New player first impressions

[Yasha_]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

[Brendael]

You've nailed it. There is a reason why DDo is the only MMO that has sustained my interest. The game itself is unique and fun.

If DDO dies there is absolutely nothing that could replace it. If Wow dies there are 50 clones that could fill the gap. This is why I get so grumpy when Turbine are so negligent when it comes to quality control.

[Eth]

Very well written summary! And welcome to DDO!



So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I never understood why turbine does so little advertising for this game.

It has so many features and aspects that can't be found in other MMOs.
For me personally it's the most complex character creation system of any game I ever tried. I can spend hours with the character planner thinking about new builds.

I tried many MMOs before I found this in 2010.
It took me about two weeks of playing and I went VIP and never looked back.

[arkonas]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

one reason why the game graphics is outdated compared to newer games like rift is because ddo is 8 years old. it would take a lot of resources to upgrade it. anyways im glad to see a new player really enjoyed this. ddo really is a special game and i really wished the top guys would see this. they have a game that no one else has. they can really bring in a crowd who loves d&d. sure i know its not completely like pnp but they are trying to stay lore based as best as they can.

[skorpeon]

At least I have thought that for quite some time, then I looked over to the left and saw I have been here 2 years!

Wow that blew me away, I am still learning the game myself and have not even run a lot of content (I am premium and buy packs occasionally). I still feel pretty fresh and look forward to my evenings play time. Glad to read others feel the same way and continue to for a long while. More could be done to encourage new players to stay as we do need the fresh insight and enthusiasm for the game play.

Again welcome to DDO and hope you stay for a long time too!

Tymout
Trys Paladium
G-Land

[Failedlegend]

Welcome to DDO Yasha, you pretty much nailed DDOs strength weaknesses..although there alot more to cime fir yiu to experience...Crystal Cove is a paticular favorite of mine...also you have started playing at an oppurtune time as the devs having been doing alot to improved ild systems and crate new ones recently...my personal hopes are for better visual customization and a better crafting system.

As for why DDo is noy very popular is because it's a hard to learn game, let alone master and unfortunately kinda of makes its greatest strengths also it greatest weakness...WoW makes money because it appeals to the lowest common denominator.

tl:dr - Welcome Tasha, DDO is aweseom, feel free to ask me for any help :D

[Sokól]

Welcome, imo the graphics get better in the upper levels esp. FR content.

I agree, I am surprised that this game is not more popular than it is!

[viktorserak]

Grumpy answer:

Yes, those are the reasons why still play and pay for this game despite Turbine best efforts to ruin it. Its great and unique.

Post update 21 answer:

Aye, DDO, is awesome. Go check our new Haunted halls, the are based on the legendary module from decades ago! Even Ed Greenwood, one of the fathers of DnD has joined us!

[Hafeal]

Well written summary. I am glad you took a chance to try out DDO and are enjoying the game.

Although the game is older and shows it in some respects, I still find myself finding corners to explore and learning better ways to play. The game presents plenty of entertainment and challenge, especially if you start playing now when the content has been building up for years.

I hope you stay and tell your friends to try it out.
:)

[foremandrf]

"WoW makes money because it appeals to the lowest common denominator"

Wow, very well said Failedlegend! Couldn't agree more.

[relenttless]

Refreshing to see a positive take from anew player, there are a lot of jaded old whiners inhabiting these forums, but in the end, they are still playing, and I suspect that is because, deep down they still feel the same as you, despite their (our) constant complaining.

I have only been playing a mere 3 and a bit years, 4 years ago if someone had told me I would get immeresed in an online computer game I would have laughed at them, my background is d&d 25 years ago and historical figure/Wargaming since. I play no other computer games, I tried nwo for about a week and found it so unbelievably ****-Poor by comparison.

It is very rare that I play this game and don't discover something new about it, I've made friends, and had some great gaming experiences.

I am pretty sure you will too.
You will also probably get frustrated, angry, and occasionaly disappointed, but that goes with the fun, excitement, and interest you will also get as you stick with it.

You seem pretty clued up so I'm not going to offer much advice apart from try to get yourself into a decent guild, by decent I don't mean one that just has ton of players and a level 100 ship, but one that has players who will share their knowledge, and get you building good toons and avoiding making silly mistakes.

You are in for a good time- good luck.

[DaggomaticDwarf]

Which one of the Dev paid you to write this post lol J/K

Honestly the game play is what truly keeps many of us old timers here.

Ive tried other MMOs , Tera .Swtor, Marvel, etc and this one always win me over all the others so

Welcome and Well Met

[NaturalHazard]

Welcome to the jungle...........I mean both the forums and the game.

[Vargouille]

Welcome to DDO! Thanks for the kind words and feedback!

[count_spicoli]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.


Welcome to the game and ya the graphics will get better when you get to the fr levels but i gotta ask:

You played D&D and a ton of mmos and you are just now finding this game after 8 years!!!!

Turbine really should do better marketing i guess.

[Memnir]

http://i.imgur.com/WIXlnzd.gif


Excellent summery - and welcome to the game. :)

[Azarddoze]

From your MMO background, you will definatly love this game if:

- You were a power gamer that is now looking to relax and enjoy a new game
- You're looking for a good action MMO with enought content to last over a month
- You just can't stand tab targetting and casting witout facing the mobs you're aiming at
- You're looking for the possibility to progress and have fun soloing


You might not like it as much if:

- You're looking for a crazy social experience (though you can work that out easily, the game isn't making this as easy as other would)
- You're pwning content in a blink of a eye
- You were looking for a real challenging MMO with plenty of end game content


I have the same background as you (played a bunch of MMOs, as a powergamer though), and even though I still jump from game to game sometimes, the only MMO I always end up coming back to is DDO. The fact that you can build your character for solo action is the main reason I guess. Just like a single player game, you can log in and start doing what you want right away, don't need to wait for your raid group.

I gave DDO a try before it went f2p and totally hated it. Came back in with a bit more "serious" approach (as I wanted to learn the depth of the game) and really got hooked up. There's more to it than just a MMO with generic quests and combat mechanic where all that matters is your speed of execution and reflexes. It does matter alot though :).

Hope you enjoy the game as it's still really good even though there's plenty of (non game-breaking to me) bugs.

[Daze]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

faith in humanity = restored.



Some of us have been big fans of DDO since 2006 for the very reasons you listed. Unfortunately we tend to sound like broken records. It's nice to see some validation from the perspective of a new player experienced in MMOs in general.

I played EQ and WoW for several years each. Went back to EQ before trying DDO ... there was some City of Heroes and City of Villains in there somewhere too as well as Conan ... recently tried Neverwinter. I cannot agree with you more. The D&D feel and character options for both build and playstyle make this game a gem.


Welcome to DDO

If you are ever on Khyber give me a wave 8)

[Daze]

Turbine really should do better marketing i guess.

/points to Atari

[CaptainSpacePony]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game ...

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

Welcome to DDO. Thank you for so eloquently sharing why we love this game. I am so sorry you came to the party so late though. Enjoy it while you can, as it has started to wind down. (I'm hoping the lights will stay on two more years.)

On a related note, once you get to some of the newer content (higher levels) the graphics do improve a bit. It's the same engine, but the they environments are richer. Something else to look forward too!

[Saekee]

welcome--reading your thoughtful post reminded me how I felt when I first tried this out. I didn't even mind the graphics since I was on an old laptop with everything at 80s-ATARI in order to be able to play. The newer modules have better graphics but graphics are not the draw--the recent revamp to the enhancement system really made me happy--hope you stay for the long term!

[Fhauvial]

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


Just wait until you walk into the market only to see a member of The Chamber standing there (for those non-Eberron geeks, that truly is a rare experience). Or countless other experiences like it. It truly is D&D online, and the newest content (epic levels, will take you a while to get there) feels like a true dungeon crawl. The graphics in the Thunderholme area are spectacular.

It's for all the things you've mentioned that keeps me coming back to DDO time and time again. I'm glad you gave DDO a chance. ^^

[Pala-forged]

I miss being new and seeing things like that :(

I hope you keep seeing ddo like that, it sucks when it becomes a grind to people like me

[LeoLionxxx]

Thanks a lot for your post, it brought a perpetual smile to my lips and made me recount why I really do love this game.

Yes, DDO really could do with some marketing. We've got narration from 3 of the original DMs now, meaning we have their blessings! Hopefully their Twitch.tv streaming will attract even more fresh blood.

And yes, the new (including the Forgotten realm content) has really breathtaking graphics, and great mechanics are strewn throughout the levels; wait until you learn about True reincarnation, something that makes DDO REALLY unique and fun to continue.

Edit: Out of curiosity, which server are you on?

[HAL]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

^Many of the reasons why I am still here as well as those I play with. Welcome :)

[Daze]

Welcome to DDO. Thank you for so eloquently sharing why we love this game. I am so sorry you came to the party so late though. Enjoy it while you can, as it has started to wind down. (I'm hoping the lights will stay on two more years.)

On a related note, once you get to some of the newer content (higher levels) the graphics do improve a bit. It's the same engine, but the they environments are richer. Something else to look forward too!

Gotta disagree with the winding down bit .. 4 updates a year is NOT winding down. They (turbine) are actively working on this game and continue to improve it as evidenced by the latest U21 Thunderholme and Haunted Halls ... and that is the least of the latest improvements. The list is fairly extensive just going back to the release of epic Gianthold in the beginning of 2013 on through the enhancement pass and updating of PRE's and tweaking of old/addition of new Epic destinies .... I could go on and on about the past life revamp or the augment revamps or the gear revamps or the tuning of AC too but I think I made my point.


DDO is NOT in decline. The player base has grown slowly but steadily and continuously since 2009.


Now there was a layoff at Turbine as handed down from the parent company Warner Bros. Interactive. That was a 25% layoff due to predictions in the gaming industry such as this (http://www.onrpg.com/articles/editorial/2014-mmo-predictions-the-death-and-rebirth-of-an-industry/). You'll notice in that very article it mention the potential success of niche games like DDO provided they are able to make it through the transition period during which is the likely possibility of a 25% loss to the revenue stream ... see the correlation?


So please .. no more doom posts without some evidence behind them. Turbine is working diligently on this game so far and I don't want to discourage them. I am enjoying it too darn much 8)

[MonadRebelion]

Very well written summary! And welcome to DDO!


I never understood why turbine does so little advertising for this game.

It has so many features and aspects that can't be found in other MMOs.
For me personally it's the most complex character creation system of any game I ever tried. I can spend hours with the character planner thinking about new builds.

I tried many MMOs before I found this in 2010.
It took me about two weeks of playing and I went VIP and never looked back.

I always got the impression that a lot of the folks who play other mmo's, like WoW, are folks who converted to gaming nerddom via pnp DnD. Presumably, these folks pride themselves on being munchkins. So, I always thought DDO would be able to steal all the munchkins from other games once players caught wind of how close character creation sticks to the DnD 3.5 rules. I would have thought that Turbine could have marketed this game as a rules fetishizing munchkin's dream and in this way crush its competitors. Clearly, that never happened. It seems crazy to me that it didn't, and I often wonder how lack of a more aggressive marketing campaign could have contributed to this.

[Captain_Pengie]

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.


Good to see new players coming to the game and being surprised by how good it is and how well it has lasted.

Given it is 8 years old now it is no shock that the graphics and character models can use some updating, however I think that once you have played for a while and get into the more recently released areas you will pleasantly surprised at both the quality and level of detail. The older dungeons/wilderness areas have for the most part not been updated in many years so at level 5 you are seeing very old content. Once you get to Eveningstar or even some of the mid-level zones that have been revamped you will see much better quality landscapes, dungeon tunnels and building models. Stormhorns in particular is a huge outdoor zone with many different terrain and water features which showcase the great new art that Turbine is putting into the game. As you climb the mountain the forest gives way to ice covered trails where wind gusts blow snow drifts off the trees as griffins swarm to keep you away from their nests. The dungeons vary from leaf covered forests to ice caves carved through the mountain and the combat is a real challenge. It is definitely one of my favourite zones and the one most reminiscent of LOTRO which to-date has been my benchmark for superb outdoor settings.

As for the character models - well yes they are a bit simplistic compared to some other more recent offerings but lets face it, when and owlbear is clawing at your face and all you want is some friendly cleric to heal your wounds are you really going to be that picky about the lack of freckles on her nose?

Welcome aboard - hope you enjoy your time here and spread the word about this great game that we love so much.

[Orratti]

I'm sure you will have no trouble finding plenty on these forums and in the game that will agree it has been the best game out there of it's type for the last 8 years. I'm sure that everyone has their own ideas that would make the game so much better as well. The players that are still here after all that time are practically addicts and some will admit it. Kinda sad though that after 8 years no other game has come close to offering something better. The more advanced a game is the longer you can play it. DDO was as well matched to pnp as a mmo could get when it was created. Honestly I think with that kind of a base for your MMO niche or not it is going to be able to last for decades. But...You would really have to commit to trying to make the game evolve over time.

[pjw]

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

Def. true.

And the funny thing about the graphics is that after you play for a while you will probably not even notice; the combat and game-play is such that it takes most of your attention most of the time. In fact, I like to eek a few extra FPS by turning quality down (but keep draw distance up!).

Also, the graphics may appear dated, but I now view them as on par with the SWTOR graphics...the same cell-coloured look, except more realistic!

[April_Kinslayer]

Thank you for your post! It's really cool to read about someone else's first impressions, and think back to what it was like for me as well. In my case it makes me look at things a little differently for a few days afterwards. It would be cool to know what server you're on, maybe to group up. Sure there are some things you'll run into that can be off-putting, but in general there's so much fun to be had.
I won't even get into the marketing thing. I don't think this game would have ever pulled WoW type numbers (and that's a good thing in my opinion) but it's sad that this game never really got a chance to be popular. I think we'd have at minimum another million or two players. If even 10% of them were premium or VIP, I think a lot of things would be different today.

[schelsullivan]

No MMO has ever hooked me like DDO (except EQ1 it was great)

[Asirin]

Your in for quite a experience.

I have played everything out there and this game still shines above all others.

This was my first MMO and I'll always be glad for it.

[Erdrique]

Like many others, I welcome you to this great game. You wrote a very good summary of the strong points of the game and I hope you continue to find it engaging and fun to play for years to come!! :)

[Rogosh]

Welcome.

Now if you'll tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, and so on, and so on...

[FranOhmsford]

And the funny thing about the graphics is that after you play for a while you will probably not even notice; the combat and game-play is such that it takes most of your attention most of the time. In fact, I like to eek a few extra FPS by turning quality down (but keep draw distance up!).

Also, the graphics may appear dated, but I now view them as on par with the SWTOR graphics...the same cell-coloured look, except more realistic!

Ok so I've created characters and done the starter quests at least on 4 games other than DDO:

SW:ToR
Neverwinter
LotRO
Allods

And DDO's Player Characters look far better than those on any of these games to me!


Shiny new Graphics aren't everything - When CGI first became a big thing in Movies and TV many people raved about it yet I found it to be far less realistic than the likes of Ray Harryhausen's Practical Effects from the 60s and 70s.
Not to mention the incredible Practical effects of many many movies in the late 70s - mid 90s!

There was a massive approval rating for Babylon 5 and it's supposedly astonishingly realistic CGI - To which I say: 60s Star Trek/Lost in Space/Dr Who were more realistic than that rubbish!


I truly can't stand the LACK of customization in other games when creating my characters - SW Stubble looks ridiculous!

Obviously there's things DDO could do better too but the last thing I want to see is DDOs Graphics replaced by the Cartoon Graphics of Games like Neverwinter or LotRO!

[LOOON375]

Best thread I have read in quite a while and is refreshing. Welcome to DDO.

Great write up and summary. This truly is a darn great game.

[zeonardo]

"Welcome to the DnD World!"

I guess Yasha's post made us look back and appreciate what we have.

Yasha, if you look the "join date" under the avatar on some of the forumites answering to your thread, you will notice that some of us have been around here for quite a while.
We really like this game, and despite some bad humor and complaining now and then, we still like it no matter what.

[CaptainSpacePony]

Gotta disagree with the winding down bit .. 4 updates a year is NOT winding down. They (turbine) are actively working on this game and continue to improve it as evidenced by the latest U21 Thunderholme and Haunted Halls ... and that is the least of the latest improvements. The list is fairly extensive just going back to the release of epic Gianthold in the beginning of 2013 on through the enhancement pass and updating of PRE's and tweaking of old/addition of new Epic destinies .... I could go on and on about the past life revamp or the augment revamps or the gear revamps or the tuning of AC too but I think I made my point.


DDO is NOT in decline. The player base has grown slowly but steadily and continuously since 2009.


Now there was a layoff at Turbine as handed down from the parent company Warner Bros. Interactive. That was a 25% layoff due to predictions in the gaming industry such as this (http://www.onrpg.com/articles/editorial/2014-mmo-predictions-the-death-and-rebirth-of-an-industry/). You'll notice in that very article it mention the potential success of niche games like DDO provided they are able to make it through the transition period during which is the likely possibility of a 25% loss to the revenue stream ... see the correlation?


So please .. no more doom posts without some evidence behind them. Turbine is working diligently on this game so far and I don't want to discourage them. I am enjoying it too darn much 8)

I appreciate you taking the time to debate this point but don't want to derail the thread. I do hope your assessment proves more accurate than mine.

[Orratti]

"Welcome to the DnD World!"

I guess Yasha's post made us look back and appreciate what we have.

Yasha, if you look the "join date" under the avatar on some of the forumites answering to your thread, you will notice that some of us have been around here for quite a while.
We really like this game, and despite some bad humor and complaining now and then, we still like it no matter what.

You are very close. Just need to exchange some haves with had and some likes with liked. That it is the best game out there right now is the only thing I think we can be sure most all of us agree on. That means there aren't very many really good games out there more than anything else.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

The graphics may not be that up to date, bu actually this game has some truly amazing and beautiful areas.

Turbine tends to be slow in producing some kinds of graphics, (like new animations) but the devs who design the scenery have done a fabulous job.

Especially the explorer areas......

The Plane of Night is still one of my favorites as well.


I also really wish I had a top end graphics card that could enable all of the graphics settings for this game.
I realize it is an older game engine and many games have better graphics, but still I think they have done a fabulous job with what they have to work with.

[aristarchus1000]

Nicely worded, and accurately represents why I am still playing this game.

I wonder if turbine could update some of the art in the early levels, especially the f2p ones, even while keeping the same engines. These dungeons are some of the first things players see.

[MuleAxe]

Nicely worded, and accurately represents why I am still playing this game.

I wonder if turbine could update some of the art in the early levels, especially the f2p ones, even while keeping the same engines. These dungeons are some of the first things players see.

Reminds me of when I was in Berlin Germany. East Berlin (at that time the wall was still up) would have massive amounts of construction going on near the wall. We figured it was to make those on the west side think everything was "all good" over there. Visitors might have thought that, but if you lived there for a while, you start to notice that the construction never really got anything accomplished, and the workers were there maybe an hour a week. When you get past the construction line, everything was poverty. So, my long winded point, do they really want to bait them with pretty colors just to give them reality a couple levels later? I say make it all shiny with sparkles and rainbows and butterfly's and fairy dust for everyone.

[Banaticus]

WoW makes money because it appeals to the lowest common denominator.
WoW makes money because Blizzard took a little over a decade making increasingly better and better Warcraft games, garnering more and more loyal customers who loved the stories and game mechanics. Then they brought out this new game where you could actually play and level up one of the characters from the game. That's why WoW sold so well, why so many people bought into it. Companies that that flub their runup (Bioware, you flubbed KOTOR 2) or skip the runup (no offense, Turbine, but you hadn't made any DnD games before DDO) just aren't going to have the massive outswelling of support because they're starting their fanbase from scratch. You can't compare DDO to WoW, you have to compare DDO to the first Warcraft, and those numbers are roughly comparable, especially given that the first Warcraft was "buy the game then ftp" in today's terms.

In a decade, Blizzard came out with Warcraft, II, III, and the expansions to II (and Starcraft, and Diablo). In a decade, Turbine came out with DDO and LotRO (and several expansions there). That's why WoW makes more money -- Blizzard is a bigger company who did more.

[Yasha_]

Great reading all your replies!

I am levelling a ranger on Ghallanda at the moment (Yoruhime). I don't get that much time to play and there is quite a bit to learn (crafting, what to do with all the little collectables, where to buy stuff, spending hours theorycrafting builds etc) so I'm still only level 5. However, I just bought a three month VIP pass so that should open up the game a bit (actually I just got crushed in Delera's Tome!).

Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome.

[auximenes]

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).
Welcome to DDO.

[fool101]

It was nice just reading the replies to this thread; especially when looking at the number responders who joined in 2006.

Nice to see you all still around.

[zeonardo]

You are very close. Just need to exchange some haves with had and some likes with liked. That it is the best game out there right now is the only thing I think we can be sure most all of us agree on. That means there aren't very many really good games out there more than anything else.


... despite some bad humor and complaining now and then ...

As I said...

[Orratti]

As I said...

And so you did. One person's complaint is another's constructive criticism. I didn't offer either here. I didn't complain about the game. My response to your post was to the idea that because we all agree that it is a great game we all love the game no matter what. While you might have felt you were speaking for everyone when writing your reply, you were not.

[Alcedes]

I have played quite a few mmos, but never picked up ddo, because for some reason I had the impression that it was a run-of-the-mill mediocre tab-targeting mmo with bad graphics.

I downloaded the game because I was looking for something to kill time before TESO launched, and saw a review on mmohut that showed that DDO had something of an action combat system- that made me choose to try out DDO over LOTR (which was something else I was considering trying out).

The graphics and visual character customization are really outdated, but I have been floored by how good this game is in nearly every other aspect.

Amazingly, the actual game-play mechanics in DDO like combat, enemy AI, dungeon exploration, puzzles and traps are actually far more "Skyrimish" than TESO. In fact I have never seen the kind of advanced interaction between players and mobs (especially normal mobs) that you have in DDO in any other mmo. Playing a stealth character in this game in particular is absolutely amazing because you can pretty much play it like a rogue in Skyrim. Enemies can be baited, tricked, they appear to be acting like I would expect them to in the areas they spawn at etc. Compare that to other mmos-including TESO- where the mobs just stand stupidly in one spot and then run at you enmasse.

The combat is a bit floaty and mmos like Tera and Raiderz do the action-combat thing better, but it is still better imo than Teso and far better than Wow/Rift etc. It's just fun.

The instanced nature of the game isn't particularly off-putting either. There are some regions to explore, the city is extremely well made, and I have never felt I was grinding 20 mobs and fetching ten apples for NPC XYZ like in every other mmo.

That leads me to level design. The graphics may be dated, but the level design is fantastic. Both dungeons and outdoor areas have terrain that mobs or players can take real tactical advantage of, interesting puzzles/traps, enemies in logical locations. It's interesting to explore these environments and play through the dungeons, I don't really see this in other mmos.

This really is D&D online. Yeah I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes names and supposed game themes are not supported in actuality. Take NW online for example, it is a nice game, but I never felt like I was playing D&D outside of the familiar setting and creatures. However, DDO is so faithful to the source, its quite surprising. Just like in D&D character development is so complex and satisfying, from wizards with the full array of real D&D spells to the way rogues can spot/disarm-traps and get in for the backstab.


So I must sound like a total fanboi, but I have just been so pleasantly surprised I wanted to write about it. I don't understand why people don't rave about this game.

I have only just started the game (my toon is level 5- with a few alts), but this is the first mmo where I have really liked the pve (I usually play these games for pvp).

In short: Looking past the dated graphics DDO has some of the deepest and most interesting character building and gameplay elements of any mmo I have played.

You havent lived until you have been killed by a treasure chest...or a door. or a floor. or a ceiling. or the stairs...or...holy **** the dev's here are brutal!!

welcome to DDO and enjoy the creative murders committed by the devs. it truly does make DDO exciting and unique. :D

[Blase]

Very true OP - those facets of the game that you are enamored with are the reason I keep coming back, even though I never seem to get anywhere.

Best,

Blase

[Nahiz]

Great reading all your replies!

I am levelling a ranger on Ghallanda at the moment (Yoruhime). I don't get that much time to play and there is quite a bit to learn (crafting, what to do with all the little collectables, where to buy stuff, spending hours theorycrafting builds etc) so I'm still only level 5. However, I just bought a three month VIP pass so that should open up the game a bit (actually I just got crushed in Delera's Tome!).

Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome.

Welcome to DDO!

Yep, we all love this game (even the ones who complain a lot: they complain because they love it). It´s been the only MMO I´ve ever played (and my hobby) for the last 3 years.

I play in Ghallanda too. Though I don´t have a low level character right now, if you see me online please feel free to contact me and I will gladly help you however I can (name of main character is also Nahiz).