There's something to be said for really and actually translating a published D&D campaign world into an expansive MMORPG setting, with all D&D rules intact, huge swaths of wilderness, PrCs (actually joining an organization to gain access to the class), etc.

But I don't see it happening. DDO is fun, but it's almost a toy... a trivial amusement compared to more expansive MMOs.

My hopes for DDO is that it starts to follow the Guild Wars style of game.  Have instanced everything except for the city centres, but allow you to go and explore the world.  They do have small wilderness encounter areas already but they are ridiculously tough and unsoloable.   They have yet to put out any good arguments about why they haven't made an expansive world or really done any of the things people had expected in an MMO.  Their typical response to any sort of questionig is it's our game if you don't like it fuck off.   While it is their right to make a game however they want.  They should be mature enough to actually back up their decisions and reasoning.

Name Lips hit it right on the button.  It feels more like a toy then a finished game.  The teaser you get on a demo disk.  Perhaps down the line they'll introduce another box set that adds massive content to the game, but until then I won't be paying.  With Oblivion being all consuming and Guild Wars Faction a few days away.  DDO can't compete feature for feature with either of those games.  So they just sit and watch their user base dwindle.  I use to get a kick out of reading their forums.  I mean the founders on their are generally terrible posters and flame anyone who tries to criticize the game.  But it's funny as hell watching them try to kick people out of their sandbox.

Quote from: kryystMy hopes for DDO is that it starts to follow the Guild Wars style of game.  Have instanced everything except for the city centres, but allow you to go and explore the world.  They do have small wilderness encounter areas already but they are ridiculously tough and unsoloable.   They have yet to put out any good arguments about why they haven't made an expansive world or really done any of the things people had expected in an MMO.  Their typical response to any sort of questionig is it's our game if you don't like it fuck off.   While it is their right to make a game however they want.  They should be mature enough to actually back up their decisions and reasoning.

Not working on a world means an easier time for them product wise plus no chance of people just grinding out on wandering monsters and such.  Building the world and graphics for the world takes time and effort..

Really disappointed on the result because this style won't attract many people for long.

Quote from: Phantom StrangerNot working on a world means an easier time for them product wise plus no chance of people just grinding out on wandering monsters and such.  Building the world and graphics for the world takes time and effort..

Really disappointed on the result because this style won't attract many people for long.

Currently grinding on wandering monsters is pointles you get ridiculously little xp.   Plus it's not for grinding that people want a world.  They just want a world to walk around in.  Stormreach is a fairly small place.

Quote from: kryystCurrently grinding on wandering monsters is pointles you get ridiculously little xp.   Plus it's not for grinding that people want a world.  They just want a world to walk around in.  Stormreach is a fairly small place.

Exploration is one of the main sources of fun for me in an MMORPG.

Quote from: kryystCurrently grinding on wandering monsters is pointles you get ridiculously little xp.   Plus it's not for grinding that people want a world.  They just want a world to walk around in.  Stormreach is a fairly small place.

I don't disagree, just pointing out reasons they won't or didn't do it (perceived reasons from MMORGP experience).

Honestly it seems little more then Neverwinter Nights on Roids and with a fee.

Quote from: kanegrundarExploration is one of the main sources of fun for me in an MMORPG.

This is the seed idea for my MMO concept - a MMO with dynamic terrain that shifts and changes totally randomly, at random times, and judges advancement on exploration-type actions rather than fighting.

So you'd "grind" by exploring new and (hopefully) interesting places.

Quote from: Name LipsThis is the seed idea for my MMO concept - a MMO with dynamic terrain that shifts and changes totally randomly, at random times, and judges advancement on exploration-type actions rather than fighting.

So you'd "grind" by exploring new and (hopefully) interesting places.

That would be cool.  Granted, there's gotta be some fighting.  It's not a game without a dose of bloodletting!  

Quote from: Phantom StrangerI don't disagree, just pointing out reasons they won't or didn't do it (perceived reasons from MMORGP experience).

Honestly it seems little more then Neverwinter Nights on Roids and with a fee.

To a point the quests in NWN are even more dynamic, the world feels about the same size though (not including expansions).  I don't see why they didn't even do NWN style quests in DDO.  The world is instanced anyway there is no reason why they couldn't put you on a more indepth quest instead of just clear out this dungeon.  Now there are some very fun quests in DDO but they all feel extremely issolated.  If DDO didn't have a monthly fee most of these conversations wouldn't even be happening.  The game is good the problem is that there isn't enough of a game to warrant $15 a month.  It really is just a smaller version of Guild Wars, without the PVP.

Well I downloaded the free trial on friday and played it over the weekend.

Good Points

1) Looks nice.
2) It's feels like D&D.
3) Quests work well with a balanced party. But most seem go here kill that.
4) Clever tactics can actually pay off.

Bad Points

1) Progression is slow, still 1st level, although admittedly I'm Rank 3, in my main character and I have tried 4 character builds so far. The action point things are nice I suppose but there only seems one or two must haves and the others aren't exactly thrilling. In fact I've not picked up my Rank 3 AP since I couldn't be bothered to run back across town to the trainer.
2) You need to seek groups, in other MMORPG you seem to get random invites, I didn't in this, could be because people solo a bit more at this level.
3) Soloing is a nightmare. So much so the game is hardly worth playing when there aren't many folks online. Or you don't have at least an hour to two free. Nothing worse than dying on a quest, and gettting nothing for all that play time.
4) Servers are flakey, over the weekend, I had two occasions were the server died, another were the server was announced for a restart. And other times where I'ld logoff correctly and find that quests I had completed were listed as not and items I bought were no longer in my inventory but stuff I sold was.
5) Control system is a pain in the backside, it's not intuitive at all.
6) Very demanding graphically, often it lags on entering a inn, which is a pain since I recently upgraded my machine and have no problems in games like CoH/CoV with everything set to maximum. With DDO I have screen size maximum to match my monitor natural rez, but then other stuff can't be without an noticable performance drop.
7) Character doesn't change when you add some items, like cloaks.
Healing in a Inn is a pain in the backside, with the low HP you have at 1st level, god knows what it will be like later on.
9) Getting nothing to show for 'almost' completing a long quest is a real pain in the backside, which makes you less likely to take them.
10) Doesn't really support casual play. You can't effectively do anything with 30mins, and with a couple of hours you'ld best stick to short missions.

Bagpus, you've pretty much summed up the general concensus on the game.  I personally liked the controls, but the rest is pretty accurate.

Maybe it's because I'm comparing the control system with CoH and Guildwars, which are both a lot easier to target your enemy and yet still have the mouse available for both movement and selecting special attacks/spells.

Quote from: BagpussMaybe it's because I'm comparing the control system with CoH and Guildwars, which are both a lot easier to target your enemy and yet still have the mouse available for both movement and selecting special attacks/spells.

True, but I like the control scheme for DDO.  Iit makes it feel more like you are actually contorlling the character and turns it from a tactical style game to an action based game.  

It works in DDO and DDO alone.  I wouldn't want to attempt Guild Wars or most 3/4 view games with that type of control.

Well I my Warforged Fighter to second level last night! What a let down that was, the Feat I picked Dodge, was less interesting or useful than the Action Points I'ld picked up along the way, which just seemed wrong somehow.

Still I've gone for a less than obvious build, Str 16, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 6 (I intend increasing Con at 4th level). Which was handy as the Dex and Int has allow me access to defensive feats, and also to open some rune doors that Barbarian and Str heavy Fighters I've groupped with have been unable to open. Picked up a load of magic items as well +1 Heavy Steel Shield, +1 Maul, Helmet and Necklace each giving +1 to Haggle (hmm I didn't check to see if they stacked at all) and a Belt of Lesser False Life. Unfortunately the only masterworked slashing weapon I've found is Exotic.

Oh and how is that Skeleton in "Sewer Rescue" ment to be CR2?

Off work this afternoon waiting for a surveyor to look at the house, might give a spell casting class a go.

Yeah that skelleton in the sewer rescue is friggen nasty. You do need a party of cr 2 characters to take it out 1 person is going to have a hard time.

For your fighter I'd suggest doing a sword and board build and improving your shield mastery feats it can be extremly effective.  You can block and attack with your shield and not loose your ac. Plus it increases your AC over going two weapon style.  Which is ultimately not as good as people were originally thinking.  Two-handed style is also pretty good if you want to deal more damage.  But without a strength of 18 then two-handed style is a little wasted.