I think it says it all when just about every article has a majority in agreement that it's "not good enough". It seems to be the most "niche game" I have ever seen honestly.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I think it says it all when just about every article has a majority in agreement that it's "not good enough". It seems to be the most "niche game" I have ever seen honestly.
I don't even think it's niche. It's more like they bashed 3 different niches (That don't really have much overlap) together sloppily so now it appeals to no one.
Gareth, it's not "doom and gloom". It's past experiences with NC$oft. If ANY game does not make them a substantial amount of profit, it isn't for them. City of Heroes was making them a profit. Maybe not a whole lot, but it wasn't all too shabby either (I think it was like $2.5 million-$4 million?). But for whatever reason, they shut that game down. And we STILL have no concrete reason why. But profit seemed to be the most likely answer that came out of it. Tabula Rasa was shut down in just under a year and a half. It had a solid following (like CoH), but it seemed to make them little to no profit. Personally, I don't think they gave it enough time to get a ROI.
As someone above said, NC$oft doesn't do life support. If you don't make them a hefty profit, you aren't long for their portfolio. (Which, I will say this, it surprises me about Guild Wars still being active. This MAY be the exception to the rule though). In this case, for Wildstar, no news is NOT good news. If Wildstar doesn't show a return to profit, and DECENT profits by NC standards, you'll be looking at a sunset by August/September of this year and Carbine let go.
Gareth, it's not "doom and gloom". It's past experiences with NC$oft.
It's not 'just' doom and gloom, and that's mentioned in the article.
"Even so, NCSoft’s reputation with wielding the axe on underperforming MMOs means there’s a lingering question: if not now, then when? All of that will likely depend on what the news brings over the next few weeks and months."
Player of games, smither of words, former of opinions, and masher of keys. WildStar Columnist Currently playing: WildStar, Guild Wars 2, EVE Online, Vain Glory.
Wizardry said:
Sorry not trying to be mean but i really don't see Gareth as a gamer .
First of all the gloom n Doom is not about financials,gamer's couldn't care less about financials,nobody sits in a game and thinks,wow i wonder how well this game is doing financially,oh shit they suck ,i'm out of here.
Hate to break it to you, but I've been playing games for over thirty years. My first computer was a ZX Spectrum, released back in 1982. At the moment, I'm playing ARK, SWTOR, a touch of the Legion beta, and EVE: Valkyrie (more on that soon). Make of that what you will ;)
On your other point, gamers are definitely interested in how financially secure a game is. Who in their right mind would spend money in a game's item store if they doubted that it would be around in a few months? That's just a common-sense reaction to the news that's been doing the rounds these last few days.
I'm a huge fan of SWTOR. I remember when WildStar was dropping, and a bunch of my guilds top Operations players (I used to raid lead, and still do occasionally on the SM content) were talking about how the HC ops community was likely going to jump ship to WildStar. To a very small extent I think it was true, for a few months. After that they either showed back up is SWTOR, or I saw them trolling around in WoW after Warlords released.
Guess one truly had the saying power to keep it going, especially with SWTOR's level-sync, it's almost impossible to not have fun and challenging content to complete. I still find myself coaching new players through flash points, getting full reminders on how difficult this game can be for new players.
It's sad to see games that people like fail, but that is the nature of the MMO market, and at least there are some real good options left to fall back on if the worst case scenario is realized.
The game has zero personality, is the best way I can describe... It's like it has no identity of it's own, and is just one big mess of "blah." The UI and sometimes the world itself hurts to look at, it's hard to describe what I mean, there's just something off that makes it feel like a super generic-boring MMO. Combined with the constant telegraphs I couldn't get into this game. I play TERA and that game hurts my wrists way less than the action combat in Wildstar.
Just not a good MMO, and apparently a lot of people also have this opinion.
Wildstar has it's issues but it DOES have potential. Playing since Beta til now, I have seen the game come around, just not the mindset of the "playerbase".
* The game had a rough launch and was tuned a bit too difficult for the common player - but that was tuned to be more accepting to it's combat learning curve over the course of a few drops. Every Wildstar player agreed before F2P the game was at a launch state and was far better than its first impression - the problem was the amount of naysayers from the initial wave that thought it was simply the same game months before
F2P was a mess though right? Yea, it was - but it understandably was. They changed the loot, the stats, and revamped a lot in Nexus; with a much smaller crew. While we can sit on the outside and look in at the issues many don't understand the moving parts in the background and how they add up as a whole for the entire game.
Issues brought up here:
Too cartoony/Bright - While this may be true, it also helps when the game presents darker areas and more tone downed models in the game that appeal to more "realistic" sci-fi fans. This may be a downfall to some, and to each their own, but it helps put Wildstar in a position to have a somewhat timeless style. A style which they do rather well as they have unique characters from the space pirate marauders, the wasteland Dreggs, the underwater space traveling Ikthian, the bio virus Strain, etc. The cartoony look takes getting use to but the love and care to the small details in the models really make it an easier to acquire taste when you truly immerse yourself in it.
* Combat is just spam? - The learning curve was revamped with F2P offering abilities at a faster pace while leveling. The problem imo here is that while much of Wildstar may seem like a clone MMO - the combat needs to considered a completely new idea on how to interact with mobs. It's not about just standing there and doing top DPS - the combat was made so that you are actually interacting with the mob, down to a personal level. You can double jump over telegraphs, dodge roll out of them, interrupt their abilities to get a MOO (stuns target and grants 50% dmg increase). Wildstar may seem like just spam your telegraph combat but it truly wants you to dip dive and dodge into busting out some ability combos that will stun the target and get you that kill.
* PvE is bhad - No, just no. I may not be an expert but after 10 years of raiding in WoW, through various forms of casual/hardcore - Wildstar has some of the coolest dungeons and raids in the genre. This may have been gated before but the attunement is now a couple dungeons and that's it. It is worth every minute to try and see this content. This is where the combat really shines as well - do the dance, get the kill - you feel like you truly fought a boss, not just spammed abilities. The Datascape raid now 20 man is pure brilliance - with about 10 or so different settings the look and feel doesn't get boring. The raid even has a total of 6 elementals that change each week in their pairing - making this 9 boss raid into really a 15 boss raid - Some pairs are easy than others but each week it makes the raid feel that much more refreshing.
* It's got no story/bland - I will agree at first look it's hard to pick up on but I think the "mysterious" Nexus was built as an opening that they wanted you to indulge in and seek out - there are TONS of lore in the game that must be sought out - Carbine has tried to fix this by giving you periodic quests to a portal near the capital that give you the jist of the story as you go - even adding more in since release. You want the "full" story try this spoiler - http://i.imgur.com/DfrRcmI.png - After all this time looking back, I feel like it's a pretty cool story with a cool setting - something at beta I don't think I could honestly say I was hyped about.
The first impressions were not great, and are there issues, sure! - but I didn't see any appeal outside this game so I just stuck it out to see what it had; and I am glad I did. Whatever the end will be for this game I'm glad I took the time to get to truly know it. I feel I may have an understanding that's hard to translate unless you play it all through - but maybe that is the downfall? I think the game was too hard at first and that put off players from doing what the game was really setup for - to be indulged it. To truly seek the mysteries of Nexus and to conquer it.
This comes from over a year of good and bad. I saw potential only increase before F2P and I don't see why that can't come again with the revamped stuff being worked out; my only wish is more players could see a great unique world with some of the most fun PvE content that has come out in years.
It was enough to make me try and make guides - first timer :/ - with a lot of time and care put into them. I hope they help others maybe get a better time from Wildstar - www.gamerphix.com
I have tried desperatly to like this game, ive even paid a little of bit of cash shop games, but i just cant get past about level 30, i enjoy the game for what it is, but it just doesn't keep me going, The humour is good, but that runs rather dry rather quick, the housing has never been something that i see point of in mmo anyway, classes are decent but nothing 'amazing' overall this game could of a life like AoC where a hardcore group of players can probably keep it alive, however for the devs there is no keep alive, its either turned off or profit which is a little sad :@(
On your other point, gamers are definitely interested in how financially secure a game is. Who in their right mind would spend money in a game's item store if they doubted that it would be around in a few months? That's just a common-sense reaction to the news that's been doing the rounds these last few days.
And this is precisely why MMOs suck these days... because PLAYERS are too f*cking interested in the financial state of the game above all else. If they spent more time playing and less time analyzing, they might actually find something they enjoy playing. Until they STOP this stupid approach, no game will ever be more than a spreadsheet.
As far as Wildstar goes... it's dying. You know, because they catered to a niche crowd that didn't even bother to show up when all was said and done.
On a side note, it was a HUGE SUCCESS in terms of giving players a game to add to their spreadsheets of doom. They just love it when.... another one bites the dust.
There are free to play grindfest pay to win asian mmos from years ago that are more popular/successful than Wildstar right now. The free to play launch was HORRID and full of issues for well over two weeks. The game is simply dead. Personally I found the combat bad and the content boring.
The linear quest hub themepark is just soooo tired. Being basically required to do what an npc tells you, at all times, sucks. It should be an open dangerous world with risk vs reward and consequences for your actions. This is just more of the same with worse optimization.
I tried but I just can't do a bunch of required errands for npcs.
The style wasnt appealing but gave it a chance anyway and lasted till about level 10. For me it doesnt work, the combat, the style, the narrow feel of the world and the ui just didnt work. But good luck, it obviously has alot of effort behind it.
- Combat feels lifeless... just a bunch of running around and flailing wildly at things with no feedback beyond a few floating numbers.
- Character customisation was (possible still is) needlessly complicated.
- Apparently this game was 'hardcore' and maybe in parts it is, but the general leveling experience from 1 to ~15 (i.e. first impressions) was coma inducing (i.e. so very very NOT hardcore).
- The humor / tone of the game was just off. Not to mention the incredibly annoying voices over that didn't match the text.
I could go on, but TL:DR is that the game has issues, and in a lot of cases the same issues it has had since beta, which have been complained about since beta, which is a shame as it felt like they almost had something but just couldn't quite capture it.
I have tried and re-tried this game so many times I have lost track. I keep wanting to like it but the same things creep up and start to bug me every. single. time. I might be alone with my thoughts, but...
1) The quest tracker. I hate it. It almost makes questing worse than it already is. Why can't you just make it simple and neat? Why does it have to be all convoluted and constantly changing numbers as you move around the map. Seems like I am constantly checking, over and over, just to make sure I am going the right direction or doing the right thing.
2) The quests themselves. Can you say "boring"? While there are a few quests that are certainly unique, how many games of Simon Says do I need to play? How many sticks, chests, oddball-item, do I need to pick up? Not only that, but it seems like there is a never ending stream of quests and yet feels like I am leveling at a slugs pace. I am not a fan of insanely fast leveling, but with as many quests that Wildstar makes you do, you feel like you should be much higher level than you actually are by the time you complete a section of the map. It always gives me the feeling of spending hours grinding out quests and yet barely making a dent into my leveling. The reward does not seem to match the effort.
3) The combat. I love having a smaller amount of skills. I got tired of having 30 or more hotkeys in WoW for so many years. But there is so little in the way of customization of what few skills you have that the combat grew stale and boring. Just hit the same 5 or 6 keys over and over and over while staring at the ground for all the insane amount of telegraphs. Yes, the AMPs helped a little, but not enough to make you feel unique. There wasn't enough change in the way skills worked and certainly not enough changes in any timely manner - by the time you got any changes at all, you were almost level 30.
4) The majority of PvP (Not world PvP). Its just a sh*tshow clusterf*ck of aoe spam. That's it. You might get lucky enough to fight someone 1v1 off on the side, but it usually didn't last long enough to actually be able to kill that person before they ran off or got assistance, and then its back the usual train of aoe spamming epilepsy inducing telegraphs. You didn't need skill to win in pvp, you just needed everyone holding hands and zerg-spamming everything they had from one side of the map to the other.
5) Crafting. Nearly every mmo I play, I try to dabble in the crafting and sometimes I get sucked in (Vanguard, I miss you), and sometimes it doesn't really do anything for me. Wildstars crafting? wtf is that thing? It reminds me of the quest tracker. It doesn't flow. In my opinion, it is not "ready-to-go" for new players to figure out. If I hadn't crafted in other games and had a little more knowledge about mmos, I might have just thrown my hands up and never touched it again - even then, it still took me some trial and error before I figured most of it out. I don't mind unique crafting or the customization's, but you need to make it neat and flow well. And before people tell me to go to the "Help" section to read up on crafting, I warrant to say that the mass majority of mmo players do not play games to read manuals. If it doesn't flow and come naturally, or is at least explained well, something is wrong.
6) The housing. Yea, I get it. Its a big open area, blah blah blah. This might be much more personal preference than my other statements, but sorry, I don't need a few acres to decorate. Yes, some people love it, but again, I warrant to say that the mass majority of mmo players no not. Heck, I think EQ2 did a fantastic job with housing. Simple, neat, and still gives you the feeling of accomplishment.
Well my extremely opinionated rant is over.
I wish Wildstar the best and I hope it turns itself around, but these 6 things have bugged me since launch and until they are addressed or changed, I just don't see myself investing much more effort into the game.
Most the quests are filler and just so its a mmo not a normal linear game as all mmos in the market they are always gonna be some grindy quests and stuff on the side to keep you busy if you looking for a linear quest to quest game stick to console or sp rpgs.quesat tracker is fine its actually common sense quest A is on the map B and c etc etc that not an issue unless ya a dunce.The housing is fine its got it own little theme goin for it and it works.Think most people are wanting the same damn game every time a new one comes outy if its not WoW or EQ then people are gonna bitch and if it too much like eq or wow people are gonna bitch its lose lose anymore and i think people need to find a new hobby because plain and simple its the same damn people on here who moan about every single game that hits the shelves.We are all gettin damn spoiled and it shows im guilty of it as well at times.
I feel it's more of a rebirth than a death. The game has improved but lacks the population it once had. It's biggest problem, and one that has been difficult to shake, was it's original marketing and design goals. It was originally intended to give the players what they thought they wanted: a game with hardcore raiding. Well, many players don't truly know what they want until they play a game and this ended up biting Carbine in the butt.
They have a chance at a rebirth but that doesn't mean it'll succeed.
I love the game play of Wildstar at the same time, they have kept a more hardcore edge where unless your group is rocking raid gear the dungeons for pugging are sometimes unplayable. They have refused to look at adding ten man content and or addressing the worthless group finder. Let's not forget we are really playing the game with the same content they have had since launch, minus a pvp zone and a dungeon they created for training people that was re-purposed.
I wish I could play more but there just isn't enough life, unless you are in active guild the game is worthless.
I hope they get it together soon, the action combat and design of the original game is to good to be lost. Also they have lost a ton of the good people that worked there. Lets be honest DD is no Tony Rey and no one can replace Stephen Frost. Maybe the lack of Studio Head for over a year is making it harder they need one leader to steer the ship, for better or worse and everyone then needs to pull in that direction.
Death. I tried so hard to get into Wildstar. But it's the most unoptimized MMO I've ever played. I'm running Blade and Soul at max settings and getting 100+ FPS almost everywhere, Yet with Wildstar I get sluggish fps (around 20) and even out in the wild it only comes up to 40.
That's what killed it for me, I'm not upgrading my rig for one game when everything else plays just fine.
Monster Hunter since '04! Currently playing: MHW & MHGU
I love the game play of Wildstar at the same time, they have kept a more hardcore edge where unless your group is rocking raid gear the dungeons for pugging are sometimes unplayable. They have refused to look at adding ten man content and or addressing the worthless group finder. Let's not forget we are really playing the game with the same content they have had since launch, minus a pvp zone and a dungeon they created for training people that was re-purposed.
I wish I could play more but there just isn't enough life, unless you are in active guild the game is worthless.
I hope they get it together soon, the action combat and design of the original game is to good to be lost. Also they have lost a ton of the good people that worked there. Lets be honest DD is no Tony Rey and no one can replace Stephen Frost. Maybe the lack of Studio Head for over a year is making it harder they need one leader to steer the ship, for better or worse and everyone then needs to pull in that direction.
So even the people who the game does appeal to can't play it? WTF Carbine?
Huh...this really makes me sad because I loved this game. Taking a small break atm but I just love everything about it. The story, the combat takes skill, and even the graphics. To me it's such a fantastic atmosphere. I mean in no ways am I saying I'm right, everyone else seems to hate it. But I just think this game has something great behind it....I really do. It's one of those things where it really makes me sad because this was a game I supported the second I saw it.
Really really wanted to love Wildstar. Pre-ordered and everything but only played the first month and haven't been back. I may still try it again someday if it is around and the mood is right.
Avarix said:
I had to pass on it. I enjoyed my time with the game, but my computer didn't. Optimization was some of the worst I have ever experienced in a game. Basically, it wasn't worth burning out my hardware for.
No doubt we will see the usual 'death by hardcore' comment but the game had many problems, and I don't think its supposed 'hardcore' content was its downfall.
Agree in full. I have insisted for initial 2 or 3 months ... then had enough. I do not F2P any game. If it is only FTP, I do not play. Have not found at least any game that would appeal to me. If it is at least mixed system, like Swtor, I will always sub if playing. Here ... tried to return ... but I just can't find any reasons to return. Have brand new computer, GTX970, SSD, ... and game is fluid (before unplayable) ... but still ... can't force myself anymore to play. They did to many mistakes in past and nothing really good to make game appealing.
Still hope they do not die out, there is no game I wish it doom as I'm sure there are many players that enjoy it. And maybe when not having anything better to play, I could try.
Comments
Hodor!
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
As someone above said, NC$oft doesn't do life support. If you don't make them a hefty profit, you aren't long for their portfolio. (Which, I will say this, it surprises me about Guild Wars still being active. This MAY be the exception to the rule though). In this case, for Wildstar, no news is NOT good news. If Wildstar doesn't show a return to profit, and DECENT profits by NC standards, you'll be looking at a sunset by August/September of this year and Carbine let go.
"Even so, NCSoft’s reputation with wielding the axe on underperforming MMOs means there’s a lingering question: if not now, then when? All of that will likely depend on what the news brings over the next few weeks and months."
Currently playing: WildStar, Guild Wars 2, EVE Online, Vain Glory.
Wizardry said:
Sorry not trying to be mean but i really don't see Gareth as a gamer .
First of all the gloom n Doom is not about financials,gamer's couldn't care less about financials,nobody sits in a game and thinks,wow i wonder how well this game is doing financially,oh shit they suck ,i'm out of here.
Hate to break it to you, but I've been playing games for over thirty years. My first computer was a ZX Spectrum, released back in 1982. At the moment, I'm playing ARK, SWTOR, a touch of the Legion beta, and EVE: Valkyrie (more on that soon). Make of that what you will ;)
On your other point, gamers are definitely interested in how financially secure a game is. Who in their right mind would spend money in a game's item store if they doubted that it would be around in a few months? That's just a common-sense reaction to the news that's been doing the rounds these last few days.
I'm a huge fan of SWTOR. I remember when WildStar was dropping, and a bunch of my guilds top Operations players (I used to raid lead, and still do occasionally on the SM content) were talking about how the HC ops community was likely going to jump ship to WildStar. To a very small extent I think it was true, for a few months. After that they either showed back up is SWTOR, or I saw them trolling around in WoW after Warlords released.
Guess one truly had the saying power to keep it going, especially with SWTOR's level-sync, it's almost impossible to not have fun and challenging content to complete. I still find myself coaching new players through flash points, getting full reminders on how difficult this game can be for new players.
It's sad to see games that people like fail, but that is the nature of the MMO market, and at least there are some real good options left to fall back on if the worst case scenario is realized.
Just not a good MMO, and apparently a lot of people also have this opinion.
Smile
Wildstar has it's issues but it DOES have potential. Playing since Beta til now, I have seen the game come around, just not the mindset of the "playerbase".
* The game had a rough launch and was tuned a bit too difficult for the common player - but that was tuned to be more accepting to it's combat learning curve over the course of a few drops. Every Wildstar player agreed before F2P the game was at a launch state and was far better than its first impression - the problem was the amount of naysayers from the initial wave that thought it was simply the same game months before
F2P was a mess though right? Yea, it was - but it understandably was. They changed the loot, the stats, and revamped a lot in Nexus; with a much smaller crew. While we can sit on the outside and look in at the issues many don't understand the moving parts in the background and how they add up as a whole for the entire game.
Issues brought up here:
Too cartoony/Bright - While this may be true, it also helps when the game presents darker areas and more tone downed models in the game that appeal to more "realistic" sci-fi fans. This may be a downfall to some, and to each their own, but it helps put Wildstar in a position to have a somewhat timeless style. A style which they do rather well as they have unique characters from the space pirate marauders, the wasteland Dreggs, the underwater space traveling Ikthian, the bio virus Strain, etc. The cartoony look takes getting use to but the love and care to the small details in the models really make it an easier to acquire taste when you truly immerse yourself in it.
* Combat is just spam? - The learning curve was revamped with F2P offering abilities at a faster pace while leveling. The problem imo here is that while much of Wildstar may seem like a clone MMO - the combat needs to considered a completely new idea on how to interact with mobs. It's not about just standing there and doing top DPS - the combat was made so that you are actually interacting with the mob, down to a personal level. You can double jump over telegraphs, dodge roll out of them, interrupt their abilities to get a MOO (stuns target and grants 50% dmg increase). Wildstar may seem like just spam your telegraph combat but it truly wants you to dip dive and dodge into busting out some ability combos that will stun the target and get you that kill.
* PvE is bhad - No, just no. I may not be an expert but after 10 years of raiding in WoW, through various forms of casual/hardcore - Wildstar has some of the coolest dungeons and raids in the genre. This may have been gated before but the attunement is now a couple dungeons and that's it. It is worth every minute to try and see this content. This is where the combat really shines as well - do the dance, get the kill - you feel like you truly fought a boss, not just spammed abilities. The Datascape raid now 20 man is pure brilliance - with about 10 or so different settings the look and feel doesn't get boring. The raid even has a total of 6 elementals that change each week in their pairing - making this 9 boss raid into really a 15 boss raid - Some pairs are easy than others but each week it makes the raid feel that much more refreshing.
* It's got no story/bland - I will agree at first look it's hard to pick up on but I think the "mysterious" Nexus was built as an opening that they wanted you to indulge in and seek out - there are TONS of lore in the game that must be sought out - Carbine has tried to fix this by giving you periodic quests to a portal near the capital that give you the jist of the story as you go - even adding more in since release. You want the "full" story try this spoiler - http://i.imgur.com/DfrRcmI.png - After all this time looking back, I feel like it's a pretty cool story with a cool setting - something at beta I don't think I could honestly say I was hyped about.
The first impressions were not great, and are there issues, sure! - but I didn't see any appeal outside this game so I just stuck it out to see what it had; and I am glad I did. Whatever the end will be for this game I'm glad I took the time to get to truly know it. I feel I may have an understanding that's hard to translate unless you play it all through - but maybe that is the downfall? I think the game was too hard at first and that put off players from doing what the game was really setup for - to be indulged it. To truly seek the mysteries of Nexus and to conquer it.
This comes from over a year of good and bad. I saw potential only increase before F2P and I don't see why that can't come again with the revamped stuff being worked out; my only wish is more players could see a great unique world with some of the most fun PvE content that has come out in years.
It was enough to make me try and make guides - first timer :/ - with a lot of time and care put into them. I hope they help others maybe get a better time from Wildstar - www.gamerphix.com
The humour is good, but that runs rather dry rather quick, the housing has never been something that i see point of in mmo anyway, classes are decent but nothing 'amazing'
overall this game could of a life like AoC where a hardcore group of players can probably keep it alive, however for the devs there is no keep alive, its either turned off or profit which is a little sad :@(
This post is all my opinion, but I welcome debate on anything i have put, however, personal slander / name calling belongs in game
where of course you're welcome to call me names im often found lounging about in EvE online.
Use this code for 21days trial in eve online https://secure.eveonline.com/trial/?invc=d385aff2-794a-44a4-96f1-3967ccf6d720&action=buddy
As far as Wildstar goes... it's dying. You know, because they catered to a niche crowd that didn't even bother to show up when all was said and done.
On a side note, it was a HUGE SUCCESS in terms of giving players a game to add to their spreadsheets of doom. They just love it when.... another one bites the dust.
I tried but I just can't do a bunch of required errands for npcs.
- Combat feels lifeless... just a bunch of running around and flailing wildly at things with no feedback beyond a few floating numbers.
- Character customisation was (possible still is) needlessly complicated.
- Apparently this game was 'hardcore' and maybe in parts it is, but the general leveling experience from 1 to ~15 (i.e. first impressions) was coma inducing (i.e. so very very NOT hardcore).
- The humor / tone of the game was just off. Not to mention the incredibly annoying voices over that didn't match the text.
I could go on, but TL:DR is that the game has issues, and in a lot of cases the same issues it has had since beta, which have been complained about since beta, which is a shame as it felt like they almost had something but just couldn't quite capture it.
1) The quest tracker. I hate it. It almost makes questing worse than it already is. Why can't you just make it simple and neat? Why does it have to be all convoluted and constantly changing numbers as you move around the map. Seems like I am constantly checking, over and over, just to make sure I am going the right direction or doing the right thing.
2) The quests themselves. Can you say "boring"? While there are a few quests that are certainly unique, how many games of Simon Says do I need to play? How many sticks, chests, oddball-item, do I need to pick up? Not only that, but it seems like there is a never ending stream of quests and yet feels like I am leveling at a slugs pace. I am not a fan of insanely fast leveling, but with as many quests that Wildstar makes you do, you feel like you should be much higher level than you actually are by the time you complete a section of the map. It always gives me the feeling of spending hours grinding out quests and yet barely making a dent into my leveling. The reward does not seem to match the effort.
3) The combat. I love having a smaller amount of skills. I got tired of having 30 or more hotkeys in WoW for so many years. But there is so little in the way of customization of what few skills you have that the combat grew stale and boring. Just hit the same 5 or 6 keys over and over and over while staring at the ground for all the insane amount of telegraphs. Yes, the AMPs helped a little, but not enough to make you feel unique. There wasn't enough change in the way skills worked and certainly not enough changes in any timely manner - by the time you got any changes at all, you were almost level 30.
4) The majority of PvP (Not world PvP). Its just a sh*tshow clusterf*ck of aoe spam. That's it. You might get lucky enough to fight someone 1v1 off on the side, but it usually didn't last long enough to actually be able to kill that person before they ran off or got assistance, and then its back the usual train of aoe spamming epilepsy inducing telegraphs. You didn't need skill to win in pvp, you just needed everyone holding hands and zerg-spamming everything they had from one side of the map to the other.
5) Crafting. Nearly every mmo I play, I try to dabble in the crafting and sometimes I get sucked in (Vanguard, I miss you), and sometimes it doesn't really do anything for me. Wildstars crafting? wtf is that thing? It reminds me of the quest tracker. It doesn't flow. In my opinion, it is not "ready-to-go" for new players to figure out. If I hadn't crafted in other games and had a little more knowledge about mmos, I might have just thrown my hands up and never touched it again - even then, it still took me some trial and error before I figured most of it out. I don't mind unique crafting or the customization's, but you need to make it neat and flow well. And before people tell me to go to the "Help" section to read up on crafting, I warrant to say that the mass majority of mmo players do not play games to read manuals. If it doesn't flow and come naturally, or is at least explained well, something is wrong.
6) The housing. Yea, I get it. Its a big open area, blah blah blah. This might be much more personal preference than my other statements, but sorry, I don't need a few acres to decorate. Yes, some people love it, but again, I warrant to say that the mass majority of mmo players no not. Heck, I think EQ2 did a fantastic job with housing. Simple, neat, and still gives you the feeling of accomplishment.
Well my extremely opinionated rant is over.
I wish Wildstar the best and I hope it turns itself around, but these 6 things have bugged me since launch and until they are addressed or changed, I just don't see myself investing much more effort into the game.
Peace!
Proud MMORPG.com member since March 2004! Make PvE GREAT Again!
They have a chance at a rebirth but that doesn't mean it'll succeed.
I wish I could play more but there just isn't enough life, unless you are in active guild the game is worthless.
I hope they get it together soon, the action combat and design of the original game is to good to be lost. Also they have lost a ton of the good people that worked there. Lets be honest DD is no Tony Rey and no one can replace Stephen Frost. Maybe the lack of Studio Head for over a year is making it harder they need one leader to steer the ship, for better or worse and everyone then needs to pull in that direction.
That's what killed it for me, I'm not upgrading my rig for one game when everything else plays just fine.
Monster Hunter since '04!
Currently playing: MHW & MHGU
WTF Carbine?
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I had to pass on it. I enjoyed my time with the game, but my computer didn't. Optimization was some of the worst I have ever experienced in a game. Basically, it wasn't worth burning out my hardware for.
No doubt we will see the usual 'death by hardcore' comment but the game had many problems, and I don't think its supposed 'hardcore' content was its downfall.
Agree in full. I have insisted for initial 2 or 3 months ... then had enough. I do not F2P any game. If it is only FTP, I do not play. Have not found at least any game that would appeal to me. If it is at least mixed system, like Swtor, I will always sub if playing. Here ... tried to return ... but I just can't find any reasons to return. Have brand new computer, GTX970, SSD, ... and game is fluid (before unplayable) ... but still ... can't force myself anymore to play. They did to many mistakes in past and nothing really good to make game appealing.
Still hope they do not die out, there is no game I wish it doom as I'm sure there are many players that enjoy it. And maybe when not having anything better to play, I could try.