I think it's a valid concern to be aware of what the endgame is like. I can't really enjoy the journey if I know my time will essentially be wasted due to eventually quitting because of unbearable gear grinds later on. I'd rather enjoy a game I know I will want to continue playing. I was enjoying myself in BDO until I realized everything I was doing was, in some way, to gain more money so I could buy more things. Money is king in that game, much more so than other MMOs.
Does "journey" qualify as killing 50,000 of the same weak mobs per level in one of the most repetitive and mindless forms of progression I've ever seen? As someone who quit 1.5 months ago with a 55 and 56, that's the only journey I saw. Or was there a p2w cash shop "journey" too? Or perhaps it was a guess the hidden items in our patch but not in our notes "journey"? Just maybe it was the over 2 month late "journey" of waiting for sieges? So many "journeys" I don't know which was more fun.
Haxus Council Member 21 year MMO veteran PvP Raid Leader Lover of The Witcher & CD Projekt Red
There is so much disinformation from commenters I usually respect when it comes to BDO. I have said from the very start this is a game you just wander around and find things you enjoy to do. I also said don't get caught up in grinding and trying to keep up with the 'I have to level really fast crowd'. When you do this with this game you will struggle to find out what this game is really about. I play this game differently because it has a bit of a learning curve. If somebody asked my advice on how to play it would be simple; Talk to every NPC and find out what you like to do, and don't worry about grinding or leveling.
It matters if a game is designed with the idea that people group to level, but late comers find no groups because everyone is at end game. Not having really started in this game I cant say if that applies, but its a general observation that is valid in any game imo. Unless this game is intended to be soloed from 1-end?
I have a hard time enjoying a game when I constantly have to go online to figure out what to do in the game and how to do it, kills the immersion for me
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I think the post raises a legitimate question. The journey only matters if you are having fun along the way, though. But if everything you do is only pointless buildup to endgame ... well, who would enjoy that? At that point, your only priority is getting to the "fun part."
I'm a big believer that people make their own hells.
There are a slew of players out there who are not interested in "the journey" but just being high level with best gear for "end game". They don't like leveling and will complain and cry because a game raises the level cap.
It boggles my mind in Elder Scrolls Online when people say that doing the quests in the other factions are "a grind". It's the same type of content, reasonably well done that the players experienced from 1 - 50.
My only guess is that they really just want to be high level at pvp as quickly as possible. But then why play a game that has leveling when one can play a game that doesn't rely on leveling.
Very well said! There are people who want to level as faster as they can so they get an advantage in pvp by being more powerful. But if people are playing a questing game they should be happy when they are questing. More quests the better. Leveling is great but questing is better. The journey is the thing in this type of game and if that bothers people, you have to ask why they are playing this game in the first place...
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
I strayed in to this game during the free trial. I played the game for roughly two hours and knew it was not the game for me. The controls are clunky, the quests are clunky and the biggest thing was a game with great graphics gives a auto travel mode that doesn't promote exploration?
I liked leveling in the original rift, the story was great the journey was great and rewarding. Original WoW, yep, journey was well done. FFXI, the zones, companionship and rewards for killing the rare mob were outstanding.
Too many MMO'S are focused on the end and bigger better content, instead of exploration, fantasy world, and a loot system that makes you not like everyone else.
I have a hard time enjoying a game when I constantly have to go online to figure out what to do in the game and how to do it, kills the immersion for me
Well you could have asked someone in game, right?
Was that a joke? You've been around this block once or twice. You know how that turns out, I don't have to tell you where that leads.
I enjoy the journey and hate the endgame; because most endgames are grinding for x. Aka, raids and pvp.
Black Desert however.. I stopped enjoying that journey because Daum Europe is a terrible company and ruined the game. BDO also focuses on PvP later on; forced open world PvP. Totally ruined the game for many other people who just wanted a PvE experience like me.
Agreed. This is a big problem and it's a bit sad that some people cannot let this go. On the other hand, being thoroughly under-powered is sad, but Black Desert shouldn't be tackled like other MMOs. It's really unique and its charm is in having complete freedom in what you do.
While I'd love to agree with you, the fact that everything is effectively pointless to do except grind monsters because you make far less money and you cannot play the market to make money.
Life skills, while fun, don't really help you out in PvP or PvE nearly as much as just killing monsters again and again and again and again.
If you're behind this game doesn't really have 'catch up' mechanics so much as other games do. In fact it's designed to be slow intentionally. In theme park games you might get lucky and get a few of the drops you need in one day and have made large strides in 'catching up' to your friends. In this game you can't find an edge, you just gotta keep your nose to the grind stone and keep at it. Sure you can get a few lucky drops but ultimately grinding monsters for money is what you gotta do to be competitive.
I can completely understand the redditors question because frankly, unlike most games, it's hard to 'catch up' in BDO.
I think it depends why you play. If you want to do Node Wars and PvP only, then you need certain levels and gear and the journey would be annoying delay. If you enjoy the sandbox and story aspect of BDO, then it is part of the appeal.
Personally I've never been ganked in all the month but I level insanely slow, literally as "side effect" of focusing on farming, exploring, trading, crafting and doing little quests. I've not even moved beyond Serendia yet, barely made it to Glish and still mostly spend my time in Velia with my farms, breeding & collecting seeds. I'm level 27 now and had a good time so far, got 110 contribution points ... no interest in the "end game" so for players like me the journey or even just the places and peace (!) are the appeal. Node Wars happen in channel 1 and I'm in channel 2 always so besides the banner pics changing sometimes there is no PvP felt by me and I'm living in a very peaceful game.
Played: Pretty much any fantasy MMO, some did not even make it to release ... Favorites: UO, EQ2, Vanguard, Wurm Online, Salem, ESO, Creativerse Playing: ESO, Creativerse, Guild Wars 2 Anticipating: (sigh) ... maybe Ashes of Creation
I don't know why anyone would worry about leveling in BDO, it's almost impossible to not level.
I have a character that I created to fish.
She has never done anything but AFK fish, any time I'm not playing my other character.
She has never done a quest other than the basic fishing introduction quest, never done any combat, after the introduction kill some bugs stuff.
And she is level 49.999.
She won't make level 50 until she does the kill the boss quest to get to 50.
During the time she has been fishing she has made hundreds of millions of silver and paid for my other character, who is just got to level 50, to have all level 15 gear with better than normal accessories.
If you just want to catch up you can do it in a few weeks.
I actually enjoyed the game more while leveling my character, now I can kill pretty much anything with little effort, even the boss guys solo.
I'm thinking about starting my fisher doing the quests, but even though she has never done any combat she has acquired many combat skills and has the same strength and stamina as my main character so she will be almost as tough as my main, even without doing anything.
Even if I don't buy her any super equipment she will mow through the bad guys like wheat.
But it is very weird that she can be this well developed without having to do anything to get there.
Mike
If you shoot a mime, do you have to use a silencer?
I like to think I have given BDO a fair shake. I certainly don't hate the game, there is so much to do and it is GORGEOUS! I guess I'm more frustrated if anything. I find there's almost too much to do and I have little clue on how most of it works. Is that a valid complaint?
Personally I've never been ganked in all the month but I level insanely slow, literally as "side effect" of focusing on farming, exploring, trading, crafting and doing little quests. I've not even moved beyond Serendia yet, barely made it to Glish and still mostly spend my time in Velia with my farms, breeding & collecting seeds. I'm level 27 now and had a good time so far, got 110 contribution points ... no interest in the "end game" so for players like me the journey or even just the places and peace (!) are the appeal. Node Wars happen in channel 1 and I'm in channel 2 always so besides the banner pics changing sometimes there is no PvP felt by me and I'm living in a very peaceful game.
You've never been ganked because you can't. If you are only level 27, no one can touch you unless you wander into an active node war which seems unlikely as you live in an 2 channel.
That said, I 've been playing solidly everyday since CBT2, have multiple classes in teh 50-56 range, been ganked maybe 3 times, and that has only been because some nitwit decided to pop my horse trainer while she was afk leveling. Apart from that maybe PK'd twice in the first month in a heavily contested grind spot. Means nothing though It is how it is.
I like to think I have given BDO a fair shake. I certainly don't hate the game, there is so much to do and it is GORGEOUS! I guess I'm more frustrated if anything. I find there's almost too much to do and I have little clue on how most of it works. Is that a valid complaint?
Lol it can get that way, I find it is more of alack of time to do it all. I spend so much time with my horse trainer (almost Artisan 5) that finding time to put as much effort into other things is hard. The way to set up things to achieve certain crafting goals etc can be overwhelming, always something else that needs to be organised. But that is what I love about it. Too much for some though I would understand that for sure.
I am in a very very small guild, mostly life skillers, however even though we are not PvP focused most of us have gear to compare with the majority of the population, and better than a lot. the top 10% will always be the top 10% until they quit, but it is not that hard to close up on them.
I'm still confused as to why some are so dead set certain that the game is Pay To Win. No one has actually been able to explain to me what they think they are winning. I utilize the cash shop all the time, most of my characters has costumes, weapon skins, I use horse resets etc however last time I looked, I hadn't won a damn thing.
BDO is a crap mmo. It looks good but its way to easy.I never even died 1s during my pve fights. The game looks awesome, but thats not what i prefer in a good mmo.I seek a challenge and BDO doesnt give me 1.
- Quests - Mediocre ( take that fetch that bla bla booring )
-Voice acting - Low Quality
- Story - Low Quality and translated poorly
- Nice World full of Glitches
- No gear customization in terms of appearance ( If u dont buy from cash shop u look like at lvl 1 )
- Gender lock classes
- Balance between classes its poor
- Combat its great but after a week it gets repetitive
- Crafting, Housing, Lifeskills are pretty well done for who likes to do it
- item progression ( Massive grind for who likes that )
- Comunity is one of the most toxic ive seen in years
- Node Wars i havent participate ( It may be fun ) but with all the things lacking above i havent seen the reason to do that
- Casual play = NO its still a massive time sink if u want to have moderate gear
I am not trying to mock this game its just my honest opinion
For over 2 months i try to find a reason to continue to play this game but i cant find that
This article has nothing to do with BDO.
Reread the article with the following edit:
Black Desert Online World of Warcraft
I also read it as a general article that I and all my alts agree with. Even repeating early game content (just like I do with Diablo, Grim Dawn and all ARPGs) with a different class/build is something I find enjoyable comparing it against previous playthroughs.
But I'm not surprised at the BDO-specific nature of the responses. "BDO" is forum catnip around here.
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”
― Umberto Eco
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” ― CD PROJEKT RED
I am at 130 contribution points and my highest is almost level 29.
I do not know what this grind is that people refer to. I am enjoying the game so much I hate logging off and I play and I mean actively play since I hardly fish any more I am so intent on all my goals to get acacia and then birch and tin and various other things like different nodes for rare resources then working on my horses which I do not afk train but ride around when I run from one town to another so while it may not be making significant levels I am not running to keep up with anyone.
I love farming and trying different seeds to see how the plants look like planted and I enjoy that plus my solid income from running crates from Olvia to Altinova and bargaining fiercely.
I have no one to try and beat as I am not interested in PvP so lo and behold I'm enjoying the game.
If I do get fed up and I have build all the boats and wagons and am fed up with the game ,I will stop playing but in the meanwhile this game has given me so much pleasure to log in and play that not even for one second do I regret buying it.
My experiences have been miles apart from others because of the way I play the game without any focus on levelling or PvP . Of course I do not expect others to share this view but I certainly do think that the game has a lot to offer.
as soon as i see its about the journey know some fruit actor posted this....we arent actors we are people and part of life is NOW....not tomorrow , not yesterday and not tomorrow...while one might envision a bit a both now and then dwelling on tomorrow is unhealthy FOR REAL....just ask any drug addict or alcoholic....
they want a game addict in other words for REAL....NOT COOL....and its not about the journey its about the enjoyment one gets NOW....
Comments
21 year MMO veteran
PvP Raid Leader
Lover of The Witcher & CD Projekt Red
Ah, well if you think the grind starts at 50, just wait till you hit 55, the 'grind' from 50 to 55 is positively a breeze by comparison!
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Very well said! There are people who want to level as faster as they can so they get an advantage in pvp by being more powerful. But if people are playing a questing game they should be happy when they are questing. More quests the better. Leveling is great but questing is better. The journey is the thing in this type of game and if that bothers people, you have to ask why they are playing this game in the first place...
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
I liked leveling in the original rift, the story was great the journey was great and rewarding. Original WoW, yep, journey was well done. FFXI, the zones, companionship and rewards for killing the rare mob were outstanding.
Too many MMO'S are focused on the end and bigger better content, instead of exploration, fantasy world, and a loot system that makes you not like everyone else.
Black Desert however.. I stopped enjoying that journey because Daum Europe is a terrible company and ruined the game. BDO also focuses on PvP later on; forced open world PvP. Totally ruined the game for many other people who just wanted a PvE experience like me.
While I'd love to agree with you, the fact that everything is effectively pointless to do except grind monsters because you make far less money and you cannot play the market to make money.
Life skills, while fun, don't really help you out in PvP or PvE nearly as much as just killing monsters again and again and again and again.
If you're behind this game doesn't really have 'catch up' mechanics so much as other games do. In fact it's designed to be slow intentionally. In theme park games you might get lucky and get a few of the drops you need in one day and have made large strides in 'catching up' to your friends. In this game you can't find an edge, you just gotta keep your nose to the grind stone and keep at it. Sure you can get a few lucky drops but ultimately grinding monsters for money is what you gotta do to be competitive.
I can completely understand the redditors question because frankly, unlike most games, it's hard to 'catch up' in BDO.
Personally I've never been ganked in all the month but I level insanely slow, literally as "side effect" of focusing on farming, exploring, trading, crafting and doing little quests. I've not even moved beyond Serendia yet, barely made it to Glish and still mostly spend my time in Velia with my farms, breeding & collecting seeds. I'm level 27 now and had a good time so far, got 110 contribution points ... no interest in the "end game" so for players like me the journey or even just the places and peace (!) are the appeal. Node Wars happen in channel 1 and I'm in channel 2 always so besides the banner pics changing sometimes there is no PvP felt by me and I'm living in a very peaceful game.
Played: Pretty much any fantasy MMO, some did not even make it to release ...
Favorites: UO, EQ2, Vanguard, Wurm Online, Salem, ESO, Creativerse
Playing: ESO, Creativerse, Guild Wars 2
Anticipating: (sigh) ... maybe Ashes of Creation
I don't know why anyone would worry about leveling in BDO, it's almost impossible to not level.
I have a character that I created to fish.
She has never done anything but AFK fish, any time I'm not playing my other character.
She has never done a quest other than the basic fishing introduction quest, never done any combat, after the introduction kill some bugs stuff.
And she is level 49.999.
She won't make level 50 until she does the kill the boss quest to get to 50.
During the time she has been fishing she has made hundreds of millions of silver and paid for my other character, who is just got to level 50, to have all level 15 gear with better than normal accessories.
If you just want to catch up you can do it in a few weeks.
I actually enjoyed the game more while leveling my character, now I can kill pretty much anything with little effort, even the boss guys solo.
I'm thinking about starting my fisher doing the quests, but even though she has never done any combat she has acquired many combat skills and has the same strength and stamina as my main character so she will be almost as tough as my main, even without doing anything.
Even if I don't buy her any super equipment she will mow through the bad guys like wheat.
But it is very weird that she can be this well developed without having to do anything to get there.
Mike
If you shoot a mime, do you have to use a silencer?
You've never been ganked because you can't. If you are only level 27, no one can touch you unless you wander into an active node war which seems unlikely as you live in an 2 channel.
That said, I 've been playing solidly everyday since CBT2, have multiple classes in teh 50-56 range, been ganked maybe 3 times, and that has only been because some nitwit decided to pop my horse trainer while she was afk leveling. Apart from that maybe PK'd twice in the first month in a heavily contested grind spot. Means nothing though
Lol it can get that way, I find it is more of alack of time to do it all. I spend so much time with my horse trainer (almost Artisan 5) that finding time to put as much effort into other things is hard. The way to set up things to achieve certain crafting goals etc can be overwhelming, always something else that needs to be organised. But that is what I love about it. Too much for some though I would understand that for sure.
I am in a very very small guild, mostly life skillers, however even though we are not PvP focused most of us have gear to compare with the majority of the population, and better than a lot. the top 10% will always be the top 10% until they quit, but it is not that hard to close up on them.
I'm still confused as to why some are so dead set certain that the game is Pay To Win. No one has actually been able to explain to me what they think they are winning. I utilize the cash shop all the time, most of my characters has costumes, weapon skins, I use horse resets etc however last time I looked, I hadn't won a damn thing.
- Quests - Mediocre ( take that fetch that bla bla booring )
-Voice acting - Low Quality
- Story - Low Quality and translated poorly
- Nice World full of Glitches
- No gear customization in terms of appearance ( If u dont buy from cash shop u look like at lvl 1 )
- Gender lock classes
- Balance between classes its poor
- Combat its great but after a week it gets repetitive
- Crafting, Housing, Lifeskills are pretty well done for who likes to do it
- item progression ( Massive grind for who likes that )
- Comunity is one of the most toxic ive seen in years
- Node Wars i havent participate ( It may be fun ) but with all the things lacking above i havent seen the reason to do that
- Casual play = NO its still a massive time sink if u want to have moderate gear I am not trying to mock this game its just my honest opinion
For over 2 months i try to find a reason to continue to play this game but i cant find that
Cheers !
Full tower PC
I also read it as a general article that I and all my alts agree with. Even repeating early game content (just like I do with Diablo, Grim Dawn and all ARPGs) with a different class/build is something I find enjoyable comparing it against previous playthroughs.
But I'm not surprised at the BDO-specific nature of the responses. "BDO" is forum catnip around here.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
I do not know what this grind is that people refer to. I am enjoying the game so much I hate logging off and I play and I mean actively play since I hardly fish any more I am so intent on all my goals to get acacia and then birch and tin and various other things like different nodes for rare resources then working on my horses which I do not afk train but ride around when I run from one town to another so while it may not be making significant levels I am not running to keep up with anyone.
I love farming and trying different seeds to see how the plants look like planted and I enjoy that plus my solid income from running crates from Olvia to Altinova and bargaining fiercely.
I have no one to try and beat as I am not interested in PvP so lo and behold I'm enjoying the game.
If I do get fed up and I have build all the boats and wagons and am fed up with the game ,I will stop playing but in the meanwhile this game has given me so much pleasure to log in and play that not even for one second do I regret buying it.
My experiences have been miles apart from others because of the way I play the game without any focus on levelling or PvP . Of course I do not expect others to share this view but I certainly do think that the game has a lot to offer.
they want a game addict in other words for REAL....NOT COOL....and its not about the journey its about the enjoyment one gets NOW....