Suggestions in advance of the console launch

[dameron]

Assuming, of course, that revamping the new player areas and adding hirelings is leading us in that direction, these are some of my suggestions:

1) Adjust quest difficulty as follows: "Elite/Hard" remain as is. Bosses on "Normal" are reduced one "color", even -gasp- raids! Add a "Hardcore" difficulty that not only raises the mobs' combat effectiveness , but would eliminate resurrection shrines and prevent quest re-entry (among other things). Dying on "Hardcore" should do repairable 40% item damage.

2) Adjust named loot to be quest level specific, i.e. a chattering ring on normal might only be a +1 dodge bonus. Make "Hardcore" loot not only superior to current "Elite" loot but make it visible on a character somehow. Some named loot might only drop on some levels.

3) Offer full character respec (except race) for an in game price based on level.

4) Adjust stat damage on weapons so that they can't reduce an enemy to a 0 stat. Normalize "Puncturing", "Enfeebling" and "Bone Breaking" around only landing on a (confirmed) natural 20. Adjust the mobs accordingly.

5) Make random chests give gold or gems with a small chance of a level appropriate, class appropriate item

6) Given that, eliminate loot dilution, i.e "lesser x guard" or "lesser x resistance" or "sacred" and make the whole party notice when someone pulls a magic item

7) Make haggle give a % off auction house fees on buying and selling items.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other things that need changing but in light of a possible console launch I think these are the most important.

[GreenGurgler]

Um... ANY reason you think DDO will be Turbines console release?

Any at all???

Turbine is making something in console, probably a port, that info is pretty certain. But I dont believe they have said which title yet. Given what we know on several fronts, I cannot believe for even a second that DDO will be that port.

1) Companys like to make profit. The more the better. Which Turbine title makes the most money? Which makes the least? We dont know those numbers but it would be safe to say LOTRO is beating DDO hands down, which means its making more $$$
2) If your going to port an existing title, given #1, would you chose your star, number one selling MMO or your niche, smallest game? My money is on LOTRO.
3) Console port is rumored to be released in 2009. What other title that Turbine makes is also slated to have a movie of the same theme out in 2009? LOTRO via the Hobbit (due out in 2009/2010). DDO movie?? Nope, not right now. So my money is the game that matches a MAJOR theatrical release and that is the LOTR universe. I dont think they will necessarily be tied to each other, but it sure is convenient.
4) parent company is changing the core rules of the game. DnD 4.0 rules vs 3.5 rules.


So, Your suggestions are good if Turbine is planning on porting THIS game. I just have to say that I cannot believe they will port this game. IMO, they are doing the emphasisi on the NPE to try and lure fresh players/payers to the game and hopefully are planning a rerelease or even paid expansion to try and build up the game.

Just my 4cents ;)

[JMP2]

It may be true that LOTRO is making more money at the present, but what you have to look at is DnD is the oldest most well known role playing game ever created. You talk about making money, well if you put it on a console you open up the joy that we all know as DnD to a whole new audiance. Most people these days use console related games, I mean have you looked at the computer game isle lately, they are bare. this is because the game consoles do what computers do, but they do it better, and did I mention they are a whole lot cheaper. I just bought a computer that can handle comp. games and it cost 2700. I also have a PS3 and it cost me 400. Plus the PS3 has less hassles and better graphics than my new xps.
DnD has endured for decades, and has almost a phenatic following. What this tells you is that if it is handled correctly, you could make a lot of money. If you make it a priority as far as developement and open it up to the console players it is limmit less how much money you could make. I should know I was in sales for quite a while. That would also get rid of the problem of finding people for groups.
End Game is if you don't open up to the console market you could loose a huge opportunity to market a possible gold mine.

[dameron]

Um... ANY reason you think DDO will be Turbines console release?

Any at all???



I don't think it will be their console release. I think it will be one of their releases. They totally revamped the new player area. They introduced hirelings which make it easier for small groups to advance.

The focus on how new players experience the game is telling.

Honestly, how many really "new" players does DDO attract now?

They gave us 1 (divided) encounter area and a handful of dungeons and called it "Mod 8".

Considering the recycled mobs, artwork and dungeon design it's pretty obvious that the real work of "Mod 8" went to the low level and new player areas and hirelings.

Why? I wonder...

[GreenGurgler]

It may be true that LOTRO is making more money at the present, but what you have to look at is DnD is the oldest most well known role playing game ever created. You talk about making money, well if you put it on a console you open up the joy that we all know as DnD to a whole new audiance. Most people these days use console related games, I mean have you looked at the computer game isle lately, they are bare. this is because the game consoles do what computers do, but they do it better, and did I mention they are a whole lot cheaper. I just bought a computer that can handle comp. games and it cost 2700. I also have a PS3 and it cost me 400. Plus the PS3 has less hassles and better graphics than my new xps.
DnD has endured for decades, and has almost a phenatic following.

Everything from here on Up, I agree with 100%

Everything below, not so much.



What this tells you is that if it is handled correctly, you could make a lot of money. If you make it a priority as far as developement and open it up to the console players it is limmit less how much money you could make. I should know I was in sales for quite a while. That would also get rid of the problem of finding people for groups.
End Game is if you don't open up to the console market you could loose a huge opportunity to market a possible gold mine.

The above, highlighted part in yellow is the achiles heel in the argument. Its not that I think you are wrong, but that THIS game, Turbines current offering of DnD called DDO Stormreach, IS NOT 'handled correctly'.

It has been out for alomst 3 years and has barely made a ripple in the gaming world. By any accounts it has lost subscribers not gained (as a net total, this isnt an argument of success or fail of the game but a fact.. there are less players now than in its beginings and high point) while several other games both older than it and newer have been FAR FAR more sucessful in getting and keeping new players.

I think everything you said could be accurate and Turbine has had a shot at it and has mostly not met the challenge.

I love the game and think it is great, I do not believe it is dying, yet it is not growing either. But 3 years time have pretty much proven that DDO (not the Dnd Brand on a new and different game) is a niche game, not for the mass market and therefore not a (big)money maker.

That being said, I would LOVE to see something similar but in a brand new game for the consloe in the DnD brand that is great and a large sucess. I would love to see this game become a big sucess, but it does not have the right mix of ingredients to do so and IMO simply cant have a few changes/fixes to this current game and make it fly.

No matter how many feathers you glue to your dog, hes still just a dog and cant fly like an eagle. You still love him for the special little dog he is, but you know he isnt the glorious eagle. (ok, silly analogy, but its late)

[medielots]

personally i wouldnt mind seeing turbine hit up the console but I doubt it would be DDO

in my opinion the fact that the keyboard has SOOOO much usage in the game would make it hard to control over on a console...my wizard sits with 8 action bars set up on his screen...how would they control all of this from a console controller...also it would have to be multiplayer and as far as I know the xbox has to pay for their online, while playstation doesnt...but not everyone has a headset to use for their ps3. Also Xbox live users can not connect with playstation network users...and i seriously doubt either could play with this community online...basically you would have to build another two DDO communities.I hate to make a comparison to another game but WoW has not touched consoles yet and thats big...so I doubt DDO would hit the consoles...LOTRO sure but I just dont see DDO making it over...maybe a dungeons and dragons based game but not this one.

just my opinion in here

[Hambo]

It may be true that LOTRO is making more money at the present, but what you have to look at is DnD is the oldest most well known role playing game ever created. You talk about making money, well if you put it on a console you open up the joy that we all know as DnD to a whole new audiance. Most people these days use console related games, I mean have you looked at the computer game isle lately, they are bare. this is because the game consoles do what computers do, but they do it better, and did I mention they are a whole lot cheaper. I just bought a computer that can handle comp. games and it cost 2700. I also have a PS3 and it cost me 400. Plus the PS3 has less hassles and better graphics than my new xps.
DnD has endured for decades, and has almost a phenatic following. What this tells you is that if it is handled correctly, you could make a lot of money. If you make it a priority as far as developement and open it up to the console players it is limmit less how much money you could make. I should know I was in sales for quite a while. That would also get rid of the problem of finding people for groups.
End Game is if you don't open up to the console market you could loose a huge opportunity to market a possible gold mine.

Sorry, I just had to disagree with your statement that consoles are cheaper than PCs... Just try and update an old console to:
a) A faster processor
b) 4GB ram
c) DirectX 10

"Aye, laddie, do it... I double dog dares ye!" :D

Seriously, like it or not the console market IS much bigger than PCs for games these days. However, I for one will take versatility over a singletasker any time.

[Leyoni]

As a console game with multiple players able to sit down together and play at the same time, DDO would probably sell its initial production run. Even more likely if quests were revamped to let groups of 2 or 3 to complete successfully (and a single player mode were enabled).

If the cost of producing is less than the income received then it would be a reasonable investment. If there is pressure to produce a console game then DDO might make sense.

However, IMO LOTR is a much more likely candidate). LOTR movies were a huge hit giving a ready-made audience for a game. The number of people who know LOTR is much higher than those that know D&D. The LOTRO gameplay is more generationally appropriate (it appeals to the 30 & unders. All of these explain why LOTRO is more popular than DDO.

OTOH, DDO might be a better choice for the moment. A new LOTR movie is in production (Hobbit) so timing game release to match movie release would spike sales. Release projection for the Hobbit is December 2011. IMO that is not reason to release DDO.

Instead I forsee LOTRO at the likely candidate with a Hobbit release coming in 2011. That would be about right if Moria is ported in 2010. It would give Turbine three releases all guaranteed to sell out not only initial but multiple production runs.

Still, I've been wrong about everything Turbine has done recently so am probably wrong this time as well.

[Uska]

Doubt we will see one still dont have one for the mmo that promised one from the start AoC and rumors floated for years that SWG would do a console didnt happen. I just dont see it happening here.

[vainangel]

FFXI made it as long as it did because of the console releases.
Who knows if DDO will make it to console, I do not care myself. I play it on my computer. If they did a console release of anything, I would place money on LotR.

The changes made to DDO I see as improvements on the game that possibly was formed by feedback and things they were unable to do on release. Making the game better as we go.

YAY DDO!

[Mockduck]

I bet LOTRO's the first console release (of course we have no confirmation on any console releases other than job listings for console developers). But I bet DDO is number two or three. I say two or three just in case there's some fourth Turbine MMO in development that would get ported to consoles before DDO.

[Deathseeker]

I bet LOTRO's the first console release (of course we have no confirmation on any console releases other than job listings for console developers). But I bet DDO is number two or three. I say two or three just in case there's some fourth Turbine MMO in development that would get ported to consoles before DDO.

I think they would do either DDO or a new released game before LOTRO. The reason is that LOTRO is their main cash cow right now. There is probably some serious risk if you do a console release and it goes very badly (imagine a giant lag monster attacking middle earth, killing all the subscribers...uh, i mean inhabitants). Why not try it first on something that if you screw up, won't sink your whole company?

/tinfoil hat on
Additionally, if you were planning on porting DDO...wouldn't you start by first getting it DX10 compliant, revamping the sound and beefing up the first impression by revamping new character creation and entry level quests? Then, make it more solo friendly by putting in some type of hireling? Hmmmm....sounds like mod 8....
/tinfoil hat off

[JMP2]

I think they would do either DDO or a new released game before LOTRO. The reason is that LOTRO is their main cash cow right now. There is probably some serious risk if you do a console release and it goes very badly (imagine a giant lag monster attacking middle earth, killing all the subscribers...uh, i mean inhabitants). Why not try it first on something that if you screw up, won't sink your whole company?

/tinfoil hat on
Additionally, if you were planning on porting DDO...wouldn't you start by first getting it DX10 compliant, revamping the sound and beefing up the first impression by revamping new character creation and entry level quests? Then, make it more solo friendly by putting in some type of hireling? Hmmmm....sounds like mod 8....
/tinfoil hat off

does kinda sound like they are preping something hmmm.