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I think the sun has set on my love affair with Vanguard
gannonreid
Member Posts: 172
I have been playing since they reactivated the accounts for the holidays.
While the game hasn't changed too much, it has improved in areas where needed. But even with this improvement, the game is not where if needs to be.
I started playing VG again and started liking it. I leveled my first ever character to 20. A Psionist. It was fun to do that and diplomacy. But I still can't get past some of the glaring issues with Vanguard. It's not so much the performance that is getting to me, it's just the entire state of the game.
It lacks polish and wholeness in every area. I can't get over the fact that you can change your character as often as you want, seems like something that should have been stripped post beta, but I guess it's alright considering how few options there are in the areas of character creation that need them (hair, namely). And the arial font is another glaring issue. It feels like this game hasn't moved past beta.
Moving on, the graphics and art. Sure they are alright, but the requirements are ridiculous for what we get. Lighting is basic and lacks hard shadows to create a more whole and believable world, the color pallette is bland, and the art style is fairly fantasy-generic - needs severe stylization. Combine that with all of the hitches with doodads popping in constantly, it's pretty bad. I also have noticed that they have a level of detail in their collidable geometry that is just not needed and is also adding to issues. Also, texture work is fairly basic, because they had so much world to cover, the textures are repetative and lack individualization to their use. Brick texture is brick texture is brick texture.
Design itself is also a problem. They designed a game that almost requires grouping yet spaced out players to a ridiculous extent- an affect felt worse with the dwindling play-population. Each race having their own starting point and divided among three MASSIVE continents, it seems entirely counter intuative. Furthering the world-issues is the fact that they couldn't populate the world as needed. They have so many areas to cover, you will probably only experience a fraction, this detracted from the time needed create better endgame things are bring a better launch with a more whole game. THE WORLD IS TOO BIG.
But as I said, the game was fun for a bit, but I quickely felt that it required too much of me to get anywhere, I kept running back and forth from the same few areas and rarely got the opportunity to stray beyond those, they kept me chained down in such a massive world because of the slow progression. I like a steady sense of progression, especially as a more casual type. Sure the slow game is nice for the more hard-core crowd, but this is not what the majority of people want (WoW has shown us this). Plain and simple, it's getting boring again- fast.
But the design and boredom would be sorta-forgiven if I thought the game had a future. I don't. It has suffered too much and after only a year, the game has dropped to around 20k (my estimates based on server numbers), that's pretty bad. I don't see this game improving in any significant way. It will improve what it can, adding whatever content that can seem justified for release before its player base falls off to other more improved games in the future.
I had high hopes for Vanguard and am sad to let it go yet again. But should anything happen, like a total relaunch with their trial, I may be inclined to look again- if I am not already swept up by another game that is.
Comments
oh oh, a negative post on VG. I can already hear the vanboys come galopping in to save the last drop of dignity. Other than that I totally agree with you. The game lacks a finish polish in every aspect. And yes, the Arial font everywhere ingame is horrible
If gamers never got tiered of their current games then there would never be any new games released and all of us “old farts” would still be playing EQ1, UO, and AC.
While there were a lot of things I liked about these old games, I am sure glad I was able to moved on to a shiny new toy (VG for me currently).
Ah the memories.
I like being able to change the look of your character but i'd have prefered it if it was a profession in the game like Image Designer in SWG.
Fair post. Wish you well in your future adventures.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but the fact remains that for myself there is no other game that offers me the level of immersion i get in VG, and i honestly doubt I'll find it in any of 2008's big releases. Even in its current state with all its rough edges, VG is the best mmo on offer i can find.
To Morgaur, do you play Vanguard?
Or are you just an anti-Vanboy?
Which, i am sure you will know is just as bad as being a Vanboy!
Can you please define vanboy? Is it someone who defends a game against a posts that state there is no minimap in game? And then when the original post changes to Oh there is a minimap yes, but I meant it's bugged it doesn't even show harvesting nodes" the guy just shakes his head and turn up his eyes? Is this a vanboy?
REALITY CHECK
I don't know what a vanboy is, i have been refered to one before but to be honest i don't really care what i am called.
What i can't understand is the agenda of people that don't like the game and are obiviously not playing it anymore and have no intention of playing it again but still come on here to say negative things about it!?!
Dont they have anything better to do than come here and call people vanboys and cause long and unesscassry threads!?!
Yeh I mean criticism is not a bad thing. I can understand some people might not like it or be disappointed and rise a good reason. But majority of them posts nonsense, like the one with minimap I already mentioned.
REALITY CHECK
As much as I'm interested in what people actually miss in Vanguard ...
Oh come on, you just cant be serious.
You complain about Vanguard - and your first complaint is ... HAIRSTYLES ???
lol
In my pocket, a game where the first complaint one has is only the lack of hairstyles must be really great.
Just get faster hardware - or lower the graphic settings. I disagree that the graphics you get isnt worth the power the game is asking for. Except for towns... I really dont know whats up with towns, they always cause massive graphics lag.
And the large gameworld is an advantage of Vanguard, not a problem. Too empty ? Yeah. But thats not a fault of the game itself, is it ?
But if it would be just for me, Vanguard should be even 10 times larger. Every race should have multiple cities, some should hold multiple lands, while others would not have own lands at all. Darkelves and dwarves would live mostly underground.
VG isn't overly large, its just siginficantly underpopulated.
Its a shame, but this dog will never hunt.
Who the hell are you, and why should I care?
Congrats! You are a victim of Trollstar!
Lots of people come in an post a bash on VG that hits little problems and nits and tries to make big issues out of them or exagerates problems.
This post however really seems pretty fair in my opinion. I have the same feeling having played 46 levels of VG. I feel like the first 20 levels are pretty good but after that you start to run into issues as he has listed. While I like the large world design I do also see the issue that has been pointed out of making a game that is kinda group oriented and speading everyone out so far that they can't possibly get together until they are in the 20s.
There are a lot of great things in VG but there are also some major issues. The devs certainly have a huge challenge trying to figure out how to get the game from where it is to where it needs to be without shutting the game down and completely reworking it...
---
Ethion
Sadly, i have to say i feel the same way about VG.
I've been back one month now, i resubbed right before they decided to give out free months to anyone who hasn't subbed for over 2/3 months or so (doh). And i was really loving the game for the first few weeks back. Around the first half of december, i was thinking how great the community was, mostly really kind players quick to help and answer questions, give you a helping hand on your way up, and playing Vg on a brand new machine, performance wasn't an issue anymore, plus it looks great graphically imo.
But in this month, i've taken my warrior from level 18 to 42 and alot of things have changed for me.
The community doesn't seem very friendly or helpful anymore. Mostly just a bunch of elitists who think noone is good enough to play the game and tell everyone to go back to WoW or ignore you totally if you ask them a question even when they are talking about the subject in chat but won't give any of the details you would like to know about. And the others being the average jerk from every other game with all the free sub time flying around right now. So i would no longer say this game's community is anything special compaired to most games, if anything it's probably exactly the same + a few VG kings who hate everyone who hasn't played the game for a year. Grouping has been pretty bad too, I've met one cool person that has become a good friend in this time, and he was level 50 before i even hit level 20 so i didn't meet him through grouping anyways.
The game is also lacking content imo. Leveling up to 40 seemed pretty good with 3 continents and all, i didn't seem to have any problems finding stuff to do, but the higher i get the more i realise how little there trully is, especially for higher levels. Towards the end of the game there seems to be nothing for me to look forward to than to grind Wardship for faction to get a set of gear so i can raid APW. Not only that, but after having alot of bag groups lately and getting a bit tired of the community overall, i've tried to solo. Being a warrior and trying to solo at a high level is not only slow but there is almost nothing to do but grind whatever mobs i happen to be able to solo, which are few. Even supposed solo quests above 30-35 seem awfully hard as a solo warrior. Besides i don't really see a point in getting to 50 when all i will have to do is group at one single raid place. There are plenty of quality games i can play if i want to raid, and those games generally have alot more content and alot less problems involved, as well as alot more people to group with.
Sad that all that land is wasted on useless low level content spread across the continets, yet it's mostly all group content and the majority is useless for end game. And if you don't pick an overpowered class soloing is not a very good option at any time in the game, it's doable, but probably not smart.
The honeymoon period is indeed over for me, and while i love tons of things about the game, it's just not very fun to me anymore. Maybe after a while things will be reworked and new content added and i'll come back for another go at it, but for now this game doesn't bring anything to the table i can't get elsewhere imo. For me this game is just like EQ2 or WoW, except harder as so many people brag about and better looking. Harder isn't always more challenging, or more fun neccisarily. And while i do enjoy good graphics in a game, quality and fun are more important.
I wouldn't say this game is any worse than the other games like it that have been out, but with all the bugs, technical issues, low population and lack of content, i can't say it's better either. I spend way too much time angry at things that could be avoided playing other games, so i can't really choose to spend my money here. There is no other game out there right now i really love, but this one isn't really any different unless i want to stand in town all day saying ''wow, my character looks cool'', and so does that background. At least in WoW or something else, there are 100s of other people standing around that town and lots of different items to admire, lol.
A few weeks ago, i was playing Vg and loving it, but the love died faster than usual here, and i'm already looking for another game to play AGAIN.
(added) The one thing that i will miss very much though, is the GM team. They sure have their hands full with this one, but have managed to tend to me and my issues and have been very friendly and helpful. To them i wish the best and hope to see them again in the future in whatever great game that comes along.
To the op, join the club. I was playing since beta 3 til about 2 -3 mos ago and vowed only to return when they have helmets, more than one overly crowded high tier dungeon, wyrms, class specific armors and quests in the game.
I know they will eventually get around to it but after playing SWG for 24 mos and watching that go to shit, I can't take the chance of wasting my money and time on a game in Vanguard's state.
If you ask me through out beta the hardcore vanbois that wanted Vanguard to be the second EQ1/UO coming allong with Brad's vision was the downfall of this game. The only way Vanguard will ever come around again to something remotely sucessful as EQ (it will never be up there with WOW) is relaunch with everything they promised throughout beta (with Inqs and Zerkers).
Sad to see your going Sifudoja!
But nice to read a decent post about why someone is leaving. You are leaving for valid reasons friend and have stated them fairly. I have reached 44 myself and have found several area's for my level that shuld take me to 50 but i too realise that once i hit 50 there seems to be little to do. On this subject i have read that the aim for G4 is to increase the level cap? will this be in the form of an expansion or added content in the quiter areas? this may be what most people are screaming for and should give us more to do.
Why do we all use the early levels just to reach max level ? i hear about people levelling in a month or so then complaining theres nothing left, i understand they want content at max level for longetivety but i levelled at a nice pace and enjoyed all content and still have 6 levels left. The game starts at level 1 all, not level 50
well for me it does as i am a casual gamer. Sifudoja have you tried around RI or efrit at your level? i am there at min and am having great fun.
In EQ that may have been the case for the Dark Elves but not for the ones in Vanguard "Gnomes on the other hand is a different story".
Sadly i haven't. My sub time ended yesterday and i spent most of the time leading up to that around PoA doing those quests and a bit of group stuff as well. I also tried to finish the unicorn quest line before the changes to Randolph took place but due to some unfortunate bugs i didn't get a chance to finish those.
I may come back soon and see how things are going with VG, as it is still one of my favorite games at this moment, but right now i don't have alot of money and i think i should take a break for a while as i feel that i'm getting a little too spoiled. I don't feel satisfied with any games i play right now, and being an MMO and videogame lover for many years, maybe i just need some time away so i can feel the way i used to about them.
If that doesn't help, within a few months some other AAA titles should be released and they may be what i'm looking for. If nothing else, the break with help me have a little more spare cash to spend on the new games coming out and the sub fees for those.