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Has DDO improved?
dtal311
Member Posts: 101
Hello all
I am trolling the various game forums on MMORGP.
I recently chose to take a break from EVE and have been an avid EQ2 and EQ player before that. I have played other games but the 3 mentioned kept my attention best; EVE a little to well : )
Anyway – I am an old DnD PnP player from the 80’s so have some questions
- Is it possible to solo in this game?
- Have they added enough content that you do not need to do the same quest / dungeon 1000 times to level?
- Is their still a good player base playing this game?
- Is it easy to find groups?
- Is it fun
Thanks in advance
Comments
yes to all
I used to play AD&D back in the 80's and must say DDO isn't anything like it. One thing it does well is capture the player dynamics in the form of character specialization.
1. Solo is possible although it's probally not the most effecient way to level up, get loot and experiance all of the unique content.
2. Yes and No. You can easily run the content without repeating them although based on some other's opinions it can be difficult to level up at a certain point and repeating the content you enjoyed would in fact reward you with more exp, favor and loot. Quests are typically repeated 'cs the dungeons, especially the newer ones, are pretty darned good. We all have our favorites to rerun.
3. yes! The player base is pretty good for the most part. You'll have a rare ass-hat no and then although it's not a common problem. My experiances are with a player base similar to EVE's with a range of 25-45 year olds. I also suspect there's a slightly higher percentage of females playing DDO then a typical MMO - everyone uses integrated voice chat.
4. Yes. Whiel there might be a time when finding a group could be difficult although if you're playing during a prime time in your region it should be very easy to get into a group. The best way to get a group gonig is to create one if one doesn't apply to your needs. If you're new be sure to express "returning player - no zerging". The player base tends to be very helpful for the most part.
5 Fun? It's a lot of fun to me. A lot of the game resolves around social connections and communication with others which could be a double edged sword.
To add:
Gameplay in DDO is very different from any other game that I know of. The mechanics emulate a "twitch" type of control mechanism while being pseudo realtime; nothing like the other "twitch" mmo's since there's a lot more synergy taking place within a group. Spells, attacks and movement are set around a "per round" concept so even though you're running and jumping over an enemy while casting a fireball into the back of it's head within a Realtime Environment you still have timers and attack speeds to contend with. It's been said the game is more of an "adventure" game with rpg elements then it is a standalone rpg, and I kinda agree.
DDO infuses a few different elements into the game mechanics. On one hand you'll have something that feels very much like a "hack-n-slash" yet you'll discover that good communication skills will facilitate better strategies. The game can be extremely tactical sense posistional movement and spell casting has a tremendous impact upon the outcome of encounters.
This is NOT your typical mmo in the same way that EVE is unique. Remember what the subscription numbers of EVE looked like two years after it was launched? I suspect DDO is following similar footsteps.
to reinerate - if you play DDO you will likely be repeating the content. Character building is heavily based upon looted gear and there's a constant struggle to find that extra +1 to a die roll in the same fassion as looting Commander or Faction loot in EVE.
If you would like someone to run a few low level quests without giving away spoilers I'd be willing to do so. Send mail to Mindspat on Ghallanda or eveMail to "Ominus Decre"; Roadkill for the win!!
Thanks for the great reply - your in Roadkill - lol - you helped kick my alliance out of the drone regions recenlty (OXIDE) hehehehe - the cycle of life.
I just bought DDO and will install morrow night. I like the fact that loot matters, something that does matter as much in many other Fantasy MMO's - I will look you up online
TY
Adamant Stehl
1) Yes, very much so, though you will typically be soloing content a bit below your level unless you have either very good equipment, very good skills or a combination of the two.
2) Yes, there is tons of content now. One of the reasons I originally blasted this game was the lack of content and need to repeat quests dozens, if not hundreds, of times. This is no longer true. 3 weeks ago I came back to DDO and created a bard. My bard is now level 11 and the only quests I've repeated are ones I either really enjoyed and wanted to repeat or quests that had an item in their reward list that I really really wanted (or both
). For the most part I haven't repeated any quests for xp purposes.
3) Yes, a very good player base actually. Mostly made up of older players though there are a few younger folk as well.
4) Yep, you can typically find one (or make one) in just a few minutes.
5) To be honest it's the most fun fantasy MMO I play. I love the combat system (and always have really) and the quests are better than any other game on the market, hands down.
Currently Playing: Dungeons and Dragons Online.
Sig image Pending
Still in: A couple Betas
2. There is enough content to get one character through without repeating anything if you take advantage of the XP available in the outdoor areas. Without hitting the outdoor areas you need to run everything twice.
3. The playerbase that is here are very loyal and committed players.
4. Yes. There was a 3 to 1 server merge a few months ago and grouping has become quite easy.
5. As long as you have a good guild / enjoy grouping / like D&D it is very fun. Solo is more of a chore than fun because you have to do all the work of 4 to 6 players for the same XP, i.e. grouping is very much encouraged in that regard.