MMORPG.com Community Manager Richard Cox writes this preview article, giving you and overview of the interview and letting you know what to expect when the GenCon video hits the site! In our first preview article, Cox talks about the team's interview with Turbine about Module 8 in DDO

The first interview of the day is with Kate Paiz, the Senior Producer for Dungeon & Dragons Online: Stormreach at Turbine. We filmed the interview as well, so this will pretty much just be an overview of what you can expect when you watch the video.

Primarily the interview was about what players can expect in Module 8. Mod 8 is centered around improving the new player experience. Turbine has revamped the early/starter parts of the game to include character creation, to make the game more accessible to new players. This includes people who are starting to play the game because friends of theirs are already playing as well as those completely new to the title. The changes are also geared toward helping to break those new players who aren't familiar with the D&D rules into the game more slowly than previously. Turbine had discovered that the game could be a little daunting for those who aren't familiar with the existing D&D rules.

Read it all here.

I can't read it all "here" there is no link.

Where is the video mentioned in the story?

OMG

DDO: Guild Wars 1.5...

AWESOME...

I may actually load this up!

"Guild Wars 1.5"

That is so spot on it's hilarious.  While DDO offers quite a different world from Guild Wars the addition of henchmen sure makes that title reasonably close with all the related issues of playing a single person game that GW can and most often does offer.

it's not Guildwars you fools, it's Dungeons and Dragons!  Henchmen/Hirelings were in the core rules and just becuase they''re recently being implemented does *not* means it's like another game that allows you to chose a pet. 

Dungeons & Dragons Online is vastly superior to Guildwars.  The difference is DDO had a terrible launch that lacked polish and requires a monthly subscription.  Obviously, guildwars has garnered the success mearely due to it's streamlined mechanics, polish, and the fact that it's FREE to play other then paying for the initial license. 

If you like dynamics and not artificial choices then DDO is a better choice for you. 

p.s. I'm not saying Guildwars sucks - it's actually a great game!

Definetly going to resubscribe due to henchman addition.

Originally posted by Kollaps

Definetly going to resubscribe due to henchman addition.

Quite frankly, I might as well!

Originally posted by mindspat

 

Dungeons & Dragons Online is vastly superior to Guildwars. 

p.s. I'm not saying Guildwars sucks - it's actually a great game!

You were on a roll, then you said this. The game is lackluster, does not have the best animations, models, UI, etc.

DDO is an OK game. This is the reason it does not sell. You do one thing and only one thing. Crawl dungeons. They have added extra features, and the outside stuff has been a good move.

But, Guild Wars is FAR superior to DDO. In visual quality, in gameplay, in sales.

But..I am not saying DDO sucks!

Sounds interesting. I may resubscribe. May main probelm with DDO was the lack of population, which lead me to doing nothing. I'm glad they realize this is a serious problem.

I might resubscribe too. The henchmen would really enable solo play.

And just as I was going to let my sub lapse, they bring in henchmen!!!! Damnit!!

*decisions* *decisions* which MMO can I drop for this now.... already picked up EVE again..... CoH perhaps?...  cant drop the SOE station access.. too many games........ damnit!!!

...maybe the wife wont notice the CC bill.....

"guild wars 1.5???" laughable man...

how about EVERY FANTASY GAME EVER IS D&D 1.5 period. with the small exception of any LotRs etc...

as far as the hirelings? this single feature could make me sub to DDO every month along with lotro, WOW!!!

it makes sense. D&D is and has always been a party type system, so if you have no friends to play online with you to get through those dungeons it only makes TOTAL sense to have hireling NPCs!!!

wow, time to re-install DDO!

Hirelings would surely defeat the object of the game, ie- grouping with other punters, DDO was (and is) probably the best MMO around where the party system is a joy to play. The community is second to none.

This silly mercenary thing may actually undermine that group ethos, sure it may bring back some players who were a bit miffed at 'The Pit' on the perchance they could wing it with hirelings. But what a sad win that would be.

By all means get re-subbed, but get a party when you do. FTW

" Turbine had discovered that the game could be a little daunting for those who aren't familiar with the existing D&D rules."

Translation:
"Turbine have discovered that players are increasingly less willing - to the point of being offended at times - at the idea of having to use their brain while playing a game"

"It's just completely unnecessary to make them exert that much effort," said one spokesperson. They continued, "I mean We've *already* required them to either open the packaging or download the client, then follow instructions to install the game... That's pushing it as it is. Expecting them to then *learn* the game on their own is nothing short of cruelty."

... I don't recall ever having to worry about learning D&D rules in order to play DDO. The game handles the "behind the scenes" stuff... The stats *should* have mouse-over tool tips that explain what they are and what they do... It's not terribly difficult to grasp; no more than any other RPG or MMO I've played.

Besides, aren't the stats for most RPGs out there nowadays derived almost directly *from* D&D to begin with? Not like it would be their first time seeing "STR", "DEX" or any of that.

And for Pete's sake... "Oh no! New players have to *read*, experiment and use their heads a little... to *learn* the game... Well... we just can't have that. It's far too unreasonable a thing to expect".

And the dumbing down of the genre continues...

Why don't someone just cut to the chase and create a MMO that consists of:
1. Pressing a single button that instantly creates a completely geared-up character of max level
2. Pressing a second single button that plays the game for the player; they barely even have to touch the keyboard.
3. Pressing a final single button ... the ever-coveted "I Win" button... that allows them to defeat all Raid bosses, solo, and get the best drops 100% of the time.
4. In the event that they choose to make it a nominally interactive experience... make sure they're adequately rewarded for their effort. There would be a congratulatory screen that flashes every time they succesfully move their character 10' in any direction that says, in bright red letters... "YOU ARE UBER!!!" Complete with fan-fare.

Think that would make people happy?

Actually... when I think about it. Probably not. They'd have to actually click a mouse-button to press the buttons... Oh yeah... they'd have to read the "you are uber" part... and that would *surely* be far too much to expect... Better to have a voice-over play at the same time.

On second thought... My thinking is probably far too obtuse and convoluted for the direction MMOs are going in... Best to "streamline" the process and reduce it to a single button press that does it all automatically.

-sigh-

I think it's time to listen to my gut instinct and say "adios" to MMOs.

This genre has gone to hell.

I don't want to solo. Unfortunately in DDO you don't have much of an option. Its either try to solo, or sit around waiting for hours to get a group. OH JOY!!

Originally posted by brostyn

I don't want to solo. Unfortunately in DDO you don't have much of an option. Its either try to solo, or sit around waiting for hours to get a group. OH JOY!!

Or you have another two options:

-You join a guild

-You start looking for individuals or groups you played with before and where you can see that they have the same kind of mindset as you. Ask them if they have regular days where they are online and then try to create a regular game group together with them.

The fact that DDO has integrated voice chat makes it so easy to meet new folks and to keep in touch with them.

Back when I played DDO I never had a problem finding a group. Took about 5-10 minutes maximum to get a slot in a pickup-group. The more you group up with others the more likely they will invite you the moment you log into the game once they get to know you. Well, unless you really try your best to be a complete ass. Then you can be sure that your name will appear in alot of black books around the server ;)

Do not forget that DDO only has the Dungeons and Dragons brand on it cos it is not really d&d.

Casters use spell points enabling them to nonstop spam spells wich is an heresy in d&d terms.

Most mobs are imune to either Vorpal or paralyzing wepaons or other effects in order to make the game more 'chalenging' according to Turbine.

The mobs are completly distoced imitations of the original Monster compendium monsters, with hyper boosted attacks / Defenses haps etc.. really a joke.

You can ingame craft weapons armors etc wich are for a d&d player total aberrations overpowered.

etc etc etc.. game should be called [Casters&Dungeons overboosted.]  Caliing it Dungeons and Dragons Online is an insult to d&d.

Hopefuly ddo 2 will come soon and not made by Turbine :) * Crosses fingers *

Originally posted by EduardoASG

Do not forget that DDO only has the Dungeons and Dragons brand on it cos it is not really d&d.

Casters use spell points enabling them to nonstop spam spells wich is an heresy in d&d terms.

Most mobs are imune to either Vorpal or paralyzing wepaons or other effects in order to make the game more 'chalenging' according to Turbine.

The mobs are completly distoced imitations of the original Monster compendium monsters, with hyper boosted attacks / Defenses haps etc.. really a joke.

You can ingame craft weapons armors etc wich are for a d&d player total aberrations overpowered.

etc etc etc.. game should be called [Casters&Dungeons overboosted.]  Caliing it Dungeons and Dragons Online is an insult to d&d.

Hopefuly ddo 2 will come soon and not made by Turbine :) * Crosses fingers *

Amen.

If you're looking for a real online multiplayer Dungeons and Dragons experience - or anything like it - you're not going to find it in the MMO scene.

The MMO genre has been ruined. MMOs have become little more than derivative "me-too" hack-jobs, put out by companies whose only interest is to ride the coat-tails of a certain other game that rhymes with "PoW".

As such, they've been reduced to mere money-sinks for ADD-ridden, speed-leveling, end-game obsessed quick-gratification junkies who only care about getting "uber gear" and "pwning noobs", as much and as fast as possible. Not *all* players are like that, I know. But the number of those who are is increasing more and more over time.

In that environment, a true Dungeons and Dragons game has no chance. Most of the players don't have the attention span for it anymore; not by a long shot.

Unfortunately, DDO hasn't avoided this same fate.

I played DDO and all I found were players looking to race through every quest to level as fast as possible.. Basically, doing exactly what most do in every other MMO out now. I keep hearing about guilds/groups that aren't like that - I couldn't find one in the time I played; and I looked - in game, on the forums, etc. All I found were power-gamers looking to race to level cap.

You want a real D&D experience? Forget MMOs. You're not going to find it here; not anymore. In the immortal words of Bones, "It's dead, Jim".

Do what I did, and have been enjoying ever since...

Pick up Neverwinter Nights 2 and its expansion, "Mask of The Betrayer".  Go online, find some of the Persistant Worlds that members of the *community* have built. If you recall that NwN2 was practically unplayable at release... fear not. MoTB and patches have greatly increased the overall game performance; by up to double in many cases. It's quite playable now, and the single-player campaigns are actually quite fun.

In several cases that I've seen, they put many MMOs out now to shame in terms of depth, design and attention to detail. There's everything from story-centric servers, to pure action servers, to heavy role-play and everything in-between.  DMs on many will run events, either "scheduled" or in many cases, spontaneous, rewarding xp many times for good RP, etc... you know, the kind of thing you expect to find in a D&D game.

There's questing, crafting, adventuring, prestige classes, creatures a-plenty. And no one's concerned about it being "too daunting for new players" - using your brain and being creative is actually preferred.

You won't find 1000s of other players online at the same time, or even 100s in most cases... but you'll also find a much more mature community.

No hyperactive "pwn-freaks" to be found. They're simply not tolerated. If a DM sees a player as a disruption... if they're griefing, or begging for money/power-leveling... or any of the crap typical of many MMO players now, they're gone. Buh-bye.

And best of all - you don't have to pay a penny to play on any of them. Some ask for donations to help with server/bandwidth fees, but that's the extent of it. No monthly subscription. It's a labor of love for the people running them... not a business.

One caveat...  You may have to tweak an ini file to bring the camera speed under control, 'cause for some reason its default settings are hyper-sensitive; but it's not a big deal. Takes a few minutes to find the right range of sensitivity and you're off and running.

I agree... DDO is not genuine Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Not by a long shot.