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BDO a misunderstood flawed masterpiece
pingo
Member UncommonPosts: 608
The quickest way to burn out on BDO is to play it like other MMOs. The quickest way to kill your interest is to apply all the behaviors you have learned playing other MMOs over your entire MMO career. And thus BDOs biggest offense rears its head from the moment you get control of your character- While the game does a good job of explaining you how its combat mechanics work, it does a poor job at explaining you the logic behind the big facet of the game- The economic side.
And so, the importance of nodes, trading, connecting trade hubs, workers, crafting, life skills, energy points, contribution points and so on, are lost on the player. How would they know?
Forward 15-50 hours depending on how much you have grinded and you find yourself as a new lvl 50. What now? You just fast forwarded through the movie and soiled yourself of the ending. You go to the forums and ask "what is the point?", "where is the gear?", "where is the dungeons and raids?". You tried playing it like a regular MMO, and not what it really is.
This game feels like Harvest Moon had a lovechild with Soul Calibur, and was dressed in Skyrim Mods and mechanics from Dragons Dogma, Dynasty Warrior and a dozen or so other games.
If you're thinking of getting into this, you have to understand that it demands more of you. We've been so used to having games with easily explainable "Press B to win" context sensitive systems. And that's not a bad thing. Convoluted and Complex doesn't necessarily mean that something is better or deep or smarter. Simple is often difficult. BDO is not well translated, and it doesn't explain its logic very well.
In BDO there is a story, but it's whatever. There is a backstory with lore and so on, but it's whatever. This is a game about you living in a backdrop of a fantasy world, and that is all that matters. The gear you start out with is how you look like for most of the game. There are some gear sets, but the variation is small. Many of its armor pieces and weapons are nuanced slightly. Not a lot of crazy supernatural flame swords and glowing armors here. It's subtle. Some of the most desired cosmetics are crafting outfits. You just have a tunic looking like a NPC leatherworker. Not very heroic.
But this down-to-earth appreciation speaks to the immersion. Bad translation, forgetable NPCs and story, and even a world that is not very iconic cannot stop this game from becoming more than the sum of its parts.
This is an alt fest. This game channels farmville and micro-macro management of other games. And it goes hand in hand, with a combat system that is not only visually stunning, but which has a sense of imediacy.
Having played the RU and KR betas I was very vocal about my criticism towards the games lack of AI and complete easy mode. The game is more of a challenge in this version, and if you fight by attacking mobs ahead of you, you will be forced to pop many potions as you survive the pulling onslaught of mobs.
This game is never going to be a balanced pvp fest. its not going to be your GvG e-sport dream. It's not going to be this thing that gives you the end game of a themepark MMO. But if you take it for what it is, you just might find yourself honestly immersed and appreciating this world on a more low-key level.
It challenges the idea of what the perceived status quo of what MMOs should have. It challenges the idea that a MMO that doesn't revolve around instanced dungeons and raids is a failure.
BDO is a flawed masterpiece. There are things about it that I wish there was better, but the game is such a one of a kind, that I'd have to look back to SWG to the last time I felt so immersed, lost, bewildered, entertained and frustrated all at the same time. Most MMOs in later years have been predictable and not very exciting. This game is.
It's also helmed by a developer team who seems hellbent on not breaking their vision. We don't know what the future holds in store for this game, but I'd consider it a massive failure if they ever give in and listen to the players who think that this game have themepark elements. That would destroy what they have build. That would be pulling a SWG-CU.
If you're going to get into this, see it as a slow burn. Don't see it as your 8-hours-a-day-MMO-must-do-the-end-game-with-my-raiding-guild-until-I-rage-quit-and-make-forums-posts-for-years-about-how-everything-was-so-amazing-during-the-honeymoon-phase.
As I said, there are things about it that I want to get better. I find the game to be the complete opposite of Blade and Soul. BnS is almost entirely claustrophobic in how linear and streamlined it is. It takes breadcrumb quest pulling to offensive levels. But the game is also a lot easier to understand and follow. Its gearing is easier to understand, everyone is equal in its quite balanced pvp. The game has a wide array of possible cosmetic looks. The game has the end game you would expect of traditional MMOs.
As such, I think BDO is the game you play to control a beautiful set of characters (having alts is essential in this game as they are connected by their shared family) and their crafting and trading enterprises . It's a game where the combat shines, and where you play for a bit. Not in long stretches necessarily, but a game where you enjoy hanging with your guild and hanging out in the world. the combat has an enormous pull as a fun and visually stimulating solo experience.
This game has no purpose to reach end, because the cap doesn't end. no-lifers are going to wreck everyone. So any purpose of trying to gear yourself to end game is futile. max enchants can break upon death, repairing durability is a thing. your workers need beer to keep working. they need to pass exams to increase in experience. you have to arrange for resources to be physically transported between the cities. Everything needs to be connected.
Don't let trailers fool you. You'll be doing a lot of satisfying combat, but its carried by the crafting. I believe people who skip on this component will lose interest in the game.
The trick is to understand that even if you don't like crafting, you still have to engage in these systems. for there is life skills for non-crafters. may it be eugenic horse breeding love hostels, making your own brewery or becoming a ship builder. or maybe just have your slaves collect resources for you that you sell.
You absolutely need to engage in this part of the game. It requires a completely different mindset and a break from your habits.
Understand that the 30 dollars you pay up front, is like a price they set for you for it is implied that you will want to use the cash shop. its not essential or P2W, but you really should invest 20-30 dollars in a pet (the way of auto-looting), some dye and a cool armor set for your main. I feel like that if you do not want to do this, then you're going to regret buying this game. It's a game where you look the same in the tutorial as you do at lvl 50. so buy one nice armor set and use that.
Be comfortable with the fact you wont be able to compete evenly, or that the game will be fair. as a true sandbox experience it is messy. instead find a crew of good people in a guild and put your focus and goals on exhausting the world for what it offers. "I don't like crafting" types will need to get their hands dirty to see the non-crafting way of dealing with surviving in the desert.
There are world bosses, there are group content, there is some hectic GvG and there is a lot of cool stuff on the way. But know what you're getting into and adjust your expectations. Realize that you will be confused. You should not be put off by it, but give the game time to sink its teeth into you.
And so, the importance of nodes, trading, connecting trade hubs, workers, crafting, life skills, energy points, contribution points and so on, are lost on the player. How would they know?
Forward 15-50 hours depending on how much you have grinded and you find yourself as a new lvl 50. What now? You just fast forwarded through the movie and soiled yourself of the ending. You go to the forums and ask "what is the point?", "where is the gear?", "where is the dungeons and raids?". You tried playing it like a regular MMO, and not what it really is.
This game feels like Harvest Moon had a lovechild with Soul Calibur, and was dressed in Skyrim Mods and mechanics from Dragons Dogma, Dynasty Warrior and a dozen or so other games.
If you're thinking of getting into this, you have to understand that it demands more of you. We've been so used to having games with easily explainable "Press B to win" context sensitive systems. And that's not a bad thing. Convoluted and Complex doesn't necessarily mean that something is better or deep or smarter. Simple is often difficult. BDO is not well translated, and it doesn't explain its logic very well.
In BDO there is a story, but it's whatever. There is a backstory with lore and so on, but it's whatever. This is a game about you living in a backdrop of a fantasy world, and that is all that matters. The gear you start out with is how you look like for most of the game. There are some gear sets, but the variation is small. Many of its armor pieces and weapons are nuanced slightly. Not a lot of crazy supernatural flame swords and glowing armors here. It's subtle. Some of the most desired cosmetics are crafting outfits. You just have a tunic looking like a NPC leatherworker. Not very heroic.
But this down-to-earth appreciation speaks to the immersion. Bad translation, forgetable NPCs and story, and even a world that is not very iconic cannot stop this game from becoming more than the sum of its parts.
This is an alt fest. This game channels farmville and micro-macro management of other games. And it goes hand in hand, with a combat system that is not only visually stunning, but which has a sense of imediacy.
Having played the RU and KR betas I was very vocal about my criticism towards the games lack of AI and complete easy mode. The game is more of a challenge in this version, and if you fight by attacking mobs ahead of you, you will be forced to pop many potions as you survive the pulling onslaught of mobs.
This game is never going to be a balanced pvp fest. its not going to be your GvG e-sport dream. It's not going to be this thing that gives you the end game of a themepark MMO. But if you take it for what it is, you just might find yourself honestly immersed and appreciating this world on a more low-key level.
It challenges the idea of what the perceived status quo of what MMOs should have. It challenges the idea that a MMO that doesn't revolve around instanced dungeons and raids is a failure.
BDO is a flawed masterpiece. There are things about it that I wish there was better, but the game is such a one of a kind, that I'd have to look back to SWG to the last time I felt so immersed, lost, bewildered, entertained and frustrated all at the same time. Most MMOs in later years have been predictable and not very exciting. This game is.
It's also helmed by a developer team who seems hellbent on not breaking their vision. We don't know what the future holds in store for this game, but I'd consider it a massive failure if they ever give in and listen to the players who think that this game have themepark elements. That would destroy what they have build. That would be pulling a SWG-CU.
If you're going to get into this, see it as a slow burn. Don't see it as your 8-hours-a-day-MMO-must-do-the-end-game-with-my-raiding-guild-until-I-rage-quit-and-make-forums-posts-for-years-about-how-everything-was-so-amazing-during-the-honeymoon-phase.
As I said, there are things about it that I want to get better. I find the game to be the complete opposite of Blade and Soul. BnS is almost entirely claustrophobic in how linear and streamlined it is. It takes breadcrumb quest pulling to offensive levels. But the game is also a lot easier to understand and follow. Its gearing is easier to understand, everyone is equal in its quite balanced pvp. The game has a wide array of possible cosmetic looks. The game has the end game you would expect of traditional MMOs.
As such, I think BDO is the game you play to control a beautiful set of characters (having alts is essential in this game as they are connected by their shared family) and their crafting and trading enterprises . It's a game where the combat shines, and where you play for a bit. Not in long stretches necessarily, but a game where you enjoy hanging with your guild and hanging out in the world. the combat has an enormous pull as a fun and visually stimulating solo experience.
This game has no purpose to reach end, because the cap doesn't end. no-lifers are going to wreck everyone. So any purpose of trying to gear yourself to end game is futile. max enchants can break upon death, repairing durability is a thing. your workers need beer to keep working. they need to pass exams to increase in experience. you have to arrange for resources to be physically transported between the cities. Everything needs to be connected.
Don't let trailers fool you. You'll be doing a lot of satisfying combat, but its carried by the crafting. I believe people who skip on this component will lose interest in the game.
The trick is to understand that even if you don't like crafting, you still have to engage in these systems. for there is life skills for non-crafters. may it be eugenic horse breeding love hostels, making your own brewery or becoming a ship builder. or maybe just have your slaves collect resources for you that you sell.
You absolutely need to engage in this part of the game. It requires a completely different mindset and a break from your habits.
Understand that the 30 dollars you pay up front, is like a price they set for you for it is implied that you will want to use the cash shop. its not essential or P2W, but you really should invest 20-30 dollars in a pet (the way of auto-looting), some dye and a cool armor set for your main. I feel like that if you do not want to do this, then you're going to regret buying this game. It's a game where you look the same in the tutorial as you do at lvl 50. so buy one nice armor set and use that.
Be comfortable with the fact you wont be able to compete evenly, or that the game will be fair. as a true sandbox experience it is messy. instead find a crew of good people in a guild and put your focus and goals on exhausting the world for what it offers. "I don't like crafting" types will need to get their hands dirty to see the non-crafting way of dealing with surviving in the desert.
There are world bosses, there are group content, there is some hectic GvG and there is a lot of cool stuff on the way. But know what you're getting into and adjust your expectations. Realize that you will be confused. You should not be put off by it, but give the game time to sink its teeth into you.
Comments
When my Valk was grinding through the teen early levels I kept running into weight restriction problems with her. So I looked in the marketplace and found some armor of Hercules something or other that increases your weight limit by 200 or so with a 2-piece set bonus.
When I put it on, much to my surprise, it totally changed her appearance to something that looked more like a costume from the pearl shop. Not fancy, just a very nice looking off-white dress.
I'd post a screen shot but I swapped out to something more min-maxi (Agerian also lol) at level 35 and had to destroy it to get back my armor stones.
IDK if Hercules armor is a one-of or if there are others that also change the look a lot but there is one at least.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
Also dye can be used to make yourself look a bit better. Anyway, when they get around to adding all the stuff from other versions there will be more diversity. There are best in slot sets, and they can all be farmed, no need to buy stat gear, then if you want to look different you can buy a costume, not a gear set.
It might not be the best visual upgrade system, but in the end the game is good. The cash shop is so neutral at this point, i don't even think about it. If you obsess over it though, it will bug you. In the end visuals don't make you stronger, stats do. So I don't see the point in making it an issue. I play a Wizard that looks like Gandalf, doesn't bother me a bit. Different strokes, I guess.
That doesn't mean I don't wish there wasn't more in game variety.
But consider the level of detail in these armors versus other games- not just the amount of dyes you can apply, but also in how detailed they are when covered in blood, and rain effects or when you have been under water. I bet it takes them forever to make a single armor set.
Elegantly written. Personally, I am playing this game as if I was living in this world. I don't concern myself with achieving anything in particular on any given day I log on. Sometimes I simply log on and talk to NPC's listening to what they have to say, immersing myself in their stories. And yet other times I just ride into the sunset, explore, and just get lost in the world. None of this will advance my character in any way. Yet it is enjoyable nonetheless.
Today I arrived in Heidel for the first time since I entered this world on its NA release. Yes, that is how long I've spent in the starting areas of Olvia and Velia. TBH, I sort of miss Velia since that's where I've lived for the past month or so. But I've now moved on to Heidel, had fun decorating my new home, and I am enjoying getting familiar with my new surrondings.
BDO has been an enjoyable experience. That said, I can understand why some may not take a liking to it since, as so eloquently stated by the OP, it doesn't have all of the familiar trappings that players have become accustomed to from their prior experiences in other MMORPGs. But that is ok, BDO is not for every body. All I can say to that is I hope they find a game that becomes as enjoyable to them, as BDO has become to a lot of us.
I don't need to change my desires just to suit what other people think games should be like or should be played like, I am capable of judging if I like a game or not and arguments that try to say different like the op are weak imo. I am not saying that BDO is a bad game it just that it failed in the two of the most important areas of game design. I am sure someone will claim that I am wrong, that either combat is not that important for game design or they will say "that it is too fun" please note I am talking about fun from my perspective not yours, and fun is subjective.
I guess my point is not everyone enjoys the same things and saying we have to conform to some ideal is just plain stupid. I don't like this game and other people don't like it either not always for the same reasons. People need to abandon this idea that everyone should conform to their likes and dislikes, some people like this game stop trying to convince them its bad and their enjoying it is wrong, some people don't like this game and they should not have to.
No one is trying to convince you to play the game. The OP is clearly saying that the game is not for everybody. If the game is not for you, move on. There are many other games that you can play. Go play them and be happy.
I am just amazed by it's learning curve.
Everything seems confusing and takes time for MMO addicts like me to figure it out.
After many moons that I have been hooked into something that needs my complete attention.
Cheers
Sourajit Nandi
" Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't play this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind,and you'll never whine or repent about gaming hours anymore, then have a go at every Game. Open up the Internet, join in all the Mmorpgs you can. Go make the Guild. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible. "
Once An Addict Always An Addict .
Target assist... tab targeting... same thing.
So what was your point again about it not being the same MMORPG clone we've seen for the last 10 years?
This game is the same asian grinder as any tab targeting mmo has been except with mouse over instead of hitting tab.
Although as I also said, for min-maxing purposes at the moment Agerian is the overwhelming favorite for all classes... and that particular armor set does close to SFA for character looks.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
Maybe on summer?
The "right" audience will be the ones still playing it in 2017... everyone else is the wrong audience.... and most of them either don't know it yet or knew it from the get go but have nothing better to do with their time.
I think (hope) that community guides very soon will make a showcase of different types in the game!
As I have said before, I'm a solo player. I never, ever get on and say "any groups?"
Yet I have grouped so much in this game. More than LOTRO, more than Aion, and haven't grouped this much since my old Lineage 2 days.
Heck, last night I grouped for about 2 hours in a great spot. There was one mob that hit hard and was difficult to take down. Consider the area was enclosed and the respawn was fast, the entire session was a blast. I really feel like I used to during Lineage 2.
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 agree with his stance that the UI needs to be a lot better for things like friends list and guilds list. It's essential for a social game like this.
It seems like there is no tutorial or instruction if you don't do the quests, or just click accept and don't actually look at the quest details.
I think I'll buy a armor set from the cash shop once the awakening stuff comes in. (