D&D Online

Writing commentary about video games always poses this challenge: how does one communicate the obvious fact that a video game is a waste of time? This may sound redundant, but in the case of Dungeons and Dragons Online, there was never an MMO that had such potential that fell by the wayside so quickly. From the initial launch, to the difficult times right after, Turbine proved that the only thing worse than a bad launch is a bad finish.

Any new game will have a new feel and what appears to be endless possibilities, but rather than letting the game blossom and grow into its own, Turbine made a huge mistake. They made this game as a purely linear game with no options at all with the storyline.

The entire game is an instance. Why they felt the need to break out individual servers with a 100% instanced game is beyond me. The biggest impact of this is an empty game. Where normal MMO's tend to sputter because of pickup play, D&D was almost made for pickups. I have never met a more pretentious and annoying group of gamers in my life. They seem to thrive on not having any organization whatsoever. The game simply does not allow it. The guild functions and features simply do not even allow a basic feel of guild mechanics. No guild vaults, no guild rankings, no advantages whatsoever except a name. When you combine a small server broken down with players who prefer guilds and those who don't, you effectively halve the available playerbase. They should have taken a lesson from Guild Wars and at least made one big server with instanced city zones (which they have in game, but you never seen more than 1 or maybe 2 instances, ever.)

So an empty game is the first whammy. Then comes the slow pace of development. The game launched with 10 levels of character progression, and nearly 3 years later, they have only added 6 more. It took players only 3-5 days to max out the first time around, and with 3-4 months in between ANY new quests, every level cap raise they've had took only a few days (or in some cases hours) to hit the max. The problem with this becomes very obvious after only a few days gameplay. After out-pacing the missions, you find yourself either repeating the same dreary missions over and over, or you spend your time in lower level zones grinding out underpowered loot or looking cool in front of lower level players.

As far as aesthetics go, the game looks really dated. There are cookie cutter armors that just look horrible, the colors and the skins look like they have only had one pass from the day the game launched. Having played the game from the first day, I can honestly say Turbine is definitely lacking polish.

Some very simple features that you would expect in an MMO are simply not there. To make matters worse, they haven't made up for it in any other areas. There's never been an MMO where you paid so much for it and received so little. The game has the depth of a dixie cup stuffed with cotton balls.

The lack of gameplay, the lack of polish (for a nearly 3 year old MMO), and the lack of a good solid player base (there's always permadeathers and roleplayers) make this a game you would do well to stay far, FAR away from.

There are way better places to get your fantasy MMO fix these days. D&D Online plays like a 1st generation MMO with no endgame (except 4 or 5 raids with varying levels of repeatability). Too many player options lead you into groups with two-weapon wielding clerics and fighter classes with less hit points than a wizard. All in the name of D&D? Your D&D fix is best found in a good book.

I would always advise people to try things for themselves, and to ignore strong opinions either way. It is very easy to mislead.

Originally posted by Dr.Rock

I would always advise people to try things for themselves, and to ignore strong opinions either way. It is very easy to mislead.

That is true, but the big question is: Why shouldn't people get Guildwars instead? Same instances, but only one server for each language(well, 2 for english), no monthly fees, better programming and loads of content?

D&D is made so it should work perfectly in computer games and DDO have some nice ideas. But the game is to similar to Guildwars which costs less and is a better game.

And why didn't they make the game in a popular D&D world instead like Forgotten realms, Ravenloft or Dragonlance?

No, Turbine should start from the beginning and use the open world from LOTRO, mix in DDOs combat system and keep the stuff from the dungeons. Then place it in a more popular gameworld. And give us all friggin' 20 levels, they can always add the epic levels from D&D later if they want something for the expansions. And only one server for each language. Turbine can really do this

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by Dr.Rock

I would always advise people to try things for themselves, and to ignore strong opinions either way. It is very easy to mislead.

 

That is true, but the big question is: Why shouldn't people get Guildwars instead? Same instances, but only one server for each language(well, 2 for english), no monthly fees, better programming and loads of content?

D&D is made so it should work perfectly in computer games and DDO have some nice ideas. But the game is to similar to Guildwars which costs less and is a better game.

And why didn't they make the game in a popular D&D world instead like Forgotten realms, Ravenloft or Dragonlance?

No, Turbine should start from the beginning and use the open world from LOTRO, mix in DDOs combat system and keep the stuff from the dungeons. Then place it in a more popular gameworld. And give us all friggin' 20 levels, they can always add the epic levels from D&D later if they want something for the expansions. And only one server for each language. Turbine can really do this

They should try GW as well, I personally bought it and the first two expansions, didn't like the lack of freedom of movement and the click and forget combat. I didn't bother to install the expansions. I could go in to detail, exaggerate some points to paint it as pure evil. But at the end of the day it was okay, not to my tastes, but okay.

I like instances, in fact I prefer instances to open areas, the concept of spawn queueing/camping does my head in. I find open areas dull and to a certain extent pointless. Again just my tastes, so your concept of LOTRO/DDO mix does not appeal to me.

Because they could only get the IP from WotK for Eberron. So it was make it in Eberron or not at all, sure that has been explained again and again. I personally would have liked Planescape not that is was 3.5 setting (I think), I found the other settings not gritty enough, not that any decent DM couldn't use any setting.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by Dr.Rock

I would always advise people to try things for themselves, and to ignore strong opinions either way. It is very easy to mislead.

 

That is true, but the big question is: Why shouldn't people get Guildwars instead? Same instances, but only one server for each language(well, 2 for english), no monthly fees, better programming and loads of content?

D&D is made so it should work perfectly in computer games and DDO have some nice ideas. But the game is to similar to Guildwars which costs less and is a better game.

And why didn't they make the game in a popular D&D world instead like Forgotten realms, Ravenloft or Dragonlance?

No, Turbine should start from the beginning and use the open world from LOTRO, mix in DDOs combat system and keep the stuff from the dungeons. Then place it in a more popular gameworld. And give us all friggin' 20 levels, they can always add the epic levels from D&D later if they want something for the expansions. And only one server for each language. Turbine can really do this

BECAUSE WIZARDS OF THE COAST FORCED THEM TO DO EBERRON. They would need to pay %% TSR to the creatore of Forgotten Realms. Therefore Turbine would have to pay more for their license. It's like asking why didnt they pay 500 employees instead of 200!?

There are people that like dungeon crawlers. GW has bad character customization and almost no dungeons and boring combat. DDo has one of the best combat systems on market, one of the best character customization and great dungeons. What's there more to ask?

I love how you used the huge amount of builds available something bad. That is the beauty of DDO, you have MILLIONS of possibilities! This isn't just a game where clerics heal, warriors tank, period. This game opens up endless ways to make a character, which can, or not work. It seems to me like you played the trial and weren't skilled enough to get through many dungeons, which is why you're complaining about group organization (it's just not necessary for the most part).

Originally posted by Steelrose

BECAUSE WIZARDS OF THE COAST FORCED THEM TO DO EBERRON. They would need to pay %% TSR to the creatore of Forgotten Realms. Therefore Turbine would have to pay more for their license. It's like asking why didnt they pay 500 employees instead of 200!?

There are people that like dungeon crawlers. GW has bad character customization and almost no dungeons and boring combat. DDo has one of the best combat systems on market, one of the best character customization and great dungeons. What's there more to ask?

On the other hand, Forgotten realms would have had more players. That would mean more income.

And Im with you that the combat system, customization and dungeons are great but there is really more things to ask.  Less instances for one thing, more things to do then crawling in a dungeon. 20 levels, the game have been out a while now and 20 levels are not that much to ask for.

Guildwars have BTW sold almost 5 million copies, and the dungeons in EOTN isn't that bad.

DDO is half of a game, mix it with LOTRO and put it in a better world, and it could really be big.

Big difference for me between the two games...the spacebar.

As for the setting of DDO, love it. It is different. If it was in FR we'd be here griping about how they didn't do this or that but it is in the FR settings.

Gameplay is more fun in DDO. The combat is the best I seen. I love the group play. In GW you can solo.

I don't think the game looks dated. With DX10 graphics the environment looks amazing. Characters have always been iffy with Turbine.

Try both, but what it comes down to is what you find the most fun playing.