Player thoughts on this game? Thinking of trying it.

MumboJumbo

Title says it all: Any thoughts on this game. From the vids it looks just what I am looking for:

 

- 3 Factions [check]

- Actiony space-combat [check]

- Sandboxy ie pirate or mine stuff (choose your ship)

- Indie devs doing their own thing since 2004?

 

Any comments on the combat, how easy it is to get into, the community and any problems that I could have missed out would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Epierce41

I've been playing this game since 2004 and still sub off and on.  I'll break down the good and the bad for you.

 

The good:

-Combat is amazing.  You will not find PvP like this in any other game.  A real MMOFPS, no two fights are ever the same.  This is the sole reason that I keep coming back every now and then.

-Community is on the whole very helpful.  You won't have any trouble finding someone to show you the ropes.

-Truly skill based.  Most of the higher end equipment is pretty well balanced although still alowing for variety and different combat strategies.  Pilot skill really is more important than your equipment.

-Very little grind.  Most higher end weaponry and ships are available at lvl 9. 

-NO ITEM SHOP (Not F2P).  Thus, pay to win is not an option.

The bad:

-Not a lot of players.  This game would be incredible if it was packed, but as it is the player count is a bit small.  Space can feel quite empty at times.

-Not a lot to do.  If you're not into PvP, you will probably get bored after a while.  Although there are players who stick to Trade/Mining/PvE, the main focus of the game is definitely PvP.  The game has been likened to "Space Quake"

-Graphics and sound FX are a bit behind the times.

-The game is not finished.  That being said, there are weekly patches slowly bringing the game closer to a more marketable state.

-Only 4 developers.  While they're doing a great job, with only 4 people things move very slowly. 

 

Check out the trial and see what you think.  At $9.99 a month (which is a real month by month rate by the way.  Not the 9.99 a month IF you buy 3 months thing that many MMOs do) it's easily one of the cheaper subscription games out there.

Astrilator

I'm late to the party!

I play Vendetta very casually, but I find it to be an enjoyable, atmospheric game. The quests that you can do solo can get a bit repetitive (although they're allegedly trying to add more), but the (small) community is very friendly and willing to help. For me, the fact that you can play it natively under Linux is a huge plus. :-)

I wouldn't call it particularly "sandboxy" though.

outfctrl

I played the free trial and just couldnt get into it.  Didnt know what to do and always worried about fuel.  What happens when you run out of fuel or am I thinking of a different game?

Astrilator

You must be thinking of another game. In Vendetta you don't run out of fuel -- you can travel indefinitely if you like. Depending on which ship you're using, you may not be able to travel at turbo speed constantly, but it just takes a few moments at cruising speed to have your batteries replenished.

outfctrl

Whoops, your right.  It was Evochron Legends. More of a multiplayer space sim then a mmorpg.

 

Evochron Legends is a freeform mercenary space-sim that focuses on 'lone-wolf' survival gameplay. You can play the game in a variety of ways and complete many activities including buying, trading, negotiating, bribing, spying, racing, escorting, transporting, mining, exploring, cleaning equipment, clearing paths through asteroid fields, recruiting, protecting, hiring crew members, fuel harvesting, and designing your ship. Evochron Legends is a technical simulation, not a character based simulator, so you are not limited by pre-selected character roles, skills, or attributes.

You can travel anywhere you want, with or without jump drives and gates, as long as you have the fuel and time to get there.

Phaserlight

I've been playing Vendetta Online since alpha (2003), and have had a continuous subscription since it was possible to subscribe.  It's actually a lot cheaper if you buy in 2-year increments... I'd recommend trying it one month for $9.99 (free download) and then if you like it put down $160 and you're all set for two years!

As others have said, the combat is where VO truly shines, whether it's PvP or PvE.  I love the feeling of being free in space and having six axes of control.  The fights are like dances; visual, kinesthetic, based purely on skill.  I suggest getting a gamepad or a couple joysticks once you get a feel for it, it truly enhances the action.

I can't say enough good things about this game... it's a homerun walk in the park with neon billboards lighting the way.  If you give it time it will draw you in and make you feel like you are part of a vast, otherworldy universe.

Some brief reasons why I love this game:

-Leveling is quick and easy

-There is no division between player and avatar

-Unique writing system

-2,000 year backstory

-Spectrum of creative trade items with individual availability and demand

-Dynamic warfare between player factions and NPCs

-Broad range of craftable items, some requiring minutes some requiring months

-Bounty hunting system that impacts news reports

-Player designed missions implemented throughout the galaxy

-No upper limit on ranks and achievements

 

edit:

Here's a few videos for good measure:

http://www.youtube.com/user/viperguild#p/a/u/1/eOvH3TJLutA

http://www.youtube.com/user/viperguild#p/a/u/0/K0WfA1y_7bI

 

Yes, the music is Thievery Corporation, because that's the kind of awesomeness we listen to.  Yes, VO has an OST which is equally beast.

Jimmac

I always said to myself that if I quit Eve, I'd give this game a try with a sub. I quit Eve, so here I go. 

Phaserlight

Hope you enjoy it.  It's quite different from Eve from what I hear, so don't hesitate to ask questions.  I'll answer them here if I can... otherwise you can ask on the main boards although we have two or three well known trolls.  We love them anyway.

Cacophanist

I tried the 8 hour trial and liked the free form basis of the game. 

It is like a very unpolished Eve with real combat and real flying.

If you ever wanted Elite Online then I would say that this is the closest you are going to get.

I like !

I like even more that it works on my Android Tablet.

Phaserlight

Originally posted by Cacophanist

I tried the 8 hour trial and liked the free form basis of the game. 

It is like a very unpolished Eve with real combat and real flying.

Vendetta Online is not like Eve Online, although the two have been out for roughly the same length of time.  Vendetta is elegant in its simplicity that belies great depth; to say that it is like an unpolished Eve is to suggest that it should strive to be like its more widely played cousin.  This is false.  Whether in the 25,000 word backstory, the original phonetic and pictographic alphabet, the neuron-testing twitch combat or the content contributed by the PCC, Vendetta displays a high level of polish in many areas.

The more I play Vendetta the more I realize how much there is to learn.  The fact that it is much smaller in playerbase than other mainstream MMOs does not detract from the overall experience for me.  Player careers are protean, forging identities within the community of Vendetta as gurus of mineral ore, bards of the backstory such as yours truly, or one of a variety of Combat masters often known by their fighting style.  On occasion a veteran's alt will be outted due to the feel of their space kung-fu.  This tells me that the combat alone in Vendetta, while appearing simple enough, holds depth to support emergent complexity.

Vendetta is rapidly maturing, and far from trying to be like Eve Vendetta Online should continue to pursue the direction it has been carving which is unique and significant.  I can honestly say I am expecting more to change than I did 8 years ago.  I feel confident people will look back on this time and say wow, you know that was a really awesome game.

edit - In a nutshell, this is not your average MMO.  Those who are autistic and expatriates play it, and there are race tubes ... I think it appeals to a different audience than the Eve crowd.  It is about as different from Eve as Minecraft is from Starcraft.