General Discussion

At Connect '08, MMORPG.com's Donna Desborough had the chance to hear about a few new tidbits that will be making their way into Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online, including the Monk class which will make its debut in Module 7.

The weekend of Codemasters Connect marked the two year anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons Online. All weekend, celebrations were happening to mark this momentous occasion. Old players were also invited back to play DDO to take part in the celebrations and see just what they've missed out on. This of course was perfect timing for Connect'08 as old players would be able to log in and play DDO at Connect without having the hassle of having to download and re-install the whole game.

While celebrations were happening in the game, we were getting a sneak peak at things at Connect'08. During the Dungeons and Dragons Online roundtable, attendees were able to see the new class that will be coming to DDO in the Mod 7 update. The Monk class. This class is a balance between a Shaolin monk and the traditional monk class from the tabletop Dungeons and Dragons game. The developers have done their best to stay true to the class in the tabletop game and from what we were shown they've actually managed just that.

Read it all here.

DDO has been improving steadily and the possibility that housing, more challenging crafting and other enhancements may be on the way is great news.

The best nugget of info from this article is that a DDO2 may be a reality at some point. If this happens and they happen to pick GREYHAWK as the setting, I will remove all other MMOs from my hard drive, use the disks for coasters and burn the manuals. Greyhawk is the original setting for D&D and is home to some of the greatest adventures ever. Tomb of Horrors, Against The Giants, White Plume Mountain and the list goes on and on...

*crosses fingers*

Greyhawk

will this be a dream come true ?

I've played in Greyhawk, Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms, but to be honest I don't think much about that this game is in Eberron. As the game plays it hasn't that big a difference what world we're in. But sure, I wouldn't mind getting rid of all the ugly mechano-mecha-iron-men, whatever they're called again.

I'll rather see graphical updates, and getting more items visible on your character, I think that MMO's primary strength is character development, so I wan't it as detailed as possible, not only getting +1 to your stats. I wan't to be able to find cool looking boots, get headbands, look stylish in capes and so on.

My dream for this title??  One word:  Ravenloft. 

I've tried and tried to get back into DDO.  I was in the betas, and even pre-ordered the game playing for a good six months after release.  It got me into P&P Eberron, and unfortunately the Keith Baker's lavish visions of Stormreach and Xen'drik in the Dreaming Dark trilogy make DDO look bland.  I know Xen'drik was chosen for its unknown wilds, and adventurous feel but there really could have been more to this game had it been set in Sharn and parts of Khorvaire.

I find it funny that Turbine is putting the Monk in as a player class, and and made Drow a playable race when Eberron had other more grander things to offer, like the Artificer class or Kalashtar, Changling and Shifter races.  Things that were truly "Eberron."  What made Eberron unique compared to Forgotten Realms or other D&D settings is either not present in DDO or twisted away from the setting's original view.

People still play this game? Are the 4 postitive responses all the players there are?

Originally posted by sbowling

People still play this game? Are the 4 postitive responses all the players there are?

LOL!  Lots of people still play this game, and in fact lots of new ones are playing it.  These are reviews just from within the last couple of months as Mod 6 was being released.  Fact is, content has MORE than doubled since launch, they've added PVP, solo options, outdoor areas, crafting, and on and on and on...and all without charging for paid expansions.  Combine that with (IMO) the best combat system in MMO's today, the best actual quests in any MMO, and the best character development...there's few games that are like it.

TenTonHammer says "Overall, Dungeons & Dragons Online remains a very fun game. If you have not tried it, the fast paced combat interface and small group content really are some of the best examples in MMOGs."

Massively says "DDO still isn't the biggest of MMOs out there, but it seems to have found a pretty sure footing, and there is no doubt that the team behind it is interested in making sure players have access not only to typical hacking and slashing, but also to some complex and rewarding game and group experiences. The Shroud is a very nice example of how MMO designers can break boundaries in what's expected of MMO gameplay"

Gamespy says "The company's earlier release, Dungeons & Dragons Online, is still going strong. According to the company, the subscriber base, while not boasting world-beating numbers, has had relatively little turnover and the game continues to hold a steady group of hardcore players. That's a tribute to Turbine's continuing commitment to the title and the steady stream of content upgrades it releases every four to six months."

MMORPG.COM says "While the visual style was there from the start, the actual feel of D&D took a bit longer to develop. I have to give Turbine credit for listening to their audience, as most of my complaints about the earlier version of the game have been addressed in subsequent" modules.

Originally posted by sbowling

People still play this game? Are the 4 postitive responses all the players there are?

How glad i am that it did. Come back and give it a go now, it beats the socks off the other Mmorgs out there.

Originally posted by sbowling

People still play this game? Are the 4 postitive responses all the players there are?

Lot's of people continue to play it while many are discovering that DDO has  the best tactical combat and a dynamic character building system that's superior to generic games like WoW.

The game does have some shortfalls and content can always be imrpoved. Thankfully, my return to DDO a year after it's launch proved the game's developers were actually listening and making a solid commitment to ensure the players were experiancing more elements which contribute to that D&D feeling.

DDO is *the* game for players who enjoy environments that reward good strategies and fully customizable character bulids.  Other then EVE Online or pre-cu Star Wars Galaxies I am not aware of any other MMO which offers the same level of dynamics.