DDO ....wow i didn't think turbine could do it

[killahsin]

I totally didn't think turbine could make DDO feel like real D&D. Man after playing that 3 day stress test they totally succeeded. It felt exactly like playing PnP D&D when i was a kid. The crazy amount of dungeons and the hand designed stroyline quests that push you forward were geat. Taking you on abby steps through the D&D world. The traps....the secrets in each dungeon. The way as you level you get more spells and are allowed a set number per level to use in a dungeon. While being able to open higher level ones and still use the lower level ones therefore increasing the total number of spells you have to use ina dungeon. Was really sweet stuff. I am totally picking this one up. It's the first time i felt like i wasn't grinding in a mmo.

[pkirby11]

Ohh I totally agree. I started late Friday night, and at first I was like this is fun but I'm not totally sold yet. Then come 6 AM Saturday morning, I was hooked. It reminded me so much of the good old days of playing D&D with friends late at night. I had so much, I was really surprised how well Turbine pulled the D&D fealing together. Not to mention the whole looking for group system is amazing. I even met 5 people and we all have our AIM names, and are planning to form a guild come launch!:D Definetly a must have if your an MMORPG fan, a D&D lover, or both.

[superklye]

I think the MMO D&D aspect is really cool (D&D based games are still my all-time favorites for PC games), but I really just want to have a good, long single-player game again...like BG2, but with the 3.5 rules and killer graphics.

I'm hoping NWN2 can pull it off...


But on a related note, I'm glad to hear they were able to do the D&D thing well in the MMO setting. I read up about it a month or two ago in PCGamer and it sounded awesome. I just can't justify the monthly fees for MMOs because I usually don't have a lot of time to play because of work and school.

[pkirby11]

I think the MMO D&D aspect is really cool (D&D based games are still my all-time favorites for PC games), but I really just want to have a good, long single-player game again...like BG2, but with the 3.5 rules and killer graphics.

I'm hoping NWN2 can pull it off...


But on a related note, I'm glad to hear they were able to do the D&D thing well in the MMO setting. I read up about it a month or two ago in PCGamer and it sounded awesome. I just can't justify the monthly fees for MMOs because I usually don't have a lot of time to play because of work and school.

Yeah I hear you on the time thing for the Monthly fee. It's hard to plop down money each month, and not feel like you have the time to play.

[slick]

but I really just want to have a good, long single-player game again... and killer graphics.

Aka Oblivion. :D

[|MaguS|]

I don't agree. I think DDO doesn't feel like D&D at all. Sure it has some feel but many key skills and features are just missing. Theres no attack of oppertunities in the game aswell as no flanking both with play a HUGE part in combat. The game also lacks any type of movement control ingeneral, they try to force the player to not move by giving him a -4 to hit if moving during combat but that doesn't exsist in D&D at all, plus the NPCs are not affected by this rule or any PC rule (they have no limit to cast, movement or attacks (arrow counts)).

I have been testing the game for acouple months (in closed beta) and there have been many complaints about much that has been missing in the game. I kept getting BS excuses about flanking (like it would cause too much stress on the servers even though almost every MMO has some form of flanking and they aren't as instanced).

The game is also very shallow, theres no aligenments or dieties coming into play so theres only a single way to play the game.

But after saying all that I can't deny its not fun. I have been having a blast but no matter how much fun I had I cant say it feels like D&D, not one bit. I do love how the dungeons allow for more interaction like traps (though very flawed) and sneaking (flawed aswell) but combat just feels very bad and not at all like D&D.

I do have alot of D&D experiance, I play every week with my roommate and friends, I have been playing for about 7 or so years and my roommate has been playing for about 20+ years (he's older then me).

[killahsin]

and you don't think it feels like d&d at all? More so then every other rpg that has stolen all their ideas from D&D since the late 70s? lol. Because to me it feels more d&dish then even nwn did.

[|MaguS|]

Since it lacks more rules and adds more none D&D rules then NWN then I don't see how it could feel more like D&D. While every MMO has borrowed something from D&D, this game that is suppose to be D&D does not have the nessecary rules and combat feel that D&D has at all.

I mean a -4 to hit if you move? No AOO if you run by an enemy, get sneaked on, do a special action or use a ranged weapon in melee range. No flanking? That is a HUGE feature that Rogues and ALL groups use in PnP.

Heck the game only has 10 levels AND no prestige classes... even NWN had prestige classes. Oh and you can only rest once in a dungeon, no random encounters if resting and your HP is healed way too much when resting (its 1HP per level).

Im guessing you don't actually play the PnP game since you can't see that.

[killahsin]

Haha I played PnP for almost 20 years. The point isn't it beign exactly d&d. But it feelings LIKE d&d. NwN did not feel like d&d. It felt like Diablo/dungeon siege with some of the rules of forgotten realms. But never actually felt like i imagined D&D would feel like. As was said for like over a year and a half. That certain things had to be removed and certain things had to be added. I am talking about the general feel of the game when dungeon crawling.

As for the only 10 levels. I have heard this is temporary, and at the same time. i tend to wonder about spells 10th and above. For instance Mavins worldweave, how exactly would one impliment that at level 11? I think they ahve to take baby steps and things do need to be changed, to fit the mmo role. As for dieties well...if the game had both things you want, those would be killable by players would they not? empire of magic somewhat showed that. i mean what your discussing here is somewhat the same sort of stuff thats been talked about in d&d forums for eyars now, heh.

[|MaguS|]

Well, I don't think it feels like it at all. I wanted some combat that would require some form of tactics, not just every party member running around hacking and slashing. Heck casters were complaining about not being able to do anything with spells since melee and ranged casters would finish the mob off way before a spell was cast... VERY unD&D like.

It seems that you only care about the atmosphere but not the actual gameplay... if thats the case then have fun but if I go out and buy a game that claims to recreate the D&D feel... I want the entire package... not just the look and "feel", I want the combat to make me think and the dungeons to make me feel the danger (which they do thanks to unbalanced traps).

[killahsin]

Hm i was a mage. I didn't have problems hitting things in groups? I'll admit i only got to 4.2, but still. Hitting mobs wasnt an issue. I usually was the guy killing 3/4 the mobs in my groups. Most of the groups i played in consisted of the rogue scouting and checking for doors. Archers in the back combo pulling w/ the tank and mages doing the nuking. Hell I foudn in quite a few dungeons where a str door was located to get in a secret section you could bypass this section with a little wit by finding the section of the gates that you could jump. Much like invisibility and completing lower level missions solo that i could not fight my way through.

[superklye]

Aka Oblivion. :D
Meh...Morrowind was okay, but I don't care much for the First Person aspect. I like the third person isometric style of the BG games and NWN bettter for RPGs.

[pkirby11]

I don't agree. I think DDO doesn't feel like D&D at all. Sure it has some feel but many key skills and features are just missing. Theres no attack of oppertunities in the game aswell as no flanking both with play a HUGE part in combat. The game also lacks any type of movement control ingeneral, they try to force the player to not move by giving him a -4 to hit if moving during combat but that doesn't exsist in D&D at all, plus the NPCs are not affected by this rule or any PC rule (they have no limit to cast, movement or attacks (arrow counts)).

I have been testing the game for acouple months (in closed beta) and there have been many complaints about much that has been missing in the game. I kept getting BS excuses about flanking (like it would cause too much stress on the servers even though almost every MMO has some form of flanking and they aren't as instanced).

The game is also very shallow, theres no aligenments or dieties coming into play so theres only a single way to play the game.

But after saying all that I can't deny its not fun. I have been having a blast but no matter how much fun I had I cant say it feels like D&D, not one bit. I do love how the dungeons allow for more interaction like traps (though very flawed) and sneaking (flawed aswell) but combat just feels very bad and not at all like D&D.

I do have alot of D&D experiance, I play every week with my roommate and friends, I have been playing for about 7 or so years and my roommate has been playing for about 20+ years (he's older then me).

I never siad that it followed every single D&D rule to a T, heck I never siad it even followed all the D&D rules. But go find me and MMORPG that ever promised everything right out of the box? Give them time, and I'm sure you'll see more and more rules and skills being implemented. But they only have so much time, and can only offer so much before it just becomes a cluttered piece of crap.

When I meant it follows D&D, I meant that it captured that level of enjoyment I had when playing the PnP with friends. No it's not perfect, but some things just wouldn't make sense. I mean do you want to play an MMORPG were your penalized for possibly moving in combat? You have to remember that while they are probably trying to apease die hard D&D fans, they also have to apeal to non-D&D fans. Or else, fans like me will have nothing because they game won't be supported souly by D&D fans. Especially considering no matter how hard they try capturing the D&D PnP spirit to a T is hard. Single or Multi player games alike.

So no, it's not %100 PnP D&D. But it's gotta be one of the more unique and fun MMO's I've played in a while. And yes, it did help bring back old memories past of sitting around with friends bashing in monsters heads, and then joking about it afterwards in the tavern. :D So yes, it could have some major improvements, and who knowsmaybe they will add some of the missing elements later.

P.S.
Some of the PnP D&D rules make sense when your just rolling die, but would make for a compleley boring time in a game. I mean think about it, you really think any one surrounded by Kobolds would sit and not move? It's part of the reason probably why no ones tried a D&D online game. Because there never gonna make it 100% like the PnP experience. But I will still say Turbine did a damned good job!!

[pingu2]

was in beta for a while, but I stopped playing - very shallow game after the newness of it rubs off - not something I would pay monthly for :(

such a shame - I was really looking forward to a D&D MMO - oh well, back to waiting for another 20 years...

[Tygerwoody]

was in beta for a while, but I stopped playing - very shallow game after the newness of it rubs off
/agree

[killahsin]

yall need to hook me up with your beta keys then lol.

[pkirby11]

yall need to hook me up with your beta keys then lol.

/agree

[killahsin]

haha yeah. I am so wishing it was in open beta right now.

[pkirby11]

haha yeah. I am so wishing it was in open beta right now.

Yeah I preordered to get my 10 day pass, and EBGames is out of codes right now. :( I'm disapointed, but they did say they should be getting some in soon. Hopefully.

[killahsin]

yah im waiting till my next paycheck to pre order. I miss playing.

[Shamrock]

Meh...Morrowind was okay, but I don't care much for the First Person aspect. I like the third person isometric style of the BG games and NWN bettter for RPGs.

Is it 3rd person only? I am just the opposite of you, I prefer 1st person. It makes me feel more "there". If it's 3rd only, I'll pass. I paid $63 for NWN, and regretted it.

[killahsin]

yeah currently u can zoom in right up to the back of the players head. But the dynamics of this game make 3rd person almost a requirement. I would like for them to implment first person as a option though.