Vanguard NDA Lifted

[Zeli]

The NDA on Vanguard is lifted. Post your opinions!

here's mine:

Ab did download the Vanguard beta. He was going to let me but I passed. Even for free, my normally raging curiosity is not peaked by this title. After he downloaded it, I sat down on his machine to check it out. I didn't get past character creation. My character's look is very important to me, but setting up every excrutiating minutia was ridiculous even for me. Who gives a frack about sholder mass?!?!? I randomed for the first time in my life. The result - she looked better than an EQ2 model, but not as good as a Guild Wars girl. I deleted.

I watched Ab's character run around for about 5 minutes before finding 1 mob and it slaughtered him.

Upon first impression, the game was not very good looking for being a new mmorpg. It reminded me of EQ2 but it wasn't very smooth and remember, EQ2, while nice looking, is 2 years old. It was very jerky in movement. Plus the graphics just aren't up to par. Guild Wars looks better and it's an older free-per-month game. Vanguard isn't keeping up with this generation, let alone next gen mmorpging.

Besides all this, you have the obvious... I've said it before, but no one listens to me, "SOE is evil."

I actually didn't want this game to fail. I know some people who were/are extremely excited about it. I know the pain of a disappointing mmorpg (/mourn SWG) and I fear knowing it again someday and I wouldn't wish that on people I like, even if it means they go on in gaming without me. I know I didn't get very far, and this is probably a very unfair write up, but I am left with no desire to play this game anymore in my lifetime. I think that says enough but if you want more experience, here's some folks who took it a bit further:

forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=9013.0

[Aberrant]

But that 5 minutes of running I did before getting slaughtered was fun! Well...not really....

And I agree that Guild Wars graphics blows away Vanguards. In fact, GW's graphics blow away just about every MMO in terms of graphics.

[Winin]

It felt too much like eq 1. But that was beta 2. Maybe they got diplomacy working and stuff. But in general it seemed like they were working from the same original design document. In a way it was like reading the sequel to Jurassic Park. Same plot outline, but a new book. A let down.

I do like the world built as a real world, not a place to play a game idea. Diplomacy seemed like a good idea, but the combat mechanics was kind of a lame way to do it. They used the same mechanics for diplomacy, tradeskills, and fighting. It made them all feel the same. The big problem was needing a group all the time. I know why they did it, and they are going for a certain market, but I can't play for long stretches anymore, so no soloing won't work for me. I got my shaman up to level 10 or so, and pairing up was fun, but I remember long nights lfg in EQ.

I wanted to give it another try since Beta2 <> final, but the damn thing was so big, I'd have to delete something off my hard drive. What 20 GB or something? WTF is up with that?

[Aberrant]

The big problem was needing a group all the time. I know why they did it, and they are going for a certain market, but I can't play for long stretches anymore, so no soloing won't work for me.

I hear ya. I need to be able to solo at times in a game.

[Wrasse]

I played a couple of characters into their teens and, since I feel I've already wasted enough time on the product (especially since they are pulling another EQ2 and releasing it before it's done...the thing needs another 4 months at least from what I've read), I'll leave you with this:

I felt no drive what-so-ever to play on to the next level in this game.

www.thehotrock.com/HUBs/FotS/VSoH/VSoHMessageBoard.html?Thread=35621&Forum_ID=131&Message_Board_ID=18

Meth said it best at the above link (he played a lot more than I did).

[Winin]

Meth's post makes it sound like EQ2 is good now. Is that the case? I played a little when the pvp came out, but it was a gank fest and not so much fun. Maybe the pve version is good? I played up to level 25 or so when it first came out.

[Wrasse]

It's really hard for me to consider going back to a game after I leave...but I will tell you what I've heard...

Aube (who is a bugger to impress) really thought the game was good and I think plays quite a bit. I also have a few other friends who think it has improved greatly since it was first released. Basically...it's everything they wish it would have been at the begining...and Meth thinks we'd all still be playing it had it released like it is now. I've read through reader reviews at MMORPG.com and pretty much get the same story...go check those out. People are very impressed with the new expansion and think the game is getting better and better.

My thoughts are this...with Vanguard's release, I think EQ2 will gain more steam as many of the people awaiting Vanguard will make their way to EQ2 due to the disappointment they'll find in an unfinished game.

One thing is for certain...EQ2's community is vastly superiour to WoW's.

There is a trail out...I'd check it out if you are interested.

[Wrasse]

Oh and I think most of them are on AB (Antonia Bayle)...the RP server.

[Winin]

I think I have some chars on AB. A monk rat maybe.

[Wrasse]

I hate to say it...but I may give Vanguard a bit more attention...lots of things have changed and I still have a beta account and it mostly downloaded.

I can't help my curiosity.

I still think this title will be loved by many "old-school" EQers but hated by many who are new to MMOs. We'll see.

[Wrasse]

Wow, that was a dumb idea...not that that's unusual...me doing dumb things...

OK, I lied...I only got to level 7 a few times...I don't know what I was thinking. Everything is running much better now and I do think this will fill a niche in gaming. I'm just not sure how to label that niche.

I need Warhammer!!!!!!

[Wrasse]

www.soepress.com/release.asp?i=53

It releases this month.

It's like EQ2 all over again...but much worse...

[Zeli]

holy crap!

i hope i am not filled with impending launch-doom when WAR announces it's launch day!

it makes me feel bad for all the folks who are really into this title. they've probably got a few months of suffering through a mess before they whip the game into launchable play.

[Winin]

I decided to give it another look. Downloading it today. Beta 5 should be much better than beta 2. I hope.

They will have pvp, but EQ style. A FFA server and a Faction server (teams). I imagine that the zones aren't laid out like WoW, so different factions will likely be in the same zones while hunting. Makes it more exciting, but also more griefing.

[Winin]

Update: I have played a few chars up to level 7. I went in kinda looking for reasons to not play it when it comes out. My dad will want to play, but I want to wait for WAR. Also, it looked like same old same old back in beta 2/3.

I just preordered it.

I have been playing mostly healers, and they have 2 new one that have gameplay that is very different than anything I've seen. And they are fun to play solo and in groups.

Bloodmage: is sort of a necro/cleric. They get heals, lifetaps, nukes, dots, and each time they cast an offensive spell, they build up blood power on the monster (like rogues building up moves in WoW). They use those blood points to do special heals, nukes, buffs, debuffs, etc. Also they can spend hp to give hp to someone else. Very different dynamic than med, heal, med, heal. Much more active. They are mages though, so cloth wearing and low hp.

Disciple: monk/cleric. You get monk-looking attacks and some attacks build up Jin points on you. By that I mean you keep the points even when combat ends, but they slowly fade, sorta like rage on WoW warriors. You spend Jin for special heals/debuffs/attacks. Also, you can do melee chains (special attack 3, sa 1, sa 4 in a row causes a big heal to go off, eg).

In both, you are best off being offensive, but have to keep watch on your party. To help, you have an offensive target and a defensive target. So I can keep healing the tank while I'm doing damage. I think tanks can protect/take damage for a defensive target.

Fights are fun and not too much button mashing. EQ2 felt like I had to do "spells" contstantly, just for the sake of them not wanting it to be autoattack only. Here it seems to work better.

The main reason I got it is because the place feels like a real world. Or I should say like a fantasy world should be. WoW and EQ2 seem like game worlds. Things are laid out because it is game convenient. VG seems more like EQ, there is a quest giver here because that's where a fisherman looking for help would be. Hard to put my finger on it, but the world just seems less artificial. Maybe because the don't reuse the models so much.

And it is tough on my computer, so I run in lower res mode. That is bad, but when I turn up the graphics, it looks amazing. Much better than in early betas.

I think this appeals to me because it feels like what a sequel to EQ should be. Lots to explore, so leveling is fun, and not a chore. I hope lots of dungeons and points of interest that are unique. I loved EQ1 dungeons. That is probably the single most fun part of any game I've played, aside from the good people I've met. I'm trusting the VG team to learn from their past experiences and give me some good dungeon crawls.

PVP will be on 2 servers: Free for all (kill anyone) and teams. I'll play on a teams server and a pve server most likely. They are still tweaking pvp, but inside sources tell me that some of the designers/coders are hardcore pvp people, so it should be decent. Again, with the real world feel, I'm hoping the pvp will make sense, rather than feel like battlegrounds or gankers coming to the newbie areas. Jury is still out on that.

Most likely, I'll play Vanguard for pve and WAR for pvp.