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Runes of Magic
MMORPG.com Runes of Magic Correspondent Pamela Blalock writes this look at the first few dungeons players will encounter in the upcoming game.
As you're levelling in Runes of Magic, you're bound to come across a few dungeons. RoM offers a varying number of dungeons. You'll encounter your normal instanced dungeons and raids. But you might also see camp dungeons, PVP dungeons, and dungeon gates according to the RoM website. During your early levels you'll visit the normal instanced dungeon for you and your party to conquer.
Two such instances are the Moongorge and the Barrens Cave. These are both in Howling Mountains and are probably the first actual dungeons you'll enter. There is a Fungus Habitat that you might enter before these. It is near Pioneer's Colony at the Myconid Farm. This is a separated area from the rest of Howling Mountains, but it is not instanced since multiple people and groups enter at once. This is literally a grove full of fungus men with an accompanying quest outside its entrance.
The actual instances are near Logar. The Moongorge is located east of Logar and is a very short run away. The Barrens Cave is northwest of Logar and is about a minute away. It won't be until you come through with your second class that you will obtain a quest for the Moongorge and the Barrens Cave.
After getting your second class, you'll obtain a quest from Daisy in Logar to go into the Moongorge. This quest is called "Things that go Bump in the Night." This quest is particularly popular due to its rewards. The quest rewards are the title of Full-Stomach Warrior and a piece of blue armor that's a part of set. The armor is offered in cloth, leather, and chain. In this quest you're directed to stop the source of strange noises in the Moongorge.
The Moongorge is a brightly colored cave that glows with blues and purples. According to Runes of Magic lore, the Moongorge was carved out of water flow. There are newt creatures throughout the cave but are of no concern since they are only level 5. The instance portal is actually close to the initial entrance of the cave and looks like blue swirls on the cave wall. Just keep left and you'll hit the portal quickly. If you cross a wooden bridge within the cave you've gone too far.
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The instanced part of the dungeon is pretty tough. It's actually just one room with waves of non-elite level 9 creatures called Hungry Plunderers. The source of the mysterious noise is at the back of the room and is named Hungry Greyce. He is a fungal-looking boss and is a level 12 elite. This can be done solo if you've got priest as a secondary class and if you avoid the common mobs before the boss. That can be done if you hug the left side of the cave and jump over the crystals on the ground. The boss hits very hard though, so it's good to get a full group or at least a tank, a DPS, and a healer. If you're eager to get this quest completed, groups are always looking for more since this quest offers a title.
Barrens Cave, although still a cave, is actually different from the Moongorge. Where the Moongorge is bright and filled with water, the Barrens Cave is well...barren. This cave is full of kobolds and their little firelight makeshift lamps. Outside the instance there are many other quests to complete here, but the instance portal is actually deep within the cave.
The quest for Barrens Cave is called "Final Clue" and the reward is either a Source of Life talisman or a Source of Magic talisman. These act as jewelry that will activate once your hit points or mana drop below 50 percent it will either regenerate health or mana respectively. To get one of these items you mush kill Anglie or Anglo as his nameplate will show. He is a humanoid type creature that can stun when his health drops too low.
This instance is much longer than the Moongorge and all the mobs in the instance are elite, levels 9-12. The cave twists and turns before finally finding Anglie at the end of the instance. However, the kobolds are spread out and can be killed alone or with a few people quiet easily of the appropriate level. During one of my encounters I took a Knight 15/Mage 15 and a Rogue 14/Scout 13 into the instance. The two completed the dungeon, albeit a little slow and with the help of potions since there was no healer.
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Unfortunately, after many runs through both dungeons I found control to be unresponsive and, at times, lag-ridden. This is to be expected in a game that's still in open beta, and there are many determining factors. In fairness, the weather is icy and my internet connection could be at fault as well.
All in all, RoM's dungeons are probably something familiar, but they're challenging and entertaining. These two lower level dungeons were different from each other and offered special encounters. Since RoM is still in open beta things might change. That also means things might improve, especially the responsiveness of spells and abilities.
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RoM was a nice deversion until I got into the Warrior Epic Beta . WE just beats RoM is every way imaginable, no reatarded prices for gear an Item shop that actually have things people will want to buy and a story beyond your here now kill stuff. I think WE will be the game that finally tears me away from WoW...RoM while okay still has a long way to go IMO.
I gave RoM a try (I mean it's free after all) and was badly disappointed. Wasn't expecting much and even then it was below expectations. The click-to-go mechanic is pretty lame and taking away the classic WASD scheme is a bug deal. Makes gameplay pretty static and cumbersome to move in combat. The in-game story line and lore are minimal and the quests are absolutely non-engaging. If killing random mobs for no other reason other than to kill stuff this game is a good fit for you. If you like immersive, instanced, deep story lines this game is definitely *NOT* for you. Forget for a moment that this game is free. Suppose you'd have to pay $10/month ... would you play it? In my case the answer is a definite NO. In fact I won't play it even thought it's subscription free.
Peace.
I agree and that's the reason I don't play WoW or any of its clones (WAR, LoTRO, etc.). I hate the FedEx quest trite.
I gave RoM a try (I mean it's free after all) and was badly disappointed. Wasn't expecting much and even then it was below expectations. The click-to-go mechanic is pretty lame and taking away the classic WASD scheme is a bug deal. Makes gameplay pretty static and cumbersome to move in combat. The in-game story line and lore are minimal and the quests are absolutely non-engaging. If killing random mobs for no other reason other than to kill stuff this game is a good fit for you. If you like immersive, instanced, deep story lines this game is definitely *NOT* for you. Forget for a moment that this game is free. Suppose you'd have to pay $10/month ... would you play it? In my case the answer is a definite NO. In fact I won't play it even thought it's subscription free.
Peace.
You obviously didn't spend much time in RoM (if you even played it at all). Click-to-move is optional and can even be turned off in the interface options. WASD movement as well as mouse movement is fully supported. In fact, the starter quest you get AS SOON AS YOU LOG IN takes you through all of these controls so you're not lost on how to move your char.
As far as the article itself, it's well written but not without misinformation. You don't need your second class to get the Moongorge or Barrens Cave quests, although I can understand how that can get confused since you usually pass level 10 (and presumably head to Varanas to get your secondary class) before getting to these quests. You get both talisman rewards for completing the Barrens Cave quest, not one or the other. Also, she gets Anglie and Anglo confused (very easy to do btw). Anglie is outside the instance (but still inside the cave) and is part of a different quest; Anglo is inside the instance and you don't even need to kill him because the quest item is far enough away that you can just avoid him and pick it up (although killing him is part of the fun).