End of an era, DAOC goes F2P today

Kyleran

They should just let me start threads in News and Discussion seeing how I'm having to do the editors job today.   

This just in from MOP where apparently they did not take an extra vacation day.

“Endless Conquest is here! Once the servers are back up, Dark Age of Camelot will be able to be played for free (with some restrictions) without an end date on both Ywain and Gaheris. Eligible accounts should receive an email by the end of tomorrow but even if the email hasn’t come through, any previously subscribed account that has been inactive for 180+ days and is in good-standing is eligible to play for free as soon as the servers return! […] Getting back into the game has never been easier with new and improved Returning player quest rewards and updated King’s Armor freely given to all level 50s!"

https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/12/dark-age-of-camelot-is-officially-going-free-to-play-today-with-endless-conquest/

WarEnsemble

Thanks for posting this. 

Scot

A shame to see its going F2P but good to see DAOC is still going, some have tried to imitate Realm versus Realm, none have done it anywhere near as good.

Portz

I don't see new folks who never played jumping into this game. Game is too old for me.

Kyleran

Portz said:

I don't see new folks who never played jumping into this game. Game is too old for me.

What? You've never tried some old school MMORPG for the first time and found the game of your dreams? 

Yeah, me neither.

I suppose they are hoping to draw back former players who might still enjoy a bit of RVR  but aren't willing to pay a monthly sub to do so.

I would think however much of that market would already be playing one of two good free shards which have long been available such as a group of my old DAOC guildmates still do regularly.

Mendel

Portz said:

I don't see new folks who never played jumping into this game. Game is too old for me.

Horse riding as an activity may date to 1600 BC, and probably a lot further back.  That doesn't mean it can't be entertaining and fun today.  Old things can be good.  Don't dismiss it for that reason.

F2P is something that might help DAoC.  If so, that's a good thing.  That game really relies on a larger population, preferably evenly distributed across the 3 realms and across real-world time zones.  No one likes the Hibbies who all live in Japan/Korea/China and routinely conquer everything without opposition.

Amathe

Kyleran said:

They should just let me start threads in News and Discussion seeing how I'm having to do the editors job today.   

They are busy writing articles about Hong Kong. Can't be troubled with, you know, games and stuff. Especially big news in one of the most iconic games in mmorpg history.

Amathe

Prime_Directive said:

The age and low quality graphics , 

Don't worry. I hear there is a Tickle Me Elmo mod in the works for players who need the extra graphics.

Amathe

Prime_Directive said:

Amathe said:

Prime_Directive said:

The age and low quality graphics , 

Don't worry. I hear there is a Tickle Me Elmo mod in the works for players who need the extra graphics.

take it you never got headaches so bad you couldn't do anything from low poly and texture graphics. Hope you never do..

Yeah if you have a medical issue as opposed to just liking shiney graphics issue, my apologies. Sorry about that.

Kyleran

Prime_Directive said:

The age and low quality graphics , I think the game is going to slowly phase out. I may try it, but with my eyes  as bad as they are, most likely won't be able to handle the low res textures.

Its generally the controls which turn most off.  They respond decent enough but the entire UI feels clunky and certainly not up to more modern standards.

Mendel

Prime_Directive said:

Amathe said:

Prime_Directive said:

The age and low quality graphics , 

Don't worry. I hear there is a Tickle Me Elmo mod in the works for players who need the extra graphics.

take it you never got headaches so bad you couldn't do anything from low poly and texture graphics. Hope you never do..

In the case of bad eyes (Cornea Transplant here and need another), I'd strongly recommend avoiding Anarchy Online.  Far inferior graphics than any of the old games still running.  Blocky and difficult even to determine which way an NPC is facing.  Of course, this advice borders on the blind leading the blind.

cheyane

Ky didn't we play on the same private server of this game that had the older version of the game. I liked the game it had some nice positional combat that made it interesting.

ultimateduck

LOL, the graphics aren't that bad. It still has some of the best spell effects in any game I've played.

Portz

Mendel said:

Portz said:

I don't see new folks who never played jumping into this game. Game is too old for me.

Horse riding as an activity may date to 1600 BC, and probably a lot further back.  That doesn't mean it can't be entertaining and fun today.  Old things can be good.  Don't dismiss it for that reason.

F2P is something that might help DAoC.  If so, that's a good thing.  That game really relies on a larger population, preferably evenly distributed across the 3 realms and across real-world time zones.  No one likes the Hibbies who all live in Japan/Korea/China and routinely conquer everything without opposition.

I know, but still learning curve is probably too high and people who played this game for the past 18 years(?) are way too deep into this game that I think I won't be able to compete with them. Might be worth for casual play, but I would rather play something singleplayer then.

Hariken

Don't even bother with this. EA has put its foot all over this with all the restrictions. It's swtor all over again.

olepi

What strikes me is how modern games are dumbed way down from DAOC days. For example, DAOC has two classes for mezzing, just in one realm. And one of those, the minstrel, has three different paths to go down. And each realm has different classes. And each class has multiple lines to specialize in.

Modern games, like ESO, might also have multiple realms, but the classes are the same. There are only four classes, and there are only two different ways to specialize. Almost everybody on all sides has the same setup.

ultimateduck

olepi said:

What strikes me is how modern games are dumbed way down from DAOC days. For example, DAOC has two classes for mezzing, just in one realm. And one of those, the minstrel, has three different paths to go down. And each realm has different classes. And each class has multiple lines to specialize in.

Modern games, like ESO, might also have multiple realms, but the classes are the same. There are only four classes, and there are only two different ways to specialize. Almost everybody on all sides has the same setup.

In DAoC, every skill type has a main and backup. The sorcerer is the main mezzer, the minstrel is the backup. Cleric is the main healer, friar is backup. Different realms have different combinations so all of the realms have the same access to the same skills, just in different combinations. It's an amazing system.

cheyane

olepi said:

What strikes me is how modern games are dumbed way down from DAOC days. For example, DAOC has two classes for mezzing, just in one realm. And one of those, the minstrel, has three different paths to go down. And each realm has different classes. And each class has multiple lines to specialize in.

Modern games, like ESO, might also have multiple realms, but the classes are the same. There are only four classes, and there are only two different ways to specialize. Almost everybody on all sides has the same setup.

It was amazing how they could make so many classes instead of repeating them for the 3 realms. They also created different skills and they were varied for each realm. Developers are so lazy about that these days.

They figured people play anyway so why not just cut down their work.

Kyleran

cheyane said:

Ky didn't we play on the same private server of this game that had the older version of the game. I liked the game it had some nice positional combat that made it interesting.

Most likely, both shards follow the 1.69 version with one being pretty close to the original while the other adds significant QOL improvements and is better suited for those wanting to get to end game RVR as quickly as possible.

I've played them both so not sure which one we crossed paths (or swords maybe) on.

Iselin

cheyane said:

olepi said:

What strikes me is how modern games are dumbed way down from DAOC days. For example, DAOC has two classes for mezzing, just in one realm. And one of those, the minstrel, has three different paths to go down. And each realm has different classes. And each class has multiple lines to specialize in.

Modern games, like ESO, might also have multiple realms, but the classes are the same. There are only four classes, and there are only two different ways to specialize. Almost everybody on all sides has the same setup.

It was amazing how they could make so many classes instead of repeating them for the 3 realms. They also created different skills and they were varied for each realm. Developers are so lazy about that these days.

They figured people play anyway so why not just cut down their work.

Part of it may be laziness but a bigger part, IMO is PvP players constantly whining about the tiniest discrepancies in what one side can have that the other can't.

Even in the early days of DAoC there was a small bit of that, especially directed at Midgard with their stun locks. But we just started calling them "Stungard," grinned about it and carried on.

By the time Warhammer Online came along it was already different. Despite the classes being largely mirrored I remember the never ending angry whining about how the Shaman were better than their Archmage counterpart.

Even WOW threw in the towel and just gave Shamen to the Alliance and Paladins to the Horde.

The reason that games like ESO have identical builds available for each side is simply a couple of decades of experience with PvPers, who will always blame their own deaths on extraneous circumstances beyond their control ("it's that freaking animation cancelling") whining about the other guy's class that they can't play.

I expect that Camelot Unchained with its DAoC-like unique classes per side whenever it launches, will be a shit show of constant whining for that reason. 

ultimateduck

HAHA, I remember Stungard, or Thane laghammers and LA shadowblades. Midgard had some funky things in their favor back then. Suddenly it was Hibs and their heat debuffs, Champs debuffing you so bad you couldn't walk, unstoppable Wardens with bubble and buff stripping.

The classes and realms were always getting adjusted. Some cried and left, others made due with whatever nerf they were hit with and others would just reroll.

I loved it.

Iselin

ultimateduck said:

HAHA, I remember Stungard, or Thane laghammers and LA shadowblades. Midgard had some funky things in their favor back then. Suddenly it was Hibs and their heat debuffs, Champs debuffing you so bad you couldn't walk, unstoppable Wardens with bubble and buff stripping.

The classes and realms were always getting adjusted. Some cried and left, others made due with whatever nerf they were hit with and others would just reroll.

I loved it.

Yeah. I rather have the differences too.

Asheram

Pink_Candy

I used to LOVE DAoC back in the day. I still have my original account but there's been so many changes, I can't even play my toons anymore...Especially my Healer 

Viper482

The DAoC era ended with ToA.

Asheram

Viper482 said:

The DAoC era ended with ToA.

According to that video I linked you no longer need to do ToA