Just a small correction.

The Underdark isn't just confined to the Forgotten Realms setting, as it also exists in Greyhawk's Oerth (see Gygax's D and G gaming module series). As well as on Eberron, where it's known as Khyber.

Having said that, I checked the DDO site and was lead to the expansion page, where it does state that characters are transported to Eveningstar in Cormyr. Might want to work that into your article, to help avoid confusion.

In addition, it will be interesting to see how the game handles the Drow characters from the Eberron setting in the Forgotten Realms, as their backstories differ a lot. In the former Drow are accepted even if they're deemed somewhat suspicious by the other races. Whereas in the Realms it's generally a Kill on Sight attitude, considering the regular occurrence of Drow Raiders.

Also religion wise they're quite different, while Vulkoor does share some similarities with Lolth, he's also the Drow version of the Entity known as The Mockery, who is part of the Dark Six.

Plus the over all history of the Drow of Eberron and the Realms differs a great deal. One is a former slave race created by the Giants experimenting with regular Elves and the essence of Khyber, whereas the other became corrupted due to Lolth's machinications which lead to the Crown Wars.

There's also no real proof (least not that I've seen) that the Elves or Dwarves of Eberron were created by the regular Creator Deities, whether it be the Seldarine for the Elves or the Morndinsamman for the Dwarves. Looks like that just as on Krynn, they're a local aberration who simply resemble their otherworldly counterparts. As Paladine created the Elves on Krynn, just as Reorx is considered the father of the Dwarves.

So that too will have to be addressed. Not as if the Torillian Elves are particularly fond of undead, while the Eberronian Elves worship a bunch of them. etc etc.

Originally posted by tkobo

Looks like empty hype to me........

Now if they had said "We are putting an enormous amount of content based on the underdark into ddo.Players will be able to start OUT IN, and play ENTIRELY from level 1 to max in the underdark,experiencing a truely dark and dangerous world as its been presented in years of pnp content"

I probably would have said  "Okay, thats at least a good sales pitch,now lets see what they actually deliver"

But instead,all theyve really said is "Visit  our railed themepark version of the underdark in a small series of  adventures at some point during your chars badly done trip thru d&d's worst setting (ebberon),and experience "darkness" the equavilant to hello kitty online,from the dangerous and thrilling seat of our 'your char cant reaaly die or even suffer any measureable Inconvenience'  tour, as you wander from knocking on this door to the next  "

 

 

 

See, what I have highlighted in green, is probably (I don't klnow for sure) how it's going to play out. I'm GLAD that Turbine is expanding into Forgotten Realms, but like a few others have mentioned, I wish that they had just started DDO there from the get-go. To me, Eberron is a "Crystal Pepsi" campaign setting. It's okay for awhile, but gets old fast (just mho). I'm too burned out on it, at this point, to even try to work my way into The Underdark to see what all the fuss is about. Don't get me wrong....I hope it's great and well-executed, but just too little too late for me.

Originally posted by aovannor

Everyone is saying they want a forgotten realms D&D MMO.. everyone forgetting about Neverwinter?

http://www.playneverwinter.com/frontpage

 

I'd bet a lot of these folks want to play a Forgotten Realms MMO with the 3.5 ed. ruleset. Perfect World's version with be 4th (maybe 5th) ed. rules and well...it's Perfect World, who's initial are PW, which means: Pay - Win.

I just can't get into instanced play like DDO. If they actually had an open world of Forgotten Realms with the Underdark, i'd be there in a second.

I wouldn't touch Neverwiinter, it looks way too cartoony. I wouldn't be able to take it seriously.

this sounds jawesome! i've totally read some Drizzt novels and shibby and forgotten realms is way more familiar to me as a setting. i think it is FINALLY time i gave DDO a shot!

Originally posted by Omnifish

I thought they weren't allowed to go anywhere near the Forgotten Realms setting due to the licensing agreement? Or is there a 'Underdark', in Eberron as well?

 

Must admit I'm a tad confused, intrigued, but confused, and by 'intrigued', I mean I third on the crapping pants stage.

 

The Underdark was in modules long before their was a Forgotten Realm. I played the series PnP in the early 80's. Even had city of Menzo-notgoingtolookupspelling. It strted with a 3 module set Against the Giants, leading into 3 module set of the Underdark. I don't know if thats why they can use the location and lore of Underdark, but very excited to play it as I play DDO now anyways.

I played at launch, but didn't last long as the setting, bugs, and other problems/dev choices didnt thrill me, but since trying the ftp version 10 months ago, they've reeled me in. Now I sub $10 a month and loving the game. The rules are very close to PnP (can be complex for new peeps not used to PnP) and they've added tons of content-you can't get a good feel for it in ftp, as they ftp quests are mostly the original ones from launch and only small amount really show the quality they've created since then. You can sub or just buy the adv packs you want to try.

The quests are (imo) the funnest leveling in any game i've played (not grindy to me), and I was an Evercrack addict for many years. Thw classes have meaning beyond dealing damage and healing-Rogues actually have to disable traps (on elite lev they can wipe whole party), find secret doors, open locks, etc-not just dps and stealth. Spells are varied, where you could have 5 wizzie toons all completely different play styles with the huge amt and variety of spells. Plus Prestige classes, feats, enhancements, fighting styles, multi-classing make the classes playable in many different ways. Gear is important to molding your style, but their is no really needed gear-build, as long as you have decent gear for your level and supports your playstyle. Not much cookie cutter toons, but there are builds you can follow set by choosing type for your style where you get auto-build at new levels or follow builds from PC's in forums. But most build their own with choices at each level-you'll learn early if you gimp toon. And people are mostly helpful, but in Harbor (low lev, noob area) you will see some trying the ftp that are idiots, but they don't last long or make it much past that area.

Sorry, I know i sound like I work for Turbine and the post got away from me, but I'd like to see a lot of people give DDO a try, as I've had a lot of fun with it. If you need help and are on Khyber server and you have question or group, I'm Peapodd, or Myrmidian (guild Slammin). Look me up.

Originally posted by Meltdown

Wow, DDO is looking better and better. Although did everyone just read the part about Forgetten Realms, pitch a tent and stop reading? Cosmetic pets... wtf? This seems like a cash shop square peg being forced into a round hole... maybe I'm just too removed from the game now to see where it has gone since I left...

 

 

If you sub, you start with all content, all but one race and one class-which you can play toi get. Also, you get a lot of points each month for the store. I've never spent a dime more than the $10/mo sub. I don't like cash shops my self, but if someone buying a pirate hat means we get more content, then I can live with it.

Once it launches, I'm in.

Originally posted by VicDonnegan

Originally posted by aovannor



Everyone is saying they want a forgotten realms D&D MMO.. everyone forgetting about Neverwinter?

http://www.playneverwinter.com/frontpage

I'd bet a lot of these folks want to play a Forgotten Realms MMO with the 3.5 ed. ruleset. Perfect World's version with be 4th (maybe 5th) ed. rules and well...it's Perfect World, who's initial are PW, which means: Pay - Win.

 

Precisely what you said! Sure, I would love a Forgotten Realms, or Greyhawk, or a Dragonlance DDO, but the fact is that I want either 3.0 or 3.5 e ruleset, not the 4th one which this new "neverwinter" game will be using.

I'm perfectly fine with instancing and all, I think that's even required for a D&D MMO, especially with the level of technology what we possess.

Please forgive me for double posting, but for some reason I can't edit my post above and add the following:

Imagine what a bold move it would be of a developer to make either a fully turn based online experience of D&D (Wizards of the coast did that online pen&paper adaptation for 4th ed, right?) instead of a real-time with the d20 mechanics in the background.

Sweet!

Originally posted by Metanol

Originally posted by VicDonnegan

Originally posted by aovannor







Everyone is saying they want a forgotten realms D&D MMO.. everyone forgetting about Neverwinter?

http://www.playneverwinter.com/frontpage

I'd bet a lot of these folks want to play a Forgotten Realms MMO with the 3.5 ed. ruleset. Perfect World's version with be 4th (maybe 5th) ed. rules and well...it's Perfect World, who's initial are PW, which means: Pay - Win.



 

Precisely what you said! Sure, I would love a Forgotten Realms, or Greyhawk, or a Dragonlance DDO, but the fact is that I want either 3.0 or 3.5 e ruleset, not the 4th one which this new "neverwinter" game will be using.

I'm perfectly fine with instancing and all, I think that's even required for a D&D MMO, especially with the level of technology what we possess.

 

Hate to break it to you but what makes 3.5e great is not translated over to MMOs, hell just look at how Turbine butchered it.  It is an utter disgrace to call that crap 3.5e.

Go ahead and hate 4e all you want but the fact remains that it is the best set of rules for DnD in an MMO.  PnP rules simpely does not transition well to comp gaming which 4e might be the comp gaming edition ticket.

Also it remains to be seen how PW will affect Neverwinter, everyone is simpely speculating.  Go post in guildwarsguru that aNet GW2 will fail because it's producer or publisher is NCSoft and don't be suprised if you get flammed on.

DDO is fun because of the amazing character customization... unheard of in todays AAA MMOs.

Multiclassing and planning your character out is tons of fun. Good news also is they are fixing the UI for doing it ( its pretty bad now ) and that should be out with this or around this time.

DDO is one of my staples and a great game. Yeah it has mad instancing which does get closterphobic at times but the character customization part is pure WIN.

The dungeons rock as well, what happened to trapfinding in "modern mmos" ???? 

Originally posted by Ambros123

Hate to break it to you but what makes 3.5e great is not translated over to MMOs, hell just look at how Turbine butchered it.  It is an utter disgrace to call that crap 3.5e.

Go ahead and hate 4e all you want but the fact remains that it is the best set of rules for DnD in an MMO.  PnP rules simpely does not transition well to comp gaming which 4e might be the comp gaming edition ticket.

Also it remains to be seen how PW will affect Neverwinter, everyone is simpely speculating.  Go post in guildwarsguru that aNet GW2 will fail because it's producer or publisher is NCSoft and don't be suprised if you get flammed on.

Well, if we dive into this subject now, I must say that I don't think Turbine "butchered" it. In fact I enjoy DDO greatly, just like Allegria above me posted.

- No other AAA MMO offers equal character customization (talking gameplay wise here) - which is just divine in DDO.

- The instancing dosn't bother me either, I like it, just like I enjoy those hard quests and encounters what the game provides.

- And combat wise DDO is the best AAA MMO for me.

I despise and laugh at the 4th ed. Won't go into explaining why here, because for that I would need a few hours to write you a fully fledged report of it, and we don't want to crash MMORPG.com forums with talk of such either.

EDIT: You say P&P rules don't translate well to computer gaming? What the hell happened to Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil and Neverwinter Nights -series? They were all -Wonderful- in my opinion and no 4th ed crap can come even close to them. 4th ed would only work in an pure Everquest 2 (WOW) -clone.

If only this games graphics didnt suck I would be all over it.

Originally posted by Ambros123

Originally posted by Metanol

Originally posted by VicDonnegan

Originally posted by aovannor







Everyone is saying they want a forgotten realms D&D MMO.. everyone forgetting about Neverwinter?

http://www.playneverwinter.com/frontpage

I'd bet a lot of these folks want to play a Forgotten Realms MMO with the 3.5 ed. ruleset. Perfect World's version with be 4th (maybe 5th) ed. rules and well...it's Perfect World, who's initial are PW, which means: Pay - Win.



 

Precisely what you said! Sure, I would love a Forgotten Realms, or Greyhawk, or a Dragonlance DDO, but the fact is that I want either 3.0 or 3.5 e ruleset, not the 4th one which this new "neverwinter" game will be using.

I'm perfectly fine with instancing and all, I think that's even required for a D&D MMO, especially with the level of technology what we possess.

 

Hate to break it to you but what makes 3.5e great is not translated over to MMOs, hell just look at how Turbine butchered it.  It is an utter disgrace to call that crap 3.5e.

Go ahead and hate 4e all you want but the fact remains that it is the best set of rules for DnD in an MMO.  PnP rules simpely does not transition well to comp gaming which 4e might be the comp gaming edition ticket.

Also it remains to be seen how PW will affect Neverwinter, everyone is simpely speculating.  Go post in guildwarsguru that aNet GW2 will fail because it's producer or publisher is NCSoft and don't be suprised if you get flammed on.

I've got to say, that I do actually agree with that. Just my opinion, but the only game (not an MMO) that really got close to replicating the 3.5 rules was Atari's 'Temple of Elemental Evil'. Turbine's version of 3.5 doesn't come close to the real thing, but does offer "some familiar territory" and that's about all.

Personally, I don't hate 4th ed., I just don't know much about it...except that I've heard the game mechanics closely resemble that of an MMO. I liked the pnp 3.5 rules enough (and bought tons of books) that I didn't see the need to jump to 4th ed. 4th ed. could be a good fit for the new Neverwinter...only time will tell. Since Perfect World is involved, though, I'll pass.

I was very excited about neverwinter until i heard they will not be releasing multiclassing at launch..

DDO is great because of this feature alone.... hopefully they get it in someday but who knows when.

Originally posted by allegria

I was very excited about neverwinter until i heard they will not be releasing multiclassing at launch..

DDO is great because of this feature alone.... hopefully they get it in someday but who knows when.

At launch?

There is no multiclassing in D&D 4th edition period.