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I used to HATE it.. now I like it.... go figure
Loothur
Member Posts: 120
You see so many people bashing Vanguard these days on the forums, and I was like where are the people that like this game. Surely they have good stories to tell about their experiences like myself. Then I started wondering... do they not post on the forums becuase they know the haters will bash them if they do. Probably so.
Therefore, I am going to post my experiences with Vanguard because I am not afraid of the haters. I could careless how much you hate me for enjoying a game.
First a little bit of history about myself and Vanguard:
I was a guild leader in the beta of Vanguard, and the game ran like pure junk. Seriously. The beta was the single most demoralizing blow the game could have ever gone through. My complete guild left the beta quickly, and went back to playing their old games (WoW, EQ2, and EQ1). I was literally left with a bunch of beta accounts because I was the last one left playing from my guild. I have been playing EQ1 for many, many years, so needless to say I was angry with Brad and company. I felt like they had let me down. So many of us Brad fans had everything riding on this game, and in the end the beta left many of us with a seriously bad taste in our mouths. I pretty much came to the conclussion that Vanguard was not going to make it, and I hung my head and walked away.
About a month ago I got curious as to how SoE might have changed Vanguard, so I started reading up on their forums. Some of the changes they had made intrigued me, so I started asking around in EQ2 (the current game I was playing at the time) to see if anybody had a buddy key for Vanguard that I could have. I got bashed for even mentioning Vanguard because there were so many Vanguard haters in EQ2, but eventually a nice person sent me a tell saying that they had a buddy key I could use. They admitted that they was willing to defend the game in public chat because of how many people openly hate on the game. I thanked the individual and promptly logged off to go use my buddy key.
The download of Vanguard and patch that followed ended up taking all night and part of the next day. Yeah. It was agonizing to say the least. But, it was worth it for me. I was highly suprised to see how much better the game ran compared to how it was in beta. Clearly SoE had put the time and effort in to reviving this game. And, the best news of all was that SoE was still working on it, and is planning a relaunch of the game later this year. That gave me a lot of hope for the game because it showed that SoE had not abondoned the game. They are actually making an effort to right all the wrongs.
I currenly really enjoy playing Vanguard. My brother and I group together on a regular basis, and find the game to be a lot like our old EQ1 experiences because the combat system feels more open-ended. Things like locked encounters and forced encounter sizes in EQ2 detracted a lot from the game in my opinion. Those kinds of things don't exist in Vanguard. If you want to try to solo pull a mob in Vanguard you can do it. Try that in EQ2, and the mob pulls out a cell phone, calls their buddies on the other side of the zone, and promptly they come running to gang-bang you.
Does Vanguard still have bugs? Yes. Hell yes it does. There are memory leaks, and there are a lot of video issues still. But, it's nothing that an occasional /flush wont fix. Basically, I created a macro key for /flush, and when a window messes up, I hit that key. I know that some day SoE will get most of the bugs killed, and I won't have to use my /flush, but I would rether be inconvienced by some video issues then play a mind numbingly shallow game like WoW anymore.
Plus... I am biased to the way that the ranger class is implemented in Vanguard. Personally, I think that the Vanguard Ranger is the best implementation of the traditional high-fantasy novel ranger of any MMORPG in production. When I play my Vanguard Ranger, I truely feel heroic rether then just some extra person in the group that shoots arrows.
Ok. So, that's my experience. Feel free to hate me. It wont change my opinion of the game. 
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
Comments
totally agree with you. The game is still more playable than quite a few other games out there. I do enjoy the content tremendously and the characters and classes are quite good. Yes, there are problems but not game stopping ones. In time, I think this game will smooth out and be even better. Like I said, its in better shape than some games that were released even over a year ago and certainly in better shape than some of the newest releases.
I played the beta to to the end dident buy the game due to so meny problems i had in the game but i realy like to try it one more time allways give a mmo a chance more wow was buggy at launcd to and with no content at all
Does the game support dual core yeat ???
is sonone have a buddy key i wold be glad to try it ons more getting tired of wow is boring its to easy to meny expansions
I am the kind of player that does not always do quests. Yea I will do them, but I don't spend the majority of my time on them. I am the kind of player that likes to just adventure, harvest what I find, and kill the mobs that get in my way. I like the freedom of doing what I want when I want in Vanguard. I don't like having a quest guy give me a laundry list of things to do and then hand me a note telling me to take it to the next quest guy up the road.
I guess I just feel that Vanguard is more of a virtual world rether then a game. Make of it what you want basically.
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
I am the kind of player that does not always do quests. Yea I will do them, but I don't spend the majority of my time on them. I am the kind of player that likes to just adventure, harvest what I find, and kill the mobs that get in my way. I like the freedom of doing what I want when I want in Vanguard. I don't like having a quest guy give me a laundry list of things to do and then hand me a note telling me to take it to the next quest guy up the road.
I guess I just feel that Vanguard is more of a virtual world rether then a game. Make of it what you want basically.
I just started to play eq2 for fun i craft more than i do quest i like crafting vary much its fun at eq2 the crafting is good but what i rember about vanguard is that the crafting is hard and fun work and i like to explore the world to
Played Vanguard when it was first released to the public, liked it for a bit, but was tied into another MMO (EQ2) atm, so it didn't have my full attention. The 30 day trial expired and I havn't played it since. It was fun for the short bit I played it, I liked the combat system how it was more free like EQ1. I really didn't experience a whole lot of it tho, can you actually kite mobs and stuff like in eq1? I plan on returning when in a few months, see how the game has progressed. Hopefully alot of bugs and what not will be fixed by then, or improved.
cheers
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
Thats awesome, when you have the ability to manipulate the mob in a certain environment it really shows skill from the player. I remember watching a necro in eq1 take down mobs that groups would wipe on solo lol. was awesome. if vanguard has that ability i look forward to checking it out again.
I played beta, left it becouse of the bad perfomance.. now i got a better pc, but their isn't a trial. if anyone have a buddy key i would love to try the game.
Bla bla blabla
I have been playing since launch and I have seen steady improvement. The server merge is a good thing. Its not just about the low population due to people leaving. Its also because the play area is so enormous. My wife and I play and we are enjoying the game, we just would like to see more folks.
I think they are going to implement some type of trial. I'm not sure about the details though.
I do not think Vanguard is a bad game, per se. Rather, I think the game is not finished and lacks content. I do not necessarily believe that makes it a bad game. In my view, it is a better game than LotR and WoW. I think WoW is better than LotR. However, the quality of Everquest 2 is better than all of them combined, in my view.
Everquest 2 has all the features in a game I enjoy, including a great community. I could not be, and I have not been, happier.
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
I think VG, if my rig could run it smoothly, would be better than WoW and LOTRO as well. But since I need to wait on VG being finished, I put WoW over LOTRO as well, since LOTRO is so young, way to pre-determined advancement, on rails.
Though EQ2 blows 'em all out of the water IMO.
Nobody hates you. The 'haters' hate the way the game was implemented, hated the lies that was spun by Brad, hated the lies spun by the Vanbois i.e. there is no performance problems, hated the way everyone pretends that Vanguard has no problems and etc.
So chill, you are .. to put it mildly ... not well known enough for anyone to hate lol....
Nobody hates you. The 'haters' hate the way the game was implemented, hated the lies that was spun by Brad, hated the lies spun by the Vanbois i.e. there is no performance problems, hated the way everyone pretends that Vanguard has no problems and etc.
So chill, you are .. to put it mildly ... not well known enough for anyone to hate lol....
The problem with your statement is when you accuse so called "Vanbois" of lying, I defended VG quite a lot in the beginning while still admitting some faults, like a way too early launch (well they had to launch then or not at all, simple as that , money ran out).
Back at launch when I stated I liked the game for various reasons and said I did not have any severe issues playing I was called a liar, but I did not lie however people like you seem to think that a lie is any statement in opposition of your own view. I might add that eventhough I had no problems in game I know others had, but then no one ever denied that, actually I don't think any so called "Vanboi" denied this.
SOE buying the game is a great thing, they might be able to turn things around, as has been said EQ2 is a great game at the moment. What SOE needs to learn though is not to launch their games prematurely, if they had taken control of VG earlier and not launched the game in february but perhaps now instead I firmly believe it would have been much more of a successtory!
Vanguard is as bug free as your spelling my friend. Nevertheless, i think when the servers merge, i will give it another shot...
Vanguard is as bug free as your spelling my friend. Nevertheless, i think when the servers merge, i will give it another shot...
Man Tenebroso, your pic there is just super disturbing hahaha... Everytime I see it I cringe
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
Nobody hates you. The 'haters' hate the way the game was implemented, hated the lies that was spun by Brad, hated the lies spun by the Vanbois i.e. there is no performance problems, hated the way everyone pretends that Vanguard has no problems and etc.
So chill, you are .. to put it mildly ... not well known enough for anyone to hate lol....
The problem with your statement is when you accuse so called "Vanbois" of lying, I defended VG quite a lot in the beginning while still admitting some faults, like a way too early launch (well they had to launch then or not at all, simple as that , money ran out).
Back at launch when I stated I liked the game for various reasons and said I did not have any severe issues playing I was called a liar, but I did not lie however people like you seem to think that a lie is any statement in opposition of your own view. I might add that eventhough I had no problems in game I know others had, but then no one ever denied that, actually I don't think any so called "Vanboi" denied this.
SOE buying the game is a great thing, they might be able to turn things around, as has been said EQ2 is a great game at the moment. What SOE needs to learn though is not to launch their games prematurely, if they had taken control of VG earlier and not launched the game in february but perhaps now instead I firmly believe it would have been much more of a successtory!
I wrote "... hated the lies spun by the Vanbois ... ". This does not imply EVERY STATEMENT made by vanbois are lies. Some of the statements are true and some are clearly lies intended to mislead and some are just personal opinions. Which of the categories do I hate?
And are you also saying no single Vanbois ever lied or mislead anyone with false impressions of the game? Oh please...
Alright then, I hate lies too. Thing is you could say fanboys of every game there is will try to paint a positive image of the game they like, simply because they like it.
As an example using VG, some people like the game because it is not instanced or because there is some grinding in it (something I usually hate but somewhat like in VG since I find the combat fun). Now, way back on release if you said you liked anything, just anything about VG you would get jumped by about ten or so haters of which a lot did not even seem to have played the game, just makes a lot of people who enjoy VG quite edgy.
The reason VG got so many haters I believe is due to two differen things:
1. The way to early release. The game was buggy at release and not at all well optimized, good reason to dislike the game even if I think you should also be open minded and maybe come back later and take a look (AO is probably the worst example of MMO-launches and it turned into a great game).
2. The haters did not get the game they thought they were going to get. I believe a lot of the players trying VG was bored WoW players and that they expected a lot more "hand-holding" (not a bad thing in a game, just different from the VG model) to get to the action.
Personally I like VG, but what I don't like is the feel of the world. I fell in love with EQ in 1999 and especially how the different races and starting areas really grabbed you. I don't get that feeling from VG.
The fact that Thestra is vastly different from Qalia and Qalia is vastly different from Kojan to me is a big part of why I like Vanguard so much. It has that EQ1 feel to it in that the different land masses have vastly different appearances... much like reality.
I just hope that Vanguard doesn't follow the pattern of every MMORPG released to date and add an alien-type area in a later release. I just can't for the life of me figure out why fantasy-based MMORPGs always innevitably release an expansion that introduces sci-fi elements. Why?! We don't need sci-fi in our fantasy-based games! grrr...
Loothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
The fact that Thestra is vastly different from Qalia and Qalia is vastly different from Kojan to me is a big part of why I like Vanguard so much. It has that EQ1 feel to it in that the different land masses have vastly different appearances... much like reality.
I just hope that Vanguard doesn't follow the pattern of every MMORPG released to date and add an alien-type area in a later release. I just can't for the life of me figure out why fantasy-based MMORPGs always innevitably release an expansion that introduces sci-fi elements. Why?! We don't need sci-fi in our fantasy-based games! grrr...
I agree with you about the starting areas, Kojan is the one I like best as well and the orc area feel more like Thestra to me. Too bad Kojan is the smallest continent.Also, they already have that sci-fi alien area stuff in game, that cat race is a dimension/space travelling race and their starter area is quite alien. That turned me off a lot I must say. Best starter area ever that also gave you a feel for the race is Misty thicket in EQ1!
The fact that Thestra is vastly different from Qalia and Qalia is vastly different from Kojan to me is a big part of why I like Vanguard so much. It has that EQ1 feel to it in that the different land masses have vastly different appearances... much like reality.
I just hope that Vanguard doesn't follow the pattern of every MMORPG released to date and add an alien-type area in a later release. I just can't for the life of me figure out why fantasy-based MMORPGs always innevitably release an expansion that introduces sci-fi elements. Why?! We don't need sci-fi in our fantasy-based games! grrr...
I agree with you about the starting areas, Kojan is the one I like best as well and the orc area feel more like Thestra to me. Too bad Kojan is the smallest continent.Also, they already have that sci-fi alien area stuff in game, that cat race is a dimension/space travelling race and their starter area is quite alien. That turned me off a lot I must say. Best starter area ever that also gave you a feel for the race is Misty thicket in EQ1!
Yep.. I loved Misty Thicket back in the days haha... I played a halfling cleric, ranger, warrior, and rogueLoothur VonRichten
Wood Elven Ranger of the Florendyl RP Server
So far bards are the best kiters in this game. Although I havent played for quite some time now, i remember my brother who bought a new keyboard thingy and all he did was played the speed song and snare song (i think there was a snare song cant really remember) and he would just side step in big circles and shoot the bow till the monsters died. But for rangers kiting its more difficult (I played one as well) because the snare spell doesnt last as long as you would hope for and you have to run backwards while shooting. Also the monsters would break their aggro on a certain amount of time if you run too far, thus wasting a lot of time also rangers do have some nice range skills but you often run out of mana using them and just shooting regularly doesnt do enough damage to kill the monsters as fast as you'd hope to. Bards on the other hand you can ae kite making it much funner and faster to grind the levels.
The fact that Thestra is vastly different from Qalia and Qalia is vastly different from Kojan to me is a big part of why I like Vanguard so much. It has that EQ1 feel to it in that the different land masses have vastly different appearances... much like reality.
I just hope that Vanguard doesn't follow the pattern of every MMORPG released to date and add an alien-type area in a later release. I just can't for the life of me figure out why fantasy-based MMORPGs always innevitably release an expansion that introduces sci-fi elements. Why?! We don't need sci-fi in our fantasy-based games! grrr...
I agree with you about the starting areas, Kojan is the one I like best as well and the orc area feel more like Thestra to me. Too bad Kojan is the smallest continent.Also, they already have that sci-fi alien area stuff in game, that cat race is a dimension/space travelling race and their starter area is quite alien. That turned me off a lot I must say. Best starter area ever that also gave you a feel for the race is Misty thicket in EQ1!
Yep.. I loved Misty Thicket back in the days haha... I played a halfling cleric, ranger, warrior, and rogueNoooo, Qeynos was the best zone! Fippy Darkpaw for life!!