The owlbear is a missed opportunity

[Qaliya]

I posted last week about my initial experiences with the owlbear, writing that while many people have complained about how the hire is "useless" in higher-end content, especially with a party, that I found it useful for soloing.

I've now stopped summoning it even for my "mini-army" when I solo: I just use a humanoid hire and the panther. The reason? It was sucking down too much of the healer's mana for the amount of damage it was dishing out. (This is the level 17 one; I'm not high enough level for the epic one yet.)

There's clearly something wrong with this hire -- it just takes way, way too much damage relative to the stats it is supposed to have.

I find the lack of direct response from Turbine on this matter both disappointing and hard to understand. This was one of the reasons I preordered and got the extra package, and I currently don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth, which has soured me a bit on my purchase. As a result, I can't recommend that package to anyone else I know, which is a sentiment I've seen others also express. So Turbine is missing out on sales and money to pay for the expansion.

Based on my experience as a programmer, it seems likely that the flaws with the owlbear could be addressed relatively easily. I find it puzzling that this hasn't already been done, because a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

[Nestroy]

I posted last week about my initial experiences with the owlbear, writing that while many people have complained about how the hire is "useless" in higher-end content, especially with a party, that I found it useful for soloing.

I've now stopped summoning it even for my "mini-army" when I solo: I just use a humanoid hire and the panther. The reason? It was sucking down too much of the healer's mana for the amount of damage it was dishing out. (This is the level 17 one; I'm not high enough level for the epic one yet.)

There's clearly something wrong with this hire -- it just takes way, way too much damage relative to the stats it is supposed to have.

I find the lack of direct response from Turbine on this matter both disappointing and hard to understand. This was one of the reasons I preordered and got the extra package, and I currently don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth, which has soured me a bit on my purchase. As a result, I can't recommend that package to anyone else I know, which is a sentiment I've seen others also express. So Turbine is missing out on sales and money to pay for the expansion.

Based on my experience as a programmer, it seems likely that the flaws with the owlbear could be addressed relatively easily. I find it puzzling that this hasn't already been done, because a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

Given the record of Turbine even things that just need a variable to be set take 2-3 updates before tested on Lam.

Some things that are easy to fix and never get adressed:

+ Forum skins and colors here. 1st day of web design School for dummies and this could be fixed.
+ Guild renown decay. Just set the dammed variable to Zero! Now!
+ Stat inconsistencies. The owl bear is just one example. The level 20 hires still are better than anything we get in lv. 21-24...

And finally, what happened with the broken things master list. Too much on the list to continue the eternal thread of shame for Turbine?

[Munkenmo]

And finally, what happened with the broken things master list. Too much on the list to continue the eternal thread of shame for Turbine?

That was made by Nexeverto, he's a player, not a staff member.

[HAL]

I find the lack of direct response from Turbine on this matter both disappointing and hard to understand. This was one of the reasons I preordered and got the extra package, and I currently don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth, which has soured me a bit on my purchase. As a result, I can't recommend that package to anyone else I know, which is a sentiment I've seen others also express. So Turbine is missing out on sales and money to pay for the expansion.

Based on my experience as a programmer, it seems likely that the flaws with the owlbear could be addressed relatively easily. I find it puzzling that this hasn't already been done, because a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

I suppose that they are very busy dealing with all the fallout from the update. But you are correct that having all of these problems with a sale-able item must be putting people off from buying it. I know that I would really like to spend that $90, but I'm holding off to see if the problems even GET fixed (seeing how many bugs never seem to).

[Galeria]

a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

Four accounts in my house. If the owlbear reports stay this bad, I will wait and buy the expansion when it hits 75% off and probably won't bother to buy for the other accounts. If the owlbear rocked, we would have already broken out the credit cards.

[My2Cents]

Make the owlbears (both of them) really worthwhile and I'll probably find the $$$ to buy the expansion. I'm tight on money - the hireling is really the only thing I want out of the expansion (perhaps a little bit the tomes as well.) $70 is a huge stretch for me right now.

If the owlbear(s) were both stupendous, like I found the panther to be, I might be able to find the $$$. If they beef them up to make them that way I might be able to find the $$$. I hope Turbine realizes there are a lot of people that would come up with the $$$ if they did this, and they're not just grabbing what they can fast from those with disposable income and move on.

I am also disappointed that as a VIP I don't get those 10 quests free and worry that this is the future - repackage quests as expansions so VIPs have to shell out more $$$. If that's the case, I might drop VIP and save those $$$ too.




I posted last week about my initial experiences with the owlbear, writing that while many people have complained about how the hire is "useless" in higher-end content, especially with a party, that I found it useful for soloing.

I've now stopped summoning it even for my "mini-army" when I solo: I just use a humanoid hire and the panther. The reason? It was sucking down too much of the healer's mana for the amount of damage it was dishing out. (This is the level 17 one; I'm not high enough level for the epic one yet.)

There's clearly something wrong with this hire -- it just takes way, way too much damage relative to the stats it is supposed to have.

I find the lack of direct response from Turbine on this matter both disappointing and hard to understand. This was one of the reasons I preordered and got the extra package, and I currently don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth, which has soured me a bit on my purchase. As a result, I can't recommend that package to anyone else I know, which is a sentiment I've seen others also express. So Turbine is missing out on sales and money to pay for the expansion.

Based on my experience as a programmer, it seems likely that the flaws with the owlbear could be addressed relatively easily. I find it puzzling that this hasn't already been done, because a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

[burningwind]

i also find this confusing.. owlbear hireling is one of their top advertisement for the expansion.. yet they leave it unfix in patch 1. almost as if turbine do no desire much purchase of the expansion..

[Ghoulstorm]

I had every intention of ponying up for the Owlbear, based on how much I like the Panther, and gladly so. I'd like to thank those who did do so for reporting its uselessness and saving me some cash. I have enough points for the only other thing I wanted from the upgrade pack (the Epic XP Tomes) and cosmetics don't interest me at all. The only Iconic hero that sounds like I may want to play it is the PDK and it comes with the cheaper version as well. They'll get my $30 for preorder, but not the $90 it could've been.

[Pandir]

Not sure if it's official enough but QuartermasterX said they're looking into the owlbear in 18.2

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/417778-u18-patch-1-no-fix-on-owlbear?p=5013396#post5013396

[Captain_Wizbang]

Four accounts in my house. If the owlbear reports stay this bad, I will wait and buy the expansion when it hits 75% off and probably won't bother to buy for the other accounts. If the owlbear rocked, we would have already broken out the credit cards.

I hear that, I bought the Collectors Edition, and very disappointed. Makes the lvl 12 dwarf cleric hireling look like superman. BIG let down to say the least


i also find this confusing.. owlbear hireling is one of their top advertisement for the expansion.. yet they leave it unfix in patch 1. almost as if turbine do no desire much purchase of the expansion..

A quadruped owlbear to start is wrong, (thanks to WotC) It can't hold it's own weight, sucks up heal mana, and lacks more dps than the lvl 12 ranger cat summons.
What a shame, they are touting this as the next big thing in that regards.

Yes I stepped up & bought the Collectors Edition, summoned it once, and won't ever again, (unless a nuke is dropped on it, to give it some ooopmh)

Sorry Turbine, it's about as handy as an umbrella bag rack in a grocery store in Arizona :cool:

[NexEverto]

And finally, what happened with the broken things master list. Too much on the list to continue the eternal thread of shame for Turbine?

Life happened. I got busy with university (or college if you prefer), then my forum account was broken, and now I have exams for the next four weeks. I do drop by every so often to clean things up and add things I've had a chance to check, but unfortunately it's more neglected than I'd like it to be.

Edit:
If you're wondering how I had time to find this thread, but don't have time to update my list, well, I didn't find this thread. A forum friend brought it to my attention and I felt I should chime in.

[HAL]

Not sure if it's official enough but QuartermasterX said they're looking into the owlbear in 18.2

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/417778-u18-patch-1-no-fix-on-owlbear?p=5013396#post5013396

Just looking into it doesn't mean anything. There have been dev statements that particular bugs would definitely not make it off Lammania that didn't happen and those bugs have lasted a very long time. No, until the owlbear is not only changed but tested by the player base on live and reported by them to be a "good thing" I am not buying.

(Disclaimer: I'm not blaming the devs who get their instruction from management who probably thought something else was more important.)

[Nestroy]

Life happened. I got busy with university (or college if you prefer), then my forum account was broken, and now I have exams for the next four weeks. I do drop by every so often to clean things up and add things I've had a chance to check, but unfortunately it's more neglected than I'd like it to be.

Edit:
If you're wondering how I had time to find this thread, but don't have time to update my list, well, I didn't find this thread. A forum friend brought it to my attention and I felt I should chime in.

Your contribution is much welcomed, thank you! Good luck on your RL exams and I hope you will do find the time again to continue your good work of being a finger in the wounds of slobby Turbine. DDO might be the best MMO in the world (without bugs ^^). the support and community work of Turbine on DDO is abyssal.

[Pandir]

Just looking into it doesn't mean anything. There have been dev statements that particular bugs would definitely not make it off Lammania that didn't happen and those bugs have lasted a very long time. No, until the owlbear is not only changed but tested by the player base on live and reported by them to be a "good thing" I am not buying.

(Disclaimer: I'm not blaming the devs who get their instruction from management who probably thought something else was more important.)

Oh absolutely i wouldn't buy owlbear at this point again either, just saying there is at least some sort of official response. What comes out of it we will see.

[GlassJaw]

For what it's worth, I want to buy the expansion but I'm basing my decision solely on whether the owlbear gets an upgrade.

[QuartermasterX]

I posted last week about my initial experiences with the owlbear, writing that while many people have complained about how the hire is "useless" in higher-end content, especially with a party, that I found it useful for soloing.

There's clearly something wrong with this hire -- it just takes way, way too much damage relative to the stats it is supposed to have.


We will be making improvements to the owlbear with 18.2. These upgrades will make it much more resilient.

[Citzen_Gkar]

We will be making improvements to the owlbear with 18.2. These upgrades will make it much more resilient.

By changes do you mean it will now actually match the advertised stats given out by a forum Mod?

If not, can you give us a breakdown on what the actual stats are now planned to be?

[emtp]

We will be making improvements to the owlbear with 18.2. These upgrades will make it much more resilient.

Sorry quartermasterx but you seem to be given wrong info way to often for us to trust what you say. When I asked if the owl bear was one per accont or character you said per accaont but I had already bought it and it is one per character. I don't blame you I fee you are left out to dry by other too often.

[AlmGhandi]

We will be making improvements to the owlbear with 18.2. These upgrades will make it much more resilient.

Tolero published the supposed stats in a thread. Will the owlbear be bought into line with those stats... or will it be something else?

Will we get release notes for 18.2?

[Qaliya]

We will be making improvements to the owlbear with 18.2. These upgrades will make it much more resilient.

I appreciate the response. I would really like to know, however, if you will specifically be adjusting it to have the stats that were published. Thanks.

[tiredofyouturbine]

They r releasing the hires fix with the stairs fix and mobs slidding down fix...... I mean never!
First i thought they can not fix it, now i think they just dont give a f......

[Silverleafeon]

Thanks QMX, appreciate that.

[arkonas]

Sorry quartermasterx but you seem to be given wrong info way to often for us to trust what you say. When I asked if the owl bear was one per accont or character you said per accaont but I had already bought it and it is one per character. I don't blame you I fee you are left out to dry by other too often.

Wait a minute. Are you kidding me? So you're complaining that you got an owl bear per toon instead of only 1? Really? Really? tell me how is this a bad thing? every toon you make can have one. why on earth would this be the one thing you complain about?


See i can understand if you complained about misprinting a price or lack of something, or just really anything else. That 1 per account thing i dont understand. That is a positive thing its per toon. so im not going to jump on quatermaster for saying account. at least pick your battles not nitpick little details.

[burningwind]

Wait a minute. Are you kidding me? So you're complaining that you got an owl bear per toon instead of only 1? Really? Really? tell me how is this a bad thing? every toon you make can have one. why on earth would this be the one thing you complain about?


See i can understand if you complained about misprinting a price or lack of something, or just really anything else. That 1 per account thing i dont understand. That is a positive thing its per toon. so im not going to jump on quatermaster for saying account. at least pick your battles not nitpick little details.

two thing

1) i think he is complain about wrong info..

2) if we only get one per account, then it surely be bta. am not sure if that would be better. as it will save more bag space.

[spiderwyck9]

I posted last week about my initial experiences with the owlbear, writing that while many people have complained about how the hire is "useless" in higher-end content, especially with a party, that I found it useful for soloing.

I've now stopped summoning it even for my "mini-army" when I solo: I just use a humanoid hire and the panther. The reason? It was sucking down too much of the healer's mana for the amount of damage it was dishing out. (This is the level 17 one; I'm not high enough level for the epic one yet.)

There's clearly something wrong with this hire -- it just takes way, way too much damage relative to the stats it is supposed to have.

I find the lack of direct response from Turbine on this matter both disappointing and hard to understand. This was one of the reasons I preordered and got the extra package, and I currently don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth, which has soured me a bit on my purchase. As a result, I can't recommend that package to anyone else I know, which is a sentiment I've seen others also express. So Turbine is missing out on sales and money to pay for the expansion.

Based on my experience as a programmer, it seems likely that the flaws with the owlbear could be addressed relatively easily. I find it puzzling that this hasn't already been done, because a tiny bit of extra effort here would yield immediate financial rewards.

These Two hirelings are not worth summoning, they are mana sponges. They take allot of damage faster then they put out and their saves are awful. I would really like to know in DETAIL what they plan for them other then saying they're going to be more resilient.

[burningwind]

bump in the name of animal right