I would love a DAoC 2, that returned to its roots. 

Sadly, Mythic has proven dozens of times over the past 5 years that they are simply incapable of returning to the roots that made it great. They keep piling more junk to fix the initial junk, and bury themselves with it. They don't KNOW what made the old game great it seems. I can almost promise DAOC 2 would be a giant mess, removing core ideas, and putting in WoW ideas. Hell, they already did that to original DAoC. 

The stupid archery system, RAMPS in castles, putting in a quest grind with glowing ! over NPC heads, destroying immersion and group cohesiveness, instancing the hell out of everything, again destroying the social side of PvE, too many battlegrounds, breaking the balance with every expansion so that people would buy it to play the new overpowered class, removing tanks from being viable, adding teleporters EVERYWHERE, added a /map,  I'm shocked at just how many bad ideas started flowing like water after the Trials of Atlantis expansion.

If they just rewound DAoC to the Shrouded Isles days, gave it a new coat of paint, polished up the leveling, added in public quests, tightened up the battlegrounds, removed /map (like it was at launch), removed all the teleporters, putting back in the necklace ceremony, improving upon the naval combat aspect, that'd be sequel worthy. 

Two things I felt were subtle, but great things in DAoC, both involve combat.

When you were in a good group, you KNEW it. In a decent group, you could of course, pull higher level monsters for more loot and experience, and handle a few of them. 

GREAT groups, you could almost nonstop pull WAVES of purple+++ monsters and kill them with ease. You truly felt unstoppable, because you were mowing these baddies down so quickly, and the exp ran in rivers. 

And the combat in that game, it was KINETIC. You had to be right up against your opponent to hit him, none of this, stand 10 feet away and melee the air stuff in LotRO and other modern MMOs. Your sword would actually look like it hit your enemy, the enemy would flinch, or it'd do a block animation. The recoil and animations were good enough that it almost didn't seem auto attack based, especially with the quick reactionary chains. 

So, while you were mowing down this large group of monsters, you really felt like you were smashing them. 

A few more things, when items dropped on the ground, they displayed in the world (same for decorating your house) so if the mob dropped a sword, there it was shiny on the ground. 

DAoC supported a healthy balance for those who liked PvE, crafting, AND PvP. Raiding was done as recreational fun usually, not a second job, cause most people were concerned with the frontier, and items gotten from raids weren't game changing, cause you could get comparable items from crafters, the crafted items just didn't glow and sparkle. 

I just KNOW if Mythic got their hands on DAoC too they'd make it a WoW knock off, a game with some instanced PvP, and not a virtual world like DAoC was. The vistas and atmosphere in Albion were so immersive. I know Mythic would add in junk like quest hubs, people standing around with big ! over their head, tellilng you exactly what your reward is gonna be in a cute little box, add in some silly xbox live achievement system that doesn't tie in with the lore at all, break the world into a series of linear instances, bleck. 

And for those that want to know what killed DAoC... 

/level 20 command for anyone with a level 50, killing the incoming newb population who had no one to group with, and bloated the battlegrounds. 

ToA killed off endless amounts of PvPers who didn't want to grind another 9 months to get gear to compete in RvR, after going through the 1-50 grind. 

And the ToA gear shifted balance to the caster classes and made it impossible to survive as anything else. 

Originally posted by Cernan

I loved DAoC, and if a sequel came out I would most certaintly try it.  However, I agree with Coldren.  I don't think a sequel would work in today's post WoW era.  You needed guild groups to run your quests for your Epic armor.  I remember completing my set and being so proud.  Today, that just wouldn't work.  Everyone would want soloable quests.  Forced group quests that take days to complete wouldn't be welcomed.  Also the grind from 49 to 50 was a bit ridiculous.  I think I spent a good 12 hours grinding in the frontier.  I don't remember how much that got me closer to 50, probably not much.  You also had to queue up for groups, and you might be waiting a couple hours until someone drops group.  I don't particurally miss that.  However, once you got 50 you did have a certain since of accomplishment. 

Ahhh.. Epic armor. I remember the coordination it took to get all the people needed to complete the Paladin epic armor quest. Thankfully, I had a friend who had more social ties than I had. He helped me out a lot in getting people down there. Made a lot of new friends that day.

The flip side of that was, if you were around that area and people asked for help, most of the time, complete strangers would show up and help you get it, because they knew someday they would need help too.

Good memories, good times.

Upgrade the original, remake it into a new game, I'd give it a go if it was contained most of the design concepts that made the orginal game great.

But I don't think such a game would ever generate anthing near WOW-like subs, and EA isn't known for catering to niche markets, they've been staring at Blizzard with bitter envy for years now hence their all or nothing approach with SWTOR.

Our best hope would be for EA to sell the franchise off, or let some former Mythic execs (the smart ones) take the license back and develop it on their own and it might have a chance.

i just downloaded the 10 day free trial of DAoC the other day after reading an article similiar to this one.

i played DAoC at launch for a few months and it was great but eq1 was my main game so i went back to it.

the DAoC i played the other day was nothing like the launch version i played. i thought i downloaded wow accidently, just with a lot clunkier controls.  wtf mythic....

what the hell is wrong with all these damn gaming companies! STOP TRYIN TO MIMIC WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I am repeating myself, but I have to say that again... The key problem between old school MMO and since-WoW MMO is the target audience... Game designed for teenagers won't give adults that kind of content needed for them to be happy players. Definitely not for long. 

If there was DAoC2 made, it would target teenagers (since it's major game buying force)... and would be just another WoWism like WH.

I am afraid there is no chance for DAoC 2 to be DAoC 2 as we imagine it. Not unless someone went very rich and quite insane to pay and oversee whole development process and remove dependancy on crap like EA and 'most profitting target audience'.

And better than having WoWDaoC I rather keep my best gaming memories and share them with a bunch of very good friends I made in DAoC.

There were many flaws in DAoC, but overall the result was that DAoC imho is the closest to being ultimate MMO.

Dear mythic, read this, do this.

Originally posted by Kyleran

Upgrade the original, remake it into a new game, I'd give it a go if it was contained most of the design concepts that made the orginal game great.

But I don't think such a game would ever generate anthing near WOW-like subs, and EA isn't known for catering to niche markets, they've been staring at Blizzard with bitter envy for years now hence their all or nothing approach with SWTOR.

Our best hope would be for EA to sell the franchise off, or let some former Mythic execs (the smart ones) take the license back and develop it on their own and it might have a chance.

 

 

Well see, I think it'd generate a very VERY large amount of subs, just for being a new shiny, and then the oldschool MMOers/ the PvP players would stay with it. 

What most people, and almost all publishers don't understand is you don't need to aim for the WoW market. DAoC 2 would almost instantly pull in 500k+ old veterans that were in the original game. That's more subs than most WoW clones ever sustain. 

You just have to manage your budget, don't pump 100 million into a game you expect 500k subs for. Set realistic expectations. 

Original DAoC was made with 30 people. It can be done. Just I don't trust EA Mythic to do it. 

DAoC 2, if done "right", would instantly be my new game.

I played DAoC for a couple years from a month or three after launch, until right before whatever the x-pac after ToA was, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I totally disagree that DAoC PvE wasn't any good...while it certainly isn't a "LoTRO" in regards to PvE, but it isn't (insert game w/ terrible PvE here) either. Of course, DAoC's unique blend of PvP was where it was at. When I first started playing DAoC I had a distaste for PvP as it had always been fairly pointless in games up to that point. DAoC was one of the first games to give PvP meaning, w/ unique settings w/ specific goals, and rewards.

I can't say I've ever really been as disapointed w/ any game as I was w/ WAR, I was expecting DAoC in the awesome Warhammer setting, and it....wasn't that. I have to admit though that my disapointment was mainly due to my inflated, and in hindsight, misplaced expectations. It's not that WAR is a bad game, b/c it's really not, it's just not what people were expecting and/or hoping for. I personally wanted more DAoC, and less WoW, but it turned out to be the opposite. WAR is a fun game for the most part, the classes are enjoyable, and the combat isn't bad, it's just, IMHO, a poor mix of scenarios and open-world RvR. WAR's original design was actually all scenarios and no open-world PvP, but the early beta-testers railed against what they got and thus that long halt in beta testing, while they tried to redesign the game w/ open-world PvP/RvR thrown in the mix. Eh.

If would've just taken the DAoC design documents, updated it slightly, and applied the Warhammer lore in place of the Camelot/Hibernia/Midgard lore, I think they'd have an awesome game on their hands that people would've played.

Hell, if they take the DAoC and just update it slightly in terms of gameplay and graphics, I'd be all over that piece. Sadly though, there has been an exodus from Mythic over the past few years, culminating w/ Mark Jacobs, so I don't know if the talent that remains is up to the task. Jeff Hickman, one of the main devs from DAoC days is still there, but beyond him <shrug>. Of course, w/ Mythic now being part of BioWare they should have what they need, but the question that remains is whether or not EA would ever greenlight an MMO that they aren't expecting WoW-like numbers from again...

I agree with most of the posts, but one thing I don't understand is about the original post.

Why make leveling easier?  Has WoW ruined your view on MMOs?

Whatever happened to accomplishment?  Why do I want to be max level in a month?  Then again I come from the everquest days where it actually took hard work and much risk in order to acheive greatness, but the new generation wants everything handed to them within a month or so, otherwise the game is "fail".  That is a main problem I see with many mmos is that you are in a hurry to get to end game, then when you get there, and use up all the content, you whine and complain about the lack-there of.  But god forbid you have tons and tons of content getting to max level, but then you whine and moan about how long the level grind is.  Face it...any mmo is exactly that...a grind.  You spend time "grinding" whatever you are doing...leveling...crafting...pvp.  It is all the same, you do the same thing over and over, just diferent circumstances.

What happened to the adventure?  To the fun you have along the way of getting to the max level? 

I saw someone complaining about ToA brought raiding to DAoC, but like it had been said, there was raiding before ToA, and the raiding was incredibly fun.  Some may not think fun as pulling tons and tons of mobs, taunting/CC-ing/and aoe-ing them, but it was incredibly fun.

Others complain about the CC in PvP.  Personally, I loved it.  This is comming from a Blademaster, the absolute worst class in the game.  They implimented abilities to counter the CC, Purge, I beleive was one of them, as well as other classes had abilities to bring people out of CC.

Sure, some things were overpowered, especially initially, but I enjoyed the CC, not always of course, because I would die as a result of it, but I liked the concept.

Who can forget the great Lurikeen Uprising that effected mostly all servers of the game, mainly Guinevere(sp).  Many people from all servers came to Guinever to roll Hibernian Lurikeens in protest to Mythic in order to allow the Lurikeens to be Heroes, thus donning the age of "Mini-Moose".  Though I was albion on guinever and it brought much annoyance to me, the concept, the community, the whole idea is awesome in itself.

A revived daoc pre-toa would be great, but as it has been said, I don't like sequels so much, due to them trying to make it as glorious as the first one, and ending up making a sub par game.

Also - EA is involved, and well, everyone knows EA's track record and what is going on with them.  Maybe it will take a private investor to restore this classic hit, but until that happens, I doubt we will see a daoc:ressurection or daoc 2.

And before some sad grammar nazi who never got anywhere with their english degree bashes my spelling or grammar, I really don't care.

If only this would become reality. WAR was so fail.. I miss the good ol DAOC system.

Originally posted by Dragim

I agree with most of the posts, but one thing I don't understand is about the original post.

Why make leveling easier?  Has WoW ruined your view on MMOs?

Whatever happened to accomplishment?  Why do I want to be max level in a month?  Then again I come from the everquest days where it actually took hard work and much risk in order to acheive greatness, but the new generation wants everything handed to them within a month or so, otherwise the game is "fail".  That is a main problem I see with many mmos is that you are in a hurry to get to end game, then when you get there, and use up all the content, you whine and complain about the lack-there of.  But god forbid you have tons and tons of content getting to max level, but then you whine and moan about how long the level grind is.  Face it...any mmo is exactly that...a grind.  You spend time "grinding" whatever you are doing...leveling...crafting...pvp.  It is all the same, you do the same thing over and over, just diferent circumstances.

What happened to the adventure?  To the fun you have along the way of getting to the max level? 

I saw someone complaining about ToA brought raiding to DAoC, but like it had been said, there was raiding before ToA, and the raiding was incredibly fun.  Some may not think fun as pulling tons and tons of mobs, taunting/CC-ing/and aoe-ing them, but it was incredibly fun.

Others complain about the CC in PvP.  Personally, I loved it.  This is comming from a Blademaster, the absolute worst class in the game.  They implimented abilities to counter the CC, Purge, I beleive was one of them, as well as other classes had abilities to bring people out of CC.

Sure, some things were overpowered, especially initially, but I enjoyed the CC, not always of course, because I would die as a result of it, but I liked the concept.

Who can forget the great Lurikeen Uprising that effected mostly all servers of the game, mainly Guinevere(sp).  Many people from all servers came to Guinever to roll Hibernian Lurikeens in protest to Mythic in order to allow the Lurikeens to be Heroes, thus donning the age of "Mini-Moose".  Though I was albion on guinever and it brought much annoyance to me, the concept, the community, the whole idea is awesome in itself.

A revived daoc pre-toa would be great, but as it has been said, I don't like sequels so much, due to them trying to make it as glorious as the first one, and ending up making a sub par game.

Also - EA is involved, and well, everyone knows EA's track record and what is going on with them.  Maybe it will take a private investor to restore this classic hit, but until that happens, I doubt we will see a daoc:ressurection or daoc 2.

 

And before some sad grammar nazi who never got anywhere with their english degree bashes my spelling or grammar, I really don't care.

Raiding was fun when it wasn't the only way to get good items, because it was done purely for fun.

And CC was a bit out of control, playing a tank after ToA was IMPOSSIBLE, absolutely impossible. Before purge could even go off you were dead most of the time. 

And leveling, eh, I don't mind slow leveling, but in a PvP game, many do. 

The ToA content was amazingly well done, it just... hurt the PvP, which was the core of the game. Would have been raved has revolutionary over in EQ. 

Mythic is now in the same league as Cryptic to me I would not touch a game from either of them.

hmm , i played daoc for 6 years almost. Toa was a bit of a pain , but it was an interesting concept. new frontiers to me was the Game killer. and the lvling system was just fine , why because when u hit 50 you were like BAM BOO YAH I GOT A 50.

The amount of time to level was fine to me. Don't carebear the game please!

If they could keep the same amount of classes, same music and sfx, and same type of gameplay to be almost exactly like DAoC1, then it would be perfect.  Too much change would just ruin it for me.

The original team would have to be the one working on it to make me interested. Too much change and i would say forget about it...

If they would keep the gameplay the same and upgrade the graphics engine I would head back.

i played daoc for over 4 years. if daoc 2 was this i would return:

 1. keep the three factions-but increase the timers to stop realm jumpers

 2.NO TOA- or at the least allow for non-toa servers

 3. no instances or teleportation- yes i am old school, if you have to travel its by horse. i remember the anticipation of standing on the pod waiting for the druids to port you into the frontier.

 4. focus on realm pride and commaderie-promote grouping as the way to level-bring back the epic areas of leveling- from an albion perspective-STONEHENGE, DARKNESS FALLS, AVALON CITY

 5. maintain and enhance the crafting system- i was a legendary crafter in all areas- keep player crafted items in demand

 6. keep the housing area-but have it centered around guild houses-as a member of a guild you can build a house near your guild

Originally posted by Vonamberg

If they would keep the gameplay the same and upgrade the graphics engine I would head back.

 ^ This

Originally posted by malrod

i played daoc for over 4 years. if daoc 2 was this i would return:

 1. keep the three factions-but increase the timers to stop realm jumpers

 2.NO TOA- or at the least allow for non-toa servers

 3. no instances or teleportation- yes i am old school, if you have to travel its by horse. i remember the anticipation of standing on the pod waiting for the druids to port you into the frontier.

 4. focus on realm pride and commaderie-promote grouping as the way to level-bring back the epic areas of leveling- from an albion perspective-STONEHENGE, DARKNESS FALLS, AVALON CITY

 5. maintain and enhance the crafting system- i was a legendary crafter in all areas- keep player crafted items in demand

 6. keep the housing area-but have it centered around guild houses-as a member of a guild you can build a house near your guild

 ^ and these, I esp like #6.

*rofl* Realm jumpers, what a horrible game idea. I read they introduce that crap to WAR now too. Wasn't possible when I played DAoC.

There won't be a Daoc2. At least none which deserves that name. I played it for 2 years from release until ToA. It was one of those mmo's that forced you to group if you wanted to achieve anything viable. And it was great that way.

Nowadays every mmo in fact really is a mso game. At least all those published by major companies. You can achieve anything solo which a group can. At least till max level where some add some raid content. That way there is no chance for a real community to build.

There are some independant companies which still develop group focused mmo games. But those are few and usually they struggle concerning quality and content because of their limited budgets.

The only way to re-enjoy games like DAoC, EQ and so again would be a time warp into the past. The time of mmo's is gone. This is the era of massive single player games. ;)

Originally posted by kiddyno071

Originally posted by malrod

i played daoc for over 4 years. if daoc 2 was this i would return:

 1. keep the three factions-but increase the timers to stop realm jumpers

 2.NO TOA- or at the least allow for non-toa servers

 3. no instances or teleportation- yes i am old school, if you have to travel its by horse. i remember the anticipation of standing on the pod waiting for the druids to port you into the frontier.

 4. focus on realm pride and commaderie-promote grouping as the way to level-bring back the epic areas of leveling- from an albion perspective-STONEHENGE, DARKNESS FALLS, AVALON CITY

 5. maintain and enhance the crafting system- i was a legendary crafter in all areas- keep player crafted items in demand

 6. keep the housing area-but have it centered around guild houses-as a member of a guild you can build a house near your guild

 ^ and these, I esp like #6.

Yeah, I agree. If a DAoC 2 was ever in serious development and the dev's followed this outline, they'd pull it off.