Played Rift for 14 hours at Gamescom

cyrana

I hope MMORPG doesn't mind linking here?

http://riftnexus.com/page/articles/_/events/gamescom/rift-at-gc2010-the-nexus-experience-part-one-r62

A few 1080P videos I took are also in the article. It was a gorgeous game, but by no means perfect. Here's a short quote:

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Some very nice features I saw were the addition of Area of Effect (AoE) looting so you can kill a few mobs and just open the nearest corpse to get everything, along with searchable bags and bank space which are some amazing features. Also, the overhead map dims when you start moving in a semi-transparent fashion so you can view a large map while moving around. You'll see this feature in some of the videos Nexus is showing this week.

As for interface issues? There are a few, of course, although it's up for the reader to decide if these are personal preference issues. Firstly, it was hard to tell sometimes when reactionary abilities were available. For example, most classes have abilities which require a block or a parry or may be 'finishers', but all that ever seemed to happen was the action bar icons would regain their colour when they could be used. Personally, I'd prefer a bit more notification in the centre of the screen in regards to this so it didn't feel like I was focusing intently on the action bars and then avoiding action in the centre. Also, distances for spells and other range abilities just resulted in the action bar number going from white to red when out of range and made it hard to tell sometimes. However, most of these seem fairly minor, for alpha, and hopefully they can be improved by release. This is definitely a good interface overall, from this reviewers perspective and I can only hope there will be more customisation options available at release.

Overall
Apart from customization, Rift was very polished and I cannot believe the game is alpha with the exception of the few bugs I encountered. It is more polished than most games have been at launch and we're still around 6 months away at this point. It's one of those rare games that just feels very cozy from the moment you log in, and despite some small game play criticisms it also possessed that rare quality, which many recent games have seemed to lack for me - it was fun! It was a visually stunning game to look at with standard MMO game play that was naturally quite easy being a beginners area with the titular Rifts playing out like public quests (though I'll go into the Rifts more in a later review) and where as Shadowlands, like most beginner areas was pretty much 'on rails' the open and expansive world of Telara with its dynamic play now awaits!

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Coldren

Excellent article! Thanks for cross-posting.

Really looking forward to this game.

Oh, and post again when the other parts are ready!

SgtEcho

Really awesome! Looking forward to this game a bit more than SWTOR

Hrimnir

Just FYI:

Being the mod-junkie I am, I asked Scott Hartsman specifically about Rift's future insofar as addons and was told that the team is currently planning for basics like resizing, rescaling, transparency, and possibly even skinning, but that we shouldn't expect full-scale modding at launch. Scott suggested that the framework for such addons might be a post-launch project. I pouted, but I can understand the decision to polish first and pile on later.

 

taken from:

http://www.massively.com/2010/08/18/massivelys-hands-on-with-rift-planes-of-telaras-dynamic-p2/

Neoptolemus

Sounds very promising. With regards to its solid alpha state, once upon a time that used to be the norm. Software in general wouldn't hit beta until it was feature complete and stable, then beta was when the niggling bugs were ironed out. Sadly, developers seem to be getting lazier or simply more pressured for time, and games are dragged kicking and screaming into beta with half their features missing and crashing left right and centre.

 

Still, it's nice to see that Trion are taking their time to produce a polished product. Hopefully this could emerge as a genuine alternative fantasy MMO to those of us who are sick of WoW. Love it or hate it, for now it remains the most polished and solid title of its kind.

Params7

This game is on my watch. So far I'm impressed with the vids and the screenshots, looks very good.

Fdzzaigl

14 hours? Wow, that's a whole lot!

Nice writeup.

Senadina

Thanks for the link. I'm looking forward to more info on the soul system because that, for me, is the one thing really setting this title apart. Frankly, those gameplay vids don't hold a candle to the vids for GW2 so far. IMO. But the ability to mix-n-match skills is the real innovation in Rift, so waiting for more info on that.

dougmysticey

Nice article. This game is looking very promissing and I cannot wait to see how it develops.

deniter

Originally posted by Senadina

Thanks for the link. I'm looking forward to more info on the soul system because that, for me, is the one thing really setting this title apart. Frankly, those gameplay vids don't hold a candle to the vids for GW2 so far. IMO. But the ability to mix-n-match skills is the real innovation in Rift, so waiting for more info on that.

I read the article 'No grind? Yes please!', and I'm not interested of GW2 anymore. Now it's only Rift and Tera i'm looking more closely.

Slapshot1188

This game is high on my radar.  Have they announced details on the PvP yet?   I'm looking for something along the lines of DAoC.  Battlegrounds are OK.. but I prefer just one persistent instance like DAoC instead of 20 minute mini-games with scores etc.   I enjoyed it for awhile in WoW... but I think WoW has pretty much mastered those.. hope new games try something different instead of trying to beat WoW at their own game.

dragonbrand

Thanks for the write-up.

I have been looking forward to this game for quite some time. It is moving ever higher on my list. I am definitely applauding Trion and their handling of information release and of how complete their developement is at each benchmark. It speaks to a quality game when it launches.

cyrana

Here are two short teaser videos while I try to finish part 2.

http://riftnexus.com/page/articles/_/events/gamescom/teaser-videos-from-gamescom-warlock-soul-tree-r63

One is a Najmok mount in the Guardians' capital city and the other is a preview of part of the Warlock soul tree.

And here is the latest video on souls, etc.

Azzkicka

Originally posted by cyrana

Here are two short teaser videos while I try to finish part 2.

http://riftnexus.com/page/articles/_/events/gamescom/teaser-videos-from-gamescom-warlock-soul-tree-r63

One is a Najmok mount in the Guardians' capital city and the other is a preview of part of the Warlock soul tree.

And here is the latest video on souls, etc.

Thanks for the warlock video been trying to find something that on soul trees for a while.  If you have any of other classes please post too

Almost tempted to play Warlock now seems to have a decent amount of direct damage spells.

Unknown

Thanks for the info.  I am truely looking forward to trying this game out!

DocZ

nice so far but you would be amazed how many games are  cleaner in alpha than they are in early to mid beta. its mostly because alpha is more broken down into sections and the devs are just tryin to get the basics to function cleanly seperatly before they put everything togheter in the clusterfunk known as beta. mid to late alpha it gives you a view of what it can be. so if its looking good there they it can very well function well at the finals so long they dont get any beta supprises when they put everything togheter

Khalathwyr

Originally posted by DocZ

nice so far but you would be amazed how many games are  cleaner in alpha than they are in early to mid beta. its mostly because alpha is more broken down into sections and the devs are just tryin to get the basics to function cleanly seperatly before they put everything togheter in the clusterfunk known as beta. mid to late alpha it gives you a view of what it can be. so if its looking good there they it can very well function well at the finals so long they dont get any beta supprises when they put everything togheter

They are in late (practically finished with it) alpha and beta should be coming in September, October at the latest. Considering how many different people with different tastes in gaming from different site who have sat down and played it like Ciovala here and they are all saying how good/polished it looks right now, Trion looks to be in a good spot.

Sure, it's not perfect. Nothing ever is. But this game is looking to be that polished release that many traditional MMO gamers have been looking for in the past few years if all stays on course.With that out of the way it just then boils down to if the individual likes the world lore, the Soul (class) system and the possibility of logging into an area that was nice an quiet last night but is overrun by the forces of one or more of the 6 planes at current.

DocZ

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

Originally posted by DocZ

nice so far but you would be amazed how many games are  cleaner in alpha than they are in early to mid beta. its mostly because alpha is more broken down into sections and the devs are just tryin to get the basics to function cleanly seperatly before they put everything togheter in the clusterfunk known as beta. mid to late alpha it gives you a view of what it can be. so if its looking good there they it can very well function well at the finals so long they dont get any beta supprises when they put everything togheter

They are in late (practically finished with it) alpha and beta should be coming in September, October at the latest. Considering how many different people with different tastes in gaming from different site who have sat down and played it like Ciovala here and they are all saying how good/polished it looks right now, Trion looks to be in a good spot.

Sure, it's not perfect. Nothing ever is. But this game is looking to be that polished release that many traditional MMO gamers have been looking for in the past few years if all stays on course.With that out of the way it just then boils down to if the individual likes the world lore, the Soul (class) system and the possibility of logging into an area that was nice an quiet last night but is overrun by the forces of one or more of the 6 planes at current.

 

Fair enought but i wasnt sayiing that nothing they shown was a bad thing. it looks like right were it should be.  just what i was saying is that they are most likely hiding or just now showing a lot of the game functions things not even implemented into the game yet so a lotta coding is not done at this time.. so it probably lookes cleaner now than its gonna in early to probably near the end of beta

 

cyrana

Here is part two (yeah I screwed up and title says part one - http://riftnexus.com/topic/100-rift-at-gc2010-the-nexus-experience-part-one-the-mainland-and-the-soul-system/.

Also, ranger soul tree from last night - http://riftnexus.com/topic/102-the-ranger-soul-tree/

Tonight will be mounts and crafting...dungeons over the weekend. I did like the game, and my main complaints were honestly just around the first impressions (don't like customisation options), and the world itself seems nice and expansive once you leave. I was at a point that is basically in between four different zones and it didn't even hitch.

Vesavius

 

 

hehe idd, it's always good when an informed observer with intelligent input contributes

Vesavius

Originally posted by cyrana

Here is part two (yeah I screwed up and title says part one - http://riftnexus.com/topic/100-rift-at-gc2010-the-nexus-experience-part-one-the-mainland-and-the-soul-system/.

Also, ranger soul tree from last night - http://riftnexus.com/topic/102-the-ranger-soul-tree/

Tonight will be mounts and crafting...dungeons over the weekend. I did like the game, and my main complaints were honestly just around the first impressions (don't like customisation options), and the world itself seems nice and expansive once you leave. I was at a point that is basically in between four different zones and it didn't even hitch.

 

Good work Cyrana, I would say thx if I wasnt so damned jealous

RelGn

When i firsrt saw this game i was not impressed at all.

After seeing some videos on youtube i was amazed.

And to tell the truth i think that this game will succeed compared to tera and swtor.

But when guild wars 2 releases then we will have a great battle betweenthem.

I m not fan of GW2 but a lot people overhype this game for no reason.

I support rift cause it's gothic art and because it looks more mature than other mmos.

The only thing remains is to play it in it's final version...because every time i try a game in beta i get dissapointed by it.

So no more betas for me thanx i ll stick with final version and i ll see for my self.

cyrana

Ok, part three: http://riftnexus.com/topic/110-rift-at-gc2010-the-nexus-experience-part-three-professions-and-mounts/

Videos on the three mounts and info on crafting. Crafting does really remind me of WoW in this game...but I was only like level 12 and the game is in Alpha, so who knows.

OmgZombies

Originally posted by deniter

Originally posted by Senadina

Thanks for the link. I'm looking forward to more info on the soul system because that, for me, is the one thing really setting this title apart. Frankly, those gameplay vids don't hold a candle to the vids for GW2 so far. IMO. But the ability to mix-n-match skills is the real innovation in Rift, so waiting for more info on that.

I read the article 'No grind? Yes please!', and I'm not interested of GW2 anymore. Now it's only Rift and Tera i'm looking more closely.

What, you like mindless number grinds?

As for Rift, the game seems to be shaping up really nice.  Still waiting for that really eye-catching feature, but this game, out of most the others coming out looks to be the only one that'll have anything interesting at all.  

cyrana

Latest article - 13 minutes of instance footage.

1st instance for the Defiant Faction - the Iron Tomb.