Unlike a lot of recent games you really can pvp from the word go in DCUO on the pvp servers. In games like WAR, AoC, Aion or GA you could get to grips with the game via some nice easy pve. The difference is leveling is easy in DCUO and skill > levels. Play on a pve server to get to grips with the game then roll on a pvp server if you are having some trouble. But saying to avoid the pvp servers because of pvp is sort of funny.

Originally posted by TheIllusive

wow did not expect this to be so fun ! great story/visuals/action. But the UI was indeed not so great... so  I was wondering if they are planning to fix these issues:

-> GameChat, I spammed the chat and PM'd people but there was zero reply.

A lot of people use a controller or just find themselves to busy to talk since its such an action game. That and using chat still needs work thou its better than it was.

-> the Map, it is confusing where you need to go/quest markers etc.

Press J to open quest journal, pick a quest and activate it then on your mini-map a yellow triangle will appear around the border you need to follow. Once you get close the quest area will show up on your mimi-map. Also if the objective is inside a police station/night club or instance there will be a beam of light shining up into the sky you can see from blocks away.

-> the option to invite players and/or click on them.

Hit enter then F1 then on the right you will see players near you and if you click ontheir name you get the option to add them to friends or group

These were my main issues which annoyed me at a point that i quitted the beta.  If they fix these issues I just might sub to a game again after a few years of standing cold : )

I went into the Rift beta with no pre-conceptions. I hadn't followed it or read up about it i just lucked out on getting a key and logged in. I haven't played a proper mmo for over a year yet from the word go i felt a familiar sense of been here done that.

In the first beta the rifts were just a zerg fest / whack a mole and i wasn't impressed at all. They got beefed up in beta 2 and i quite enjoyed them. The invasion was interesting but the core of the game just doesn't appeal to me anymore.

I am just so over this click text box run to highlighted area on my map questing system. Also a combat system i spent looking at a GCD instead of the action of screen isn't appealing to me.

Rift isn't a bad game and a couple of years ago i would have raved about it but it just feels like more of the same and when i play i feel like i'm just going through the motions.

Technically the game is sound but it lacks a soul imo. It seems like it has put all its eggs in the one basket with rifts (which can be fun granted) but the core of the game (classes, questing, crafting) just feels like a rehash of any mmo of the past 5 years.

Beta 2 was more fun than 1 but i still haven't seen anything that would make me want to buy this game. Its just too average.

Originally posted by maskedweasel

Oh my, I just don't understand some of the people on this site.

 

As for the patch,  they fixed a number of things,  really polished the menu and it seems that its a bit quicker now for navigation.  The changes to the controllers was much needed IMO,  as before they were essentially mana healers, and my controller could literally stun someone ALL DAY.  At level 12 I could sufficiently stunlock a 20  1v1 to death without ever throwing a punch.  Of course the changes will change the way people build some controllers but its all dependent on playstyle.

 

Theres a huge glitch I've seen more times then I can count after the patch in response to combat.  People bug out their block breakers and they fire twice as fast as before.  I've been killed by this exploit more than a handful of times, and I don't even know if they mean to do it.  Its really prevalent with Dual Pistols, hand blasts and brawling,  but I've recreated it myself on my one handed character.

 

Some of the instances would give you a black screen when you went in there,  though everything was still in tact,  the menu,  your combos, etc.  you couldn't see anything and had to log out.  Then you were locked out until you relogged in twice.

 

The changes to some of the sets.. I... don't like... my main one is the nature set, but thats because it was so easy to exploit before and I was really good at exploiting it. You used to be able to  be in damage role, then change to bug form and automatically be in healer role.  that meant if you were taking damage, you could shapeshift,  then heal for an insane amount of damage,  then turn back and continue fighting.  Now you have to be in healer role to change to bug form, or damage role to change to wolf form.

 

I also dislike the changes they made to the pterodactyl power,  it increased energy regen quite a bit,  so all healers have to do now is change forms and fly around then change again and start healing.  The defense bonus in that form also makes it tough to kill them.

 

I like all the new power icons,  lots of new voice overs added.  I love the changes to open world PvP and the ring wars.  I like that they've given out bounties on the walls of the police stations now.  I like that they fixed the chat color bug but I HATE that they've broken league and shout chat.

 

I like the new menus for colors and costume items. I HATE the additional points needed in your feats to get a new skill point.  (from 25 to 100 now?  Come on,  you could have doubled it to 50,  but now I .. I got no skill points!).  I also dislike the nerf on some of the buffs like health and stun resistance innates.  Basically they made the game tougher... and though I like the challenge,  it really kills my very perfectly planned builds.

 

I'm still toying with all the new things,  but honestly I logged in to what felt like a completely new game.  I am still very happy with what they've done, and if they can fix the combat bug,  I'll be quite happy indeed.

What worries me most is such major changes will introduce exploits that make it to release since its so close. I could live with the pvp exploits/hacks in beta cause it was well beta but no way would i put up with them in live and once a game has a reputation for exploits/hacks it never loses it.

These are pretty major changes. How they expect to make sure it properly balanced in a couple weeks before releasing it is beyond me.

Sorry but you've never played VG if you think its comparable to Rift. Its like saying Mortal Online has the same depth as Ultima Online.

As a fan of DCUO there is just no way it will be ready in less than a month. Maybe March if they put in a big effort. I like the game but i won't pay to play a beta at release if its January.

Mentors mainly hand out your main quest story line but you can do any of the mentors storylines at any time. Wonder Woman and Circe are the recommended ones for Nature but you could pick anyone. Anyone can use any weapon that want and at lvl10 you can spec into more than 1 weapon. Powers are either Meta, Tech or Magic and you buy the gear in 1 of 3 wings in the Justice League Watchtower or Legion of Doom HQ.

Originally posted by maskedweasel

Originally posted by Mykell

I'll be rolling on both pvp and pve servers. With a fairly easy leveling curve you can level multiple toons casually quite easy. Best of both worlds.

I'm hoping PvP opens up on the PvE servers when it launches.  Right now when I flag on the PvE server,  I see villains attacking me all the time,  but they don't know how to flag so nothing happens.  I'd like to play on the PvE server,  but without an active PvP community, I think I'm stuck on the PvP server for the most part.

 

I love the PvP server, its tons of fun,  but I prefer to play pretty laid back sometimes but still progress my character.

In a month all but the most casual should have a couple toons at 30. Just keep one on the pvp server for when ya want your fix. Who knows there could be a PvE server with loads of PvP action.

Originally posted by Loke666

I think most of the players want the best game possible and if we need to pay monthly fees for it so be it.

But I wont complain if the game is B2P or F2P as long as the itemshop doesn't go too far.

I also believe that P2P games are on very dangerous ground when they start selling stuff like mounts in a RMT shop. P2P have meant that you only pay for boxes and monthly fees but they started with other fees. First transfer fees, then for extra character slots. Noob gear package, and then item shop with fluff and mounts. And only the gods know where it ends.

If GW2 actually is a quality game who isn't selling more stuff than most P2P games I think things will turn ugly for P2P. 

Just a little while ago were all F2P games crap but their quality is raising while the P2P games are getting greedier all the time. That is dangerous.

If I can choose with a great game for the price of the boxes only I will play it as long as it is about as good as the P2P alternatives. I am one of the classic P2P players but all RMTs in P2P have been a nail in my eye a long time now. And I know I am not the only one thinking so.

Your points were very valid a few years ago but things are changing.

I agree with Loke. The times they are a changing. Its a slippery slope adding cash shops to P2P games. With greater quality F2P and B2P games people are gonna vote with their feet and wallets. Games can make plenty of money without ruining the mmo experience for people. Heck Team Fortress 2 has made a million bucks for Valve by adding a cosmetic cash shop and they even have most of the community behnd them since they included them in it from the beginning.

MMO's need populations to have the illusion of success. Take Vanguard. Its probably one of the best pve mmo's around but whenever someone tries it they feel like they are all alone so people are reluctant to sub which just leads to the next person trying it feeling the same way which means no money for development costs. F2P and B2P remove a lot of the barriers to entry so more people will try a game and give it a go. They may find they like it and spend some money on it.

I think GW2 will be a landmark in whether P2P really survives. If its successful beyond belief then i think P2P will be finished for upcoming games.

I'll be rolling on both pvp and pve servers. With a fairly easy leveling curve you can level multiple toons casually quite easy. Best of both worlds.

No auto attack but if you pick a slow weapon like 2 handed hammer its more about timing than rapid clicking.

On my nature toon i leveled up to 18 i just followed my mentors story only. Of course i also did every race, investigation, open world quest, booster gold quests, group alerts, legends instance, pvp instance i could. I took my time and had a look around and found loads of content to level up on. I think it will be even easier at release as there should be no waiting times for alerts or pvp instances.

Quests aren't the problem its the delivery imo. Having text boxes pop up that most people just click through without reading feels dated. TOR and GW2 seem to be trying something different thankfully.

Originally posted by EivilSar

So I assume Australian players will have dedicated servers? If this is the case they are really counting their chickens before we know how many eggs there are! How popular is this game going to be? 

It would be really interesting to get figures on Australia/New Zealand playing populations, in (cough cough) my old wowcrack days I played in a semi-australia guild Carpe Diem. That worked to an extent but I use to play during the middle of the day so ended up moving to a US guild.

I have always prefered multiple time zones playing together, I have played with EU, NA and asian players in games and it spreads the playing times.

But having minimal lag would be a blessing. Stll m ost people in Australia have crap dsl/adsl on copper thanks to the monoply teleco Telsra ...

You assume wrong i am afraid. This is a just a deal to distribute Rift in our region. Until we get the NBN up and running i don't forsee local servers for mmo's.

I'm an old school Baldurs Gate 1&2/Fallout player yet i still enjoyed ME 1&2 immensely. I wish Bioware was making a ME mmo instead of a Star Wars one tbh.

Originally posted by Vrakor

Quite possibly after all the corrections for currency value a early 90s top end computer would be closer to 5000-6000$ in todays money .... and back then u didnt have any aftermarket parts for sale ( not that i remember anyways ) so the only choice was to buy the latest computer every christmas ! .. if ya wanted to play the latest shizz .

PC gaming is cheaper than ever imo

Agreed. As someone whose first pc was a 386DX i can't believe how cheap it is to buy good quality pc's nowadays. My first pentium was the price of a small car lol. I now upgrade every 2-3 years and pass on old computers to my nephews and nieces. I also run multiple computers for different things for less then what my original pentium cost. A gaming pc, a backup/storage pc and a music centre pc.

There are others posting about this problem and other login issues on the beta forums.

Originally posted by kiern

Originally posted by Mykell

Who knows if they know about it. For some reason they took the DCUO beta forums down when they dropped the NDA and the only thing up is a facebook page.

What are you talking about?  The beta forums are up and have not been down at all.  I am on them every day.

The error has nothing to do with SOE, it's Windows. It's the default wWindows security settings that helps prevent malicious programs from installing on your computer without your knowledge.  Vista is less forgiving, but it can happen in Windows 7 too.   Try setting the installer to run as an administrator.  By that I mean, right click on the installer's executable file, select properties, and go to the compatability tab and check the box, near the bottom, that says "Run this program as an administrator".   You should then receive security prompts that you need to accept. Hopefully that should do it. If not you could try setting the compatability mode to Windows XP, but I doubt you'd have to do that.

It does install  2 or 3 updates (Flash, directX, C++ Redist maybe).  I think you may get several authorizzation prompts, and some may get hidden behind the other windows.  Make sure you click them all, or the install will not complete.

Its all good. For some reason the same day they lifted the NDA the website decided to stop auto logging me in so as people do i put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5. I just figured they had taken them down for whatever reason. Managed to work out my mistake eventually.