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Give Vanguard a chance

24

Comments

  • goblagobla Member UncommonPosts: 1,412

    Originally posted by Palebane

    As much as I like the concept and most of the features Vanguard has (including the low population and lack of patching) I believe someone would pretty much have to pay me to play this game right now. I'm not usually so critical about things I don't know much about, but this game is old. The graphics and user interface have to be substandard. They have to be. Please convince me otherwise.

    Don't know if I can convince you but I found the UI to be pretty standard when it comes to MMOs with even the option of downloading custom UIs to improve what there's standard. It's pretty standard-fare mechanically wise. As far as looks go I found it very pleasing. It's simple yet elegant. Kind of like a rounded square is. A pure square just looks mechanical and ugly. A circle just looks very complicated. A rounded square is elegant. If that makes sense :P.

    Graphics-wise it's much the same. In screenshots it doesn't look extremely impressive but it works. It doesn't try to be more then it is with flashy graphics everywhere. It shows you the world in a way that's pleasing enough not to get annoyed by age and/or ugliness but is neither anything special.

    As far as it goes visually Vanguard, for me, is completely unnoticable. There's really nothing very negative that can be said about it nor anything very positive. It's just kind of there. It does exactly what it needs to do, showing you what's going on in a way that feels up-to-date, but really not much more.

    This is coming from someone who finds CoX for example too old/ugly to play.

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  • Logos1326Logos1326 Member UncommonPosts: 240

    Originally posted by ArChWind

    I would play but my account is so secure even the new password does not work and SOE has not responded to the ticket in the past week so I kind of gave up. :(

    lmao..  good to know I wasn't the only one

    image
  • ultrastoatultrastoat Member Posts: 172

    As much as I like the concept and most of the features Vanguard has (including the low population and lack of patching) I believe someone would pretty much have to pay me to play this game right now. I'm not usually so critical about things I don't know much about, but this game is old. The graphics and user interface have to be substandard. They have to be. Please convince me otherwise.

     

     

     

    You can look at all the screenshots you want for graphics comparison, and they'll all look blurry and wierd for some reason. VG screenshots are natively kinda crappy in comparison to what you see on screen.

    However, if you're in the game, it's a completely different story. Rolling weather, interactive vegetation, trees that bend and sway according to weather patterns, landscapes that walk a very fine line between realistic and fantasy... It's a game that you have to see in video or play for yourself to truly appreciate the graphics.

     

    image

  • OberholzerOberholzer Member Posts: 498

    I tried and did enjoy Vanguard but found the population and support to be lacking too much to continue. SOE is definitely good at keeping dead games up and running for the few hardcore who won't let go. I played another one of their games for a while and they stopped after 1 expac and basically stopped updating it (EQOA) that game like VG has the few faithful who etll you it's the greatest game ever and give it a chance. "if there are no updates create your own fun" Yeah that's why I pay a sub. Let it go people, it had it's shot, sadly it didn't pan out.

  • ArdwulfArdwulf Member UncommonPosts: 283

    Originally posted by kjempff

    For a positive discussion and maybe attracting some new players to Vanguard, it might be wise to not start out with a list of facts that range from wrong to colored.

    He's spinning the info to support his point, but none of what he says is wrong outright, although I think bald comparisons with other games is a bad strategy.  There's value in evangelism, and even one evangelist can make a difference, if they are motivated enough and know how to get their evangelism out there.

    With Vanguard in particular, you have to sell it for what it is today, not for what it could be if SOE were to resume supporting it - and lest we forget, SOE did support it pretty well for a couple of years, including launching a huge raid, adding a large amount of content, a substantial new starter/trial area, and bundle of stuff that amounted to a whole expansion in all but name.  There isn't any conspiracy here, not is it either a secret that Vanguard is on life support, or a mystery as to why.

    It's a cliche, but "haters gonna hate."  Not everyone who disagrees is a hater, obviously.  You, for example, are not being a hater here.  Some others in the thread are.  The trick to addressing haters in not really in responding to them in kind, but in building a positive atmosphere such that a the hater feels unwelcome or is drowned out.  Vanguard has a long, long way to go there.

    Can Vanguard be saved?  Sure.  But it'll take a lot of community-building to do it, and SOE is in no position to do it.  What would SOE do if the number of Vanguard players were to, say, quadruple in the space of a couple of months?  I'm willing to bet that they'd take another look at supporting the game.

    To page, I say: keep it up.  Vanguard is a game worth playing, and worth saving.  It'll only take the effort.

  • kjempffkjempff Member RarePosts: 1,760

    Originally posted by nhavas

    As much as I like the concept and most of the features Vanguard has (including the low population and lack of patching) I believe someone would pretty much have to pay me to play this game right now. I'm not usually so critical about things I don't know much about, but this game is old. The graphics and user interface have to be substandard. They have to be. Please convince me otherwise.

      

    You can look at all the screenshots you want for graphics comparison, and they'll all look blurry and wierd for some reason. VG screenshots are natively kinda crappy in comparison to what you see on screen.

    However, if you're in the game, it's a completely different story. Rolling weather, interactive vegetation, trees that bend and sway according to weather patterns, landscapes that walk a very fine line between realistic and fantasy... It's a game that you have to see in video or play for yourself to truly appreciate the graphics.

     

    image

     

    Completely agree, VG graphics is up to todays standard. In my opinion, better than Rift, but maybe not quite as good as gw2 looks like its going to be - It is a matter of taste offcourse. At vanguards making the graphics were years ahead of its time, which on that part makes it comparable to todays graphics - If you have a machine that can run it on high settings.. cause this is not going to run on your cheap pc or a laptops.

    When I tried the praised Oblivion, I couldn't stop myself from thinking .. yeah but Vanguard graphics are just better, and its a mmorpg, and the gameplay is much better.

    I always was a sucker for Unreal engine graphics, because it is precise and not as blurry as other engines.

  • yenteyente Member Posts: 6

    This really deserves a chance, its so much better then most mmo`s out there, in my opinion mmo`s are getting easier each day.

    Lots of people are looking for a game that you need that bit of extra effort into more challenge, and have a feeling you accomplised something.

    For me its looks like the new gen of EQ, this game really needs the love it deserves!

    And if we dont get it from SOE then we all have to make it happend, theres still much love out there for this game.

    image
  • GoldknyghtGoldknyght Member UncommonPosts: 1,519

    Can't you just let Vanguard die in Peace? Vanguard doesn't deserve another chance because it was released unfinished. The game then wasn't even playable for 10 months there after. I tried to give Vanguard some love but once you log in and play for the first few levels the game is a deserted wasteland. No significant amount of people are going to come to Vanguard unless it becomes F2P and then prolly still not a significant amount. Its dead let it die in Peace.

                          Vanguard

    January 30, 2007 - January 30, 2007

                           R.I.P.

  • mrcalhoumrcalhou Member UncommonPosts: 1,444

    Originally posted by kjempff

    Originally posted by nhavas

    As much as I like the concept and most of the features Vanguard has (including the low population and lack of patching) I believe someone would pretty much have to pay me to play this game right now. I'm not usually so critical about things I don't know much about, but this game is old. The graphics and user interface have to be substandard. They have to be. Please convince me otherwise.

      

    You can look at all the screenshots you want for graphics comparison, and they'll all look blurry and wierd for some reason. VG screenshots are natively kinda crappy in comparison to what you see on screen.

    However, if you're in the game, it's a completely different story. Rolling weather, interactive vegetation, trees that bend and sway according to weather patterns, landscapes that walk a very fine line between realistic and fantasy... It's a game that you have to see in video or play for yourself to truly appreciate the graphics.

     

    image

     

    Completely agree, VG graphics is up to todays standard. In my opinion, better than Rift, but maybe not quite as good as gw2 looks like its going to be - It is a matter of taste offcourse. At vanguards making the graphics were years ahead of its time, which on that part makes it comparable to todays graphics - If you have a machine that can run it on high settings.. cause this is not going to run on your cheap pc or a laptops.

    When I tried the praised Oblivion, I couldn't stop myself from thinking .. yeah but Vanguard graphics are just better, and its a mmorpg, and the gameplay is much better.

    I always was a sucker for Unreal engine graphics, because it is precise and not as blurry as other engines.

    The game looks nice, but you can walk through almost anything (and my laptop can play it maxed).

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  • yenteyente Member Posts: 6

    Originally posted by Goldknyght

    Can't you just let Vanguard die in Peace? Vanguard doesn't deserve another chance because it was released unfinished. The game then wasn't even playable for 10 months there after. I tried to give Vanguard some love but once you log in and play for the first few levels the game is a deserted wasteland. No significant amount of people are going to come to Vanguard unless it becomes F2P and then prolly still not a significant amount. Its dead let it die in Peace.

                          Vanguard

    January 30, 2007 - January 30, 2007

                           R.I.P.

    Well 90% of all mmo`s wasnt finished at launch, they did a pretty good job fixing lots of bugs and new content, problem is that people keep telling its dead.

    Im not blind i know there arent any defs left etc. But for people who never played the game take the trial and look for yourself.

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  • ArcheAgeArcheAge Member Posts: 363

    Originally posted by Goldknyght

    Can't you just let Vanguard die in Peace? Vanguard doesn't deserve another chance because it was released unfinished. The game then wasn't even playable for 10 months there after. I tried to give Vanguard some love but once you log in and play for the first few levels the game is a deserted wasteland. No significant amount of people are going to come to Vanguard unless it becomes F2P and then prolly still not a significant amount. Its dead let it die in Peace.

                          Vanguard

    January 30, 2007 - January 30, 2007

                           R.I.P.

    What a load of rubbish lol. I have played from beta non stop so i don't know where you get the idea that it was unplayable,perhaps on your ancient PC but wasn't on mine.

    You don't play it so why in hell would it bother you if it's still going or not,seriously move on and don't waste your time on commenting about it if you dialike the game that much.

  • boojiboyboojiboy Member UncommonPosts: 1,553

    Originally posted by Solude

    Playing any SOE MMO until EQ:Next launches is silly.  They are all broken empty worlds.  Vanguard was great, but frankly we all moved to Rift so... see you there =)

    Rift is what makes so many people miss Vanguard.  Vanguard is a superior game to Rift in nearly every aspect.  The big difference is that SoE stopped all development on Vanguard and for those of us that played it for a number of years, there just wasn't a future left in it.  At least with Rift, we can wait for 1.3 this summer and hope there is something to do.

    Our whole guild moved to Rift when it launched and we are already bored to tears.  We would go back to Vanguard, but there is nothing new coming and because there is nothing new coming people don't want to invest their time in the game.

     

    Vanguard is just in the hands of the wrong company.  Man, I had fun in VG.

     

    That said, the OP does have good points.  It's not broken at all and if a guild wanted to jump in and play the game all the way through they would have a helluva good time.  If a individual jumps in to play, they'll need to find an active guild to join, because playing VG with a good group of people opens up a much larger portion of the game.

     

    As far as graphics went, I liked VG's realistic look.  You also have to remember that everything you saw in VG was actually there and you could go to it.  Throw in dynamic weather, a 'real' seamless world and the incredible detail, VG nailed it went it came to graphics.  Yes, the requirements are high, but the world and things in it are gorgeous.  Compare that to Rift where everything is kind of bland and where the background is a back-drop where you can't go or explore.

     

    I've played Rift since launch and it's graphics don't measure up at all to VG. 

    imageimageimageimageimage

  • CeridithCeridith Member UncommonPosts: 2,980

    Two conditions would need to be met before I would play Vanguard.

    1. The game was given appropriate development resources.

    2. The game was no longer administered by SOE.

    Since 1 won't happen until 2, and 2 doesn't look likely... I doubt I'll ever seriously give this game a chace. I simply can't commit to spending time playing an MMO that has no forseeable future.

    Which is a shame, because I love the concepts in it, and I want to, and would, play it if it was getting the development attention it deserves... from the right developer.

  • Squal'ZellSqual'Zell Member Posts: 1,803

    Originally posted by Ceridith

    Two conditions would need to be met before I would play Vanguard.

    1. The game was given appropriate development resources.

    2. The game was no longer administered by SOE.

    Since 1 won't happen until 2, and 2 doesn't look likely... I doubt I'll ever seriously give this game a chace. I simply can't commit to spending time playing an MMO that has no forseeable future.

    Which is a shame, because I love the concepts in it, and I want to, and would, play it if it was getting the development attention it deserves... from the right developer.

    my thoughts exactly,

    but my grudge from SOE goes back all the way to 2005. The recent events with sony is just the "i told you so" part.

    that game looks amazing in concept, graphics and play style. just remove that SOE sticker from it and put anotherone... i dont care wich one, (even namco, "hello kitty online publisher") as long as they put ressources and treat it with the care it deserves.

    SOE will just kill it, like it does with all their games.

    their mentality is,

    release game,

    fix it slowly,

    change it completely,

    charge CCs for months after people quit,

     let it bleed to death,

    release another game,

    forget the old one.

    rince repeat. 

     

    CCP takes care of their games

    their mentality is

    release game,

    upgrade it

    upgrade it

    upgrade it

    upgrade it

    upgrade it some more

    release free expansion

    upgrade it

    put upgrades on the upgrades

    yo dawg we know you like upgrades, so we put 12 upgrades on your upgrade's upgrade...

    release 12-13 free expansions

    develop new tech and upgrade that tech

    all while investing in top of the line servers and staff

     

    so yeah, SOE, has been a no no since 2005

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  • Gobstopper3DGobstopper3D Member RarePosts: 970

    nevermind

    I'm not an IT Specialist, Game Developer, or Clairvoyant in real life, but like others on here, I play one on the internet.

  • SlampigSlampig Member UncommonPosts: 2,342

    I have been trying to give  it another chance as I really enjoyed the game when I played. Now with the 45 free days I have tried downloading it to come back but I keep running into different errors when downloading, or not having enough room to update, which makes no sense to me...but anyway, I am going to keep trying because I really do like this game...

    That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!

  • yenteyente Member Posts: 6

    I still think that SOE bought VG just to let it die, and yes they fixed bugs mainly but they were scared because of there new child EQ(2) if they would promote the game and give it the attention it deserved.

    At SOE fan fair they didnt even mentioned the game, but all flops had major attention. It never had a fair chance, i like to see that microsoft take it back they started it, they have the money and power to make it still work. (Yep i keep dreaming)

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  • mmoguy43mmoguy43 Member UncommonPosts: 2,770

    You need at least 20 gigs to d/l and install VG. Getting it through station launcher usually works without any problems.

  • MardyMardy Member Posts: 2,213

    Originally posted by yente

    I still think that SOE bought VG just to let it die, and yes they fixed bugs mainly but they were scared because of there new child EQ(2) if they would promote the game and give it the attention it deserved.

    At SOE fan fair they didnt even mentioned the game, but all flops had major attention. It never had a fair chance, i like to see that microsoft take it back they started it, they have the money and power to make it still work. (Yep i keep dreaming)

     

    Did you just call other SOE games "flops" in the same paragraph talking about Vanguard?   Vanguard had a fair chance, but Brad McQuaid & Sigil messed it up.  It was given $30mil by Microsoft, and 5 years of development time.  THAT is a fair chance, you don't get that offer often.   With that kind of money and time, they should've had a working game at launch.  Let's not rehash the samo samo please, it's been debated and argued to death.

     

    Vanguard had its first chance when Brad was given $30mil budget and 5 years of development time.

    Vanguard had its second chance when SOE agreed to pickup Sigil & Vanguard after Microsoft dumped them, and paid for the development cost of the game 6 months before launch, and over a year after launch.  VG had 6 months of extra time before launch because SOE agreed to pickup the tabs.  After launch, all those people kept on Vanguard team were paid for by SOE and soley SOE.  VG had a large dev team including artists and programmers for over a year after launch.

     

    What you are asking for really, is to give Vanguard a third chance.  Eh, if you can find someone to fund you, you may have a chance to buy it off SOE.  But if I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath as most games don't get a second chance, let alone a third chance.

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  • yenteyente Member Posts: 6

    Its just some marketing im talking about, i think there are lots of people that dont know VG even exists and will have tons of fun with it. It wont hurt SOE to give it a bit attention at fan fair or a few adds on game sites.

    Im not talking about the money they put into the game, but they never sold it to the people. Like they did with so many other titles that in my opinion couldnt stand up to a game like VG.

    Post for example an add on facebook for the trial island, that dont hurt SOE that much. And i think thats what frustrated most people that they never really advertised the game, after it was picked up by SOE and they did a good job fixing lots.

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  • GoldknyghtGoldknyght Member UncommonPosts: 1,519

    Originally posted by ArcheAge

    Originally posted by Goldknyght

    Can't you just let Vanguard die in Peace? Vanguard doesn't deserve another chance because it was released unfinished. The game then wasn't even playable for 10 months there after. I tried to give Vanguard some love but once you log in and play for the first few levels the game is a deserted wasteland. No significant amount of people are going to come to Vanguard unless it becomes F2P and then prolly still not a significant amount. Its dead let it die in Peace.

                          Vanguard

    January 30, 2007 - January 30, 2007

                           R.I.P.

    What a load of rubbish lol. I have played from beta non stop so i don't know where you get the idea that it was unplayable,perhaps on your ancient PC but wasn't on mine.

    You don't play it so why in hell would it bother you if it's still going or not,seriously move on and don't waste your time on commenting about it if you dialike the game that much.

     Now whos giving out the rubbish. I had an ancient PC then I went and purchased all new PC parts way over recommended specs for this game and it still played like molasses. Its funny how the devoted like to live in a delusional world where Vanguard was playable at launch. It wasn't playable till October thats 9 months after launch.

    As for the other comment yes MMOs arnt finished at launch but sucessful titles are playable at launch and Vanguard wasn't.

    Let this game die as it has already been dead since january 07

  • karat76karat76 Member UncommonPosts: 1,000

    My wife and I triued it  some time ago and had a great time. After they merged to one server for some reason my wife was around 7fps so we left.

  • klokwurkklokwurk Member UncommonPosts: 35

    Originally posted by Goldknyght

     Now whos giving out the rubbish. I had an ancient PC then I went and purchased all new PC parts way over recommended specs for this game and it still played like molasses. Its funny how the devoted like to live in a delusional world where Vanguard was playable at launch. It wasn't playable till October thats 9 months after launch.

    As for the other comment yes MMOs arnt finished at launch but sucessful titles are playable at launch and Vanguard wasn't.

    Let this game die as it has already been dead since january 07

    Hmm... well I bought a new pc for playing Vanguard and I honestly didn't have too much trouble playing. Granted it wasn't great and I knew other people who were having a horrible time of it. Eventually the problems I was experiencing drove me away and I was a pretty dedicated player. However to say it's dead already is ridiculous hyperbole. The game is going along and people are still playing and enjoying it. The problem is that in MMOs the community does not give second chances and players are like sharks in the water when there's the scent of blood. 'Failed' games are treated like scorned exes. I went back to Vanguard recently and am having a great time, low population and all.

  • quasar941quasar941 Member Posts: 159

    I've been playing for about four days now (returning on free 45 day offer after quitting about a year ago). Unfortunately, while there are so very many things that I like about VG, there is no escaping the fact that the player base is simply too small to allow the game to be played in the manner in which it was intended. Teams are very, very rare which is unfortunate since solo play is an utterly lethal affair that is ultimately more frustration than fun. Even the Isle of Dawn, which was fairly teeming with players the last time I played, is a ghost town and it will take hours (or days, if you don't have a lot of time to spend online) trying to get help to complete the final Questline, Ascension.

  • ArdwulfArdwulf Member UncommonPosts: 283

    Originally posted by quasar941

    I've been playing for about four days now (returning on free 45 day offer after quitting about a year ago). Unfortunately, while there are so very many things that I like about VG, there is no escaping the fact that the player base is simply too small to allow the game to be played in the manner in which it was intended. Teams are very, very rare which is unfortunate since solo play is an utterly lethal affair that is ultimately more frustration than fun. Even the Isle of Dawn, which was fairly teeming with players the last time I played, is a ghost town and it will take hours (or days, if you don't have a lot of time to spend online) trying to get help to complete the final Questline, Ascension.

    I would advise at this point against starting in the Isle of Dawn for that reason.  If you're on the 45 free days you shouldn't have to.  Starting in the racial starting areas is cooler anyway, IMO.

    EDIT: Also, the groups are out there.  They were several other people on the Isle of Dawn when I was on at 2PM tiday.  But you need to be proactive and send the tells out yourself.

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