Unofficial FAQ by Psibot

Kurayamino

Unofficial FAQ by Pisbot

Some pretty good stuff, 99% of the info on DDO combined

Killdare

my responses...

Q: Are you planning on including some sort of "epic" quests that possibly span multiple character levels or extended periods of time?
A: [Yes], there will be a variety of different quests, some taking a very long time and/or requiring a lot of coordinated effort to accomplish. Again, our lodestone here is the feel of a D&D campaign, where there are recurring themes or loose ends that aren't neatly wrapped up at the end of the play session.

(yay!  this will be something I look forward to.  I like the idea of a longer quest.  it makes the rewards at the end that much sweeter!)

Q: How will travel take place?
A: The "red-line" travel feature is an example of an active feature in game;red-line travel allows you to do Indiana Jones style traveling over the world map with a red line indicating where you are on the map. Red-line travel will be interrupted by random encounters but will avoid the problem of travel taking up a significant portion of the gaming experience.

(good!  i was afraid when i saw "red-line travel" that there would only be random encounters in pre-set locations, such as instanced dungeons... this is a relief!)

Q: How will players gain experience?
A: In fact, just killing monsters won't give you experience. Experience is granted for overcoming challenges, not camping a spawn. Part of the challenge of a Dungeons & Dragons Online dungeon quest is that you can simply run out of resources, be they hit points, spells per day, or consumables. And you'll be fighting for your life when it happens.

(I understand the sentiment here, and it makes sense... its just a little off to me cuz i've never played a "level-up" type game that didn't include practicing on rats or lower level npc respawners.  this could be cool... it will just take some getting used to.  Like i said, i understand the sentiment... there was nothing i hated more than the guy who camped on a spawning area and went out to eat with his family... coming back to be two or three levels higher than before... now you actually have to PLAY the game to level up!  the more i think on it, the more i support this move!)

Q: Do you plan on implementing many of the traditional D&D magic items?
A: [Yes] We'll definitely want to use as many of the traditional Dungeons and Dragons magic items as possible. At the same time, expect some unique magic items created just for D&D Online as well. [Source: Gamebanshee]
->
In fact, Turbine is attempting to eliminate typical massively multiplayer game issues, like overcrowding and "camping," by withholding all experience rewards and even treasure rewards from players until they fully complete their quests. So there will be absolutely no point in making your way through half a dungeon to find that one monster that spawns in place repeatedly so that you can kill it over and over for the best yield of treasure and experience. Instead, you simply won't get any treasure or experience from that one monster. You'll get your rewards only when you successfully conquer an entire dungeon. Naturally, this makes completing a dungeon in one session far more important, so Turbine plans to add waypoints to most dungeon areas that will let you return to that area of a dungeon if you happen to get disconnected. Network stability will also be more important, because it must support the game's full-on, real-time combat.

(wow!  they are really reaching out to the true gamers, here!  this is great! no camping for that vorpal sword!  ya gotta earn it by working through the quest!  the waypoints are cool too!  there isn't a person out there who hasn't been disconnected during a battle... well, at least, no ne i know!)

Q: How important will grouping be in D&D Online, and will it be the favored method of exploration?
A: Our goal is to give players useful soloing activities, but those activities will not result in level advancement, to the degree that completing quests and missions with a party of players would. Grouping will be key to success. Our goal is to replicate the feel of adventuring with a group of friends, not replicating single-player D&D-based CRPGs.

(now this is what I've been waiting for!  A chance to play D&D with all my old PnP pals and no one has to be DM!  It will be nice to recreate the old groups I've "run" with in the past...)

Q: How many players at any time are you planning to have the D&D Online servers support?
A: We don't think "bigger is better" in this case. Dungeons and Dragons Online will use smaller, (and therefore more) worlds to better foment a sense of community.

(hmmm...  how small is small?  I really wanted a WORLD of people there... are we talking a server size of three hundred?!?!  or is one thousand considered small?!?!  does anyone know?  if so, please post.  i guess in the long run it doesn't matter... as long as the game is playable, I'll be there!)

Q: How big will your world be?
A: We're deliberately going for a smaller physical space. We feel that rather than have a huge world that feels empty, we're better off taking our content, and putting it into tailored spaces that are packed with things to see and do. Time that you used to spend running across a featureless landscape can be better spent in We'd rather maximize the amount of "Hey, look at that!" versus the amount of "Hey, where the heck am I?" Exploration of densely packed areas tends to be a bit more rewarding - without density, the answer to "what's over that hill?" is too often "another hill!"

(I have to admit... I kind of want a huge world.  Their question was, "what's over that hill?  another hill." to me would have been -"what's over that hill?  well... a another hill and the possibilities of raiders/highwaymen/witches/golems or another player party with Kendall, the smart-ass mage who deserves to lose his left arm." type thing.  I am STILL not sold on the idea of not having PvP.  But I *will* go along to get along.)

Q: Is there going to be a level cap?
A: Yes, we will launch with a cap of level 20.

(at least they aren't saying it will STAY at lvl 20)

Q: Will character advancement go beyond level 20?
A: [Intended, after release] As such, we will be launching with a level cap of 20. That, like in the pen and paper game, will be a heroic achievement, but we are developing plans for post-20 adventure as well.

(heh.  see?  schweet!  did any of you guys attempt to become gods?  heh heh...)

Q: Will there be Multiclassing?
A: [Yes]. We are using the D&D advancement system from the 3.5e core books,including multiclassing and prestige classes.

(Multiclassing!  can't wait, myself.  I wonder how many characters will be allowed per paying account?  Most likely one?  I will have to look up the rulebook that contains 3.5e advancement to see how it is different)

Q: Will Prestige Classes (PRC) be in to?
A: [Yes]. The use of Prestige Classes in the game is confirmed. There will certainly be some core PRCs included from the Dungeon Master's Guide -more combat-based PRCs are the most likely to be included in the game. Every PRC will be gated in multiple ways-for example, you may have to complete a series of quests (some with a 50-75% mortality rate) in order to gain access to prestige classes.

(never tried this.  what is it like?  what do you do?  what does it entail?  I've been gone from D&D for too long!)

Q: Will climbing be in?
A: [Yes]. Rogues will also be able to finally take advantage of one of their most under-utilized skills in computer RPGs -- climbing walls -- allowing them to move vertically as well as horizontally in the game world. Turbine promises plenty of doors and chests to unlock as well as traps to disarm, making Rogues potentially more significant and versatile than in any other MMO to date.

(whoopee!  this'll be fun!  <i hope> in case any of ya were wondering... Killdare is a rogue.  Be nice to him... hopefully he will live a long and fruitful life in Ebberon (sp?) )

Sighted monsters:
Water Elemental
Fire Elemental
Fire Reaver
Kobold
Wight
Minotaur
Skeleton
Beholder
Ooze

(I'm way excited already!  Hurry up 2005!)

Anofalye

LOL.

 

Soloing is limited to non-rewarding activities.  Someone that solo level up 6 times faster then a group of 6 in D&D because he dont divide the XP in 6.  This is a pure BS...Make solo hard or whatever, but for those that succeed, it's a LOT more rewarding, as with the gear undivided you eventually outmatch a group that do the same you do, easily.  A warrior 20(weakest class) that solo all the way clearly outmatch a group of 6 levels 12, because in the magical gear setting he is godly compare to the 12ish.  You dont even want to know about a wizard 20!

 

Raiding will be part of the game(and prolly the uberest part, how D&D like it make to have a raid of level 20 folks when you barely have 7 NPCs that level in the world).  I think I read ONCE that there was a band of level 5 folks, quite FAR from what you think of raiding as been the rewarding activity!

 

Those guys are dimwits who have no idea what D&D was.  I read enought.

- "Solo is, will always be, the main market. A MMORPG that succeed with little or no solo appeal is doing great considering they are ignoring the main player base.''

Smelly_Armor

The whole reason for playing a mmorpg is to play with people. If people want to solo, play an rpg. There are many good ones out there, D&D included not to mention Morrowind for the pc, xbox, ps and gc. I don't know of many people that played D&D p-n-p by themselves either, or with just themselves and a DM. I am very glad to see they are making it where you have to complete the adventure or quest before experience and loot is rewarded.

Apparently you didn't play much D&D p-n-p Anofalye. D&D p-n-p was designed as a multi-player rpg where groups of people would rp together to complete an adventure and/or quest. It was the shiz nit to get through a dungeon and slay a dragon with your friends on a Saturday night. It was about having fun together with your friends and role playing not power leveling.  If you don't want to play the game or dislike what it is about that is ok, but chill with the slander and personal attacks against the game, the devs and turbine.