Gave up on Vanguard shortly after the server merges, population still too low? any positive changes since? 

Since the free trial I think there's been a gradual increase in population across all servers. Although still pretty low, it's heading in the right direction. I think a lot of people coming back to Vanguard are suprised that it has changed quite a bit since its initial release. There's a patch coming to add PvP as far as I understand, along with some other additions.

Yeah, the starter hometowns are pretty desolate cause everyone uses the starting isle.  Which is a shame because if you have a good computer and start in the elf area, it's some of the best looking mmorpg settings I've ever seen.  With no real big games coming out this year I suspect the WoW gamers will slowly start to filter out to the other major games after they goble up their expansion, and Vanguard will pick up some players over time.

Originally posted by nooc

Gave up on Vanguard shortly after the server merges, population still too low? any positive changes since? 

vanguard is designed with a large number of starting areas.  I'm not counting mind you but I think it is close to a dozen areas.  And progressing out of these areas take maybe 15 levels.  This means that people in these areas for maybe 10-20 hours tops.  So with an even distribution to see 2-3 people in these areas you really need to see maybe 30-60 new players a day....  Therein lies the problem.  Too many starting areas for the number of people joining the game.  Also now days a lot of people are starting in IoD.  Now as you level up you get funneled to fewer areas and it takes longer so you do start seeing more people.  In fact in some popular quest ares at times it can be overcrowded.  Like TK, or CIS, or Tseng weapon, etc.

On the positive changes really they are too many to count.  Download IoD and give it a whirl thats propbably the easiest thing to do.  You can alos go to vgplayers.com and read the past release notes.

VG is awesome. the only reason i havnt been playin it was because of my extreme WoW addiction and my computer needs to be upgraded a little bit, but i want to have it by christmas at the latest. cya in telon

VG really is better than anything else out there...

WoW is...pathetic

LotRO is 90% 9% LotR 1% stupid

Everything else sucks for some other reason

Vanguard may have problems but the good outweighs the bad

Just started up in Vanguard recently through the Isle of Dawn trial. The population is obviously low compared to the big hitters, but that can be rectified by people trying out the free trial and then getting hooked!

My primary Toon (Rowf the Vulmane Ranger15/Artificer7) is on the low population Halgar EU Server and it's still pretty good. Played with a group of five (level 10-15) characters Sunday evening to do the Azebaj Hive quests at Qa Riverbank and had a buzzing good time!

Is it as good/worse or better than other MMO's?

Dunno, haven't played them all and anyway, different people want different things out of a game. Try the free trial and see what you think.

Originally posted by ethion

Originally posted by nooc

Gave up on Vanguard shortly after the server merges, population still too low? any positive changes since? 

 

vanguard is designed with a large number of starting areas.  I'm not counting mind you but I think it is close to a dozen areas.  And progressing out of these areas take maybe 15 levels.  This means that people in these areas for maybe 10-20 hours tops.  So with an even distribution to see 2-3 people in these areas you really need to see maybe 30-60 new players a day....  Therein lies the problem.  Too many starting areas for the number of people joining the game.  Also now days a lot of people are starting in IoD.  Now as you level up you get funneled to fewer areas and it takes longer so you do start seeing more people.  In fact in some popular quest ares at times it can be overcrowded.  Like TK, or CIS, or Tseng weapon, etc.

On the positive changes really they are too many to count.  Download IoD and give it a whirl thats propbably the easiest thing to do.  You can alos go to vgplayers.com and read the past release notes.

I think a problem is that starter areas need not just be starter areas.  Sure, the noobs start there, but the higher levels need a reason to come back to train, sell, repair, auction, re-equip, and other stuff.

Any MMORPG should be designed so that it's cities and towns thrive with people; that's where the community and the life of an MMO should be found.

Originally posted by pencilrick

Originally posted by ethion

Originally posted by nooc

Gave up on Vanguard shortly after the server merges, population still too low? any positive changes since? 

 

vanguard is designed with a large number of starting areas.  I'm not counting mind you but I think it is close to a dozen areas.  And progressing out of these areas take maybe 15 levels.  This means that people in these areas for maybe 10-20 hours tops.  So with an even distribution to see 2-3 people in these areas you really need to see maybe 30-60 new players a day....  Therein lies the problem.  Too many starting areas for the number of people joining the game.  Also now days a lot of people are starting in IoD.  Now as you level up you get funneled to fewer areas and it takes longer so you do start seeing more people.  In fact in some popular quest ares at times it can be overcrowded.  Like TK, or CIS, or Tseng weapon, etc.

On the positive changes really they are too many to count.  Download IoD and give it a whirl thats propbably the easiest thing to do.  You can alos go to vgplayers.com and read the past release notes.

 

I think a problem is that starter areas need not just be starter areas.  Sure, the noobs start there, but the higher levels need a reason to come back to train, sell, repair, auction, re-equip, and other stuff.

Any MMORPG should be designed so that it's cities and towns thrive with people; that's where the community and the life of an MMO should be found.

I think this was the one thing EQ2 got right.... only two capital cities.. one for each team... and they are your home from level1 all the way to the level cap.

Originally posted by Swiftblade13

I think this was the one thing EQ2 got right.... only two capital cities.. one for each team... and they are your home from level1 all the way to the level cap.

I'm not so sure. The reasoning was sound but the implementation was a little lacking. I REALLY missed not having the theme specific starter areas from the original EQ. With the original EQ being my first MMORPG I have incredibly fond memories taking my first steps through Halas and out into Everfrost as a Barbarian and after much adventure eventually finding my way to Qeynos was a major milestone.

I think Vanguard was trying to capture a similar feeling (with some success).

play the game its the best out there so far. 

currently playing war: 32 shammy

vanguard: 50 shammy and 50 rogue FFA server sartok

www.ebonlore.org

Vanguard is a ghost town and dead. It will never recover.

The launch was horrible and buggy but SOE has dummied down the game so it's not anywhere like the original vision.

it did have a bad release but they made up for it with the fixes and new content.  not to mention there is almost always something to do in that game and the world it self is wide open.  FFA server sartok

www.ebonlore.org

Originally posted by Samuraisword

Vanguard is a ghost town and dead. It will never recover.

The launch was horrible and buggy but SOE has dummied down the game so it's not anywhere like the original vision.

A completely off-based stated by someone who isn't currently playing.  Last night alone a group a folks in our guild looking to complete certain quests had to leave Old Targanor because it was too crowded, bypassed Rahz Inkur because it was packed, gave up on Shores of Darkness because it was packed and finally settled on some Fungal Abomination kills.  And that's on all on a Thursday night. 

The population increase has been noticeable and significant.  Saying VG is a ghost town and dead could not be farther from the truth.

Vanguard is the greatest and most beautifull modern PvE MMO currently on market. The only problem for me is missing of PvP (except FFA PvP server) and still bad performance in indoor raids. I think will come back if there is maningfull PvP system implemented.

Originally posted by Samuraisword

Vanguard is a ghost town and dead. It will never recover.

The launch was horrible and buggy but SOE has dummied down the game so it's not anywhere like the original vision.

The original version that was a broken bugfest?

Everyone knows what a chequered past VG has had, but its not the game it used to be. It is also far from being a ghost town.

Seamless is the word sony do not understand and stairs are still unplayable.

Chunky epic unreal world full of bugs with a /flush command at your fingertip to flush bugs from your memory leakage.

Originally posted by teabag

Seamless is the word sony do not understand and stairs are still unplayable.

Chunky epic unreal world full of bugs with a /flush command at your fingertip to flush bugs from your memory leakage.

good description of launch.

Today, pretty off base.  I'd almost forgotten the flush command :P  that brought back memories which just underscore how far things have come...  I remember well when /flush was your friend you did it at least once per hour sometimes more and whenever anything wierd happened.  Now days most players don't even know what that command is...

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Originally posted by teabag
Seamless is the word sony do not understand and stairs are still unplayable.
Chunky epic unreal world full of bugs with a /flush command at your fingertip to flush bugs from your memory leakage.

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Really because i was on for 14 hours yesterday without a bug, leak or crash..

The game works, pretty well. Drop 15 bucks and see for yourself, it is not a hard choice to try a game if you already own it...

Originally posted by boojiboy

Originally posted by Samuraisword

Vanguard is a ghost town and dead. It will never recover.

The launch was horrible and buggy but SOE has dummied down the game so it's not anywhere like the original vision.

 

A completely off-based stated by someone who isn't currently playing.  Last night alone a group a folks in our guild looking to complete certain quests had to leave Old Targanor because it was too crowded, bypassed Rahz Inkur because it was packed, gave up on Shores of Darkness because it was packed and finally settled on some Fungal Abomination kills.  And that's on all on a Thursday night. 

The population increase has been noticeable and significant.  Saying VG is a ghost town and dead could not be farther from the truth.

Completely agree with the rebuttal. Seems like it has picked up since Isle of Dawn released - I am sure WoWs expansion will take a few - for awhile. But they will be back. The game is SO much improved. A real joy to play.