Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
The state of DAoC as of March '04
Aldreth
Member UncommonPosts: 79
The gameplay is still basically the exact same it was 2 years ago. With TOA and SI however, there is more content to be had. They have added more textured armor and weapons, so the content of the game has increased a little, nothing substantial though.
Content is still not even close to games like Everquest. You will still see level 50 character running around looking absolutely identical even with spec's. Cookie cutter specs are still the norm.
If you are just starting or coming back to a lower level character you will be extremely dissapointed when faced with levelling. There are virtually no people to group with, unless you have high level friends to powerlevel you, expect a VERY long haul to 50.
TOA - has added alot of nice content and new features to classes via equipment usage. However, if you don't have alot of PVE friends, you can pretty much not waste your money on this expansion. Sadly, DAoC has went the direction of EQ, for the powergamers with this expansion.
RVR has gotten much worse for casters and archers. If you are making a new character and are looking forward to RVR I would recommend making a tank. Class balance in RVR is still Mythic's only weak point. RVR in this game is about as unbalanced as one could make it. This is what happens when your programmers also play the game lol
Customer service is ok, but the CSR's really cant help anyone, they are mostly there to just try and calm people down. They have no authority to issue encounter credits for quests etc...
RADAR is alive and well, if you don't want a headache you should probably play something different or wait for another RVR game like WOW.
These are just opinions coming from a guy with 8 level 50's and 2 Realm Rank 8 characters.
---------------------------------------
Radagast - Level 14 WHM - Thrag 13 Warrior <Fenrir>
Retired - [Changes - 50 RR4 Necro, 50 RR8 Scout, 50 RR4 Paly, 50 RR5 Wiz, 50 RR5 Merc <Kay>
Retired - [EQ - 65 Mage Sold!!, 54 Druid, 54 Monk, 59 Mage] <Bristlebane>
Retired - [SB - Merlin 56 MM - Yellow 50 Witchunter]
Don't get excited about a tax cut. It's like a mugger giving you back fare for a taxi.
Comments
I too have played DAoC and enjoyed it for 2+ years. DAoC is definately showing it's age. ToA introduced high level PvE and encouragements to do a lot of it. Players farming non-stop for weeks on end have produced a glut of cash that has pretty much made cash worthless. I played DAoC for it's tight economy, and the last expansion pretty much ruined it. In March 2003, it was rare to find a character with over 5 plat on it playing. In March 2004, 5 plat is not only typical, it's considered poor. If you thought crafting was too expensive, you might try coming back. Most guilds would fund a crafter to LM status without even thinking twice about it.
I don't think that it's purely ToA's fault that this has occured. It's just the age of the game. If they started a new server now and then, we could test that hypothesis, but no new servers have been added with the standard rule set since launch. I would join one of those, but wouldn't recommend players joining an existing server.
Don't try to teach a pig to sing,
It rarely works and only serves to annoy the pig.
-Sig-
Don't try to teach a pig to sing,
It rarely works and only serves to annoy the pig.
Ok, to state that you see characters in DAOC with cookie cutter templates and then compare it to a game like EQ in which you have virtually no options to customize yourself from another of the same class is the height of stupidity in my mind.
Sorry, just had to point that out.
No one to group with? HAHAHAHA OK
===================
Bartle Test #234954
SKE
Socializer: 66 %
Explorer: 60%
Killer: 60%
Achiever: 13%
===================
Bartle Test #234954
SKE
Socializer: 66 %
Explorer: 60%
Killer: 60%
Achiever: 13%
Watch out!... With the new and upcoming Frontiers The RvR is about to take off again. Keep def/takes are going to take on new strategies with all of the changes. People are once again going to need to use thier brains in the frontiers.
As far as not having anyone to level up with? If you have a problem finding a group then it's either because of your attitude or because of the time you play. Cookie cutter characters? umm.. you don't really have many choices of how to spec your characters. I will say this though. When you get into a good guild that is tired of playing it the same, you will all create caracters that compliment eachother rather than create a character that is most usefull solo. Still, there's not a whole lot of options for character spec. That's what the realm abilities are for, oh, they are changing those with the new Frontiers also.
<<RVR has gotten much worse for casters and archers.>> If you are having a problem in this area then you need to look at your play style. I have no problems playing any of my casters and though I don't play any type of bow slinger, my guildies are knocking people dead left and right... no pun intended. BTW.
~Tarqueth~
~Tarqueth~
I've played DAoC since beta, but never could get into it. I was playing EQ also at the same time, and the two games were too similar to make DAoC interesting enough to switch. If I had started playing DAoC first, and then tried EQ, I probably would feel the same way about EQ.
I still have an active account tho. Haven't been able to bring myself to cancel it as I just did my EQ account (for the second time).
I was hoping that RvR would be fixed in the upcoming Frontiers expansion, but from what I've read so far, it doesn't fix my class. As for playing a tank/melee class in RvR, my experiences are just the opposite. I have found with my paladin that because I don't have a ranged attack, my RvR play is always mezzed/die, mezzed/die. So, why not make a ranged attack character? Why should I let the game dictate what class I should play? Why can't all classes be viable in RvR? It was the lure of RvR that brought me to DAoC in the first place.
In PvE, my paladin is really fun to play. He is much sought after in groups, and can solo well also. But just being fun in PvE makes DAoC the same as most other games.
DAoC can be a fun game if your expectations don't lie outside of the current (and forseeable future) playstyle dictated by the game.
Ion
The new *FREE* expansion which will be coming out for DAOC, called Frontiers;
http://www.camelotherald.com/newfrontiers/
Sounds great...Looking forward to the overhauled RvR !
With all the "vet" players owning "buff bots" it becomes difficult for newcomers to RvR IMO.
Somehow i would like Mythic to address this issue amoung the many others.
- Malkavian
"When you find yourself falling into madness... Dive." - Malkavian Proverb
- MMORPG.COM Staff -
"When you find yourself sinking into Madness, dive"
I think the ability to strip buffs from people in the upcomming patch will to alot to make buff bots useless.
Buffers will get spells that will take the buffs off of enemys, this will make the person running the "bot" to actualy have to bring the "bot" out on the feild with him. I see one of three thing happening with this; either the "bot" will get killed right way making the group loose it's buffs, the 'Bot" will actualy be played instead of just being a "bot," or the whole group will have to run back to the PK every time they get thier buffs removed. The last one will happen a couple of times then the group will find someone to actualy play the buffer.
Buffers also will get a AoE buff that does not count toward Conc.
BlueOne
Read the Midgard RvR Teamleader March report (here: http://vnboards.ign.com/DAoC_TL_Reports/b22181/65264635/?0 ) and you'll get the best description of how the game is currently.
I for myself finally gave in and quitet, mainly because of what he described from Overview to Class Desirability. I give Blizzard much more credit of coming with a working balance on WoW then Mythic ever for DAoC.
Well, as an active player in Dark Age of Camelot currently I would have to say that things are improving. Frontiers will be the RvR overhaul all of us players have been looking for. All of the classes are being re-evaluated for RvR usage and all the Realm Abilities are finally getting the overhaul they need!
DAoC Pulse: Strong but fluttery.
Yes Maximane, I first wanted to wait also until Frontiers. It has some longstanding issues on it's to do list like Realm Abilities, Style Review, Emain, importance of Keeps and so on.
- However, it won't fix class desirability which still remains the same. Mainhealers, Bombers, Speed, Endurance regenation and Tanks will still be what the perfect group needs and all others can bite the dust.
- It won't fix the Skill-lines. Take an Mentalist for example. Light was viable until Spellcrafting (like all single-line Nukers) and has a little comeback right now because it's the best spec currently (which is a joke in it self with the highest spec-nuke on 45 and the current resist-system). Mana? Why should anyone spec Mana? Heal- and Mana-regeneration-fields introduced with ToA almost completly neglects this spec. MentMent anyone? Always was and still remains one of the single most useless skill-lines since day 1.
- It won't fix population imbalance.
And knowing Mythic, they'll probably break as much as they improve - they have a rather big track record in that department....
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
ToA- Many, Many players requested more content for DAoC. Check any of the VN boards this was the primary concern of the player base that could be located on the VN boards (only real forums available) and was what everyone was told Mythic received via the feedback forums. I myself heard the call for more things to do at 50 many times over the various chats I was in.
As a casual gamer I have to say I love ToA. It's revitalised my interest in DAoC again. Lots to do and as one who is happy to get an arty or three and level them gradually and head out on ML raids when I have the time and inclination. ToA has given me exactly what many said DAoC was lacking. More content.
Mind you the naysayers, powergamers and l337 dudes have come out and been a very vocal part of the community screaming about how ToAS sucks. Well yes I guess if you wanted to be ML 10, have the absolute best equipment and template available then I can see how ToA would suck for you.
As a sidenote the recent round of balancing Mythic has done to items has only really concerned these people. All the casual gamers I know have hardly if at all beeen impacted on by thsi range of ToA item patches.
RvR- Well being someone who has played DAOC from beta to current and no matter what other games I've sampled I always seem to head back to Mythic I have to say when another game introduces a sysytem of PvP that breaks new ground and is enjoyable for most involved I'll feel I can trash the system Mythic has in place. Personally as I don't solo a stealther or run with a gank group 8v8 I have to say that buffbots really haven't been an issue for me.
Cookie cutter templates...well some use em sure but I've found that most the high RR players and people introducing new ways of doing things and the 'new cutter specs' are kind of proving that such a statement is kind of inane. It's the people who play different specs and learn to play them well that introduce the new fotm specs and classes. There is trouble that some specs are more desireable in RvR OR PvE but to imply these are the only things you can play to be succesful is completely wrong.
CS- Fact is Mythic has one of the best if not the best customer service out there. It is far from perfect however mythic learn from their player base, take the criticism on the chin and move on with new ways to tackle their difficult job. Keeping their game balanced and moving on.
As far as mythic being dated and falling behind...I've seen posts in the last 12 months stating that such and such a game will be the end of DAoC. Well after two years I have to say mythic are still releasing expansions, still rated here as one of the higher if not highest ranked game and the fact new players that don't have a guild or friends to PL them is evidence that new players are joinging in some kind of capacity.
The state of DAoC from a mature casual gamer is dollar for dollar and hour to hour it is still the best value MMORPG available on the market that supplies me with new things to see, hunt and interact with that give ME the total option of engaging in PvP or not as my whim dictates. Any naysayers in regards to these facts is simply due to the fact they are not as talented, have the time to invest or have networked to the point where they can be powergamers and win every engagement they attempt to do so.
Coir
I must reply with this-
Mythic said the addition of ToA with all of its ML's and armor and weaponry would not affect the overall RvR experience- LMFAO yea right !! Having 2 toons with ML's and armor and weapons i see the damage i do to those poor fools without them...and i see the QQ on the VN boards about it as well...Mythic failed yet agian to sustain any balance with this new expansion.
Also I was bored with the ML's by ML5- its all fight, search, hold onto items to get thru next step, slay the "boss" for that ML and on to the next ML with yer new ability...give me the ability to nuke, backstab or otherwise mame my realm mates with big mouths and I might be pacified for a few more months!! <take from UO the ability to not have to ask to duel someone, and the ability to move my own mount around where i want to and we might have a truce ..for a while>
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
I have been playing DAOC for about a year now and still love it. Admittadly I dont have a 50 yet, but to be honest, I dont mind. The guild I am in (Knights of the Round Table) are fantastic and have a real sense of player hospitally about them. We dont pl and dont appreciate begging but with so many members on line at once there is no trouble getting a group, whether your level 50 or level 5.
I must admit I am not that keen on TOA, just because as a cleric I am not that great at the solo trials. But getting a battle group has helped add to the friendliness as there are so many people in the same boat (so to speak).
Although there are a lot of new games coming onto the market, I am sticking with DAOC till there are no players left and I can get all the keeps myself, from those Mids and Hibs.
I appreciate everyones view on DAOC and you have been playing longer. I expect when I hit 2 years I may have the same opintion as you.
If you think about it, two years is a pretty long time for a game to be constantly played. With exceptions to a few non-MMORPG games like Starcraft, Warcraft III, Diablo II... you name it, MMORPGs last for a very long time. Most non-MMO games have a non-replay length of 10-40 hours on average. However look at MMORPGs like DAoC? Tell me, when was the last time you typed /played and looked at the total amount of on-line time you've had with your main character? What about your other plethora of alternate characters? We're talking weeks and months worth of in-game playtime.
If you play a MMORPG for two years, you've given it a lot. If you say after two years you can not play it anymore... that's great! You spent two years of your life in that game. That's amazing.
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
Winter <UO>- Retired
Tori <UO>-Retired
Ravenmoon <DAoC>-Retired
Bunnyblades <DaoC>
Aldreth sounds like you just need a break from the game. 8 level 50's and 2 RR8 toons is alot of time spent ingame. I've played DAOC since day one, and when SWG came out, i took a 6 month break from DAOC.
Playing SWG made me really see what an amazing game that DAOC truely is. I have 22 different toons spread over 3 different servers and have never had a problem finding a group.
Take a break bud. Sounds to me like your just burnt out atm
MMORPG's played-
AC, AC2, AO, CoH, DAOC, GW, LOTRO, SB, SWG, WOW