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DDO to me
Dr.Rock
Member Posts: 603
I have avoided the traps and most of the monsters, killed what I couldn't avoid and have numerous wounds to show for it, my mana is almost depleted and the last shrine is far behind me. I am alone in the dark pressed against the wall, hidden in the shadows, watching the minotaurs move around their camp fire, as the razor cats sleep in the warmth. But I am not fooled, even with the light from the fire I can slip past the minotaurs unnoticed, but the cats hearing is sharp!
Reaching to my belt I pull out a small phial, pry out the wax seal and swallow the bitter contents. My hand seems to blur as I lower it moving unreally fast, the effects will only last a few seconds, but it will be enough. I silently draw an arrow from my quiver and aim it across the fire at the rocks beyond. The noise it makes as it strikes cause the minotaurs to turn and the cats to spring up and leap upon it. They don't see the fast moving shadow slide past them and in to the darkness.
The lever moves easily and the door slides up, I hear the faint cick of a mechanism and it is enough to warn me to pull my leg away as the spikes shoot up tearing a shallow gouge along the livewood of my calf muscle, but doing no serious damage.
The element of surprise is gone and the heavily armoured minotaur has already lowered its head, its hoofs scraping against the packed earth as he prepares to charge. I am exposed, caught between the trap and the beast no room to sidestep its charge. But I am a ranger, agile and fast, before it starts to move my bow is in my hand, three arrows ready to fly and my own legs moving as I power forward in to the cavern giving myself room to move.
In the middle of the cavern we meet, the beasts charge not slowed by the arrows that pepper its thick hide. My magic enhanced leap carries me over its back, magic boots thickening the air slowing my decent, allowing me to turn and bury a trio of arrows in to the back of the minotaurs neck. Still its momentum carries it on until it crashes face down in to the spikes, already dead.
As I kneel before the chest, I am happy this is DDO, victory is not just a case of having better weapons, armour and more health than the monster. I can use my own skill and brains to snatch victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat.
*************
Apologies for my poor storytelling, but players of DDO will probably recognise some of the DDO combat elements, stealth, skills and dungeon depth, which for me makes takes this MMO far beyond the limited play in others.
I always smile when I see people say DDO is not for solo play, for me it is by the best game for solo play, it just isn't easy!
Comments
Nicely put
Enjoyed the read.
I enjoyed that, was well written. If that was me it would be, "Oh hi brother (so and so), yep died again, probably see you in a few minutes." haha, I'm learing rogues are hard to solo or I just suck at it. I probably just suck at it.
As for solo runs, have you seen this page?
http://looting.bravehost.com/
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Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.
Very nice. I have just recently learned the greatness of this game. But I am very impressed so far!
Thanks for taking the time to write that, makes me want to log in and adventure.
I completely agree. I love the challenge of soloing the dungeons and outdoor areas, and going at my own pace(slow) gives me breathing room to immerse myself in the quest chain storyline. Its like stepping through my monitor and into an adventure gamebook.
I completely agree. I love the challenge of soloing the dungeons and outdoor areas, and going at my own pace(slow) gives me breathing room to immerse myself in the quest chain storyline. Its like stepping through my monitor and into an adventure gamebook.
Choose Your Own Adventure books FTW!Those were my favorite as a kid.
To the OP: fun and well written, I wish you continued success in your adventures.
"It is easier to be cruel than wise. The road to wisdom is long and difficult... so most people just turn out to be assholes" Feng (Christopher Walken)
I completely agree. I love the challenge of soloing the dungeons and outdoor areas, and going at my own pace(slow) gives me breathing room to immerse myself in the quest chain storyline. Its like stepping through my monitor and into an adventure gamebook.
I like the solo experience in DDO too, but you msut admit that when you compare how they support solo versus how they support group its just plain awful.
If you solo you either have solo difficulty which is crappy rewards and just plain trivial. Or you have a huge nonsensical jump in difficulty that only expereinced, well equipped, and well designed characters are likely to be able to do at all.
I like the fact that a really good char in DDO can ninja a whole hard dungeon. You really simply can't do that in an EQ clone jsut because of th math.
But there is no doubt the solo support in DDO has very bad holes in it. Not saying soloing on hard or elite should be easier but the problem is somtimes hard is harder than elite for a soloer because there is literally almost no solo support from the devs.
I think rogues have a harder time of it, as ranged combat makes the difference. Sorcs seem to do very well soloing certain quests.
Hadn't seen that site, but I notice my good friend Disco has one of his vids on it. He did stir up quite a bit of interest in soloing on the European servers when he did Co6 on elite back when the cap was level 10.
If you have a solo build, the majority of quests on at least normal should be fair game.
The problem with DDO is if you are deeply immersed in a quest, grouped or solo, then the experience goes way beyond anything I have felt on any other MMO. It is literally in a league of its own.
However if you don't have the time, or you can't find a group, or you have exhausted the replayability of a quest it can be quite dire. But to be fair probably not as dire as that realisation you can get in other MMOs that you are repeating an incredibly brainless exercise just to push an experience bar a little further along.
Its greatest strength, is its biggest weakness. But I have a certain faith in Turbine, they took a risk in being different (and possibly suffered a bit for it), but they have so far managed to keep to the original aim while consistently filling that gap, and at quite an impressive rate.
the fundamentals of DnD is group play. Solo players have a hard time in both pen and paper and in the online version. i unfortunately was not able to meet with a group of players to regularly go into DnD online dungeons and thus the game lost alot of its magic. another problem i had was most of the dungeons u do are inside a city (and i hate cities :P).
still a good game if u got a good group of friends to play with or enjoy a (very big) challenge to solo things
MMO wish list:
-Changeable worlds
-Solid non level based game
-Sharks with lasers attached to their heads
The problem with DDO is if you are deeply immersed in a quest, grouped or solo, then the experience goes way beyond anything I have felt on any other MMO. It is literally in a league of its own.
However if you don't have the time, or you can't find a group, or you have exhausted the replayability of a quest it can be quite dire. But to be fair probably not as dire as that realisation you can get in other MMOs that you are repeating an incredibly brainless exercise just to push an experience bar a little further along.
Its greatest strength, is its biggest weakness. But I have a certain faith in Turbine, they took a risk in being different (and possibly suffered a bit for it), but they have so far managed to keep to the original aim while consistently filling that gap, and at quite an impressive rate.
Well the real problem to my mind is things like a hold are a death sentence to a melee on solo and you are unlikely to have decent will saves until pretty high level unless you are a paladin or multi class.But you run into holds on normal all the time above level 4 or so, and some mobs will make you dance at level 4. Then elite gets things like a fireball or lightning bolt. Suddenly elite is easier than normal because a melee can deal with damage but miss a will save on a hold and you are basically dead. And the caster have the chance of throwing a hold "diluted" due to expanded spell choice.
The ramp up is fine in a group because group dynamics makes holds less dangerous and make AoE more overall damaging than they are solo.
It bugs me that sometimes I actually run something on the higher diffculty because the lower one is killing me too often due to saves I simply cannot increase at this point in time or effects I would need that are not available yet.
D&D sort of relies on the DM to iron out imbalances in the rules, holds being a clear example. Also magic users being way overpowered at higher levels (which is straining some of the higher level quests).
I am not sure what they could do about that without drawing away from the core rules even more. Except they could (should?) have implemented limited mana and concentration checks for mob casters.
As it stands soloing really isn't a melee game, you need to be able to put an enemy magic user down before it has a chance to strike back, or at least be far enough away to make an escape. Which sort of means ranged or magic.
Very impressive and well-written. Also speaking of the difficulty of soloing, to me a Rogue has one of the most difficult times soloing (realativly lowish saves & loose you best form of DPS except in short bursts via stealth & bluff) and probablly the easiest to solo has been a Warforged Wizard.
Also it is very dependent on what you solo. Undead are much more problematic for a rogue or a charm/hold based caster like some bards.
Also its very much depends on consumables. A UMD character implies consumables like wands and scrolls. And many people who solo already have plenty of money to supplement on those consumables and their character fails miserably without them.
I've watched a party averaging levels 3 and 4 wipe 30 times in Waterworks
I've then turned around and done Waterworks with 1 other player (sorcerer/paladin team) without a single death.
I've jumped in to pugs where everyone just ran around like maniacs or ping pong balls in a rubber room....
and I've grouped with people who treat each scenario like a serious dungeon crawl with death around every corner.
So I've gotten pretty addicted to grouping in DDO, even though my natural proclivity is to solo. Note, too, that though I am a soloer in MMOs, I am a regular D&D gamer with paper and pencil gaming who hosts weekly games as a DM. The main difference between paper and pencil vs. MMO in my experience is simple: at the table, you're gaming with friends immediately present. That's a whole different and much more fun experience than online gaming. With MMOs, it's fun in a different way, partially due to the anonymity, but I hardly ever get to repeat quest with anyone, since I move so slowly in advancement in the game. Everyone seems to outstrip me....it's one of the things I dislike about D&D and MMOs in general; it seems like only those willing or able to dedicate enormous amounts of free time to the game can advance with any rapidity. I often give up on a game when I realize that at my pace of play I'll see max level in a year or two. The fact that it seems like one has to repeat a lot of content in DDO to earn XP doesn't help; it makes the game repetitive, although not, as a previous poster pointed out, repetitive in the lame and mindless way grinding occurs in other MMOs.
Current MMOs: Rift, GW2, Defiance
Blog: http://realmsofchirak.blogspot.com (old school tabletop gaming and more)
Realtime first-person is indeed very attractive in a role-playing adventure game. It should make roleplaying easier and dungeon delving more interesting.
I've had better dungeon delving experiences in a text game, and there is nothing to say about DDO's roleplaying - it simply doesn't exist. It's not that roleplaying is poorly supported - it's that the game mechanics are geared to make roleplaying flat out undoable. Such mechanics include isolation from the actions of other players (except frivolous griefing actions), manditory quest repetition to achieve entrance into later dungeons, linear dungeons with required elements that require a certain tactic, and a complete lack of player-controlled game elements.
There is nothing notably "different' about DDO, and as someone who has played countless RPG games over the last several decades, my opinion is that it's nothing more than a hack and slash loot-gathering borefest.
With really good graphics.
Role-playing is up to the player. A game can't force you into roleplay, it's just not feasible. There are very in depth story line arcs in DDO...if you bother to follow them...if not, it's you choosing not to roleplay. As far as interaction with other characters, if you are interested in deep role play join a role playing guild and everytime you run a quest you'll be roleplaying both your character and the quest. In D&D though, the players are the party...just like DDO. No, you're not affected by a PnP group rolling dice in the next town over, you don't meet them, and they don't affect your game...just your group does.
The fact that you bring up "griefing" is...well...laughable. It doesn't exist on any level in DDO...period.
As far as repetitive requirements to enter quests? Yes...out of the 300+ quests in DDO, [i]five[/i] of them have prerequisites of some sort of grinding...and they're raids. Linear? I suppose if you choose to roll like that, go for it. Most people have a dozen different ways they can complete quests, various tactics, party make ups, party size, etc.
You say you've played countless "RPGs", as if you expect this to play like Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights...those aren't MMOs...no MMO will ever play like those.
p.s. AHHH, I forgot. You're the guy who complained before that quests are "too hard to find" and that you spent...and I quote...the "better part of a day" finding the Necropolis.
Realtime first-person is indeed very attractive in a role-playing adventure game. It should make roleplaying easier and dungeon delving more interesting.
I've had better dungeon delving experiences in a text game, and there is nothing to say about DDO's roleplaying - it simply doesn't exist. It's not that roleplaying is poorly supported - it's that the game mechanics are geared to make roleplaying flat out undoable. Such mechanics include isolation from the actions of other players (except frivolous griefing actions), manditory quest repetition to achieve entrance into later dungeons, linear dungeons with required elements that require a certain tactic, and a complete lack of player-controlled game elements.
There is nothing notably "different' about DDO, and as someone who has played countless RPG games over the last several decades, my opinion is that it's nothing more than a hack and slash loot-gathering borefest.
With really good graphics.
I as well am interested in hearing about the "griefing" please elaborate becasue I am mystified by what it could possibly be?
I believe DDO does lack from good rollplaying experiances although completely dissagree with it not existing. The individual players are the one who instigates rollplaying through emotes and chat. Chat is accesible even though a large portion of the community abstains from typing as much as they can while relying heavily upon voice chat. Rollplaying in voice chat is very common in the sense that no one takes it serious and tends not to be completely in character any more then the round table of die throwers.
For DDO, and other online RPG's, the primary function for Rollplaying should be heavily supported through emotes. This is the main area that DDO suffers the most and to bring this game up to an "rpg" status there needs to be quite a few emotes added. Star Wars Galaxies is a great example as to how to do emotes to support rollplaying.
Friveouls griefing - what the heck are you talking about!?!
The early dugones in DDO are probally as close as a thing you'll get to lienear in the game. I believe this was done to make the game a little more accesible to new comers and players who might struggle with the dynamics. As you advance the quests are not any more linear then the dungeon modules and the DM's of yesteryear - Turbine has added some pretty sweet traps which are completely randomized - and the game is by far less linear then any other MMO on the market.
Hack 'n Slash - yes, it can be that if you want. The intensity is nice for a game that has this type of style even though it's not the primary method of gameplay. Lots of player use strategy, progress slowly and engage mobs with a methodotical approach, which is anything but hack-n-slash.
Yeah, the graphics are nice aren't they.
Emotes - the game needs good emotes which there's a severe deffecientcy of. This and this alone would be a HUGE improvement to those who like to roll play and is much needed.
Realtime first-person is indeed very attractive in a role-playing adventure game. It should make roleplaying easier and dungeon delving more interesting.
I've had better dungeon delving experiences in a text game, and there is nothing to say about DDO's roleplaying - it simply doesn't exist. It's not that roleplaying is poorly supported - it's that the game mechanics are geared to make roleplaying flat out undoable. Such mechanics include isolation from the actions of other players (except frivolous griefing actions), manditory quest repetition to achieve entrance into later dungeons, linear dungeons with required elements that require a certain tactic, and a complete lack of player-controlled game elements.
There is nothing notably "different' about DDO, and as someone who has played countless RPG games over the last several decades, my opinion is that it's nothing more than a hack and slash loot-gathering borefest.
With really good graphics.
I as well am interested in hearing about the "griefing" please elaborate becasue I am mystified by what it could possibly be?
I think you're reading it backwards... his complaint appears to be that pretty much all griefing is prevented by isolating players from each other. He's probably someone who plays on a PvP server in WoW and prefers to be able to pick on people.
And yes there are "frivolous" ways to grief in DDO. Grease comes to mind. Taking all of the collectables would be another. Beyond that you can grief by inaction, e.g. go into the heat of battle and dc, don't heal, etc.
About the biggest griefing possibility was closed up recently... you used to be able to ninja the raid loot if you were the party leader but that's not allowed anymore. They also removed the grief potential of break enchantment recently.
LOL...come on though Ridd, I'm 2 years into this game and STILL laugh if I get greased at the wrong time
Oh, one more potential form of griefing would be the massive aggro magnet... those barbs that run 3 rooms ahead and run back saying "HEAL ME!!!".
Oh, one more potential form of griefing would be the massive aggro magnet... those barbs that run 3 rooms ahead and run back saying "HEAL ME!!!".
Ended up grouping with him months later on a PoP run when he was 14th level. He's charging again and taking a TON of damage for a 14th level tank...so I ask...what the hell is your AC?
28.
14th level fighter.
I loved that guy
Realtime first-person is indeed very attractive in a role-playing adventure game. It should make roleplaying easier and dungeon delving more interesting.
I've had better dungeon delving experiences in a text game, and there is nothing to say about DDO's roleplaying - it simply doesn't exist. It's not that roleplaying is poorly supported - it's that the game mechanics are geared to make roleplaying flat out undoable. Such mechanics include isolation from the actions of other players (except frivolous griefing actions), manditory quest repetition to achieve entrance into later dungeons, linear dungeons with required elements that require a certain tactic, and a complete lack of player-controlled game elements.
There is nothing notably "different' about DDO, and as someone who has played countless RPG games over the last several decades, my opinion is that it's nothing more than a hack and slash loot-gathering borefest.
With really good graphics.
I am going to assume that by roleplaying you mean the interaction in character between players of the game. If that is the case I am strong believer that IC roleplaying is an exercise of the mind, so only limited by a persons imagination. A MMO can provide superficial roleplaying like tools, but no more than that. I would therefore agree a text based game has far more scope for roleplaying as it has less constraints on the imagination.
If I fancy some roleplaying of that type I would go play an old style MUG, MUA or MUD, I don't bother with it (other than out of politeness) in MMOs because I find the medium limiting.
When soloing or grouping then a sense of roleplaying (as in roleplaying game) is governed by my level of control both in design and physical control over my character. In addition the level of detail in both back story and quest design. In this area I believe DDO excels when compared with other MMOs.
Naturally your mileage may differ.
Realtime first-person is indeed very attractive in a role-playing adventure game. It should make roleplaying easier and dungeon delving more interesting.
I've had better dungeon delving experiences in a text game, and there is nothing to say about DDO's roleplaying - it simply doesn't exist. It's not that roleplaying is poorly supported - it's that the game mechanics are geared to make roleplaying flat out undoable. Such mechanics include isolation from the actions of other players (except frivolous griefing actions), manditory quest repetition to achieve entrance into later dungeons, linear dungeons with required elements that require a certain tactic, and a complete lack of player-controlled game elements.
There is nothing notably "different' about DDO, and as someone who has played countless RPG games over the last several decades, my opinion is that it's nothing more than a hack and slash loot-gathering borefest.
With really good graphics.
I as well am interested in hearing about the "griefing" please elaborate becasue I am mystified by what it could possibly be?
I think you're reading it backwards... his complaint appears to be that pretty much all griefing is prevented by isolating players from each other. He's probably someone who plays on a PvP server in WoW and prefers to be able to pick on people.
And yes there are "frivolous" ways to grief in DDO. Grease comes to mind. Taking all of the collectables would be another. Beyond that you can grief by inaction, e.g. go into the heat of battle and dc, don't heal, etc.
About the biggest griefing possibility was closed up recently... you used to be able to ninja the raid loot if you were the party leader but that's not allowed anymore. They also removed the grief potential of break enchantment recently.
Come on now grease isn't griefing, especially if used at the right spot to cause a deathYes, I had forgotten about the raid loot system from before, but thankfully they changed that and as it is there are realativly few ways to grief. The innaction is true, doesn;t happen often and we just usually reform and boot or go ahead and finish the quest because in all honesty you don;t need a full group for any quest on any difficulty.
Oh, one more potential form of griefing would be the massive aggro magnet... those barbs that run 3 rooms ahead and run back saying "HEAL ME!!!".
Reminds me of my rogues cure for inactivity or that cleric that comes out and says "I don;t heal Rogues, or Warforged". (I guess I am greifing, but I believe in consequences for actions) Round up the mobs and bring em to the offending party and hit that Diplomacy button.