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The Beauty of Vanguard
Thillian
Member UncommonPosts: 3,156
You can see the pictures in higher resolution in my image gallery here on mmorpg.com
REALITY CHECK
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I don't think the beauty was ever in question.....it was the total lack of interesting things to do or places to visit, endless vistas with zero content makes Homer go somthing somthing.
Look at the screenshots. I am sorry but I dont know what you are talking about. Bad release? Hype? Disappointment? I don't know. The game is here, and you can play it. It contains hundreds of dungeons (mostly group-based, some soloable), you can buy a land and build a house almost everywhere in many different styles, you can craft your own ship and sail around, you can undertake a long and difficult quest and get a permanent flying mount. There is the diplomacy, the crafting inventory, tons of mounts, races and classes. Fast and responsive combat. This game is a gem. I don't know what do you mean lack of content? After 2 years, I still haven't run out of it.
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The problem is that only a few Dungeons have trully worth while rewards makeing people only run the same say 15 Dungeons over and over. Its sad really. SO many other things to do but the retarted Developers Lissend to people and made lvling faster, and dident make it worth while to go out of your way to that Dungeon at the end of the world.
Its all We need End game!! Where is the End game.
Honestly I hate End game. And I hate Endgamers.
Whoops Sorry about that..... End rant I guess....
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude; greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
Samuel Adams
Vanguard is a gem, The game is beautiful. There is so much to do, every time I log on i get lost into the game. Personally, I am sick of people with the "I played beta....." approach and will not pick the game up now. This mindset is nothing short of being close minded and all in all - an idiot. Why do people that played beta of anything, have the all mighty word of saying what a games potential is when you are playing AN UNFINISHED GAME? I do not recall any MMO coming out that didn't have bugs or any type of problem. I am not saying that VG released like all other MMO's, because we all know it was under developed and no where near ready for release. In my opinion the game should have been released in its current state and many would have been happy. I love playing VG and it has been nothing but fun, rewarding, and I feel I accomplish things when completion is met. People need to get out of the niche of the only thing to do in a game is combat, i think its safe to assume that the people that run VG crafting/diplomacy in the ground are the same that never do anything in any game except combat grinding.
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I'll have to disagree. Though kudos for quoting a brilliant Simpson's episode
I don't want to play in a world that is covred in mobs. LOTRO is like that and it's obscene. I can't ride for more than a few feet and not get attacked by something in most areas.
With vanguard there are areas where the adventures start and areas that are just countryside. It feels like more of a world because of this.
Now, if you don't like the quality of the exisitng content that's one thing. However, choosing to put mobs and quests in areas where it makes sense to have them so that the world is not junked up, is a good thing in my opinion.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
I do agree that games should not be about endgame, but I strongly disagree with your longest paragraph.
The dungeons are there, they are in game. Sure, some have better rewards than others, but actually that's the beauty of it. I dont like perfect balance. There are dungeons that only a few people know about. It truly empowers the actual explorer aspect of the game.
Yes leveling is fast (still slower than most of other games tho -- unless you really know the way. Beginner surely does not feel like it being too fast), but there also is an option to turn off XP gain. If you really are this puritist you can turn it off from time to time. If you don't, you can still make an alt to go through the places you never been before. You can level up your fifth char, and take a different route to achieve the cap.
This is the kind of game, where you should be from time to time just going around and exploring. It encourages you to do so. There are many hidden quests with very unique rewards (like the mask that can make a rogue turn into a Vulmane!), or there are hidden locations with no purpose at all except for the beatiful scenery.
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Ever heard the expession, 'First impressions are lastin impressions.'?
This is exactly what happend to Vanguard. It sucked when it first came out. Not many people want ot revisit something that sucked. Some might, but most will not.
"Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it."
if it wasn't for that SOE logo, i would be playing Vanguard.
Three things wrong with Vanguard. Sony, No funding, No population. EQ is their baby and that is not going to change anytime in the near future.
Two of the three could be fixed if people would play the game.. People keep saying population is the reason they don't play... well if everyone says that then how is the population going to get bigger??
Lets say everyone decides to play and population doubles.... I can bet that the game will get the funding it needs to grow....
https://www.youtube.com/user/NemsGaming
I do agree that games should not be about endgame, but I strongly disagree with your longest paragraph.
The dungeons are there, they are in game. Sure, some have better rewards than others, but actually that's the beauty of it. I dont like perfect balance. There are dungeons that only a few people know about. It truly empowers the actual explorer aspect of the game.
Yes leveling is fast (still slower than most of other games tho -- unless you really know the way. Beginner surely does not feel like it being too fast), but there also is an option to turn off XP gain. If you really are this puritist you can turn it off from time to time. If you don't, you can still make an alt to go through the places you never been before. You can level up your fifth char, and take a different route to achieve the cap.
This is the kind of game, where you should be from time to time just going around and exploring. It encourages you to do so. There are many hidden quests with very unique rewards (like the mask that can make a rogue turn into a Vulmane!), or there are hidden locations with no purpose at all except for the beatiful scenery.
Dosen't Mean Squat if no one is willing to run it with you. And god knows there arn't enough people paying to play.
And anyone who says the current lvling is slow is nuts. In a Lot of areas I Must turn Off the XP so i can Still USE the quest reward item.. Its crazy to say this is ok.
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude; greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
Samuel Adams
There is an enormous amount of content in Vanguard. When Mentoring goes live it will help the low to mid-level grouping problem tremendously. I've got two toons that I've leveled to 55 and 51 and there are still many, many places I've never seen or quested. With mentoring it'll be easy to drop down and crawl some of the dungeons i missed with newer players that are currently leveling up.
I agree, mentoring works really good in EQ2.
There are many features from EQ2 that would work well in Vanguard with very little work.
you should try the /setfog. I forget the exact numbers I use to make it look perfect, but /setfog 999,999 is good enough.
-Computer specs no one cares about: check.
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Two of the three could be fixed if people would play the game.. People keep saying population is the reason they don't play... well if everyone says that then how is the population going to get bigger??
Lets say everyone decides to play and population doubles.... I can bet that the game will get the funding it needs to grow....
Yup, they stated that the funding is in proportion to the subscribers. The more people who subscribe to Vanguard the more funding they get.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Stunning!
the world looks good... the objects in the world like houses, trees, characters, mobs and such look like crap.
"Don't mistake a fun game for a good game... Checkers is fun to play but its not exactly the highest point of gaming design... and definatly not worth $60 plus $15 a month"
I've just been having a bash at the Lord of the Rings Online Free Trial, and although the graphics are 'different', I wouldn't say Vanguard has much to cover its face in shame about (at least graphics wise).
They both have their peculiarities. They both play well. I did notice that LotRO ran at max graphics settings, while I have to have Vanguard turned down to 'balanced' when in full group play.
Vanguard still looks good and has that certain 'playability' that keeps me going back.
Just a shame that $0£ can't invest some money and developer time into new expansions and advertising to draw in new players.
Currently playing: Vanguard: SOH
I agree Vyolakos. Being a PVE gamer, I flip from Vanguard to Lotrol and each game has great ideas to offer. Vanguard has traditional class roles (and lots of them) and a Huge world. LotROL Has a good assortment of classes that dont allways fit the standard roles (staying true to Tolien's lore) and another large world that will bring fond memories to those that have read the books. The big downside for Vanguard is the lack of expansion. How it is today is how it was six months ago. There has been additions to the game but it is slow comming. These are both good PVE games with lots to keep yah busy.
expansions is really what Vanguard need, I loved the game. But my 50 paladin and 50 cleric got bored and I went back to Everquest 2.
Last time I checked, this game cost more per month than most newer titles. Really SOE?
And its the age old problem, it had a shitty release and sucked major nuts. Its hard to get a gamer to return to something that didnt deliver first time round...
...meh.
PAST: UO-SWG-DAOC-WOW-DDO-VG-AOC-WAR-FE-DFO-LOTRO-RIFT-GW2
PRESENT: Nothing
FUTURE: ESO
SOE is busy working on the next EQ. We'll either get something thats somewhere between EQ2, EQ classic, and Vanguard or FreeRealms in the EQ world.
Vanguard may be going but its done. Its on pure maintenance mode unfortunately. I think the game has paid its dues but its a slowly sinking ship due to a lot of mishandling by A LOT of people. At least SOE gave it a chance and got it to a playable/enjoyable state - otherwise, the game would have sank with sigil. Sure, they could re-invest in the game hoping to make it a real winner - but all of the aspects of vanguard that make vanguard have already been down played and dilluted and forgotten (all development is basically centered on the adventuring sphere). Its essentially EQ/EQ2 but in a somewhat zoneless/open world.
If Vanguard had more of a unique setting, I think things may have been different(post nuclear, steam punk, etc...)
I would sooo much want to love Vanguard. I was in BETA, but since then the number 1 issue to me: character animations. Running, walking, swimming....come on guys, they just dont match the quality of the overall package.
This totally ruins immersion for me and everytime I try to come back ... i end up leaving shortly after. I know the character got new models, but animations remain unchanged.
I liked Vanguard while i played it. I thought the game was good looking. I loved the classes it contained and the diplomacy and crafting. I played it for about 3 months then came a few bugs i learned of and the lack of people to group with. I really hope it stays true and people who play it still enjoy it. I just dont think i can go back tho
I solo mostly so the pop problem wasn't such a big deal. But, even for an avid solo'er the game felt empty. Not to mention the fact that this game has always been a resource hog. I have 4 gigs of ram, a 1gig video card and a screaming internet connection and I could tell. But, Aion, LotRo run on full settings...heck, even DDO runs on the high rez settings.
I have went back several times, but unfortuneatly Vangaurd is just old news. Great concept, great lore, great classess. but, as you guys stated, it is on life support but SoE can't seem to pull the plug.