Dungeons and Dragons Online

[Spider]

Funny, I thought this was a thread about D&D online. I guess I was wrong...

 

So no one here has tried it yet? This is the first MMORPG I even have any interest in trying, so it would be nice to hear if someone has any actual experience with it. The beta has been going on for a while now, even if it hasn't been released officially (although the servers have gone live).

 

There are two things about this game that make it stand out from normal MMORPGS in my eyes. And no, one of them is not that it's D&D.

 

1: Only ten levels. I don't know exactly how this is going to work since mmorpgs players in general are levelling addicts and I have read that they are splitting each level up in four "sublevels" (my word). But it's still intriguing.

 

2: (Mor importantly) Quest XP only. You can level up to max level without being forced to build a combat character. The game is about solving quests and if you can do so without fighting, then more power to you. I do expect that there will be a lot of combat, but it still creates more variety in the characters. Again, I don't know if it works, but it's a cool idea (and somethng I'd love to see all cRPGs embracing).

 

Also, being able to create a character with D&D 3.5 multiclassing rules in full effect makes for lots of varied characters.

[SamuraiGaijin]

I, too, am extremely interested in hearing any feedback from people who have played this (maybe in comparison to other MMORPG's).

 

I don't have the time to get involved with it yet, and really don't plan to, but if things turn out to be "holy crap ... this thing is great" ... maybe I'll look into it.

 

I've been a PnP role-player for decades (since the old Basic, Expert, etc. D&D box sets and 1st edition AD&D - and have kept up with most of the various iterations of the game since - I have the core rule books for nearly every version except 3.5) and might be interested in gathering up the old scattered friends online to run a few quests together, if the game experience is right.

 

In an article I read (PC Gamer, I think) it sounded like the level cap will eventually be raised to 20, but the "sub-levels" were added to the game to satisfy the "instant gratification" crowd.

 

I think it definitely has potential - the licensed D&D worlds are huge - nearly infinite - the possibilities for this to become the next "Everquest" or "World of Warcraft" are there - with the right game mechanic, expansions, marketing, price scale, and continued support.

[Haitoku]

I've played the beta and I must say, this game is really dissapointing.

 

As a MMORPG, it's just not on par with anything else that's doing well at the moment.

 

The fact that everything is instanced knocks this game into the Guild Wars category (what ever they are calling that game anyways).

 

Also, no crafting system... No possibility of a complex in-game economy (again, instanced zones cause this problem), absolutely nothing to do besides "adventure." This game gets boring quiet fast.

 

Though I couldn't care less about it being D&D, from what I understand... This game doesn't feel/play like D&D.

[Hurlshort]

I played the beta as well, and I agree with Haitoku. It's not on par with other MMORPG's. It can be compared to Diablo II or NWN since it's all instanced, but the real rub for me was the combat. It was way too fast. It felt like a clickfest, but I had no clue how effective my clicking really was. It has all the neat D&D skills, but the combat is so quick it's hard to make use of them. I suppose if you are more of a twitch gamer, it may be a better game.

[metadigital]

If the ten level cap means that lower level characters aren't just tumbleweeds in the Wild West Frontier town of D&D, then I'm all for it.

 

One of the problems with CRPGs is there is so little ways to role-play, except through the pugilistic profession.

 

Untie that gordian knot and there is a silken rope to lasso a fortune with ... or something.

[Kalfear]

I have guildmates that are playing D&D Online.

 

So far they like it but say the real test will be if Turbine can keep it interesting.

 

that all comes down to content and content is 100% in Turbines court so time will answer that question.

 

Was interesting to read on guild boards that many many players are infact gathering in taverns in game to find groups to adventure with and the taverns have actually taken on a very tavern like feel to them (something other MMORPGs failed outright to acheive in the past).

 

Anyways, as I personally dont play it that about the most I can tell you, your more then welcome to follow link in my signature and post questions on guilds public forums for those members that are playing or if you are playing and looking for people to adventure with ingame.

[Dark_Raven]

I would prefer to play NWN and the soon to be released NWN2 online. From what I have seen of D&D Online, it does not really interest me.

[Haitoku]

It really compromises both it's MMORPG and D&D aspects... In the end, it just achives some sort of really mediocre middle ground...

[Llyranor]

REAL COMBAT.

 

REAL DANGER.

 

REAL D&D.

 

Edit: fixed.

 

REAL COMBAT.

REAL DANGER.

REAL D&D.

 

Hahahaha, I love those ads.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Llyranor

[metadigital]

Has anyone played this yet?

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Was interesting to read on guild boards that many many players are infact gathering in taverns in game to find groups to adventure with and the taverns have actually taken on a very tavern like feel to them (something other MMORPGs failed outright to acheive in the past).

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Meridian used to be like that .People would hang out in Familiars practicing spells so it became like a one stop shop for mends and the like. Of course it may have also had something to do with it being the only safe place in the city as well.

 

Nice to hear though, since taverns were practically empty when I was playing EQ except for people standing by the barrels brewing.

[CoM_Solaufein]

I'm cheap, I will not pay additional money to play it online. I'll stick with Guild Wars.

[Hurlshort]

I'm cheap, I will not pay additional money to play it online. I'll stick with Guild Wars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yay for repetition

[Haitoku]

I'm cheap, I will not pay additional money to play it online. I'll stick with Guild Wars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yay for repetition

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Guild Wars is still a much better game I would say.

 

The competitive aspects and additional expansions (which are being sold as stand-alone-games) will keep it fresh for quiet awhile.

[Hurlshort]

Guild Wars is still a much better game I would say.

 

The competitive aspects and additional expansions (which are being sold as stand-alone-games) will keep it fresh for quiet awhile.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree with that. I was more poking fun at the fact that every time a MMORPG is mentioned on the board, the same cast of people march into the thread and post an obligatory whine about monthly fees.

 

I mentioned in another thread that Turbine is cheating by doing all instanced dungeons. They are basically providing a large graphic chat room and keeping the actual server strain down with small instances. They offer nothing more than Guild Wars, but they want a monthly fee. The only way that this could be warranted in my eyes is if they release an absolute ton of new content every month (more than GW) or if they have extremely active DM's who go around spicing up the game for players.

[metadigital]

That's not a bad idea for a company to gain a marketing edge: active DMs.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

That's not a bad idea for a company to gain a marketing edge: active DMs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not exactly a new idea.

 

Meridian had active DM's which came in three flavours.

 

Because a Meridian server was quite small, 150-180 on average. It meant the DM's were far more noticable than they would be on a server of 1000-2000.

 

Your DM wages bill would be pretty big if you wanted the same sort of coverage as Meridian had.

[metadigital]

I guess the only way forward is distributed model, like that of NwN.

[Gabrielle]

Guild Wars and soon to be NWN2 are the only new games worth playing online. Worth = free.

[Hurlshort]

Guild Wars and soon to be NWN2 are the only new games worth playing online. Worth = free.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wait a sec Gabrielle, are you saying you don't like the idea of a monthly fee? That's shocking! Why not?

[Llyranor]

Because money is the only thing that dictates the quality of a game.

[Haitoku]

Guild Wars and soon to be NWN2 are the only new games worth playing online. Worth = free.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wait a sec Gabrielle, are you saying you don't like the idea of a monthly fee? That's shocking! Why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why not? It's not like servers, client updates, content updates cost money for the developers right?

 

... anways, atleast MasterRevan put that he was cheap, unlike Gab who thinks she is always right.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Haitoku

[metadigital]

Careful, Gabs might actually write a comment, rather than a "witticism"!

[Haitoku]

Careful, Gabs might actually write a comment, rather than a "witticism"!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Nah, that's not her thing.

[Llyranor]

Heh. If MMORPGs were actually good enough (or maybe just actually good, period) to warrant a monthly fee, I'd gladly pay them. Otherwise, their marginal utility relative to their cost is pretty meh.