mistakes in WoW and perfected the MMO experience for D3. Hell, even if it's only on par with WoW game-wise, just the fact that it's D3 will rock :) | |
Bite me. | |
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tree druid
Sergeant
414 Posts
| | 01/21/2006 12:37 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Iksander
Also, I'm really looking forward to Diablo III which is going to be an MMO as well. I'm hoping Blizzard will have learned from all their mistakes in WoW and perfected the MMO experience for D3. Hell, even if it's only on par with WoW game-wise, just the fact that it's D3 will rock :)
When did you hear about D3? I have been waiting for this game forever. D2 is perhaps my favorite game ever and I was hoping d3 wouldn't cost money like WoW because I can't afford it but perhaps it will be free.....
one can hope. | |
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gratch42
Sneak
65 Posts
| | 02/10/2006 9:38 PM |
| Heh, I thought WoW was D3... I don't seem to remember controlling armies a la Warcraft in WoW... instead there are skill trees and 3rd person view clicking on monsters... like the Diablos... just a different setting/theme. But it makes marketting sense to put their Diablo 3 (WoW) engine in a Diablo universe.
Off that even more off-topic response, I've been playing the DDO stress tests and just finished the 10 day beta. I think the quests have (don't know if they did before) slightly more connection to each other and the tribulations of Stormreach. There are a number of almost factions that get referenced across the quests as well as the constant horde trying to get into the city that a number of quests revolve around... Not an episodic novel nor near the NWN style "modules", but decent.
I've been grouping and would say that the grouping here is better than the grouping of NWN. NWN seems to have carved two niche spots: single player and persistent world. The small group (3-6) in a dungeon aspect of the pen and paper game feels better in DDO than it has in any previous crpg I can remember.
Supposedly there are dragons later in the current game (10th level quests) and supposedly they will increase the cap every few months as content gets added (specifically up to level 12 by April is a standing rumor). Standing rumors must be true. | |
-Gratch42 | |
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Sir Bozak The Damned
Commander
2854 Posts
Québec
| | 02/10/2006 10:19 PM |
| | Wow, it actually sounds worse than the worst I had pictured it...Level 10 maximum and no solo ability...What does this actually have to offer outside graphics ? Plus, you need to BUY to game, do you also have a monthly fee or need to buy expansions on top of that ? It already sounds like a disaster...What a blow to WoTc ! | |
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Most Edumacated
zenthrus
Warlord
5104 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 02/10/2006 11:04 PM |
| The horrors of an RPG designed to act more like a table-top RPG than an MMO [)]
This sounds like it has all of the elements that I would like in a game...you need teamwork, you don't have to spend stupid amounts of time wandering around, and you can't just script out combat. On the other hand it's set in Eberron, has a far too abrupt level cap (even for a launch), and as has been mentioned dwells under the darkness that is Atari (Temple of Elemental Evil could have been something, I tells ya!).
Fortunately the money I save on not buying DDO can go towards NWN2. Yay! | |
Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie?
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Sir Bozak The Damned
Commander
2854 Posts
Québec
| | 02/10/2006 11:19 PM |
| | Nothing I read so far even justifies a 1.99 CDN$ a month investment or even a 9.99 CDN$ buying price. Even for free, I would skip that one. If D3 comes out with an offline version, I will sureky burn myself a copy...I still prefer actual dices and humab beings to computer-driven NPC's... | |
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119 completed trades so far...NB called shot: Medusa | |
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Most Edumacated
zenthrus
Warlord
5104 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 02/11/2006 1:40 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Sir Bozak The Damned
I still prefer actual dices and humab beings to computer-driven NPC's...
My sentiments exactly. You can't throw 4-siders at people online [:D] | |
Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie?
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Toxic_Rat
Sergeant
745 Posts
Lehi, Utah, USA
| | 02/11/2006 10:16 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by zenthrus
quote:
Originally posted by Sir Bozak The Damned
I still prefer actual dices and humab beings to computer-driven NPC's...
My sentiments exactly. You can't throw 4-siders at people online [:D]
Remind me to hide the d4's if we ever play against each other [)] | |
Any time you try to make something idiot-proof, someone always goes out and invents a better idiot.
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gratch42
Sneak
65 Posts
| | 02/13/2006 3:49 PM |
| This was recently posted on gamespot. A review of their design goals by Turbine's lead content designer. My limited view on the beta/stress tests (levels 1-3 mostly as cleric, fighter and wizard) found them to have succeeded in most of these goals.
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/ddonline/news.html?sid=6144011
The level cap at 10 isn't so bad for the previous reasons stated. It's a long drawn out 10 levels with new sublevel action points (similiar to battle action grip). Plus XP levels are multiplied by 10. A lot more adventuring per level. As opposed to a tabeletop module that will take you up 3 levels and take 3 sessions to complete, a ddo module worth of quests (comparing to the ddo waterworks level 2 quests) would take you one night of playing through it's 4 dungeons and take you from level 1 to 2 or from 2 to part way to 3. A fun romp.
CRPG wise comparing to NWN... rogues are much more usefull on almost every quest. You can live without them but you get to open fewer chests and need a lot more healing from traps. | |
-Gratch42 | |
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Ack
Underboss
1476 Posts
| | 02/13/2006 4:22 PM |
| I have played this game.
It was everything that has been mentioned.
You were forced to group.
It Felt just like D&D.
It was definately more "modules" vs "Campaigns"
Its a solid engine and good universe
Its just the first release, outdoor exploration might be available later
Its a pretty big city
You are not only forced to group, you are nearly forced into the "Core 4" then fill from there. You NEED tank, healer, caster, sneaky bastage.. then 2 more.
It was pretty fun.
It was definately "Monty Hall" - lots of treasure. | |
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2313 Posts
Toronto
| | 02/14/2006 9:33 PM |
| Well as some may have noticed, I'm in the European BETA, which is why I'm not here as much.
I really do like this game over-all, sure is has it's weakness' but so does WoW or any other game out there. Heck I never even bought Matrix Online because of all the negative press about it.
My biggest problem and the one that almost stopped me from pre-ordering this game: Turbine and Codemasters won't be working together to create a shared server for North America and Europe! I'm just hating that! I had to really think about whether or not I wanted to buy the game and if so which copy?
I know more people in NA but the time difference would be a huge pain, Europe I don't know many gamers here but I might be able to get a copy of them to join up. In the end I went with Europe.
As for the game:
So far I've mostly been playing Wizard, finally getting to 5th level today (nearly two weeks of play). Getting a group isn't that hard to do, with both the LFG [Looking For Group] and LFM [Looking For Members] options. Heck in the last ten minutes of my game where I was selling off items, repairing and spending an Action Point, I was invited to join two separate groups.
Clerics are a must in the game, but that has been the reality of most MMO's. Rogues aren't a 'must' but they sure do make your life easier!
They really do try to emphasize a well-round group as certain levers, Runes etc. can only be activated by someone with enough Str, Int, Wis.
Europe is still one update behind, compared to NA so some of the glitches are effecting our BETA. But with each update the game has gotten better then back in the fall/early winter when I was on the NA Stress Test.
Some people are complaining about the monty hall-like loot. Problem that I see is that some classes need it more then others. Like my Wizard for example...in fact he just may be the prime example because, so much money goes into spell inscription kits, arcane scrolls, wands plus all the regular equipment that everyone else is getting.
But yes if you were to compare this to the PNP game it still is a Monty-Hall environment, but then again with a 100,000 experience I wouldn't only be 5th level (5.1 to be exact).
Well that's it for now...I need some rest, if you want to know more about the game, I can add more later. | |
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