Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Vanguard: Biggest comeback ever?
Diamedes
Member Posts: 70
And no I don't mean comeback based on subscriptions, at least not yet but anyone who's played it in beta or shortly after release and has checked it out in the last month or so knows what Im talking about.
Its gone from barely playable, bug ridden and just downright boring to the most fun MMO of all of them, at least to me. Anyone who loves PvE (don't bother if all do you is pvp) owes it to themselves to check this out when they release the new update with the trial sometime this month. You can solo grind quests all the way to level cap for those who want or my favorite, grind the dozens and dozens of dungeons at any level range and get some nice gear in the process.
Anyway though, definitely my choice for a complete turnaround compared to what it was at release, they should almost friggin rename the game and re release it imo, it feels like a different game now.
Comments
It's been... months since I've logged back onto my account to see what's changed. I keep wanting to but I just can't seem to find the time these days.
I always felt Vanguard was a real shame, so much potential that was so completely wasted. Hope I'll get the chance to give it a shot sometime soon.
Important Information regarding Posting and You
Well, all true but when no one playing it, it still seems like a bad idea to start now. I have been looking on it lately but it seems so empty.
And the graphics could be more optimized, is a thread about it somewhere here.
But t will be intresting to see if SOE could turn the numbers around, some comercials and a free trial for MMO readers for example should do wonders.
Man I have used those exact words so many times while talking about VG. I agree with the OP, this really has turned into a fine game. It may not be the game for a lot of the current MMO crowd, but it is certainly the kind of game that a lot of the people who come to a site like this would enjoy. The MMO market is still shaking out this year with so many big releases, but quality will win out in the end, and if the VG crew stay the course and people keep getting let down with next big thing, VG could start seeing a snowball effect on their pop numbers next year. Who knows, but its definitely worth checking out when they release Isle of Dawn.
EVE and AO were far shittier at launch.
I played Vanguard since early closed beta until about 5 months after that. I quit because of the poor customer service at the time, and the zillion of bugs and issues (lost like 4 levels on one character from just crashing to desktop).
I recently came back to the game on the free month they offered and just could not get back into it at all. I wish I could, it is a beautiful world and it seems like more and more are signing up to play, but the game left a bad taste in my mouth and i just can't get past that.
I have been playing EQ2 since beta also, and how many times I come and go on that game, I just know it is 10x better then vanguard, wish I could afford the station pass so I could play both, but really EQ2 has it all over vanguard still.
Your comments are correct. The thing about EQ2 (and EQ1) which is magical is they have distinct zones, distinct geographical areas.
But... I like teaming!
EVE and AO were far shittier at launch.
Yeah pretty much. Even though I never liked AO, and I still don't. Eve had a pretty bad launch, I wasn't part of it but from what I have heard it was not that much fun.
-------------------
If ever there was a time to rise if ever there was a time to join hands with our brothers that time is now. At this exact junction in history we have within our grasp the means to loosen our tormentors hold and win freedom for our kin. Opportunities are there to be taken.
Brothers, we must rise.
-Malaetu Shakor
Unless they rebuild the whole game on a new engine to make it look less lame then no.
----------------------------------------
Talking about SWG much?
For myself Vanguard was NEVER a bad game.I had no problems at all from the first day of launch.To those who think other games are different they are not.Well there is a slight difference Vanguard has higher end graphics and an awesome view scape.The authors of Vanguard were former Eq employees and the game seemed 99% molded from the same ideas as Eq[expected],but with a few unique ideas to give it more flavor.
Wow is an identical copy of EQ also,and many other games aside from FFXI are very close to the exact same template.I only quit vanguard 3 weeks after launch because there wasn't enough players and the market was right from day one manipulated by cheats.Other than that there is no game alive that can compare to Vanguard,well maybe FFXI because it is a totally different beast than ALL other MMORPG's ,it's just not the layout a lot of players can handle or like.
So for anyone humming and hawing over Vanguard ,all you need to know is that is a class act but lacks the player base and i know for myself an empty world isn't much fun.Too bad really Vanguard deserves a much better fate than Say WOW or many other games out there.
Take a game like WOW...the textures they use in the game are a joke i mean NOTHING in the game looks realistic as the textures have no definition.Bark on trees does NOT look like bark,Snow on the ground looks like a white texture not snow.Stone looks like colored textures again nothing that looks like real stone.There is without a question the problem that a lot of PC's may not be able to run Vanguard high enough to actually enjoy the graphics but why are you using PC's if your willing to pay for console type graphics like WOW offers.You want console crap like WOW offers then buy a console it's cheaper and will run console games flawlessly.You want to get into high end PC graphic games[shaders/physics] then be prepared to keep up with industry standard.I know for some they got there PC given to them ,they don't spend nor can they afford gaming machines ever,there excused lol.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Downloaded and played Vangaurd again when the free two months was offered. I played it for about four hours the first day, and uninstalled shortly thereafter.
It plays better from a technical standpoint than it did at SOE's "Come back and see how we've improved it" fiasco from last year, but that can't override the fact that there's really nothing fun to do in the game. And it appears there's still so many bugs under the surface requiring fixes and repairs that they couldn't spare the manpower to give you more than four looks for your character.
It's just not for me.
You leave out essential details. THE GAME IS DESERTED.
Mind you, if your definition of MMO is playing with 20 other people on a deserted island, be my guest.
Prove to me that the games the best with a buddy key and ill happily buy and subscribe the game
I wanted to come back for their free 30 days for past subscribers, but I couldn't find a link to download the client. Oh well, there went that opportunity.
To people wanting a buddy key Id just wait a few weeks for their free trial. And to those saying its deserted, maybe on the Pvp server but Seradon is pretty alive and the big thing is now a lot more people are actually staying and playing for awhile instead of just trying the game out and quitting cause its terrible like in the beginning. So while the population is pretty low its definitely growing and not declining and I usually find groups to grind dungeons even if its only a 2-4 person group.
Whoever said Everquest 2 is 10x better I just can't get into it no matter how many times I try. I absolutely hate zoning for 1, I really hate EQ2s graphics they just seem muddy to me, and most of all combat. You have all kinds of different abilities that are very similar with different numbers in them, so many that most of the time I just spam whatevers up and don't even know what Im really actually clicking. I personally like tanks too and I hate how so many tanking moves just "increase your hate by 34567" or whatever, I don't care how much imaginery hate a move does just name it something, I don't want to just spam 10 different taunts that all inrease my threat by so much amount, its boring as hell. Aside from that Ive tried many times to get into EQ2 and Vanguard is a much better game in my opinion, you want to talk about deserted, I very rarely ever saw a soul in EQ2 zones.
Vanguard is a pretty good game; even though I don't play it, I won't say it is horrible. The game is full of potential, and, if given the attention it deserves, can become a big game.
The problem is, VG has had no come-back yet. They still aren't high populated enough to say "VG has made it back and is much more popular!" They still only have around 50k subs, and nothign with that few players is a comeback. If Vanguard makes it to 150k+ subscribers, then yes, Vanguard has made a huge comeback.
Until VG gets more subs, then they do NOT have a comeback.
__________________________________________________
In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on Aug/13/08 - Rest In Peace; you will not be forgotten
I've been waiting for a trial for about a year now, you sure its "a few weeks" left? i realy doubt it, but i hope you're right.
If not...then warhammer will empty my purse
I heard that it was supposed to come the end of August?
|Mortal Online|Gnostaria|
I've been waiting for a trial for about a year now, you sure its "a few weeks" left? i realy doubt it, but i hope you're right.
If not...then warhammer will empty my purse
I can't find an exact date but yes its going to be in GU6 along with new character models and new raid content I believe, Id say a couple weeks but definitely less than a month.
the biggest disapointment for me was the decision for the player shops to be abandoned
that hasn't been fixed and never will be so............
Vanguard is still so lacking and the servers are so empty that I don't really see a point. With all the games coming out soon why go back and play a game like Vanguard, that quite frankly, isn't very much fun for very many people?
Broken from the start and SOE hasn't improved it THAT much, contrary to some on this site would claim. The game works now, but that is about all that can really be said for it. WOW, charging a monthly fee for a game that WORKS! Novel idea.
Vanguard should be free to play. So should PotBS, SWG, Tabula Rasa, MxO, and so many other games that are just dreadful. But they keep on charging and people keep on paying.
These days, Vanguard is the Phoenix.
Server population increased by about 4 times in 2 months. the OP is right.
Never seen a mmorpg making such a come back after a bad launch. New & returning players are everywhere.
With the free update / trial island this month, you can even expect servers like Seradon to become saturated.
In fact, on Seradon server, don't expect as a newbie to find a plot of land to build a house by the end of August.
Why this new popularity : Vanguard is the only sandbox mmorpg with so much non linear content you need at least 3 alts to cover most of it.
Now if SOE could buy Ryzom & Istaria & does the same magic..
****************************
Playing : Uncharted Waters Online
****************************
I'm one of the "comebackers" as well and I have to admit that this game turned into a real gem. Played a rogue to 50 after release, kept on going despite all bugs, but quit in the end as it just has been grind after grind to keep people busy until APW was ready. So I decided to not pay anymore and return when the game is properly fixed.
Nowadays I can say that it is without a doubt the best and most fun MMORPG on the market for my likings. It has transported much of the old EQ mixed up with some fresh ideas and a complete new approach with the diplomacy sphere, which is totally unique to the genre.
Vanguard does not open to you during the first hours of play, which is like it should be actually. If I don't feel limited in the first hours of gameplay, how much fun could I expect from the rest of teh game. VG is not for the ligh hearted and today's generation of MMO players like to get things catered to them without feeling the urge to explore themselves. VG has a different apporach and requires the player to be pro-active to achieve things. Definately the number one choice for old school MMO-players who have a focus on PvE. If you are PvP-based, VG is not really for you, but for PvE and complex raid encounters there is nothing better at the moment.
Seradon is already saturated IMO. I have a bunch of characters, ranging from 12-33, and at least once a night I find myself working on a kill quest for X number of mobs only to find 1-2 other people competing for the same mobs.
GET OUT OF MY GAME!
Seriously though, Vanguard is the most fun I've had in a real long time in any MMO (previously I'd have to say GCW in pre-CU SWG).
My only beef with Vanguard now as it stands is that the kill quests seem to be based off of mobs that spawn in a very tight area and spawn in limited quantities. I'd love respawn rates or drop rates for collection quests increased now with the large influx of players that Seradon is experiencing.
To all Vanguard bashers who have never even given the game a chance but talk a good game by regurgitating the same disgruntled 'I hate SOE' posts in a different form, wait a month and give the VG trial a go.
To me, an opinion is meaningless if you are repeating someone else's post while never giving the game a chance (because it is obvious to anyone who's played VG which of the posts here are from members stating they've played VG in the past but are obviously complete BS).
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/28371832@N02/2648951313/[/url]
