It will really depend on the whole control scheme and how it plays. After getting some hands-on play with Champions.. I don't know if DCU will be a MMO or a game like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, since it's "SUPPOSED" to come out on the PS3 as well as on PC. If I want to play MUA, I'll play MUA2 when it comes out.
That being said, I don't see it as being "Better" then CoH/V but different. Yes, you'll get to fight along side the "notables" in the DC Universe, but it won't be in EVERY mission I'm sure..
I love CoH/V and no matter what other MMO I play.. I always come back to it.. I'll give DCU a try.. it'll either catch and hold my interest.. or it won't..
One thing DCU could have over CoX is the ability to enter a building. Maybe its just me but its a little dissapointing being told I cant open a door when an avatar has the potential to reduce it to ash. Most of my favourite rpg's have had the abitlity to wander around rifling through peoples drawers and cupboards.
It's an action RPG. I love the idea that I actually have to aim and use some skill. CoX gets a little dull in that respect. I would frequently play for hours without ever touching the mouse. Just Target Next, Attack Attack Attack, Target Next. Or buff or whatever. I knew it was time to quite Cox when I started wondering if I could write a script to play the game for me. DCU sounds more like a MMORPG combined with a FPS or platformer.
More interactive environments. I can pick up cars and use then as projectiles? Yes please!
So far the graphic look pretty good.
The Cons of DCU
It's the DC Universe. Not that I'm trying to uncork a whole DC vs Marvel fan-rage thread. However, there are A LOT of cooks in this kitchen. There are going to be many many eyes evaluating what can and can't be done, what things can and can't look like, what events can and can't happen. DC Publishing. Warner Bros Studios. AOL/Time Warner. Yeesh. Design by committee sucks. Designs by really large committees REALLY sucks.
CoX really is a Universe, not just a city. Alternate dimensions, parallel realities, and so much variety just within one city. Plus it has had a several year head start to fill the came with content, interesting scenarios, characters, new classes, locations, events, etc etc etc. No matter how much development DCU has before/during beta, they will most definitely not have the depth and bredth of CoX.
Licensed games, historically, tend to, well, suck more than their original IP counterparts, and that is no secret in the gaming community. Developers tend to rely too much on the cache of the property to move it and sell it. That really helps get the game moving off the shelf, but if they get lazy and cheep out, who would want to come back and subscirbe to it? I'm not saying DCU is necessarily guilty of this, but DC has made some real garbage video games in teh past, just as Marvel, Disney, Dark Horse, Cartoon Network etc etc have. In my mind, they have got A LOT to prove. Even more so that an orginal property.
The damn fanboys. CoX breeds alot of originalty and creativity in its players, and it is always refreshing and fun to see what people come up with. DCU seems like its going to attract more than its share of BatManuel's and Stupormanz, not to mention the ubergeeks eager to show off the disturbing range of their obsession.
one thing that it has over COH/COV right off the bat is that it's new. COH/V is fun for a while (I played for over 2 yrs.) but it has no reall emmersion. you go to an NPC, he gives u a mission and tells you a bit of backstory for it, then u go into an instance which is usually a cave or a building beat up some bad guys or click on some boxes, whatever. then the NPC tells you how those actions relate to the quest. another thing in COH/V most of the NPC heroes and villians are fixtures that hang out and wait for u to interact w/ them. rarely do they actually participate in the quests in any way. The vids I've seen from DCU, the heroes and villians are fighting right beside u. thats a big difference. theres room for both games in the market. better this than another fantasy MMO
They will have a more up to date engine. With that they will be able to make more believable powers. In CoH you can not lift a car and hurl it at people - when you hit a wall it does not break. Super speed can not run upside a building - yet in DCU you will be able to.
Problem i had with COX is that your range was very limited,like you could only fly so high up and flying was prity slow plus there was a huge wall all the way round each area so only way to change area is to enter a loading zone, i also hated the mission instances there was way to many of them plus when you 1st make your char anyone who started with same char like bruiser all had same powers till you start to level and you could then choose your next power but was still limited, In DCU everyone is diff even from start like if you made a char with super strenth and flight and freeze another player could have like super strenth and super speed and super screem basicly no 2 players are the same ever from start to the end, also in COX everyone starts with same missions depending on the 4 starting points once you finish the tutorial, plus who wants to be a unique charictor i know i do and in COX your not, and who wants to beable to run up a building and pick vehicles and enimies up and smash them on a diff enimy and i got a feeling pvp will be really awsum, imagine a good hero chaseing a villain player flying at high speed and the one chaseing you thorwing fire balls at you while chaseing you but you manage to dodge them, then you fly low and find a hideing place becouse your not strong enough to fight him or her so the one chaseing you looks and cant find you becouse you like cloak in a dark place so he or she gives up and heads back. there is probebly alot more but i said my 2 pence .
Batman alone will make it better than City of Heroes.
" If it wasn't for us, and the NGE came without much of an uproar, that would have opened the door to every other gaming company out there to change the core mechanics of their game after release without a care in the world for their player base. "
I am so glad you are there to protect us and tell us what is right and wrong...even after all these many years...
My hero...
That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!
* No Death. Choice is given: (a) You wait till you "awaken" on the spot - and carry on the fight; OR (b) You "spawn" at your bind/safe spot and have some debuff as penalty.
* Your powers can be "equipped" (slotted) before any battle. You have a PRIMARY (eg fire/ ice/ melee/ blaster/ etc) powerset which will be your MAIN focus - but can slot in any secondary powers (albiet they will be slightly weaker since they dont belong to primary set.)
* SOE = Station Access (hopefully). So technically it will be another FREE game for me.
* Voice overs missions from animated DC Heroes (so I hear (pun intended )).
* No "locked" targets - you point and shoot. Manual action based. SKILL based.
Plenty of videos on google video and youtube you can see nowadays.
is given: (a) You wait till you "awaken" on the spot - and carry on the fight; OR (b) You "spawn" at your bind/safe spot and have some debuff as penalty.
* Your powers can be "equipped" (slotted) before any battle. You have a PRIMARY (eg fire/ ice/ melee/ blaster/ etc) powerset which will be your MAIN focus - but can slot in any secondary powers (albiet they will be slightly weaker since they dont belong to primary set.)
Good points. I always despised CoX's death teleports so you get to waste even more time in addition to getting hit by XP debt.
DC Online has made a great game design choice that FITS with comic books. There are countless time where a hero is knocked out leaving others to keep fighting until he wakes up again at a dramatic moment.
CoX's problem was that they tried to mash MMORPG conventions into a superhero game. DC Online sounds like they are more prepared to ignore traditional mechanics and use ones that fit better with superheroes.
Comments
It will really depend on the whole control scheme and how it plays. After getting some hands-on play with Champions.. I don't know if DCU will be a MMO or a game like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, since it's "SUPPOSED" to come out on the PS3 as well as on PC. If I want to play MUA, I'll play MUA2 when it comes out.
That being said, I don't see it as being "Better" then CoH/V but different. Yes, you'll get to fight along side the "notables" in the DC Universe, but it won't be in EVERY mission I'm sure..
I love CoH/V and no matter what other MMO I play.. I always come back to it.. I'll give DCU a try.. it'll either catch and hold my interest.. or it won't..
One thing DCU could have over CoX is the ability to enter a building. Maybe its just me but its a little dissapointing being told I cant open a door when an avatar has the potential to reduce it to ash. Most of my favourite rpg's have had the abitlity to wander around rifling through peoples drawers and cupboards.
My 2 cents
The Pros of DCU:
The Cons of DCU
one thing that it has over COH/COV right off the bat is that it's new. COH/V is fun for a while (I played for over 2 yrs.) but it has no reall emmersion. you go to an NPC, he gives u a mission and tells you a bit of backstory for it, then u go into an instance which is usually a cave or a building beat up some bad guys or click on some boxes, whatever. then the NPC tells you how those actions relate to the quest. another thing in COH/V most of the NPC heroes and villians are fixtures that hang out and wait for u to interact w/ them. rarely do they actually participate in the quests in any way. The vids I've seen from DCU, the heroes and villians are fighting right beside u. thats a big difference. theres room for both games in the market. better this than another fantasy MMO
DCU will be able to do things CoH/CoV can not.
They will have a more up to date engine. With that they will be able to make more believable powers. In CoH you can not lift a car and hurl it at people - when you hit a wall it does not break. Super speed can not run upside a building - yet in DCU you will be able to.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/3845509852.png
Batman alone will make it better than City of Heroes.
" If it wasn't for us, and the NGE came without much of an uproar, that would have opened the door to every other gaming company out there to change the core mechanics of their game after release without a care in the world for their player base. "
I am so glad you are there to protect us and tell us what is right and wrong...even after all these many years...
My hero...
That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!
Things I know are different (and more appealing):
* No Death. Choice is given: (a) You wait till you "awaken" on the spot - and carry on the fight; OR (b) You "spawn" at your bind/safe spot and have some debuff as penalty.
* Your powers can be "equipped" (slotted) before any battle. You have a PRIMARY (eg fire/ ice/ melee/ blaster/ etc) powerset which will be your MAIN focus - but can slot in any secondary powers (albiet they will be slightly weaker since they dont belong to primary set.)
* SOE = Station Access (hopefully). So technically it will be another FREE game for me.
* Voice overs missions from animated DC Heroes (so I hear (pun intended
)).
* No "locked" targets - you point and shoot. Manual action based. SKILL based.
Plenty of videos on google video and youtube you can see nowadays.
Good points. I always despised CoX's death teleports so you get to waste even more time in addition to getting hit by XP debt.
DC Online has made a great game design choice that FITS with comic books. There are countless time where a hero is knocked out leaving others to keep fighting until he wakes up again at a dramatic moment.
CoX's problem was that they tried to mash MMORPG conventions into a superhero game. DC Online sounds like they are more prepared to ignore traditional mechanics and use ones that fit better with superheroes.