Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Dungeons & Dragons Online: Solo Content Q&A
Dana
Member Posts: 2,415
Garrett Fuller chats with the folks at Turbine Entertainment about solo content in Dungeons & Dragons Online. This week, they added this new experience to the early part of the game in a much-publicized update.
;) MMORPG.com: Many players have been looking for more solo content in the game, is this change in reaction to player outcry?
Turbine: Absolutely, we have been listening to our customers and are working to respond to their specific feedback. We already know that DDO is the best group experience out there, and we will continue to focus on great group experiences. The voice of the community was loud and clear -- that they wanted to be able to play on their own and wanted more activities to do in between the great group adventures. We will be continuing to add content that supports both solo play, group adventures and raid type encounters, as we are getting requests for all of that. There is actually a long list of additional features that we will be adding, including more solo content over the next 12 to 18 months that is in response to player feedback. Most of these features are geared towards the communities feedback specifically around giving players more things to do between adventures. But we will also continue to add features that support guilds and social game play as well. Some things on our proposed list are: tavern games, pvp duels and tournaments, crafting, wide open landscapes, more levels, more races and classes and other systems were not quite ready to talk about. |
You can read more here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
It must be really frustrating for Turbine and D&D fans, I mean how can anyone say that World of Warcraft isn't having an influence on other games. Not just in terms of subscriber figures, but what players are demanding now. I think that Turbine have already produced a game that just isn't instantly recognised as a D&D game, they are stepping further away by adding PvP. I'm equally surprised about the lack of comments this news item has received.
No annoying animated GIF here!
PvP?
I am happy to not have been holding to the game. I know if I would be staff, they would have to fire me before putting any PvP in a franchise like D&D.
Solo content respect the D&D computer games legacy and the fact some peoples play solo stuff with the books.
But PvP? They would really have only 1 option to implement PvP in a D&D franchise I would work on, it would be to fire me. PvP will bring many NEW issues that have nothing to do with D&D and everything to do with PvP, which are all killing motivations for any PvE achiever. No, I would never have been able to accept such thing. I am happy to see that the Turbines staff is a lot more flexible than I am on this issue. They will need this flexibility.
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
The lack of comments on this clearly shows the state of the game, hardly anyone cares anymore.
It all sounds like nice features even the PvP if done rigth, ie. arena combat, wich totally fits in DnD.
But you never get a second chance to a first impression, even if they could add all that rigth now I still do not think they will ever be able to make this game the success a DnD MMO deserves to be.
If I could I would drag turbine to Haag on charges of crimes against humanity, at the very least crimes against our cultural heritage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jerek_
I wonder if you honestly even believe what you type, or if you live in a made up world of facts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am still playing ddo but only with a Sunday static group of guild members ..with the solo option will be messing around with different builds .
ddo had such promise but turbine messed up ..all the things they are doing now should have been included in the original release ....
why they didnt put in crafting ...is totally beyond me in pnp we were always going to armor smiths & sutch
they make a group oriented game with no guild halls & a bad UI
I am hoping that ddo will at least work its way into being a quality nitch game like eve ..which I play currently.
I know this turbines failure with DDO doesn`t bode well for LoR online.....
players are getting burnt with the unfinished money grab that so many game Dev seem to be doing
ROFLMAO! Gee, how can they make DDO something other than the complete failure that it is? "Well, let's make DDO more like WoW!!! What a great idea! Why did we not think of that before!" Like, before you released this smoke'n load that is DDO?
What a waste this game is. They will attract no new players with this; the word is already out on DDO. They will turn off all their current rabid FanBoi players who do not want Solo, Crafts, PvP, or any of the other stuff that DDO stated was 'beneath' it when it was released.
Quite frankly, this looks like a complete 180 degree reversal of the DDO philosophy and a capitualtion to the Facts of Life as taught by Blizzard.
Can you all say 'SWG' and 'CU' and 'NGE'?
Somebody shovel some dirt onto this pile of Cat Poop and be done with it.
Whoa, let's not compare it to SWG yet. IN SWG they changed the core gameplay and removed it completely, in this they're just adding new features, not removing that core of the game. So fanboys will still be able to raid dungeons in groups as the main focus of gameplay, they don't have to do any of the other stuff in there.
I don't play DDO, but reading this made me a little interested, I'm gonna go check out their forums and see what players of the game think about it.
"All hail, king of the losers!"
-Age of Empires 2
I have to agree with the post above mine. The addition of solo content has me sufficiently interested in this game that I might try the 7 day demo this weekend.
Frankly, i don't see how including mainstream game features is going to detract from the core group-centric gameplay already featured.
It must be really frustrating for Turbine and D&D fans, I mean how can anyone say that World of Warcraft isn't having an influence on other games. Not just in terms of subscriber figures, but what players are demanding now. I think that Turbine have already produced a game that just isn't instantly recognised as a D&D game, they are stepping further away by adding PvP. I'm equally surprised about the lack of comments this news item has received.
If the WoW effect has you frustrated now, just wait. I don't think it's going to get any better. Now investors are going to wonder why games aren't reaching the WoW level of subscribers. And so it's just going to be one game after another trying to compete with those numbers. Instead of trying to make good new games the marketing is going to be the biggest priority.
I feel my hobby just taken turn for the worse. And it sucks too, because the only thing left to do is go retro. There's nothing fun to look forward to anymore. But even the older games are changing now in ways that are looking more and more World of Warcraft-y.
I feel like a relic from an empire of fun and innovation.
It must be really frustrating for Turbine and D&D fans, I mean how can anyone say that World of Warcraft isn't having an influence on other games. Not just in terms of subscriber figures, but what players are demanding now. I think that Turbine have already produced a game that just isn't instantly recognised as a D&D game, they are stepping further away by adding PvP. I'm equally surprised about the lack of comments this news item has received.
If the WoW effect has you frustrated now, just wait. I don't think it's going to get any better. Now investors are going to wonder why games aren't reaching the WoW level of subscribers. And so it's just going to be one game after another trying to compete with those numbers. Instead of trying to make good new games the marketing is going to be the biggest priority.
I feel my hobby just taken turn for the worse. And it sucks too, because the only thing left to do is go retro. There's nothing fun to look forward to anymore. But even the older games are changing now in ways that are looking more and more World of Warcraft-y.
I feel like a relic from an empire of fun and innovation.
If the WoW effect has you frustrated now, just wait. I don't think it's going to get any better. Now investors are going to wonder why games aren't reaching the WoW level of subscribers.
Why? because they arent innovating, not progressing, not being creative, rather than make a cookie cutter recipe out of WOW, they need to take their own ideas, their own concepts, and work with it. Like i said
THERE ARE TOO MANY FOLLOWERS AND NOT ENOUGH LEADERS. no company is being a leader and taking a MMO genre and givng it a breath of fresh air, they merely "WOW'izing" their MMO. blatant copycat. I can personally care less about this game, this game the way it is, shouldnt even have a $15 a month price tag, because it mimics too similar to Guild Wars in the instanced linear area, and dungeons, pre scripted AI, and completely boring areas, they create a few things like VIOP.
They keeep more or less to the D&D rules set, but they have little content,buggy laggy city,but other than that they are losing focus more than they ever have I canceled within a week, nothing to really say positive about this game. as far as im concerned its a joke, and not worth taking seriously. but hey, if your into it, i wont judge.
3.4ghz Phenom II X4 965, 8GB PC12800 DDR3 GSKILL, EVGA 560GTX 2GB OC, 640GB HD SATA II, BFG 1000WATT PSU. MSI NF980-G65 TRI-SLI MOBO.
I think the new features sound interesting and are also a step in the right direction (not sure about PvP though).
The lack of anything to do without a group was one of the reasons I never bought this game after trying it out in open Beta.
Their biggest problem, however, imho, is the lack of content. The idea of having to repeat the same quests again and again, no matter how well they are crafted, is appaling! They have to seriously work on creating more quests and much faster than they do now.
What I read in the forums they also have to raise the level cap as a gesture to their existing playerbase.
I really would not write this game completely off. EQ2 has shown that games, that are launched in a less than satisfactory stage can develop and become real fun to play. The bad reputation, however, really is hard to shake off.
I also think, that game developers, have, after the first shock, started to realize, that the enormous success of WoW, which came out at just the right time, will probably not be repeatable in the near future. The futute market will be much more fragmented, with some players preferring hard grind, some wanting a sandbox-style play and others more linear, quest orientated games. I see that acutally as a positive trend.
I must say, though, that we players also have to reajust our attitudes a bit. These games are just that - games! They are not the holy grail and should not be taken quite so seriously.
At the risk of sounding like a gloomy Gwen, the problem is that the best part of Dungeons & Dragons was always the dungeon master who filled notebooks with information and plot points, the person who designed elements of his campaign around his players and their characters. The very worst part of Dungeons & Dragons was the stodgy, restricting rules set. The only way Turbine could make D&D Online appealing to me would be if they could track down a guy named Larry I knew in junior high school to provide "content" for me. Aside from that, they're just giving me more classes and elves.
PvP, hmmm interesting in a DnD title.
I see alot of negative feedback in this regard, but step outside the box a second or two. What I imagine which table top DnD will never be able to capture, but has always strived for, is actual roleplaying potential. As it stands most DnD table top sessions are a group effort, but individualism is suppressed although the whole theme of the game is about creating and becoming the avatar.
That being said, I would like to have seen an arena or coliseum put up where you could go as an individual or team of up to 4. This place would be instanced as well to prevent outside interference or at least restricted where onlookers are rendered non-functional as far as spells, abilities and equipment. In order to compete the challenger has to put up a certain amount of money that the reigning champion has to match. If there is no reigning champ, it defaults to the same price for both combatants. This way you can still have tournaments for a entry fee or you can have king of the hill type fights. You could even have a grand melee!
Well back on topic. When I was a GM, I always thought it was cool to have two groups who couldn't talk or see each other and have them encounter the other party. I even imagined putting an adventure together where you had two side of players from different houses (sound familiar) and set them a goal such as one side set to rescuing a kidnapped daughter of a house and the other team set to thwart them. Set it and have them go at it. This would challenge the trap setting ability of rogues and rangers, the morals of paladins so forth and so on. What are you willing to do to achieve your goal? Is it within the context of your character? Will the paladin fall from grace because he allowed an innocent to be killed?
See, dismissing PvP just because it's PvP is not seeing the whole new area of possibilities if implemented right.
Think about it again and give Turbine your thoughts. That is the only way we can make a potential game ruining aspect into something great!
7 day tial, i believe youll use up the Solo content already in place, youll usually wait 30-90 minutes to gather a group together, some times less if your a Cleric, so much time wasiting in a tavern watchn people do a 3 step dance, or casting anoying spells consistantly that serves no one, ide wait another 6 months, and see if it doesnt become another cookie cutter MMROPG (everyone wants on the bandwagon) i made the mistake of pre-ordering through EB, took 14 days after the luanch befor i got the game, so i started out frustrated with the game and its service, ( the day i got the game and logged on they had a patch that took the servers down for a day as well,,,, EEERRR) at this time in the game, there is nothing to do between quests, other then repair your armor.
Listen to the People Dev's, its there money!
I welcome the solo option and like all the new ideas which keeps it fresh. I play every day up to 8 hours and still don't get bored...why? cause Turbine has the best online combat system. If there is a better mmorg for combat let me know! Maybr not for PVP as Guildwars rules (perfectly balanced game design) and maybe PvP is wrong for Stormreach..time will tell!
I hope drow can be played as evil characters...thus not join a team with Paladins and possibly opposite alignments. Alignments were so important to AD&D rules and would bring the diplomacy button more into use (i have never used it!). Also Drow could befriend some potential enemies much like the spells like command...
Well so much potential and Turbine, congrats on a gr8 job...
It looks like maybe the DDO team IS going to start listening to some feedback. The improvements mentioned (pvp, new areas, solo content..etc) will greatly improve the game if done correctly. Might even be a reason to re-subscribe. Congrats to Turbine for trying to do something...
Sorry to hear you have never had a good DM.
The lack of solo content was what kept me away. That and knowing too well how Turbine can truley screw up a decent game, like AC2 - which I really liked out of the box but went totally bizarre and group only way too soon.
I'm not convinced though - but I'm listening.
"Life is too short to play nerfed characters."
aslong as these changed dosn't mess up the overall gameplay mostly the pvp it should be great IMO.
I am abolutely outraged, reading these quotes from Turbine.
I have been playing D&D in many forms, before and since the first personal computers.
As many long time D&D fans, I bought the retail box on release, on the faith of the name. The European release, in my case.
As everybody already knows, it was a disaster, but lets recap:
First it was released which some major bugs and an overdue patch, which the technical support was asking us to wait for, and be patient.
Lag was the rule, even for users on broadband, you often saw characters 'running standing', or did it yourself. That was server-side lag, not PC or communication lag.
Then, the basis of the D&D system were breached several ways, making the game a hack & slash, hit & run game, most quests designed to be played only in teams. Gone with the choice between solo questing and team questing.
D&D rules were broken many ways, for instance you could find a L5 mob casting L20 spells...
As for the quests, they had a time-out system: if (rather when) you were disconnected due to their server lag, the lenghty reconnection process made it very rare to be able to resume it, you would have to restart it. You only earned xp by FINISHING a quest, not for battle, kills, or any use of skills.
There was a very limited set of quests, so you would have to keep doing the same set over and over again, in the area you were allowed to.
There was also a bug frequently causing disconnections during area transitions. Most quest area had area transitions inside the quest, with same consequence to the disconnection as mentionned above.
Magic users had NO MANA POTS available. Once out of mana, only way was to have a teammate of a certain class cast a mana refill spell on you, or find a mana recharge point (rare, and 1 use only).
In the areas I reached before writing the game off, the equipment shops were only selling equipment for fighter classes. Magic user classes had to rely on quests to find equipment loot. Too bad if none was found...
As for the support, it was utterly lousy, and cut in 2 department:
a) technical support knew the problems, asked us to be patient, sent us to account support department for any request of compensation (notion of suspending the PAID account to resume it once the game would be playable, after successful patches, ETA unknown)
b) account support would 'not understand' the request, and send back to technical support, or explain how to terminate the account. When they answered at all.
So, now, you dare to tell us that you 'have been listening to our customers and are working to respond to their specific feedback'?
And at the same time, you add PvP to it? someone else already commented on that, I will just add that only someone with just half a brain cell working could even consider that this could be compatible with D&D.
I am now waiting for 3 things:
a) Compensation for D&D fans who have been conned out of good money for something which is not, regardless the name, and has not been usable during the 30 days payed for with the box.
b) Removal of the idiotic notion of PvP in D&D
c) And probably a coming class action if a) and b) do not occur.
Knowledge is Power, but Ignorance is often Death
DDO is a twitch game. In D&D everything is measured, how far you can run in a round, BB/LG, attacking or moving, Free actions. There is no way you can capture all that in the twitch combat system they implemented. DDO from the begining should have been made as FTBCCR (Fast turn based continuous combat rounds) That way they can adhere to D&D rules and still have a persistent world.
No crafting. Crafting is a vital part of D&D. Not necessarilly player crafting, but at least some way to get crafted items. I can't remember how many times my ass was saved by blowing through my stash of asassin's venom, Or by a well placed firecracker, Or the joy of rolling a 20 on crafting(And watching the DM's face scrunch up at the prospect of handing out a Tailored masterwork wpn).
Everything is instanced.........OMG.....WTF......OMGWTFBBQ, WTFH were they thinking. D&D is a persistant world. How in the F'ing hell can you call an instanced game D&D. ROFLMAOCTDOMOV