Yesterday I returned to Lineage II.   I never gave it a shot when I purchased it back in 2007.   This was due to IRL issues and the fact that I just didn't have the time for it.  ( Thank you Reizla for the return key. )

My first impression was that they had made the NPE( New Player Experience) a lot better.   I made a Kamael on Chronos as my first character.   They're pretty neat looking chars, with one wing, they are some sort of fallen angel that was trapped in some other dimension for quite a while. 

At any rate, as a Kamael you must be a fighter.   I was considering a Dark Elf initially, since I wanted to go down the magic route but I figured Kamael would be better for newer players since it was the latest race.

When you arrive in the game you are greeted by many helpful tips to get you started.   It is a click-to-move game, which is a bit more fun than WASD.   I like it since I can be lazy at times and just click off into the distance.

So, you do your first set of quests, which is just to kill the Gremlins in this room you're in.   You get a feel for the basics of combat and are given some "soul shots".   These increase the damage you do grealty, allowing you to speed up your leveling.

The starter-guy sends you into Kamael Village where you must speak with a "newbie helper," which offers you items such as weapons, and even gives you buffs to increase you run speed, etc.   He even has a protection buff which inhibits high-level players from ganking you.   That was refreshing.

All-in-all, I managed to get to level 15 in a single day, which would have been unheard of in the years before.   The game is refreshing.   I haven't played anything like it. 

Oh, I should note that I did group with someone who was an Elf warrior or something.   He asked me where I was from, my level, then took me off into a field, where I thought we were going to kill stuff together - instead he killed me.

Upon respawning, he griefed me for a little while each time I attempted to venture out from the city.   I attempted to fight him but I guess I was just too weak.

I found it a bit funny.

Finally, if you are looking for a change of pace, this is the game for you.   Don't hesitate to give it a shot, it has a LOT of content from what I can see.   Additionally, I was thinking that EQII, WoW, and Lineage II seem like much more complete games.   For some reason it feels like they just spent more time making games back in 2003 - 2004.  Now-a-days, they are limited on content and quickly get old.   There is a certain quality to this game that many will enjoy.

Lastly, I reviewed the "Goddess of Destruction" korean patch notes, which were translated on the official L2 forums, it looks amazing!   Also, they have a site up explaining everything that it will add, it looks very, very promising.   Even a new engine is in the patch.

One last thing, I am still confused as to what class I should go to following Warrior >> Trooper, etc. .   It seems my class changes many times throughout my journey, but I don't know which would be the better choice to get selected for groups, if anyone could help, that would be great.

- Var.

Originally posted by Reizla

 

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Originally posted by varrius
My thread has been hijacked!   

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Happens all the time here :D

 

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Originally posted by varrius
I think they should offer the return keys without any money. . .  I am strongly considering playing again. . . 
 
In that case, I may indeed need a return key.
 
Could someone tell me if it would be a good idea to start out fresh?   I mean, is the grind bad, are there people to play with, will I be PKed continually?
 
-Var

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Lineage II is a lot less grindy than it used to be. I just spoke a friend from a not-so-legit server who recently started on Naia, and he hit level 85 in 11 weeks (working hard and had 3 double-XP weeks). For myself, I take it easy and after my return 4 months ago (was level 68 then), I'm now 2% away from 83 (but enjoying it all).
...just showing 2 extremes in leveling speed here I think :D

Also, level 1 to 20 is 1 hour these day. The newbee guide helps you along very well. 21-40 can be done in a couple of hours too. I did 2 academy characters (healer & poler) for my clan in about 8 hours total, including the 3 class change quests..

About being PK'd. Up to 40 you can get a special blessing that doesn't allow PK's to PK you. You can still be PK'd in PvP though, but in the starter area's that happens close to never these days (there are not even perm-red's around EG anymore!). From 40+ it all depends on the clan you enter (active wars or not) and how you play along with other players...

If you need a return key, drop me a PM, or just post your eMail address here...

 I PMed you my e-mail for a return key.

PM sent.  

My thread has been hijacked!   

I think they should offer the return keys without any money. . .  I am strongly considering playing again. . . 

In that case, I may indeed need a return key.

Could someone tell me if it would be a good idea to start out fresh?   I mean, is the grind bad, are there people to play with, will I be PKed continually?

-Var

I am interested in trying Lineage II again.   I have an account it's just inactive.    Is there any way, aside of the free trial, for me to sample the game again free of charge?

I've heard of a "refer a friend back" thing, but I am not sure how that works, would someone mind explaining?   Thanks!

- Var

Originally posted by Scambug

Originally posted by varrius

Originally posted by Scambug

Give Ryzom a try, you might like it.

It's fantasy but with super original races and lore. 

Graphics/sound are a little old and the population isn't great (I mean in numbers, otherwise great community) but it's free until mid levels and it's the most immersive game I've played in a while.

Not enough PvP for my taste though.

It looks as if the game is dying?   A lot of negative threads about it and it doesn't look very high-fantasy.

It actually already died once in 2008 but was ressurected.

Now it looks pretty stable with a faithful, albeit small, player base.

It's clearly not high fantasy - no orcs and elves. But like I said, very original races/lore/art.

A bowl of fresh air if you ask me. 

Immersive games are hard to find these days and this one does a good job at that.

If nothing else comes, I will keep it in mind.

I really, really want high-fantasy though.    

I do appreciate your effort, thank you.

Originally posted by Scambug

Give Ryzom a try, you might like it.

It's fantasy but with super original races and lore. 

Graphics/sound are a little old and the population isn't great (I mean in numbers, otherwise great community) but it's free until mid levels and it's the most immersive game I've played in a while.

Not enough PvP for my taste though.

It looks as if the game is dying?   A lot of negative threads about it and it doesn't look very high-fantasy.

By High-Fantasy, I mean something like Forgotten Realms.   The closest game to that, that I can think of, is EverQuest II.

I've played EverQuest II since launch and a lot of recent changes have just pushed me away.

I don't mind PVP but I'd like a nice story to go along with it.   Something that is deep, makes sense, and I feel a part of it.

I'd like to play an Evil Wizard and possibly have the option to Role-Play.   So, a game with some RPers would be great!

Thank you in advance,

Var

I have an opinion about the constant cry-out for balance in many MMO forums.  .  

I don't think, plain and simple, that an MMORPG should be balanced.   It defeats the purpose of a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. .     The original premise of an MMORPG was so that hundreds to thousands of players could coexist in the same world and adventure, kill, and journey together.   In PVP, for example, the main area of the cry for 'balance', you must not complain about 1 on 1 balance, instead, worry about grouping the proper classes together and coordinating with other players.

The ability to operate as a group ( i.e. healer, tank ,dps - basic ) is the point of the MMORPG.   The game should focus on imbalance in this case, forcing players to work together.   Why solo in an mmo?   Why bother?   It should be all about having the proper setup of classes.

A good example of this is EVE Online.   While it is NOT class based, it is not a "best gear wins" game.   It forces you, regardless of skill points, to coordinate a fleet of numerous types of ships fitting different roles, thereby defying the entire cry for "balance."

Anyone else is welcome!   I am rolling a Dark Templar.  

Originally posted by Reion1

Count me in.  Send me vent/server info via PM.

 PM Sent.

Originally posted by Lateris

What server? 

 Cimmeria.

I am going to send you a private message.

I'm US East Coast, I have ventrilo, and I will roll whatever class combo you'd like. 

So, if anyone is out there that is just starting or wants to reroll, lets duo!

I'm sort of new to AION.   I pre-ordered and purchased the game but never really played it, I was side-tracked, at the time. 

I've finally decided to give it a go.   I'm US East Coast, I have ventrilo, and I will roll whatever class combo you'd like. 

So, if anyone is out there that is just starting or wants to reroll, lets duo!

According to the newsletter, until December 31st, the game price will be reduced for Digital Download and Boxed copies.

Also, they are implementing a patch this coming monday December 21st, that will fix a majority of the problems we are experiencing.

I ask you now, sandbox lovers, please support Star Vault.   They are going in the right direction.  If everything works out, and the funding is there, we will see a game that will be like-no-other.   So, if you want that game.  If you need that game.  It will not cost you much, please. .   I beg you, give them your money. 

Newsletter

I understand you get into beta when you pre-order.   However, I don't know if there are different beta "socks" or "groups" that get access at X dates, or whatever. 

So, can I play it right now if I buy it?

In the past few years, we the people, have become spoiled by new features in MMOs. We have come to expect more, and more, from each new and hyped MMORPG.

Most of us (not me), have set WOW as a benchmark, as an example for other MMORPGs. This has resulted in an uncountable amount of "wow clones."

Other companies, like Funcom, have attempted to make a different type of MMORPG (Age of Conan). While the premise was extremely smart, it failed.

Situations like this have caused developers to revert back to making "WOW clones" and moving away from the hard core types of games. Most WOW players do not like full-blown PVP games. So, rather than making a game focused on a specific market of MMO players, they split server types. They take a game that was made primarily for PVP, or maybe PVE, and then make a server opposite of its original intention to satisfy the masses. Why? They want maximum income.

Developers have tried hard to please *everyone* in a single game. History has shown us that this is not possible. You cannot satisfy someone who plays games like EVE, Darkfall, and Ultima Online - with a game like WoW. While many game companies may try they end up with one result: imbalance.

They patch a game trying to keep the PVE players happy and the PVP players all at once. Take Vanguard for example, the server Sartok, it is completely open PVP. Nevertheless, it is dead. Anyone who plays Vanguard is forced to play on a PVE server, such as Xeth. Why? The PVP isn't balanced.

Now here we have Warhammer. This is a game that is focused around RVR. Whether it's an Open-RVR or Core server, there's still RVR. This premise can work beautifully. Dark Age of Camelot was a good example but is dying. It isn't dying because of being a bad game, in my opinion. It's dying of old age. That is the only acceptable way for an MMORPG to die. It didn't die because we killed it. It didn't die because of balance issues. It's just reaching the end of its life.

Further, we are the ones who control the gaming industry. Sure, Microsoft can force us into hardware and OS purchases with updated DirectX versions. Sure, they can try and force us to purchase consoles. Nonetheless, we decide what game lives, what game dies.

While most of you feel that your "flaming" and "trolling" posts go unheard, you have more power than you think, unimaginable power.

We the people, decide when WAR bites the big one. We decide what lives and dies. While our voices seem generally unheard by developers - other players still listen.

It is time We the People take this all into account. Perhaps it's time that we sit back and intelligently devour this concept. It's time we accept that we DO have power and that we ARE to blame in the death of games. Let us learn a lesson here.

We must stop bashing games that actually can be good. We must realize the power we hold with our keyboards. We kill subscriptions, we annihilate MMORPGs, we crush FPSs, we change the gaming world with every post released from our finger tips.

Do not detour others from this game which can be great. Instead, let us revive the player base. Lets allow companies like Mythic to intake the necessary funds to make it the game We the People want.

We the Destroyers.

It's just like any business. 

If any of us started a business, without the proper knowlege, we have the possibility of failure.

Of course, it wouldn't be looked down upon like Brad's situation; it wouldn't be all over the net.

We're all human.  We all make mistakes.

People criticize him for firing his employees.  However, if we were in that situation, we might've acted the same.

You can't keep employees if you can't afford to pay them. 

He made the mistake of not getting a contract from Microsoft. 

Instead, he went upon a "hope" that they would come through.  Everything with them was verbal. 

That was a big mistake.

Originally posted by veritas_X

First off, I liked VG, warts and all.  I still play it on occasion.

With that out of the way, I'm not sure what McQuaid is trying to accomplish with this blog.  The stuff he's posted so far is basic common sense to anyone with even a little bit of experience running a business, and those without said experience (but a reasonable level of intelligence) could probably figure it out as well.

Is this an online mea culpa, of sorts, where he's hoping to get back into the game and prove to potential investors what he's learned?  Is it a dialogue to the fans?

Perhaps he'll go more in depth in terms of specific issues and specific names in the future (but probably not, since no one wants to be honest and affect future employability), but for now I can sum up his entire blog with one word:

duh.

 

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In my opinion, he is trying to see how much people bash him. 

After you screw up big time and you're defamed to that degree, you're like a cowering dog, coming out from a corner.

You can't handle anymore of the flaming and rejection.

So, he's seeing if the rejection has dampened.