DDO or Neverwinter

[realism]

SO hey there guys, spent last night playing the new Neverwinter Online...
Seems to be a lot of games recently hypes themselves up and turns out to be a big let down.
Yeah I hear you, Im a fan boi, *err wrong* i hold no allegiance I am chaotic Neutral.
In any case, after downloading the game and client, which by the way must be capped or its all the other ten thousand ppl downloading at the same time, I managed to create a character on Dragon server and had to wait in que for about 40 minutes at 10pm PST(only 3 servers, hmmm sounds like a beginning of D3 oops again) the beginning graphics looked okay, not the top notch but hey we know once they start they lag behind newer stuff coming out.
Played till level 8, but here are my thoughts on it

Graphics - eyecandy is a little above so so, cranked at max but basically looks a lot like a combo of GW2, DDO, and Terra - oh and no way to set full screen at 1920 - yup sticks itself in window mode. although you really dont notice it after a while.
Quite of abit of things not syncing up and tearing from movements. But other than that, it does beat DDO's outdated graphic engine.

Environment - Most items are not interactable, you cant break barrels, go on a rampage etc, mostly no interactions or static movables. some places to search for collectable type stuff, but you need to spend money on kits before you can even use things like an arcane alter, or nature things, yup you gotta cough up dough to farm. But the non interaction with environment really detracts from it all. DDO you win this one hands down. [I dont always rage, but when I do, I break always break boxes with head ~Horig the halfling barbarian]

Controls and layout - This is typical of what MMO games have become, its a rehash of GW2 button setup, No customizable anything, you are limited to what you can immediately use, so macros? dont even think about it. If any of you have ever played Age of Conan, yup thats about it. Even WoW had a better set up than this. Your screen blacks out when you go into inventory or any other windows.
Props DDO we can run and have window open and a near unlimited bar space for macros and clickies.

Audio - Holy cow, did someone kill their audio production team, muted background music that is lack luster, Actors that really would be better off not saying anything at all, cheesy sounds and yes mouth and voice no where near working together. DDO is better but not a whole heck of a lot.

Enemies and AI - DDO kobold union workers.... its either they stand around while you hit them or they stare at you trying to drool on you, very very low AI, they wont even run at you if you are close to line of sight, so archer away and you will win the day. most places respawn the same enemies within 2 minutes of death or less. So what you will but DDO AI is a load lot better.

Quests - This one is kind of a toss up depending on what you prefer, the quest layouts etc for Neverwinter are al la GW2 exactly, everyone running around in the same area trying to kill enemies and complete quests which are the same type of quests that you would see in GW2, WoW - bring me 5 of those, kill 10 of them. Blah. DDO quest set ups are my personal favorites. Its kind of hard to achieve the diverse objectives, but then I know others like the GW2 way.

Microtransaction - sheesh you thought Turbines inclusion of astral shards was bad, Neverwinter has 4 different currencies including *gasp* Astral shards. After seeing this I had to see if Cryptic studios was owned by WB or Turbine subsidiarity. Its not.

------------------
I had high hopes for Neverwinter Online, but its kind of a let down in what I was expecting, certainly no DDO killing machine by any means. Its free to play now where as DDO only went free to play much later in the game after release. What is no doubt vexing the population of NEverwinter is those long wait ques, those who paid for their founder packs from $50 on up to $200, and others are playing the game for free and they still have to wait in line to log in.

Dont really foresee this one getting a lot of callers.

[judgemonroe]

Not all of the NWO quests are like that. There are lots of instanced dungeons. It's a lot like if the explorer zones in DDO were public (think Smuggler's Cove or Mabar).

The multiple currencies are weird and confusing. There's coin, astral diamonds, and zen, which map pretty well to DDO's coin/shard/TP trifecta, and then there are additional currencies like trade bars and ardent coins and whatever which are transaction specific. Not much worse than DDO's every-pack-has-its-own-crafting-system nonsense.

The graphics, man, I just don't know. Is anyone complaining about the weird heads with giant misshapen eyes that look like they've been painted onto a gourd, or is it just me?

[~hallenbeck]

Not all of the NWO quests are like that. There are lots of instanced dungeons. It's a lot like if the explorer zones in DDO were public (think Smuggler's Cove or Mabar).

The multiple currencies are weird and confusing. There's coin, astral diamonds, and zen, which map pretty well to DDO's coin/shard/TP trifecta, and then there are additional currencies like trade bars and ardent coins and whatever which are transaction specific. Not much worse than DDO's every-pack-has-its-own-crafting-system nonsense.

The graphics, man, I just don't know. Is anyone complaining about the weird heads with giant misshapen eyes that look like they've been painted onto a gourd, or is it just me?

Ya those graphics kinda suck. I mean they're worse then ddo's. It almost feels like I took a step back into the 1990's lol. For some reason the combat style reminds me of an old action dungeon crawler. Like gauntlet or diablo or something. To me, it's actually what I figured diablo 3 would look like.

It's an ok game so far though. But I feel it would need to rely heavily on grouped dungeons to overcome it's lackingness. Course then again my character didn't copyright infringe on the matrix a bunch of times while in game either so...ups and downs.

[~MagisterSvid]

Well, I've been playing it mostly since yesterday when I can get on (and today was no problem there). For the most part I've been enjoying playing a great weapon fighter up to level 20, which I just achieved. I was looking forward to getting a mount but you really have three options: buy a really basic mount for in-game gold (and gold takes a long time to accumulate in this game so far), rent a really basic mount with tokens you're given in a gift pack you receive at level 20, or buy one with their equivalent of Turbine points: zen. Perfect World is a hell of a lot smarter than Turbine when it comes to free-to-play: I mean you have a lot more access to the game without spending a dime but I suspect they're making a lot more real money in their cash shop, though I could be wrong. I don't think you can dismiss this game as junk though it's not D&D in the sense of character development, but it offers most if not all of the things players of MMOs want and Cryptic/Perfect World updates like crazy and their games generally evolve. DDO can offer me some things Neverwinter can't, but they're going to have to be on the ball to keep their players here. That's what I think anyway.

[Aussir]

DDO can offer me some things Neverwinter can't, but they're going to have to be on the ball to keep their players here. That's what I think anyway.

You really think all of us playing here want Wow-clones? You have no clue about the people playing here, do you?
You haven't realized yet that people here want DDO, not <insert random generic mmo>.

People that want "kill 5 of this" generic MMO's will go away no matter what because DDO is simply NOT built like that. People that want something different will stay on DDO because it's how it is built.

DDO is a niche game, always was and always will be... live with it and get over it. If you think NWO has everything a player wants, fell free to move there.

[jjflanigan]

The biggest thing I enjoy with Neverwinter is the foundry and the ability to create my own dungeons and campaigns. That is full of win in my book.

-JJ

[~Gwenndolyn]

I don't see a reason to have to pick. Both games have good things and bad things. To me, not getting XP for smashing barrels is a plus, not a negative, and I like the Neverwinter crafting systems about 1000 times better than DDOs. But, given that both are F2P, why choose? Play both. They're different games, but both D&D. It's just like playing in two diffrerent table top games.

[~Tenet]

Hey lads and lasses!

I have also played NWO a little, and I must say that DDO keeps its status of the most unique game. NWO is:

Perks:
- Nice
- It has all the things a modern MMO is expected to have, from daily praying options to skirmishes and auto grouping tools
- The dungeons are fun! They have a nice dungeoning feel, just like what we have felt in DDO for a long time. Well done.

Flaws:
- The open areas.... well not that good.
- Loot is on the ground. Not unbearable, but sometimes a minigame to collect.
- Gear is boring. You know. +1 sword ML1, +2 sword ML2, +3 sword ML3...... gear power closely follows the minimum level where you can use it. Its a safe way to ensure that players have the same power level of their character, but also makes gearing up a boring sidetask. At least until you get to top level, where character development switches to gear development.
- Questing is mostly a solo experince while you level. It worked in wow, and in lot other MMOs, but I am spoiled with DDO, where soloing while possible, is best avoided. Dungeons and skirmishes are usually done in auto forced groups though. I still find DDO grouping and LFM tool to be better.

All in all, NWO is _not_ DDO. Not even aiming for it. NWO is an MMO, where DDO still is and always was a niche game, good or bad, but definitely not your everyday MMO.

Tenet

[rojo]

The biggest thing I enjoy with Neverwinter is the foundry and the ability to create my own dungeons and campaigns. That is full of win in my book.

-JJ

Yes I would say the same also. The own dungeons and campaigns is a very cool idea. Then again it is hard to leave a game like DDo that I have put in a lot of time in,and money$$$$. So,I think DDO will push on. Yes the severs are slow. Just like when D3 and Star WArs came out. Trust me people will be back.
Always ROjO Sarlona

[Chai]

The audience overlap for these 2 games will be a small percentage at best. Sure alot of people who favor DDO may try it out, but they will continue playing DDO. Those drawn to NWO will be those who favor forced cooperation, the foundry, and traditional MMOs. The people who stay here will be the build enthusiasts, and FPS players. NWO has less in common with DDO than LOTRO does. If they werent using the name D&D to market it, most of the debate wouldnt even exist.

[~whom-head]

Thanks for those writing up your experiences. Sounds like NWO might not be worth checking out with my limited play time.

[Arnez]

I agree with "Why not both?"

Given how OFTEN there is "maintenance" in DDO- it should offer HOURS of play time in NWO. Just sayin.


-- I think I've invested too much into DDO to give up on it and move on- but the "maintenance" IS getting to be a drag (both in Guild Decay and quantity of downtimes)- I've managed to cap characters in Champions Online, DCUO, and I suspect I'll do the same with NWO with the sheer amount of downtime DDO has had lately.

[~hallenbeck]

I agree with "Why not both?"

Given how OFTEN there is "maintenance" in DDO- it should offer HOURS of play time in NWO. Just sayin.


-- I think I've invested too much into DDO to give up on it and move on- but the "maintenance" IS getting to be a drag (both in Guild Decay and quantity of downtimes)- I've managed to cap characters in Champions Online, DCUO, and I suspect I'll do the same with NWO with the sheer amount of downtime DDO has had lately.

hahaha truest quote of the day.

[~MagisterSvid]

At the moment the biggest flaw I see with Neverwinter--and I'm not claiming the game is flawless by any means--is the lack of a regular in-game currency auction house. They have an auction house for astral diamonds (and unlike DDO there are ways to make the stuff in-game rather than having to only buy points) but there's none for gold. And early in the game gold is very hard to come by. In fact up until level 16 I had to spend much of the silver I had paying for enough healing potions to keep me alive. Up to level 20 I only managed to make a total of one gold piece after all of the surplus drops my character came across. My whole argument to the possible superiority of Neverwinter over DDO is that the "free player" has much more access to the game, is given much more, but also that they manage to bring in much more revenue for the game company in doing so. Cryptic's weekly updates to me suggests a gaming company with revenue to spend on development. I may get irritated from time to time when I see their aggressive marketing but when I do spend money in their cash shop I think I get more bang for the buck in theirs than in Turbine's. I spent ten bucks yesterday for 4 character slots which cost me 1000 points (I didn't read the fine print--I thought I was only buying two slots). Anyway, that's 100 points per dollar, which beats Turbine's scheme even when their points are on sale and the best thing is I never have to buy content like I do with DDO. I'm not suggesting I'm going to abandon DDO by any means but I would like the new competition make them re-think some of their gaming policies and ultimately make the game stronger.

[SirShen]

For me its both i like DDO and i like Neverwinter foundry. I just wish i could make a foundry quest but it too over my head to try and do it without seeing what i need todo.

[Synther]

Having played Neverwinter up through level 13, all I can say is that Cryptic/Perfect World has made a game that only pays lip service to Dungeons & Dragons. The lore of the world is correct but that's really about it. People that complained that DDO deviated too much from the 3.5 rules should see what NWO has done with the 4th Edition rules. It's a complete bastardization designed for the average simpleton. There is next to no real character customization aside from the eye candy of the toon. Instead, you're pigeon holed into playing a particular class and only offered limited choices for advancement beyond that.

Leveling is a complete joke and does not capture the pacing of an actual Dungeons & Dragons game in any sense of the word. Turbine at least had the foresight to use the Action Point system from the original Eberron campaign books to give the online players a bit of a feeling for accomplishment for mini-dings on their way to the next level, but overall DDO feels like a pen-n-paper game that it was based on. NWO on the other hand feels like you're playing Gauntlet. In just under an hour I easily hit level 10 and was never in any danger of dying. At one point, my cat knocked over the trash can in our bathroom. I got up, removed said cat, cleaned up the trash, took it out to the dumpster, put in a fresh bag, and came back. While I had been away, mobs had respawned and had been beating on my Halfling Trickster Rogue for nearly six minutes without actually killing me. My HP was low, but no where near death. I then promptly dispatched three assailants in under five attacks.

NWO is not Dungeons & Dragons. But it does play like Diablo III. And I'm sure it will do fairly well for the average gamer out there that is too dim to grasp the idea that this is not what the game was supposed to be like and only wants instant gratification. NWO is made for the fanboi that wants to tell everyone that they play a Dungeons & Dragons game while not having to do any work to figure out how to actually play the game and will only feel a sense of accomplishment if they're able to tell people they have a level 60 character (which would never happen in a real D&D game...ever).

The graphics are pretty for the most part. I have a bit of an issue with the eyes on some of the elves and a huge issue with the size of characters hands. I don't remember reading anywhere that a halfling's hands are nearly as long as their entire forearm. It makes them look ridiculous.

NWO is fun for casual play but if you are looking for a more realistic Dungeons & Dragons experience, DDO is definitely the game to play.

[voodoogroves]

NWO has less in common with DDO than LOTRO does. If they werent using the name D&D to market it, most of the debate wouldnt even exist.

Amen

[~KDawg]

You really think all of us playing here want Wow-clones? You have no clue about the people playing here, do you?
You haven't realized yet that people here want DDO, not <insert random generic mmo>.

People that want "kill 5 of this" generic MMO's will go away no matter what because DDO is simply NOT built like that. People that want something different will stay on DDO because it's how it is built.

DDO is a niche game, always was and always will be... live with it and get over it. If you think NWO has everything a player wants, fell free to move there.

This is where I fit in. Beforee DDO launched I tried WOW. Was curious about the whole mmorpg thing. Couldn't even make it past the 30 day trial before getting rid of it. DDO comes out and I am completely hooked. Others mmo games come out. I try them. Nothing has kept me around like DDO. Some come across as playing WOW dressed in the theme of whatever game you are playing. Nothing loses interest faster than leveling up a toon simply by running around for a few hours collecting 5 of this and killing 5 of that. The only other mmo I regularly play as much as DDO is Star Trek Online. The biggest reason for that is not from any stellar gameplay and such, but more I just like Star Trek games in general.

A note about the multiple currency issue. To me that is a Cryptic thing. STO has always had large amounts of forms of currencies. They did a consolidation pass one time admitting that they had to many but I think it was a cop out excuse because they are right back where they started just different forms from the original.

I close beta tested NWO and have to say that it did not suck me in enough to spend any money on it and I had actually been saving specifically for this game since it was first announced for development. I ended up putting some of that money towards Marvel Heroes, which I am also in closed beta.

I have stated this before, and this is pure opinion on my part,the decision for Turbine's new expansion this year, I feel is coming from wanting to make sure they keep their players interested in DDO over NWO. I felt this way last year when MoTu was announced and Neverwinter had not been pushed back yet. I also stated that I feel DDO has nothing to be worried about.

[~MagisterSvid]

Do you think Turbine is satisfied with DDO being what you call a "niche game"? I think you're correct enough about that label and what I like about DDO is how it differs from more generic MMOs. Still, if Turbine is less than happy with DDO being a "niche game" how do you think the brain trust over at Time Warner feel about it? Even if you're content to dismiss Neverwinter as just another Warcraft clone, it is nevertheless the closest thing DDO has to competition within the D&D trademark and you can bet it's going to have some sort of impact, for good or bad, on this game.

[phillymiket]

I forgot to check that out - already had it downloaded.

It looks nice. I don't feel I had much of a choice how to start.

I'm "Generic Fighter Guy".

At least I got the name "Sargon"

Anyway just wanted to point out that it's hilarious that I start the game washed up on a shore with some a Jeets wanna-be.

:-D

I always used the "So you guys meet in a tavern" start to all my campaigns myself but I guess washing up on shore naked makes sense.