Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
V:SOH Casual Player Review
Veingloria
Member Posts: 50
Let me get the "opinions are like a**holes" disclaimer out of the way... my experience may be completely different from yours, my definition of casual player may be completely different from yours, my idea of fun may be completely different from yours.
Okay, now to the meat of it! I'm one of those gamers who has two types of playtimes. During weekends, I can often devote chunks of hours to my favorite timesink. During the week, however, my playtime often has to accommodate other tasks... taking calls from work, folding laundry, that kind of thing. Because so much of my time is broken up, I consider myself a casual player.
I think V:SOH has really hit the sweet spot for the casual gamer with the depth of the Diplomacy and Crafting systems. When I know that it would be silly to wander into a field of aggro because the roast needs to come out of the oven in twenty minutes, there has been little that was meaningful or interesting to do in other games. I have always loved the idea of crafting, but until V:SOH have never found it to be any real fun. I actually really enjoy the challenge and the decision-making process that seem to be unfolding in the V:SOH crafting system and love that I can turn my attention from the recipe on the crafting station to the recipe in my kitchen and back again without losing interest in either. I feel the same way about Diplomacy. I can begin negotiating a tricky situation, take a phone call about next week's fundraiser from our board president, and then come back and finish up the negotiation.
It's true that if you are only interested in the Adventure content, V:SOH isn't going to solve the issues that casual gamers face. From early on in the game, it's not safe to leave your character standing in a field while you go fold the laundry. But if you are willing to enjoy to the other game spheres, V:SOH is definately the most casual-friendly game I have seen.
- V
Okay, now to the meat of it! I'm one of those gamers who has two types of playtimes. During weekends, I can often devote chunks of hours to my favorite timesink. During the week, however, my playtime often has to accommodate other tasks... taking calls from work, folding laundry, that kind of thing. Because so much of my time is broken up, I consider myself a casual player.
I think V:SOH has really hit the sweet spot for the casual gamer with the depth of the Diplomacy and Crafting systems. When I know that it would be silly to wander into a field of aggro because the roast needs to come out of the oven in twenty minutes, there has been little that was meaningful or interesting to do in other games. I have always loved the idea of crafting, but until V:SOH have never found it to be any real fun. I actually really enjoy the challenge and the decision-making process that seem to be unfolding in the V:SOH crafting system and love that I can turn my attention from the recipe on the crafting station to the recipe in my kitchen and back again without losing interest in either. I feel the same way about Diplomacy. I can begin negotiating a tricky situation, take a phone call about next week's fundraiser from our board president, and then come back and finish up the negotiation.
It's true that if you are only interested in the Adventure content, V:SOH isn't going to solve the issues that casual gamers face. From early on in the game, it's not safe to leave your character standing in a field while you go fold the laundry. But if you are willing to enjoy to the other game spheres, V:SOH is definately the most casual-friendly game I have seen.
- V
Comments
What do you think you're doing?
*hands veingloria a flame retardant suit*
NEVER say you like Vanguard here without one of those on!
Glad you're enjoying the game. I too find diplomacy to be a pleasant diversion from the norm. I'm in the middle of trying to solo a rogue to level 50. Probably get there in, oh I dunno, about 2 years.
LOL! Thanks, I had meant to put on my asbestos dainties before posting, but forgot. Luckily, I haven't been roasted yet. (Watch, while I"m writing this I'll get my first flame...)
I'm curious as to how far you've made it into the game and if you've given any thought to the long term prospects that the game offers. Can you see yourself doing what you are doing right now for the next 2 years with no changes to the overall system?
I found adventuring to be repetitive, crafting even more so, and diplomacy just didn't give any rewards that could be used effectively anywhere, at least not outside diplomacy itself. We don't even need to go into the bugs, incomplete game features and the fact that you are being charged to play a Beta version of the game as Vanguard was released early because Sigil needed money.
eqnext.wikia.com
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
Actually, I DO see myself being able to play this game two years from now. I hadn't thought about it until I read your post, and took some time to think about it before writing. I have levelled several toons through the early stages, but none beyond that (I always try a lot of combos before putting work into a main, but I have finally settled on a Lesser Giant Shaman). Obviously, this means that I'm basing my answer on having seen very little how the game mechanics will work as I progress in level. But, yeah, I can definately see myself still playing V:SOH in two years.
Which is actually kind of amazing, because I haven't played any one game that long since the old EQ/Asheron's Call days when there weren't as many choices out there. But let me tell you why I think I will still be playing, so at least when I get flamed for it, the flamer can say something specific.
I was out walking the virtual streets of Thestra yesterday, when I stumbled on a road sign that said simply "Danger." Being not that bright, I chose to follow the sign and see what kind of Danger I could find. It turned out that there wasn't any danger at all, just a long mountain road and some wide open fields with little but a few crafting resources, some old foundation ruins, and several rocks. I walked for quite a while, just admiring the scenery, when it struck me that I had not had that particular feeling of freedom since the early days of Asheron's Call. The world feels like a WORLD to me, not like a contrived set of encounters. And after playing so many "condensed" games, that was really exciting.
So, yes, I can see myself still exploring V:SOH in two years. Of course, that's in part because as a casual player I don't really mind if a few bugs keep me from reaching certain goals because I'm not goal oriented. I'm here for the pretty as much as for the glory.
As I said before, my idea of fun may not be your idea of fun. So, yes, actually, as a casual player the crafting and diplomacy spheres have given me something to do that I enjoy and that don't make me overcook the pasta because I was trying to sneak in a few minutes of play while fixing dinner. If you don't enjoy diplomacy or crafting, or if you don't mind really mushy pasta, then obviously you will feel differently.
However, I have yet to churn any butter in the game. Is there butter-churning? Because if so, I want an Amish farmgirl outfit to wear that will increase my churning skills.
Great posts Veingoria. I wanted to add that I'm lvl 17 shaman and I can solo all day long. And very often I duo with my buddy (a warrior). In my experience, 90% of VG is doable either solo or with a friend. It's only the hardest dungeons that require a full group. Two that come to mind are Achatlan Caves and the Lyceum near Leth Nurae. I find VG infinitely more soloable than Everquest 1.
Also, I can see myself playing this game for years to come.
Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit
Arclan,
Thanks for the heads-up on the solo-ability of the shaman class, at least in the low levels. One of the definite challenges for the casual gamers is that you can't develop a "usual" group because even your other casual-player friends level at a different rate than you do.
I've always thought that a "limited play" group would be the best route for casual players... adventuring only on a certain night for a limited amount of time together... and I think that might really work in Vanguard, given that there is so much to do during non-adventuring time.
Arclan,
Thanks for the heads-up on the solo-ability of the shaman class, at least in the low levels. One of the definite challenges for the casual gamers is that you can't develop a "usual" group because even your other casual-player friends level at a different rate than you do.
I've always thought that a "limited play" group would be the best route for casual players... adventuring only on a certain night for a limited amount of time together... and I think that might really work in Vanguard, given that there is so much to do during non-adventuring time.
I know exactly what you mean. I too find myself torn between two extremes. One friend who spends long hours on diplomacy is lvl 13. I am level 17. My other friend is about to ding 19 and is a "quest ho." What I mean by "quest ho" is he just takes as many quests as possible without even reading the story. I don't like that. A lot of creativity went into those quests, and I like to read and consume every last sentence. He just cares about getting levels and equipment. Oh well
Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit
If you can solo 90% of the content then Shaman's are over powered, which is usally the case with healing clases in every MMO...
I'm a lvl 18 Monk and I can solo about 30%, but most of the quests I need a healer with me to keep me alive... The way the game is setup right now it caters to the healing class, they can solo but everyone else can't they need a healer with them, but I have a feeling the healer class will be nerfed soon as no class is ment to solo this game.
Sir, did you notice my friends (level 19 warrior and level 13 ranger)? They solo even better than I do. Let me define soloing: The ability to defeat ONE mob at a time as long as it is of average difficulty for your level.
AND the reason why soloing is so viable in VG is the utter lack of downtime. When you are not in combat, your health and mana (energy) regenerate at astounding rates. You could have the fight of your life, taking you near death and out of mana. But as soon as the fight is over, you will be back to full in about 10 seconds.
Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit
I have no trouble soloing as a 14 dread knight. its a matter of knowing your skills and knowing what you can and cannot kill. I know that if it has 3 dots its gonna be a tough fight and if it has 4, forget it. Also with the coloring of the dots it makes it very simple to tell what you can easily kill, what will be a challenge, and what will most likely kill me.
Thalos Vipav
Star Wars Galaxies: R.I.P.
My point was that your statement that 90% of the content is solo-able is an extreme exaggeration. The game is setup for team play and IMO is more like 30% solo-able and 70% group content.... And don't give me B.S. about how if you know how to play your class properly you can solo the whole game..
As a lvl 18 Monk it takes literaly 2 mins to recharge my health after combat, I can cut that in half if I eat food, no way is it 10 seconds unless your a healer who can heal himself....
Welcome to Shill-fest!
What I don't understand is how blatant some of you are; I have nothing against Vanguard and would like to play it (although I have the better sense to try and obtain a buddy key first with all of the issues it purportedly has), but this non-ending praise of a game without delving into specifics and/or avoiding major issues is starting to detract from my confidence in the game itself.
The best shill I have seen on these forums (well.... all forums I should say) is AA: Both his eloquence and impartial nature lend themselves to reviews and opinions that could possibly be taken seriously, since he intelligently incorporates resolutions in his replies and understands that even he must acknowledge major issues with the game in order to sustain credibility. You are definitely worth whatever they're paying you and I apologize if this in any way damages your career.
However, the rest of you are GARBAGE. That's right: Writing reviews without addressing the major issues and moreover reporting lies about other games makes you garbage; i.e. how WoW's launch was just as buggy. What kind moronic drivel is that? I was able to play that game on medium settings with a 1ghz machine with 600 RAM and a < 5000 series NVIDIA. The massive complaints that are visible on the technical forums are somehow void in your own little universe.
Forgive me for this outburst, but the quality of shills on this forum (not you, AA) is really making this game look like another dark and light.
I hope that whoever is paying you crappy shills (not professional ones) comes to read this and fires you on the spot.
This is a sequence of characters intended to produce some profound mental effect, but it has failed.
Card game? Um... ok (like Magic: The Gathering, with is awesome). A high level Diplomat will become very wealthy as there are a lot of high level Quests that can only be unlocked by them. King's/Queen's and such will only talk to a well dressed Diplomat with good skills. Don't try to belittle what you obviously don't understand.
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
Just my 2 cents.
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
Card game? Um... ok (like Magic: The Gathering, with is awesome). A high level Diplomat will become very wealthy as there are a lot of high level Quests that can only be unlocked by them. King's/Queen's and such will only talk to a well dressed Diplomat with good skills. Don't try to belittle what you obviously don't understand.
Yes, and the regional trade stuff hasn't even begun yet, which is the real money maker for Diplomats.
Your talking about wow which is a 2 year old game that didn't do anything great with the graphics except give it a cartoon theme. 5000 series card back then wasn't even that old. Prbally the 7000 serious of today. I bet if you looked at the offical forum at release they were probally plagued with 'performace problem' threads. Just like all other games that have come out in the last 3 years.
Pick a game, any game thats comming out in the next year, and watch how many complaints there will be on the forums. This sort of thing is normal today. It happened with bf2,bf2142, scda, rainbow 6, ddo, oblivion.... the list goes on.
< 5000 is not a 5000. I've long gotten a new pc and buried the old one ( along with it's video card ), but I am absolutely 100% sure it was a in the 4000's (either a ti 4400 or a ti 4600).
If you really think that WoW had the volume of complaints about memory faults, leaks etc., then you never played it from release (or ever). I even played EQ2 a few months after release with the same system and could do so on balanced settings.
I've yet to see a candid post that didn't mention that the game was bug-ridden. I'm sorry if I've threatened your shill-integrity, but you just keep digging yourself a grave by lying about other games.
This is a sequence of characters intended to produce some profound mental effect, but it has failed.
< 5000 is not a 5000. I've long gotten a new pc and buried the old one ( along with it's video card ), but I am absolutely 100% sure it was a in the 4000's (either a ti 4400 or a ti 4600).
If you really think that WoW had the volume of complaints about memory faults, leaks etc., then you never played it from release (or ever). I even played EQ2 a few months after release with the same system and could do so on balanced settings.
I've yet to see a candid post that didn't mention that the game was bug-ridden. I'm sorry if I've threatened your shill-integrity, but you just keep digging yourself a grave by lying about other games.
We know it's buggy my friendWe just see beyond them and you don't. Anything wrong with that?
eqnext.wikia.com
First off, it turns out I'm getting paid to write the original post - and not just by my employer, who thought then and thinks now that I am busily working away on something a little more job-related than talking about V:SOH. I'm pretty excited about that, but not as excited as I am about the fact that I also seem to be able to take some small credit (along, it seems, with many others) for helping to convince this particular poster that V:SOH is another Dark and Light and (oh, could it be, could it be?) keep him from plunking down his money and bringing his unique brand of self-righteous blather to a V:SOH server! Wonder if I'll get a bonus in that big fat shill paycheck that should be arriving any day now!
Seriously, though... did I mention anything,anywhere about offering a full game review? Cause if you think I did, you might want to up the meds. I feel reasonably confident that anyone reading this review is reading it in the context of the overall board and that it won't be the only review that someone uses to make up their minds about the game. Other people who have played for more hours, are more technically inclined than I, or who are encountering an unusual number of bugs have done a wonderful job covering the technical and game mechanics aspects of V:SOH. Personally, I had to upgrade my video card (and I've been waiting for a game my old card couldn't run to justify the money, so I was totally okay with that!) and I have run into two bugged quests. Other than that, really not having the big bad problems other folks seem to be. And you know, IMHO, if you don't have firsthand knowledge of something it is better to leave it to those who do to share their experiences.
So, anyway, now that the poster has opened my eyes to the lucrative opportunities that await the willing shill, I wonder if I can also get paid for saying what a great site I think MMORPG is for gaming news. Are you reading this, Moderators? MMORPG ROCKS.
And, of course, I accept Paypal. <Grin>