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(yet another) beta testers impression of WAR
teddy_bare
Member UncommonPosts: 398
First, I feel the need to qualify...I'm an Elder Tester that has been in beta for almost a year, and have been playing MMO's for almost 8 years now (holy s#!% has it been that long...), starting w/ EQlive I played almost every major AAA western MMO developed since then, including DAoC, Horizons, WoW, LoTRO, and most recently had been playing EQ2 up until I had gotten into the WAR beta. Feel free to check my Xfire profile (linked in my sig) to verify that I was, indeed, a beta tester for WAR. Keep in mind though that I only recently figured out how to get Xfire to detect WAR and record my playtime, and that was after I had become an Elder tester which uses a different client that Xfire doesn't detect (yeah, I probably could've gotten it to if I had really wanted to, but I didn't )
So, the game is actually in pretty good condition atm, and IMO, ready to launch. Overall, the game is well polished, ALL the advertised content is there, and well fleshed-out. There is no point in WAR where the content just ends, or drops-off , it is all solid, polished content from level 1 through 40 with no periods or places that just aren't done or don't have things to do. What i'm trying to say here is that the game is, truly, "content complete", unlike many other MMO's that have launched in the past few years that didn't have end-game finished, or what-have-you, at launch.
In general, WAR is a pretty deep game w/ it's system of progressive "chapters" that lead you through the over-arching story of the game, it's "tiered" zones, racial pairings, "open-world" objective and keep warfare, and RvR combat. Not to mention the pure awesomeness that is capturable capitol cities. Seriously, I have never experienced such meaningful PvP combat in ANY game, except maybe DAoC, but WAR even has DAoC beaten in that regard. Gone are the days of fighting back and forth over a flag for no reason other then, it's there and it gives me xp/points. Now, every, single battle and objective/keep taken or lost has an impact on the world, both in the form of xp/coin/renown bonuses AND moving your realm closer or farther from taking the ultimate goal, the opposing realms capitol where the spoils of war await. It all comes together really well and culminates in a truly epic battle within the capitol cities walls where you and your realm mates will eventually, if you defeat the enemy players and defending NPCs in your way, earn the right to take on the leader of the opposing army, Emperor Karl Franz or Tchar'zanek.
While you are progressing through the chapters/levels of the game, happily questing and pvp'ing along, you will occasionally run into a totally new type of quest. And this new system of quests is such an amazing, and natural addition to the game that you will almost be mystified that no one had thought of it before. I refer to the Public Quests, which are one of those natural evolutions of the game, much like exclamation points/question marks above npc's heads, or a quest journal, that once you have experienced them you will have a hard time imaging any game not having them going forward. They are basically a scripted event that occurs in the same place repeatedly, consisting of at least two stages and almost always culminating in a type of "boss" fight w/ a Champion or Hero, which players have to cooperate to defeat, and are rewarded with nice loot, xp, coin, and a separate type of xp that you use to claim rewards in each chapter with. I can almost gaurantee that a lot of the time you spend in game, especially early on when you first discover them, will be spent participating in PQs. They are all over the place, usually in natural gathering spots, or at points of interest and there are almost always quests that will lead you into the PQ. It is also not at all uncommon to stumble into a PQ where there is one or two guys, join in, and before you know it have half of a warband hacking away. It adds a whole other dimension to the game, almost on the level of dungeon runs.
Performance has really been a non-issue for me for the most part, the only time I ever experienced a drop in frame-rate was during the biggest open-world RvR battles, and even then the game was playable. Something to keep in mind though is that they are running debugging/monitoring software in the beta client that won't be present in release, but even still I didn't run into any situations that brought my fps below playable levels. My computer specs: AMD X2 4400+ oc'd @ 2.8ghz, 3GB Corsair-XMS DDR400, 7800 GTX 256MB, on an ASUS A8N32-SLi Deluxe.
One thing that I have to say really surprised me is how much fun each class that I tried is to play and how generally balanced they all are. I came into Beta not knowing which class I wanted to play at release, as my preferred role is that of a Support class, i.e. EQ Bard or Enchanter, and WAR didn't really have anything like that. Well, over the course of the last year I have tried almost every class, and I can honestly say that they are ALL fun and engaging, while still filling the role they were designed for. I still haven't decided on my main for release, but I have it narrowed down to a Witch Hunter or Disciple of Kane.
The Witch Hunter is an amazingly fun dps class to play as they combine elements of melee and ranged combat, although they are really melee-dps and don't have much range. They are one of the so-called "stealth" classes along with the Witch Elves, although the "stealth" mechanic in WAR isn't at all like stealth in WoW, EQ, EQ2 etc as you are never truly invisible and can be seen if you pass in front of someones field of view. Essentially the "stealth" mechanic in WAR will allow you to sneak around players to get behind them without being seen, but if you pass in front of someone, you WILL be seen as you are never truly invisible, you're just kind-of "dim". The Witch Hunter has a form of "combo" system, where certain attacks will give you "points" called Accusations, each "point" gives more power to certain other abilities called "Judgments". Judgments are basically "finishing" moves, as they do a lot of damage over a short period of time and are your most powerful abilities. The Witch Hunter, like all the other classes, never degrades into simple button-mashing. If you did only button-mash with this class (again, like all others) you WILL die, quickly.
The Disciple, or "DoK", is a very engaging, challenging, and surprisingly fun, class to play. I feel compelled to tell you all that the healing archetype is easily my least favorite. I never have, and still don't find it fun to stand there in the back, staring at HP bars trying to keep them as full as possible. I'm not trying to take anything away from people that play healers, as it most certainly is challenging, it just isn't my thing. But the DoK is anything but a "traditional" healing class, and that's why I find them so enjoyable I think. They are "front-line healers" or "melee healers" meaning they pretty much have to be engaged in combat to be a good healer. Balancing these two aspects, melee and healing, is really an interesting challenge and one I found to be very fun. You see, basically you have two separate "power pools", you have "action points" like everyone else, but then you also have "Soul Essence". Your action points power all of your abilities, and are used similar to mana in other games. Then you have your Essence pool, which is used to power your heals, this starts out filled btw. What it all boils down to is this...your melee/dmg abilities add to your Soul Essence cauldron, while your healing abilities take from it, and you have to balance it all out so that you are able to keep healing your allies, and keep them alive. There is an ability that allows you to convert Action Points directly to Soul Essence, but it is very inefficient and is really only for emergency use. As I said earlier, it is pretty challenging to keep things rolling, but once I got the hang of it, I found it to be one of the most engaging mechanics, for any class, in any game and a DoK that knows his stuff is a HUGE asset to his realm, and one of the biggest threats to the enemy.
The only thing about the game that I really didn't like is that the world isn't "whole", per say. But even that didn't bother me for long as once I started exploring a bit I saw that, even though it's broken up into 3 pairings which are far removed from each other geographically, the zones in each pairing do have "flow". In other words, you don't go from desert to tundra by crossing a zone line, maybe by using a "Flight Master", but not walking from zone to zone.
I can't complain about the performance b/c the game really ran pretty well on my computer. What about graphics though? I know a lot of people seemed to be under the impression that the game was a WoW-clone b/c it used a similar art-style, but that really isn't the case. WAR is simply put, darker and grittier. That isn't to say that there aren't bright colors here and there, just that it isn't as "light", or exagerated as WoW is, and is, generally grittier and more realistic. For example, the higher-end armors aren't so garish and outlandish, with the huge shoulders, crazy helms, and "interesting" color schemes seen in WoW. But that doesn't mean they are understated or boring. All I can really say is that they fit the classes they are made for well, and give the impression of power, and they all do look pretty bad-ass. Basically, if you want to see what your class will look like all decked out in good gear, go to the Games Workshop site and look for the corresponding miniature (if there is one) and it will give you a pretty good idea...and I think that says a lot.
So, all in all, I am really enjoying WAR and think it will be a success. It might not be the "WoW killer", b/c honestly, I don't think there will ever be one, WoW has just ascended beyond the bounds of MMO's, and maybe even games in general, to be a genuine pop-culture icon. That being said, I certainly can see WAR competing w/ WoW, at least in the North American market, but we'll see.
I hope you were able to make sense of my ramblings and get some kind of feeling for the game. If you have questions about anything I mentioned, or didn't mention for that matter, don't be afraid to ask. Most of you will get to try it in the upcoming days anyway, with all the previews, open beta and such.
Oh....one more thing for those that may be interested. I have an Open Beta code that I don't need (b/c I am automatically in it being a tester already and all) and am willing to give it to someone that is interested in the game and doesn't already have one. Shoot me a PM if interested
edit: wow, that turned out to be a lot longer then I intended, I have a tendency to ramble at times...
edit1: I totally forgot to mention PQs...added a bit about them
Comments
I really enjoyed reading the intressting thread and I found it intressting since i havent played WHO yet, and I am looking forward on trying it thanks to the thread .
good feedback
http://revolutionwar.guildlaunch.com/
a long read but worth it.
I will impregnate many women and name all of my children after you for that beta code.
Great Read thank you for the thread... i can't wait to try out the DoK class your descripition put me over the edge haha bring on the WAR
Great review m8, i cant w8 to play it!!
He that lives upon Hope dies farting.
Now the good reviews start to come in.....bout damn time people...
Question to OP...DoK...Whats its viabililty in rvr?
survivability? does it play like a drood,so to speak?
how is dps? and as far as casters,are there any with good dps AND survivability......
im having a bit of trouble finding someone to answer these questions.....ty for the original post..nicely done
I am also an elder tester and agree with much of the op's comments.
It has been a little while since I played the DOK, but I have fought them several times.
They are sort of like a rogue in wow, except that they can heal with thier combo points, and dont have stealth.
DOK looks really cool and has good animation and really feels like a dark elf. Of the 3 dark elf classes I liked DOK the best for its fistey combat and decent healing.
They are the mirror of the warrior priest and are sort of the durable melee healer. Thier melee fuels thier heals, they are not as solid a healer as say the rune priest or the zealot, but they are more survivable and better in melee.
thx for the review
Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions.
Thanks for the compliments
As for your questions concerning the DoK...
RvR: the DoK (much like the War Priest) is an absolute beast in RvR, they're especially a threat to melee-dps, but even tanks need to weigh things out when considering if they should engage one or not, the only class that can dispatch of them fairly easily is ranged-dps, but if the DoK is able to close the gap...well, you can figure that out
. As I said in my OP, the DoK in capable hands is truly a force to be reckoned with at any level, and much as the class description says, they actually are able to turn the tide in a battle.
survivability: the DoK wears medium armor, so off the bat they are a fairly study class, but their real survivability comes from their heals, especially their melee abilities that return a portion of HP based on dmg, and HoT's. The DoK has the ability to have a portion of the dmg they do returned to them as HP, then they have their HoT's which you should always try to keep up while engaged, for obvious reasons. So, overall the DoK is a fairly sturdy class considering they are a healer, but they need to be somewhat sturdy to allow them to do their jobs as being on the front-line you WILL be a target, but you need to be there to effectively heal.
(as an aside about survivability) I have found the best way to ensure survivability is to find a tank, a Black Orc is ideal b/c they have an ability that allows them to absorb dmg you take, and pair up. You pair up w/ a decent tank who helps guard you and you will be near unstopable, don't take that as the DoK isn't effective alone b/c they definitely are, but w/ a good tank at your side you're like freaking Batman and Batman (screw Robin, he's a puss
).
dps: the dps output of a DoK is decent. It's dps capability is no where near that of a dedicated dps class, but they are no slouch either. Basically you do enough dps that you can win a fight of attrition w/ a melee-dps class, they'll die first b/c you are able to keep yourself alive with your heals and not run out of AP before they do. One of the DoK's mastery trees, and some of their tactics, allow you to spec for higher dps, but it usually comes at the cost of lowered healing output. To put it into perspective, the DoK does less dps then a dedicated dps class (melee or ranged), similar dps as a tank but probably slightly less, and maybe slightly more then rear-guard healers.
Now, everything I just said depends on mastery of the classes mechanics, which is actually pretty challenging. This is not a class any newb can pick up, mash a few buttons, and do well with. It takes some time to get the hang of the classes intricatcies, and learn how to balance everything out. But once you do, you will be transformed into one of the most badass whirlwinds of destruction and healing ever seen in any MMO. You will be able to turn the tide of a battle, kill an enemy while simultaneously keeping an ally alive.
It may sound like they are overpowered, but remember that Order has the War Priest, which mirrors the DoK, and neither class is invincible, but they are most definitely a very welcome addition to any battle. You will certainly not have any problem making friends, and finding allies to fight by your side as a DoK.
And, on top of all that, a decked out lvl.40 RR50 is easily one of the coolest looking classes out there.
So, to sum things up, basically the DoK is hard to master, but if you do it's well worth it. They are one of those classes that is very rewarding to play b/c once you get everything down and really know what you're doing, you feel powerful. Most of WAR's classes are like that, but the DoK even more then most. If you're looking for a challenge that will reward your dedication, I'd suggest giving the DoK a try. Hell, even if you don't like healing (which I don't), you may find that you enjoy the DoK b/c it isn't like playing a "traditional" healing class.
Hope that helped.
I am also an elder tester and tend to agree with the OP. I have said it once and i will say it again, provided they keep the servers stable at launch I think we will see the best mmo to launch in a while they could set the bar here. Tons of content, good new player experience, middle and end game content in and works, engaging pve and pvp.
For the record I have been a resident of these forums since 2004 until now I have really never had a reason to post on any game good or bad, posts 2 and 3 are both on how strongly I enjoy this game. Take that for whatever it is worth.
Great review! I highly suggest going with both classes on two different servers. That way you have a whole different balance, you get both play types, play with different groups of people, and experience the game in a completely different way (Cause of all of these reasons and one is destruction and one is order).
I am rolling with Warrior Priest, Witch Hunter, Chosen, and Squig Herder on 4 different servers because while I was in beta different days I felt like playing different classes and no matter which I picked it was fun from the start so I am not missing out on much by not leveling one class to end game as fast as possible.
Great review. I am in the CE CB so didn't get to experience some of the stuff the elder testers did. This answers some of my questions. Thanks.
WAAAAGH
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There is no war in World of BoreCraft
Thanks for the post Teddy now if you could do me a favor and use your elder tester pull on the cb forums and get mythic to make the armor thats bought in the tier 2 keep minimum lvl 12 you will do them a big favor. that armor ruins tier 1 pvp and is gonna make a lot of noobs scratch their heads if my disciple of khaine is taking on 10 people at a time like I have been doing in cb3. also check the lvl req on the tier 3 and 4 cuz that shit is imba.
We need someone to write something liek this comparing the marauder to the chosen I've heard bad things for the marauder also bright wizard and sorc comparisions.
Take a step back in time and relive the original Lineage II experience as it was in the beginning. Create a classic hero from the original 5 races and 31 class options and jump into the nostalgic hardcore level grind where the rewards can outweigh the risks. It's your chance to experience the game the way it was when "hardcore" meant something!
Very good read, and dead on target to what I experianced in Beta.
great post!!
Yeah, the itemization is a bit wonky in certain spots. What you are referring to w/ the RR armor is probably a hold-over from earlier stages that was missed. When beta 3 opened it brought with HUGE changes in the itemization, and stat progression in paticular. Prior to that point, all gear had higher stat-bonus point totals in general, but that was especially true on the lower level gear. In cb3 they took away most of the stat bonuses on lower level gear, except on the higher quality stuff, but even then they only have very low stats.
As for the Chosen and Marauder, they shouldn't be compared really b/c one is a tank and one is melee-dps.I haven't heard much negativity about either class, and actually I had heard good things about both. I tried the Marauder for a bit, didn't get very far b/c it wasn't my thing, maybe to the mid-teens. But I found the class to be pretty cool w/ the mutations, and capable of some really nice dmg output when they are able to close the gap, which they do get an ability to do specifically that.
The Chosen I have heard very good things about actually, but haven't had the chance to play it past lvl 10 or so. But I have grouped, and duo'd w/ a few Choosen and they seem to be a very capable tank class, they are almost a mix of DAoC's Reaver and Champion. They are a very sturdy tank that uses debuff auras to weaken the enemy, and are very good at what they do.
Now for the Bright Wizard and Sorcerer comparison...Yes, this has been a point of contention all beta. The Bright Wizard is very good at what they do, and the Sorc is too, but there is a definitely a perceived imbalance between the two. I have heard a lot of complaints about the Sorc being too squishy. I can say from experience that both classes deal MUCH dmg, and both are squishy and if someone gets close, they die. I personally didn't experience any serious imbalance between the two, but as I said, many people have. I can't really say much about it, maybe I didn't play them enough to see it, or after things were balanced out.
For all of you who PM'ed me about the beta key, I gave it to the first person that asked. If you didn't get it, sorry, I wish I could have had one for everyone that asked.
thnks again the stuff i heard about marauder and chosen deals with eng game. heard gripes about chosen having 3x the hpa nd doing the same amount of dmg or some junk which im sure if it is true itll be balanced later.
as far as that armor goes im hoping someone addresses it on the beta forums cause its seriously broken and messes tier 1 pvp up a lot i can tank the everyone on the enemy team with that gear, needs to be lvl 12 armor not lvl 10 :O
Take a step back in time and relive the original Lineage II experience as it was in the beginning. Create a classic hero from the original 5 races and 31 class options and jump into the nostalgic hardcore level grind where the rewards can outweigh the risks. It's your chance to experience the game the way it was when "hardcore" meant something!
Great review, enjoyed reading it.
Great review....thx
I was on my SM and found a DoK running around near a empie PQ. He was flagged I wasnt so I thought "ok ill get the jump on him" well I was sword and board at that time so while I was hard to take down he was at 75%+ health when I died. In the open world stuff they are a pain as they run with the chosen, so while they might be out of range of people like the shamans the DoK are keeping them and themselves alive.
Anyways that was a great review and I was wondering if one this good would ever come here.
Hold on Snow Leopard, imma let you finish, but Windows had one of the best operating systems of all time.
If the Powerball lottery was like Lotro, nobody would win for 2 years, and then everyone in Nebraska would win on the same day.
And then Nebraska would get nerfed.-pinkwood lotro fourms
AMD 4800 2.4ghz-3GB RAM 533mhz-EVGA 9500GT 512mb-320gb HD
ALL the content is there??? ALL???
comon now they have just taken out alot of content.
yea 4 citys and 4 classes but that not alot of content tooken away
theres is still tons of content
O yeah when I saw chosen coming at me in full t2 I just went th eother way unless we just complety outnumbered them.
Hold on Snow Leopard, imma let you finish, but Windows had one of the best operating systems of all time.
If the Powerball lottery was like Lotro, nobody would win for 2 years, and then everyone in Nebraska would win on the same day.
And then Nebraska would get nerfed.-pinkwood lotro fourms
AMD 4800 2.4ghz-3GB RAM 533mhz-EVGA 9500GT 512mb-320gb HD
Yep. one thing to note on the content they removed and why.
Cities: they got carried away and the cities are massive, there is a video clip somewhere talking about how the remaining cities being MUCH larger scale than what was origonally planned.
4 classes removed: Better not to have them than have them unbalanced. There are plently left...
On a side note from that tho is the DE Tier1 is lacking a good mix of tank types... making PQ's in that area a bit more challenging, but not impossible.
I have been in Closed Beta for a while and I still dont know for sure what class I want to play... Every time I tried a new one I was like "This ones it!". I have always played a single Char/Class in MMO's now here I can say for certain I will have at least 2 alts... there all just so much fun to play.
-Phidian