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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
    
 | | 03/12/2006 1:25 PM |
| I've been playing D&D Online for the last week and it's pretty cool to see some of the "sculpts" standing in front of you in a virtual 3d world.
The game is not a "first-person-view" but the camera is so low over the shoulder it often feels first-person, so you really get a feel for size and scale.
Kobolds aren't very impressive visually, but they move very quickly and dodge alot making them hard to hit.
Warforged are cool looking up close...many people play Warforged as a race.
Ogres and bugbears also were well modled and impressive looking up close.
I'm having a good time with the game as a pnp/mini/RPG game player. Some veterens of other MMORPG's aren't happy with the game but to each his own.
~Foo Fighter~ | |
A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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Scarecrow
Sergeant
788 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 1:31 PM |
| I was a little hesitant about this game. When I first started playing, my name for it was welfare D&D. It was D&D, but a version of it that was missing alot (no half elves, no half orcs, no druids or monks.)
The game has really grown on me though. There's something really amazming about actually seeing yourself move silently, and then setting up a sneak attack. Some of the spells are also quite good to see, like web. Adventuring through a tomb, and seeing elven zombies, and a skeleton pulling itself from the ground. I really am enjoying it.
For those of you who played it, this game reminds me alot of Phantasy Star Online. D&D 0nline is not a perfect game, but so far it's been a blast. | |
I need a newcastle... | |
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ShadowLord XT
Commander
2637 Posts
Plane of Shadow
| | 03/12/2006 1:33 PM |
| | I would like to try to play, but I have never gotten around to it. | |
Disipline is the only way to overcome chaos.
Champion of Half-Golems
Knight of Golems
"This world is made for love and peace" - Trigun
"anyway..shadow..you've figured women out. KUDOS." - raye_kino16 | |
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dj-chuckles
Underboss
2455 Posts
The State that invented Spam!
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robbdaman
Underboss
2380 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 2:14 PM |
| I'm of the mindset that I won't pay for an online game. I'd rather it be a stand alone game and have online possiblilties if so desired. That said the graphics look incredible. I saw a commercial for the new one during Battlestar Galactica the other night. Awesome Beholder!
R~ | |
Champion of the Titan
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 2:20 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by robbdaman
I'm of the mindset that I won't pay for an online game. I'd rather it be a stand alone game and have online possiblilties if so desired. That said the graphics look incredible. I saw a commercial for the new one during Battlestar Galactica the other night. Awesome Beholder!
R~
Agreed!
If it had a single-player mode I'd buy it, but it doesn't (you have to be online and have a party in order to not die as you progress).
But the biggest reason why I don't buy it...I refuse to pay to play a game I already paid for. I will never pay monthly fees for a computer/console game. I don't care how they twist the logic on server support, customer service, etc to try to justify the fees. They got my $50 and that should be it. | |
Trades >> Completed: 49 | Bad: Ø | Pending: 0 | Trade & talk Live on IRC! SERVER: irc.psionics.net CHANNEL: #maxminis | |
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bigbadjon
Sergeant
546 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 3:08 PM |
| | Amen Brother! Who wants to pay monthly fees to have to play with people you don't wanna play with anyway. | |
Evil triumphs when good men fail their morale saves. | |
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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 3:22 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by glumag
quote:
Originally posted by robbdaman
I'm of the mindset that I won't pay for an online game. I'd rather it be a stand alone game and have online possiblilties if so desired. That said the graphics look incredible. I saw a commercial for the new one during Battlestar Galactica the other night. Awesome Beholder!
R~
Agreed!
If it had a single-player mode I'd buy it, but it doesn't (you have to be online and have a party in order to not die as you progress).
But the biggest reason why I don't buy it...I refuse to pay to play a game I already paid for. I will never pay monthly fees for a computer/console game. I don't care how they twist the logic on server support, customer service, etc to try to justify the fees. They got my $50 and that should be it.
Regarding cost...I agree to a point, I've never payed a monthly fee before but I put things into perspective like this.
There are a lot of $45, one-and-done single player games out there that you are done with after 10-20 hours of play and will never look at again. I can think of a couple games that I thoroughly enjoyed playing but once done there was no desire to replay. In the past couple years I've done well avoiding these only buying them off the discout racks.
Then there are those games that you really get your money out of...in the D&D world things like Baulder's Gate series, Icewind Dales, and Neverwinter Nights. I REALLY got my money's worth out of these games and others like Half-Life 2/Counterstrike and Rome Total War. These games have each given hundreds of hours of fun per $45 cost.
So I'm ahead of the game on purchasing games.
As for monthly fee...a movie in my area is $9.50 a ticket. Saw "Date Movie" last night for $18.00 plus popcorn and a $4.00 water...so a $15.00 monthly fee isn't really outrageous.
Having said all that...I'll probablly only play until NWN2 comes out.
In game there are lots, and lots of people...It's kind of cool, and I might at that it is pretty challanging. You really NEED to party up with people and work together.
Agreed it's D&D light...I'm not a big fan of Ebberon either but all and all it's very fun to actually play.
~Foo Fighter~ | |
A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 3:34 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by bigbadjon
Amen Brother! Who wants to pay monthly fees to have to play with people you don't wanna play with anyway.
Many people play with friends...none of mine play so I was a little leary of the social aspect at first. But having to join up with others and work together REALLY is a positive aspect to the game.
It's cool to finish a long quest with people you just met and know that you couldn't have done it without them, and they couldn't have done it without you.
I've seen some people do some stupid things, and some nutty things but they didn't ruin the game or piss me off...it just added to the flavor of the game.
It ain't perfect but I highly recommend it to anyone who's into D&D.
~Foo Fighter~ | |
A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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True_Blue
Underboss
2386 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 4:05 PM |
| | I've had a lot of non-D&D ppl ask me about it and seem interested. If I were to play an Online game, I'd probably choose D&D Online and see how good it is. I've actually heard some good things and some bad things. So I'd be willing to give it a chance. | |
Champion of a Knight of Takhisis/Knight of Neraka | |
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Thailfi
Sergeant
956 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 4:26 PM |
| Well, I have heard one thing about this game that will absolutely doom it to miserable failure. Comments on solo play is that it ranges from extremely hard to almost impossible.
With WoW being the undisputed king of the MMORPG and a horde of competition coming up from Star Wars, Star Trek, Warhammer, the makers of Everquest, Lord of the Rings, Microsoft, Final Fantasy, City of Heroes, and many others, I wouldn't risk a long term subscription if I were you. This game will die a very quick death. | |
Thailfi's Have/Want List
Thailfi's References | |
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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 6:01 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Thailfi
Well, I have heard one thing about this game that will absolutely doom it to miserable failure. Comments on solo play is that it ranges from extremely hard to almost impossible.
I'm actually playing it now and can tell you that it is NOT, nor was ever intended for SOLO play. Never.
That makes the game cool because you could do the same dungeon twice and have two completly different experiences due to the people in the party.
Most people can play the first few hours solo. I solo'd until I couldn't finish a dungeon, then I got a partner for a few more quests until two of us just couldn't finish a dungeon on our own.
Now pretty much every dungeon requires four or more.
As for it being a miserable failure, there are a lot of people playing so I don't think it's a failure by any stretch...how long people will play is another matter.
My knock against it is that it is lacking in the kind of depth of content (background story, characters, etc.) that Neverwinter Nights has...but then again NWN is a Single player game so it's not a apples-to-apples comparison.
The MMORPG players complain that it doesn't have Player-vs-PLayer, or Item crafting, or player run economies etc.
All that a side it is more fun to play than it sounds. The dungeons can be extremely dangerous and challenging at times... so I'm hooked for now.
~Foo Fighter~
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A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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Scarecrow
Sergeant
788 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 7:27 PM |
| In terms of solo play, there a few early solo missions that everyone has to do. They are used to introduce the player to different mechanics.
After leveling a bit, you can go back and solo easier missions. But to be honest, the game is brand new. New content is going to be added as time goes on. So I wouldn't be surprised to see the solo aspect fixed over time.
Also, coming from a D&D PnP background, I just feel like I have a heads up on everybody. You'll know what I mean if you ever play, and you have someone who is a wizard1/sorcerer1 in your party. It really is fun so far.
And in terms of a monthly fee. Yes, it's a little steep. But I'm spending money on a hobby of mine and something I enjoy (I think that's something we all do.) It's just coming from a board where it's all about collecting miniatures, spending an extra fifteen dollars on this doesn't seem like such a stretch. If you're enjoying the hobby, that's all that really matters. | |
I need a newcastle... | |
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Count Dooku
Commander
4637 Posts
New York
| | 03/12/2006 8:18 PM |
| Lets ask the REAL question.
How is it compared to Warcraft?
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Champion of the Skulk
Vindicated Champion of the Twig Blight | |
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LargeMarmot
Sergeant
463 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 8:31 PM |
| | No druids? | |
Champion of the Tohr-Kreen.
WotDQ Called Shot: Fang Dragon. | |
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slayer1
Sergeant
597 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 8:36 PM |
| | I know that I'd get it in a heartbeat if it didn't have an online fee. Being a kid, I don't have a lot of money so looks like I'm stuck with my current guild wars addiction. | |
Har 25/80 De 35/60 Ar 43/60 GoL 61/72 Ab 42/60 Dk 43/60 Af 51/60 Ud 49/60 WD 50/60 | |
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Reflex1
Warrior
322 Posts
| | 03/12/2006 10:56 PM |
| There's no comparison between this game and WoW. Turbine clearly didn't have that kind of budget, so they had to shoot for a more narrow scope of vision.
Basically, DDO is a city comprised of 3 main sections, populated by mostly static NPCs. Off of one section of the city (the Marketplace), you can access a few dragonmarked house compounds. Certainly the city is far smaller than even one city in WoW, but the size is irrelevant, because there's really nothing to do in the city itself but rest in taverns and find quest-givers. All the adventuring is done in instances you enter when you click on certain sewer manholes or doors. Then you run through a static sewer or catacomb (all traps and monsters are always located in the same exact location) until you complete it. Rinse, then repeat.
That's really the sum total of the game. It's barely an MMORPG. Comparing WoW to this game is like comparing a Corvette Z06 to a tandem bicycle.
Mini-gamers will love how CR1 goblin shamans can sit there right in front of you casting Bestow Curse and Lightning Bolt over and over again, undeterred by your striking them with an axe. Masochists will love the realism when you are struck blind. When you are killed, you are simply ressurected in a tavern or at a convenient local menhir. But if you are blinded, your screen really goes black and the effect is... permanent. Enjoy finding your way to someone that can/will heal you.
If you have to play in brief increments, forget it. Unless you are a cleric, finding a group can be a tedious affair. And you MUST group. Yes, you can solo significantly lower level dungeons, but you've already done them before, so they aren't enjoyable or novel, and the rewards are *terrible*. If it's a dungeon that's even close to your level, you'll probably consume more gold worth of healing potions than you receive on the mission.
This is not the D&D you are looking for. | |
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thedip
Sergeant
737 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 3:42 AM |
| The question of how it compares with WOW is very much dependent on the amount of time you have to play.
In my opinion WOW is a far better game with a good storyline and expansive world. The main problem for me is that I am a casual gamer, I don't have the time it takes to find a group, travel to a dungon and then spend hours trying to complete it.
At about 1800 my son starts playing and is still in the same dungeon/instance at 2300. I don't have that kind of time to waste but if you want the best items you have to.
The thing I like about DDO is that many of the dungeons can take 5 minutes to complete. Some of the dungeons designated as long can be complteded in half an hour.
So WOW may be the better game but I am playing DDO because I can do some quick hacking and slashing between making meals, working, DDM and D&D.
Cheers
Thedip | |
Have/Want List | References | Email Me
Pending: None
Failed Trades: Thayil(he has received) | |
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2313 Posts
Toronto
| | 03/13/2006 5:05 AM |
| Well as you may or may not have noticed, I haven't been posting as much lately. That's because of DDO, I'm playing this thing as an Addict! IMO I like it alot more then WoW [no farming, no camping, no 2 hours running around on courier missions.]
DDO is D&D light but for an Online game it has to be, it is possible to play the game solo for a while, but a Cleric is the HEAVILY suggested class to play if you are going to do so, but like any MMORPG you will need to group up. With DDO it's just sooner then other games. The point behind it is that it's D&D, D&D was never a solo experience and so the MMO game is not meant to be a solo experience. The weakness with this is that you could be standing around looking for a group (or building a group) instead of playing the game.
But I'm having alot of fun playing the game and 15euros isn't really that much (just a little more then 1 booster of DDM). I just hope the updates come frequently enough to keep the game interesting.
Yes, no Druids, Monks, Half-Elves, Half-Orc or Gnomes sadly enough. Though I wouldn't play any of the races those two classes I really miss. I'm sure we'll see them in the future though. | |
"I was sittin' here eatin' my muffin, drinkin' my coffee, replayin' the incident in my head, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity." - Jules Winnfield
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Champion of Gem Dragons, VINDICATED Squire of Duergar Commander, Knight of the Astral Stalker.
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Testament
Underboss
1397 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 7:45 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by thedip
In my opinion WOW is a far better game with a good storyline and expansive world. The main problem for me is that I am a casual gamer, I don't have the time it takes to find a group, travel to a dungon and then spend hours trying to complete it.
At about 1800 my son starts playing and is still in the same dungeon/instance at 2300. I don't have that kind of time to waste but if you want the best items you have to.
Just gotta ask one thing here: is he raiding? I do most instances in 2-3 hours, as do most people I know. Even the massive ones, like Scarlet Monastery (all 4 wings) and the Wailing Caverns don't take 5 hours. | |
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"Sorry! I was tryin' to open these beans!"
My Have/Want List, (Updated July 6 2004, will be updated soon)
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dulsin
Sneak
171 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 8:46 AM |
| Last Gencon I spent som time talking to a rep for DDO. I complained at the failur to include Monks, Druids, Half-Elves, Gnomes, Item creation, and Prestigue classes. He said that it wasn't possible to put in everything at once and wouldn't you rather have the game now than a year from now? No. I would rather have a complete game with all the player races, classes, item creation feats and at least 2 prestigue classes for each core class. He said that maybe this game isn't for me.
If they ever finish the game I will come play. Until then I have WoW, EQ2, and plastic crack to blow my cash on. | |
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Ack
Underboss
1476 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 9:58 AM |
| Im not playing (yet) but my reason to (consider) play a mostly complete, limiting and in some ways "broken" game is that Im not bored of it yet.
Im bored of WoW. Ive seen all their content. Im bored of Dark Age. And Star Wars. And EQ. And UO. Maybe I will try out EQ2. Maybe it will be DDO. Perhaps one of the myriad of others thats coming down the road. But not today. Today, Im fully confident that paying 50 bucks for a month of obsessive gaming isnt good for me or my marriage right now. The monthly fees are fine by me. | |
Minis... Serious Business
Completed Trades (18 ) | Pending Trades (0)
Ebay seller to Avoid –Fantasy_Quest_Dist
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bw
Warrior
249 Posts
Baton Rouge, LA
| | 03/13/2006 10:44 AM |
| | I’ve been playing for over a week now. I like the game although it’s not as ‘pretty’ as wow. Colors are subdued and not as visual as wow. But it plays a lot different. You are more interactive with the character and not just working the screen pressing a lot of buttons. The monsters actually move around and you have to chase them and swing at the right time etc.. not just a MUD with graphics. It sticks pretty close to the 3.5e rules and still makes it fun enough for not Pen/paper guys. The VOIP is nice and me and some buddies who use to play DND in the 80’s are all finally playing again. (They live all over the states). As far as non inclusion of some races/classes, I guess they will work them in over time. | |
DDM Singles/Cases FS at: www.battleworks.net
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dulsin
Sneak
171 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 11:23 AM |
| | I always get nervus when online games add twitch game features like reacting to mobs swings, ducking, and moving for possition. I have seen lag destroy the simple combat that EQ and WoW is based on. The idea of split second reactions making or breaking my online combat makes me cringe. | |
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ManoVega
Sneak
108 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 12:08 PM |
| I find it hilarious that someone would complain about paying $15 a month for a game on a message board dedicated to a collectible game where each booster costs $13. It's really not a big deal if you are enjoying yourself. If you hate the game that's a different story, but then again you get the first month free.
Personally, I'm having a blast with the game. Since I moved from my home town to follow my work I haven't had much D&D time. Now I meet weekly with my friends back home and we bust through as many quests as we can. We joke, taunt & dance on teammates dead bodies before reviving them... just like old times. I agree that the game has no real solo element, but neither does D&D (not even skirmish). The point is to build a group of friends and meet regularly to play. It's close enough to D&D that I get my fix, in fact it has the same effect on me that Skirmish (Vassal) does. Neither are D&D PnP, but they are welcome diversions when you can't get a good sit-down game going.
Also, it really is cool to see alot of the classic D&D things happening in front of you. Traps blowing up in peoples faces, thieves discovering traps, monsters charging while their shamans drop back to pester you, puzzles. One thing I will say, so far I have a ton of tiny trinket items, but no real solid magic items. I think they skimped out on the cool magic items, probably because the world aspect allows people to trade, and sell at will. Still, I would have liked to have gotten some cooler items... maybe in the higher levels. | |
Mano Vega | |
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Thailfi
Sergeant
956 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 12:29 PM |
| quote:
The point is to build a group of friends and meet regularly to play.
My D&D group gets together regularly to play WoW. We have a lot of fun with that. We also each play solo as time allows. I enjoy the massive world, I enjoy the environment that lets me do something fun whether I am spending 5 minutes or 5 hours online. I have been playing for just shy of a year and I am nowhere near bored with this game.
DDO sounds like nothing but continous raiding. You may enjoy your time, but I find that very limiting. I wouldn't give DDO a chance if they paid me $15 a month. | |
Thailfi's Have/Want List
Thailfi's References | |
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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 12:47 PM |
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DDO just isn't some people's cup of tea...no surprise there.
I'm glad some people are speaking up for the game as the team aspect is just fantastic.
I was invited to a party that was in the middle of a dungeon. They were getting spanked and needed more muscle. We struggled on though a little over our heads.
We came to a point where they had been slaughtered before. We all gathered near a locked door while a rouge flipped a switch to open the door...then we started running and running. I don't know what nasty thing we were running from but apperently it was better to run and live, than fight and die. It was nice that the option was there.
Eventually we finished the quest and killed the Boss and there was a great sense of accomplishment and comraderie. You could feel the high-fives and backslaps.
I"m biased because I've been playing online team games for the last five years and I'm into the team aspect of gaming.
Look for me online...Ghallandra (sp?) server, Vladig Draqool lvl 3 Barbarian2/Fighter-1. I'm usually on between 6pm and 11pm.
~Foo Fighter~ | |
A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2313 Posts
Toronto
| | 03/13/2006 1:38 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Thailfi
My D&D group gets together regularly to play WoW. We have a lot of fun with that. We also each play solo as time allows. I enjoy the massive world, I enjoy the environment that lets me do something fun whether I am spending 5 minutes or 5 hours online. I have been playing for just shy of a year and I am nowhere near bored with this game.
DDO sounds like nothing but continous raiding. You may enjoy your time, but I find that very limiting. I wouldn't give DDO a chance if they paid me $15 a month.
That's fine, in fact there has been huge amount of debate comparing the two. Problem it they aren't similiar games, they're both MMORPG but that's all they share, DDO is innovative they're trying new things and for me it's just what I want.
Gandor Tarandish 7th Wizard on Lyrandar (euro servers). | |
"I was sittin' here eatin' my muffin, drinkin' my coffee, replayin' the incident in my head, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity." - Jules Winnfield
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Champion of Gem Dragons, VINDICATED Squire of Duergar Commander, Knight of the Astral Stalker.
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Draxle
Sneak
127 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:06 PM |
| *My Thoughts on DDO*
Well, DDO (Dungeons & Dragons Online) I have been playing DDO since one of the early rounds of beta. I had a level 10 cleric in beta, and my cleric is now level 9 Rank 1 in public release so I think I have seen most of what the game offers as of today.
The best way to describe DDO is not to compare it to EQ, EQ2, WoW, DAoC, etc. Thats not a good comparison. The best game to compare DDO with is Diablo2. It's a ramped up version of Diablo2 with larger multi-player.
It's not a traditional MMORPG, it's to small and confined for that. The first letter in MMORPG is false. DDO is not massive. It's actually fairly small in size as some posters have stated before. Is it smaller then 1 city in WoW like one poster said? No. The city is fairly complex for one city with many "zones" which you have to enter. The city is not seamless. You start in a "newbie" area where you do some tutorial type quests, then you jump on a ship (really you speak to a guy and you load into the docks portion of the main city.) But in story line you take the ship to the main city. In the Docks you are given a couple of short quests in the first tavern to help out the barkeep which are pretty well written for those people that actually slow down enough to read the quest text. Then you move on to three quests out side the tavern but still in the dock area. Once you have completed at least one of these you are able to now get past the guard which will allow you to enter the "Harbor". You can think of this as phase two of the noobie area. You can easily stay in the harbor and make it to level 4 with out to much of an issue and that’s without repeating any quests/dungeons.
In the Harbor you will get your first taste of grouping. People will group even at level 1 which is very odd for an MMO, most MMO's you didn't even worry about grouping even if you wanted to till level 6 or later depending on the game. In DDO you level a little differently. If you wanted to think of it this way there are actually 50 levels to DDO right now. They move away from traditional D&D with Ranks which divide up a normal D&D level. You start at level 1, Rank 0. When you finish the 5th rank in a level you move up to the next full level. Level 1, Rank1,2,3,4 then Level 2. Rinse and repeat till level 10. (for now). You don't get feats, hps, etc at each rank but you get a neat feature(not part of 3.5 D&D) called enhancements. Think of them as mini-feats. Some are powerful, some are just useful and some can be a waste.
Once you have completed two parts of a four part quest called Waterworks you can speak to the harbor master and gain entrance into the marketplace where the bulk of your life will be spent from now on. You can go back to the harbor if you need to, but there is little to no reason. In the Marketplace you will see people of all levels, it's even possible to make it into the marketplace and still be level 1. Most of the time a non-twinked or rushed characters will be level 3 or 4 by the time they make it to the Marketplace. This is a good thing since most of the quests are made for level 3+ but not all. Also just because a quest is level 5 doesn’t mean you have to be level 5 to complete the quest. Quite the opposite actually, you can go in with a much lower group and challenge yourself if you want too. You can also set the quests on Normal, Hard or Elite. You may not set a quest to a higher level until you have completed it on the level setting below. To do a quest on hard, you must complete it successfully on normal, and then on hard to run elite.
Once inside of the Marketplace you will also have access to "houses" with in the city. I would equate them to "noble" houses but with an entire section of the city dedicated to them. When you "zone" into a house like "Jorasco" you do not log into a manor, or estate you really log into another section of the city run by that house. These "house" sections have taverns, shops, npcs, collectors (will get to them later) and many quests usually associated with that house. The story lines will be based if not entirely on that house at least with strong ties to that house. Again if you are into story lines etc some of this is excellent reading.
*Collectors* these are static NPCs that collect any number of items. Each collector has a set of three items they are seeking. There are three tiers, the common tier they require you to turn them in sets of three. The middle or uncommon tier they require you to turn them in sets of two for your reward and finally the rare or third tier only requires one for the reward. Each collector has a theme, and rewards you with objects that go with that theme. You can get something as simple as 20 masterwork arrows to 20 +1 Arrows of lesser giant bane to a +1 Battle Axe of lesser giant bane all from the same collector. Some collectors give you potions, some armor and some weapons. They are all at least a little bit different. They are also spread out all over the game. (none are in dungeons/quests at this point, although I have found come collectables that we have yet to find the collector for.. Ruddy Fungus...) Like the Fungus, some of the collectables are paper (diary pages), lodestones, glitterdust, cryptmoss, planar tailsman's and many many more. They come out off of monsters you kill or special "glowing" objects within dungeons.
There are currently many bugs with in DDO which is common to any online game that is new, some continue to have these bugs for the life of the game. Turbine seems to be trying to step on these fairly quickly for any game developer and they are not shy at shutting down parts of the game they see people taking advantage of. Currently two of the better quest zones are down until Tuesday for a patch fixing some issues people were exploiting. I hope this is a good sign.
Making a group is pretty easy, you can use the LFG function or you can go kind of the other direction and create a group looking for people in a slightly different menu. You can say I want a min level of X and I'm looking for these classes. People can see this then send you a tell saying they are looking for a group. Also you are able to put a small text message near your LFG tag in the same window. As a cleric of 9th level I will sometimes put which quest areas I'm interested in doing and then ask people to please send me a tell before inviting me. I don't care for blind invites, as I then have to investigate the current party and see if they are close enough in levels and that I want to do what they want to do. If I don't, then I have to leave the group wasting my time and theirs. (What really drove me to start this is level 1-3 people always blind inviting me and then begging me to "power level" them, which you really can't do to well in DDO.
Building a guild is probably easier in DDO then any other MMO I've played in. You just have one person start it, name it and invite I believe 5 or 10 people and it's done. I haven't created one yet, so I'm not a 100% sure on the numbers but I know its easy. Guild functions aren't up 100% yet as they promised guild chat, not working, guild online status for people, not working 100% etc.. But they are minor bugs as far as game breaking stuff. I'm currently in a guild of approx. 45 people. So far guilds are usually of two make ups. One, they are just a small guild of PnP D&D type friends or two they are just a large collection of people that were invited so that they have a common area to look for people to group with and have some other common bond. That of course isn't every guild in the game but it's what I see the most.
Raiding.... D&D and raiding... Seems foreign to me. At least in the way we see raiding from EQ,EQ2,DAoC and now WoW. These are just going to be quests, or quest lines (a quest made up of more then one step.) that will require two groups to complete instead of the normal group of 6. Well, DDO has already found they are having problems with "tuning" the difficultly of these raid zones. Currently the main raid zone that was available at launch (tempest spine) was shut down because groups of 6-8 people were doing the quest and there was a fairly large exploit which allowed people to finish it will out killing the main boss and doing it in 15-20 mins if you have a top notch group. You would still get the exp, and the loot at the end. I think raiding is going to just be like another other questing in DDO, just more intense and time consuming. It's not going to have the feel of raiding in the other games, but we shall see.
It's a good game, I like what they have to offer so far. It's pretty lite on content. You can't just run out into the Ebberon country side and slay wandering kobolds, you must be in a quest/instance to do this. But there are whole quest lines that are outside in the country side. The thing that I believe the game is missing is "randomness". Everything is so neat and tidy. It's like playing Diablo, in that all the maps are always the same. You will find the "named" bosses in the same places in the same areas. If you run a quest a 100 times you will always find the same number of x-creatures in the same places no matter what. Even if you run it on Hard or Elite, the same mobs are there they just jump up the CR (Creature Rating for non D&D people). You can't take that run across the country side and fight what ever randomly runs across your path. You can't go into a dungeon and find monsters in different locations etc.. Traps are VERY COOL in DDO but they are ALWAYS in the same place with the SAME trigger. If DDO was to some how implement randomization into there quests/dungeons that would add so much more to their game. As it is, even at a very casual pace people will out grow the content to fast. Example, my 10 year old son ONLY gets to play on the weekends for limited time and is already a level 5 rank 1 ranger. He also isn't a min-max'er rushing through dungeons either.
In the end Content will be king just like it is with all MMOs.. Look at WOW.. they really aren't releasing content fast enough either. With DDO it will be all that much more noticeable because you are locked down with less room to explore etc. No crafting, no player housing, etc. These items maybe added in the future but Turbine will have less time to do this as their content isn't as repeatable as some of MMOs IMHO. I feel that DDO is a very nice side game that will last me until a more robust game like Vanguard comes out. I might even keep the subscription going to play with friends and my son. To those people that complain about paying 14.99 a month I think that’s a joke. As other people have said 14.99 is nothing. You can't do much for that, 1 movie etc.. which lasts 2 hours, where as you can play a 100 hours a month for that 14.99 that’s a pretty good deal. Over all I would give DDO a 5 out of 10 if you compared it to EQ/EQ2/WoW style games. But if you were to just take it as a new form of Online Fantasy game I'd give it a strong 7.5 out of 10 and I would even give it a 8-9 if they stick to their promise to add lots of content and soon.
Draxle
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Have/Want List:
http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=Draxle
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Foo Fighter
Warrior
188 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:22 PM |
| Nice review Draxle.
For those comparing WOW to DDO see this thread...
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11482
~Foo Fighter~ | |
A Repo man is ALWAYS intense. | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:40 PM |
| I'm having more fun playing DDO than I have had in an MMO in a very long time.
Comparing it to WoW is pretty pointless, they have very little in common, other than being online games in the fantasy genre.
DDO is getting my money right now and WoW is not, because at least so far, DDO is 100% Real Content. No faction grinding, no item farming, no craft grind, no 53 runs through Molten Core, no honor grind - just grab a couple people, and do some dungeons. I'm enjoying it a lot.
No, you can't realy solo super effectively. I used to think that would be a big problem. It turns out grouping is so much fun that I don't care.
The prediction that DDO would die a quick death is going to be wrong. This is undoubtedly a niche game compared to WoW, but you can't use WoW as the benchmark for MMO success. It is the only game in its category. Most MMOs operate in the 50k to 400k subscriber range, and from the looks of it right now, DDO will be healthy.
Now this is not to say that I won't be playing WoW again when the expansion hits, because there are a lot of things they've done right (obviously.)
I just don't include the current level 60 content as one of the 'right' choices. They've almost got it, too. If they would just implement stat caps so pvp content was actually balanced (see DAOC), they'd still have me. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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devasque
Sergeant
874 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:40 PM |
| | Thanks Draxle, that's probably one of the better and honest write ups I've read through. My only reserve in taking the leap is I still can only muster a dailup connection as we're a bit out of town and the local phone co. blows (DSL this year maybe). Anyone else play it over dialup that could give me a hint as to performace? Or just too choppy and not worth it? | |
You see! There ARE others out there just like me. What? Why are laughing? | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:42 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by devasque
Thanks Draxle, that's probably one of the better and honest write ups I've read through. My only reserve in taking the leap is I still can only muster a dailup connection as we're a bit out of town and the local phone co. blows (DSL this year maybe). Anyone else play it over dialup that could give me a hint as to performace? Or just too choppy and not worth it?
The patch tomorrow is supposed to contain some performance enhancements for dialup users. Not on dialup myself so I don't know how it performs otherwise. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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Draxle
Sneak
127 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 2:48 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by devasque
Thanks Draxle, that's probably one of the better and honest write ups I've read through. My only reserve in taking the leap is I still can only muster a dailup connection as we're a bit out of town and the local phone co. blows (DSL this year maybe). Anyone else play it over dialup that could give me a hint as to performace? Or just too choppy and not worth it?
First thanks.. I didn't intend for it to be that long.. But I tried to go over most of the game basics. As for dial up I haven't been on dial up for years but I have heard bad news for those who use dial up. But I would suggest you taking a look at this thread and waiting to see what happens after the Tuesday patch.
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8652
Draxle | |
Have/Want List:
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frogrodeo
Sergeant
706 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 7:07 PM |
| I was really looking forward to DDO, but I have decided to not even start on it. I think it would be fun, but I know I would want to spend tons of time playing it - like I did when I played Star Wars Galaxies. I would be more interested if it was easier to solo, and only group when I wanted to or had time to, because having three small kids at home (not to mention the wife:) it is a bit difficult to get time to play non-stop without interruption. Having to always have a group with you to get things done would just be too much. It sounds really cool, but not for me.
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Champion of Remorhaz, and the Mighty Goblin Frog Riders | |
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Reflex1
Warrior
322 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 7:55 PM |
| I have to reiterate that Stormreach truly is smaller than one city in WoW. Stormwind also has several zones, but they are far more expansive, varied, and full of content. Stormreach is not only physically smaller, but is empty to boot. Often the more spacious areas (like some of the house grounds) prove to be utterly pointless, since there's nothing of any interest in them. Stormreach has NPCs that wander in daily routes, talking to one another, teaching lesson plans, selling pets, and even responding to emotes from players. You can enter the buildings, and the various quarters do an excellent job of presenting distinct flavors, lending a level of immersiveness that DDO can't hope to match. That beautiful attention to detail helps facilitate the roleplaying that flourishes on some WoW servers, and while MMORPG roleplaying isn't really my cup of tea, I could certainly understand it and I thought the game better for it. That niche existed for those that wished to explore it. Similarly, PvPers found a home there, PvE'ers, raiders, and even lone wolves like me (who enjoy soloing in a MMOPRG world- I like the presence of others, and occasionally forming brief allegiances of convenience, but my odd play times and often abrupt departures preclude any committed group play).
Stormreach is a brittle facade. It's a Battlenet chat room. And that's all there is to the non-instanced world (although technically even it is instanced). RP is non-existent because it can't flourish in such barren environs. For the most part, gameplay consists of waiting 15+ minutes to find a group (and that's for someone in a capped guild of goons!), then generally rushing through an instance everyone already knows exactly what to expect from. Everyone stops dutifully where the rogue has to disarm a specific set of traps, everyone takes the exact paths to the keys, and everyone knows when the wraiths are trapped behind a door instead of spawning as they should.
Combat isn't 'split-second' skill-based. It largely consists of mashing the right mouse button. Sure, shield-based fighters can occasionally block and facilitate some wolf-pack tactics, but this is nothing revolutionary. DDO is more a game of resource management than combat skill. Players have a set numbers of rest points, so the skill comes in utilizing them effectively to ensure the party doesn't deplete itself foolishly.
And yet, I keep playing it. I dislike it, but the vestiges of Dungeons and... well, Sewers is there (no dragons yet). The illusion is sufficiently compelling, the mirage whets my thirst enough that I keep occasionally playing, hoping that somehow I'll find some facet I missed. As of yet, I haven't. Even compared to Diablo 2 (or more properly, Guild Wars), it comes up short. There's just no depth. Sit in a silent tavern with a few players running around swinging idly or /lfh-ing, find a group (eventually), run Delera's again, then repeat the whole process. Turn in what you can from your inventory full of cruddy collectibles, pawn or stash goodies for alts, then go back in again.
I always go in intending to try to be even-handed about it, but somehow when I start to post, it never comes out that way. I really wanted something I felt evoked D&D. This ain't it. BG2 and Torment are still far far better for the doss, sadly.
And I'm not sure about the healthy numbers either, but we'll see. Some games fare quite well with a niche audience (Eve Online, etc), but those games generally have much more to them than this one. In spite of my clear bitterness, I really do want the game to do well enough that it has a chance to fulfill some greater potential, because in spite of the glaring flaws, I think there COULD be something to the developer's ideas, narrow though they are in scope. But I'm a pessimist, and I really wonder how the public at large is truly going to react to this game when so much more robust fare is readily available. | |
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Reflex1
Warrior
322 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 8:22 PM |
| Oh, and in regards to people being weary of Molten Core in WoW- Remember, that's not exactly week 2 content. By the time players are jaded of being level 60s making MC runs, they've been at it for quite some time and experienced a large amount of content along the way. And raiding MC isn't all there is, even at that level. DDO had players at max level before the headstart for pre-orders even ended, and there was actually nothing at ALL for those players to do. No crafting, no auction hall financial schemes, no PvP- Nothing. There's not even the potential for emergent gameplay or clever bits of trouble-making like auction-hall bombs or Daddar's well-edited Banker-killings. You burn the same instances, hit the cap in very short order, and have absolutely nothing else to do but do it again.
For people like me that can only play ~6 hours total a week, it might last me 2 months total, assuming my ennui doesn't get the better of me. For 'serious' players, I'll be surprised if they last a month. I know a significant chunk who didn't even stick with it past the headstart.
WoW had VASTLY more content from the get-go. If they can't add it fast enough to keep up with the playerbase, honestly, how well will Turbine manage it? So far, they've actually been TAKING AWAY existing content.
I have grave difficulty envisioning this game enjoying any kind of sustained playerbase above 25K. I'm thinking in 3 months, it'll be lucky to have 15K. | |
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Zyla
Underboss
1197 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 8:28 PM |
| | Its in the Eberron setting, Dragons are not real common in that setting, so may not see any for a good long time. | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 8:29 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Reflex1
Oh, and in regards to people being weary of Molten Core in WoW- Remember, that's not exactly week 2 content. By the time players are jaded of being level 60s making MC runs, they've been at it for quite some time and experienced a large amount of content along the way. And raiding MC isn't all there is, even at that level. DDO had players at max level before the headstart for pre-orders even ended, and there was actually nothing at ALL for those players to do. No crafting, no auction hall financial schemes, no PvP- Nothing. There's not even the potential for emergent gameplay or clever bits of trouble-making like auction-hall bombs or Daddar's well-edited Banker-killings. You burn the same instances, hit the cap in very short order, and have absolutely nothing else to do but do it again.
For people like me that can only play ~6 hours total a week, it might last me 2 months total, assuming my ennui doesn't get the better of me. For 'serious' players, I'll be surprised if they last a month. I know a significant chunk who didn't even stick with it past the headstart.
WoW had VASTLY more content from the get-go. If they can't add it fast enough to keep up with the playerbase, honestly, how well will Turbine manage it? So far, they've actually been TAKING AWAY existing content.
I have grave difficulty envisioning this game enjoying any kind of sustained playerbase above 25K. I'm thinking in 3 months, it'll be lucky to have 15K.
Well, word is the cap is going up to 12 fairly soon, so we should see some of what they have in store for a plan. Remember, we don't really know what the 'endgame' plan is for DDO yet. We've seen Blizzard's, and for now I'm going to stick with the guys designing 6 person content rather than the guys trying to convince me that raids that only take 20 people 3 hours constitutes 'casual player content.'
And if I run out of stuff to do, I'll stop playing knowing that I had fun with what there was and that nobody tried to string me along with faction grinds. (Assuming of course Turbine doesn't add something like that in later.) | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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Reflex1
Warrior
322 Posts
| | 03/13/2006 8:36 PM |
| | How about Dragonmarks? Dragonshards? The whole 'swashbuckling' pulp flavor of Eberron? That's all in absentia (for players at least) as well. With endless sewer exploration (and yes, some outdoor areas with invisible walls), it doesn't feel much like Eberron either. No shifters, kalashtar, changelings, inspired, artificers... The list goes on. Really, there's not much flavor other than the presence of the houses (as quest-givers only), warforged, a few static city design choices, and an evil storm giant. There's no real exploration. There's no fight above a speeding train, or battling in a plummeting airship, or exploring the dense jungles of the very continent the players are ostensibly based in. WoW is more like the Eberron setting in many respects. | |
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