Right! I'll start as directly as I can:

f2p version of Vanguard bothers me. Can you enjoy yourself with it? Any way to buy classes or races(LoTRO style)? Because I adore Elves of all kinds and now I am limited. Not to mention that I wanted to play Druid(meh...) or Cleric(that can be done :D!).

Also, when we are at it, how good are the graphics? Oblivion level? Morrowind level? This could be pretty important Cuz I don't Like stiff animations. It makes combat...dull.

How beatiful is Telon? More importantly, how beautifully is the Water rendered(Water is very important to me...)?

Also, the limited housing due to f2p confuses me. Isn't it one of the pillars of Vanguard?

Also, how much can I get into Telon(you know, Roleplaying)? What RP Tools are present and how good are stories/quests/etc?

I ask all of this because it seems that Vanguard is my type of MMO, but before I get involved, I want to get absolutely positive that I want to actually play it...

And don't bother suggesting me to sub. The only game that is worthy of sub, in my eyes, is Rift. Because they have fast updates/bug free updates and friendly(LOL they define friendly!) Community relations.

Well, I can try to answer your questions. I have played VG since beta, through launch and ever since.

I am, as such, not a f2p player. However, from what I've been able to tell from all the new folks around, f2p isn't too bad now. They eased up quite a bit on the gear restrictions and it has made things comfortable. All classes and races can be fully played up to level 20. The free races/classes are of course unlimited, and the other classes and races can be unlocked through items in the cash shop. Unlocking a race costs180 SC, and unlocking a class costs 750 SC when they are not on sale, and they are almost always on sale. Right now they are on sale for 424. So just over $5 to unlock a race/class combo atm.

I personally love the graphics. I am not going to try and claim they are still the best and that new games and technology aren't any better, but I think graphically the game has aged very well. The environmental graphics are the best part, the character models are not as good but plenty sufficient for me, I've seen far far worse. With everything turned on highest settings, the world itself is quite majestic and striking.

Unfortunately, f2p players cannot do anything with housing of their own at this time. The devs have been thinking about changing this aspect of the restrictions as well, but it has not happened yet.

As far as roleplaying, I do not participate in that, but I have known several people to do so in VG, there are even a couple RP guilds around. The game lore and information provided by quests is actually quite deep. To fully get all of the stories, you have to both adventure/quest, and do diplomacy to talk to everyone all over the world. There is a LOT of background lore to the game overall.

I have no idea if it will help or not, but you can take a look at a video I made recently. I've never made a video before, and I didn't really have a concrete plan going into it, so it's probably terrible. I bet I manage to bore most people enough in the beginning that they don't watch the whole thing. But I hope it can at least give you an idea what the game looks like! (watch it in 1080!)

Here's a link to Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnHCGOxNxPY

Thanks Dirkin!

I will, however, need at least three independent answers before I get into it.

It's free to try so why don't you. Nobody can tell you if you are going to like it.

The combat animations are pretty bad

The graphics are dated

The game has around 400 - 600 players at max

That's the bad, I'm sure somebody will post all the good

Just bought 3 months subs for £15 and so far enjoing the game a lot. Graphics are not great but good enough. The reason I bought the game was because it is huge and complex and sort of a throwback to older MMO's where it takes a long time to level, fast travel is limited and there is a world to explore. Having a lot of fun even if the place is empty. More players would make the game really cool but...the world is huge so doubt even a load of players would make a dent in how much space there is or the frequency of bumping into others.

Give FTP a go, it is what persuaded me to buy 3 months as I really have no interest in anything else around atm or have maxed out what i was playing.

THREE MONTHS for FIFTEEN quids in TOTAL???

Why that is quite some discount(sometimes you can pay up to five quids for a simple flurry/ice cream). Anyhow, I'll look some videos and follow from there. The race for my time currently features GW 2(although I dislike it, who knows? Maybe they turn it), Vanguard(huge, beautiful world with interesting classes and crafting) and TSW(I quite like conspiracy theories actually{yes I do own Vankin/Whalen's 50 Greatest Conspiracies of all time} and their systems intrigue me almost too much-not to mention that I'd rather have Dark Fantasy than High Fantasy). Choices, choices... :D

Originally posted by Gorwe
Please do not troll! Thank you.

Look up the definition of a troll, I think you missed the boat on the meaning of it

1. You can try the game yourself. You don't need second opinions. The game is free (fact, no trolling)

2. The headcounts can be done ingame at any given time and the numbers between 400 - 600 are fairly accurate (fact, no trolling)

3. Combat animations as a weak point is an opinion but one many share. Can also be viewed on youtube and by yourself by following advice nr 1.

4. Same as nr 3.

Telon's art design still holds up. It's a very beautiful world. so beautiful that that is how I play, I wander around enjoying the scenery and killing monsters along the way.

I would say that I played rift and canceled my sub. I still sub to Vanguard. So in that case, due to my tastes, VAnguard is the one that deserves the sub.

But you can try for yourself and see.

I've played VG off an on for years, though not really in the last year as I find it just too dated to look at now, plus I have seen a lot of the game already in my time.

I think VG is a wonderful game for someone starting out in it. BUT, you will need to be patient and willing to look past the dated graphics and character models, the clunky animations, the slow combat and the old fashioned questing. Telon is a huge world with some really beautiful places and still the best sky/weather I have seen in any MMO. The questlines are deep and involving (last time I played I had a blast taking a character through the URT, Hunter's League and CIS armour/weapon quests again) and the crafting is excellent. As people have said the community is small though and you will need to find a nice guild (like Twighlyte Song if they're still around) as there is a lot of group content.

It's free so just try it out and see if it resonates with you or not.

Thank You all for your advices! Yes, even you Starpower, even tho you are blocked :D

I will try it. I guess that fan of Morrowind and those old school RPGs owes to himself to try something as rich as this. Plus, who says I can't play GW 2+VSOH+TSW concurrently(sure one will prevail, but meh)? i just care about, let's put it this way, that the world makes sense in the game. That you are not running around aimlessly like in your typical Themepark. In other words-immersion. Graphics are important for immersion, but seeing how I like Old Skool things and books(WTF is WRONG WITH ME??? :D), I guess that I can abridge that problem. Just as long as I feel immersed(tbh I'd buy instantly High Elf+some classes just to be sure-First Impressions are pretty important!).

There. I played so many MMOs that did not resonate with me because they are built to resonate more with Oblivion/Skyrim/WoW playerbase and less with Morrowind/old Might and Magic/old Wizardry/book playerbase. I just hope that my current slew will not let me down... 

Originally posted by Gorwe

 I played so many MMOs that did not resonate with me because they are built to resonate more with Oblivion/Skyrim/WoW playerbase and less with Morrowind/old Might and Magic/old Wizardry/book playerbase. I just hope that my current slew will not let me down... 

I think you will find VG is MUCH more like Morrowind than Skyrim or WoW. These days MMOs are made to be shiny and exciting, but ultimately hollow and after a few months you're done with it. This is definitely how I feel about GW2. VG is the opposite though, like Everquest of old. It will take a bit of time to fall in love with it, but underneath it's immediate lack of appeal to the 2013 gamer it's a classic among the best MMOs.

vanguard is probably my favourite mmo..i love the crafting because it was so deep,the diplomacy,the  adventuring...there is so much to do in-game.has for the person that mentioned 400-600 players..i,m not sure where he got that figure from but way more people play the game..i have recenely resubbed for 3 months..there is no other game on the market like this game..get y/self in a good guild and get into groups and you will love the game..just give it time is all i would say.like others have said..the combat is a bit clunky but let me tell you when you have a grp and someone uses a levitate spell off a mountain and the whole group are walking on air it looks amazing..we used to use it to drop in on trengal keep

there is enough content for 1 char to last a couple of yrs easy..but i would recommend spending a few months in game on f2p to see if its for you..the game is not for everyone and you need to be patient.this is not a game where you get stuff quickly..its great that there are no instances apart from the end game raid area i believe.all dungeons in the main area are open dungeons.

Yeah. I don't even like speed(me being both ENFP and Pisces am an epitome of procrastination). I hate to zoom right through the content(well unless it's mindless content a la Diablo then the faster the better, nah scratch that! Even in Diablo you have to pay attention{Hardcore mode is my most favourite invention of all times!}).

Ok Cleric and Sorcerer sound interesting from my point of view(besides Pally and Psion and Druid->the other three classes that interest me, perhaps even bard). And the more advanced the combat->the better. I want no macro/spam cr@p.

I think I am going to like(I'll be cautious here and will not drop the L bomb) Vanguard...

Originally posted by kevjards

for the person that mentioned 400-600 players..i,m not sure where he got that figure from but way more people play the game

Counting people online is open to everyone. I'll gladly give you the commands

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/5237531

Just one more sane, objective thought needed.

In other words: "FINISH HIM!!!" :D xD

Originally posted by Starpower

Originally posted by kevjards

for the person that mentioned 400-600 players..i,m not sure where he got that figure from but way more people play the game

Counting people online is open to everyone. I'll gladly give you the commands

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/5237531

i,m not taking about the european server..that was dead long ago..its the telon server i believe its called has way more playing..but no point arguing..its insignificent really.has long as people still play and enjoy playing i dont see what the problem is.i moved all my chars from halgar 2 yrs ago

Originally posted by kevjards

Originally posted by Starpower

Originally posted by kevjards

for the person that mentioned 400-600 players..i,m not sure where he got that figure from but way more people play the game

Counting people online is open to everyone. I'll gladly give you the commands

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/5237531

i,m not taking about the european server..that was dead long ago..its the telon server i believe its called has way more playing..but no point arguing..its insignificent really.has long as people still play and enjoy playing i dont see what the problem is.i moved all my chars from halgar 2 yrs ago

I know you don't want to hear it but that is the US server. I'm not the only one who has kept tabs after it went F2P. EU has around 100 - 150 people online at any given time which you can read about further down from somebody else if my word isn't good enough for you

If you feel there are more than enough people playing then that's ok. If the guy doesn't care about how many plays than that's ok too. I'm not really bashing anybody here. It is what it is

You don't really have to care either. You can check for yourself if curiosity gets the better of you. I think it would be awesome if a thousand people were online at some point. I just haven't seen it yet. Well that's not entirely true. There were 1500+ online during their free summer campaign in 2009. There would have been more if they had actually advertised it