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randalthor
Head Merchant
Joined: 05 Feb 2002
Posts: 56
Location: Lake York,England |
I've finally decided to try an online rpg,but i do'nt know my orc from my elf-bow,so any help in choosing a fantasy rpg with longevity and variety would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Ian. |
Tue Feb 05, 2002 3:30 pm |
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Shrapnel
Rocket Scientist
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 1325
Location: Newark, NJ |
Asherons Call: New items, content, quests, lore, armor, weapons added with each monthly patch. Allegiance system to promote multi-player gaming. quest and loot generated weapons. Highly, highly addictive.
Played it for 2 years. It doesnt have that polished look of DAoC, but then again its not as slow as it either.
DAoC: From the two weeks I was in beta: Great Graphics, 3 realms, NPC generated quests, lil slow on the game travel (speed-wise). Option to go PK and defend your realm later on in levels.
I'd recommend AC only because its a very stat/mechanics based game. The right start up stats will make you a very happy player in the higher levels (when the game really takes off). Bad stats will leave you bitter and heading back to the drawing board. But the speed of travel and gameplay allows the pace of the game to go as fast (or as slow) as you'd want it to be.
I've made 4 sucessful classes in that game. Basically done it all seen it all in my course of 2 years. Except for a few of the Flagship quests (Level 45+ and a level 70+ where you need a party of very high level chars) I've done about 95% of what that game has to offer and would recommend it to true or hardcore gamers. But as a rule of thumb, most MMOPRGs are going to require many hours of gameplay to get to the milestones, casual gaming would make the road 10X longer |
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Tue Feb 05, 2002 4:14 pm |
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randalthor
Head Merchant
Joined: 05 Feb 2002
Posts: 56
Location: Lake York,England |
Thanks, thats filled me in on asherons call,have you tried everquest or ultima or any of the others.
Cheers |
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Tue Feb 05, 2002 4:53 pm |
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Shrapnel
Rocket Scientist
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 1325
Location: Newark, NJ |
I left UO for AC. UO is a very very cool game in that you have total freedom in how you want to play, what you want to do, and how to do it. You can build real tradesmen:
Chefs, Blacksmiths, Tailors, Lumberjacks, Alchemists. Or make combos that compliment each other (Lumberjack/Carpenter) (Hunter/Tailor) (MIner/Blacksmith) so that you are totally independent on the need for money. And of course there are the obvious adventuer classes (Bard, Mage,FIghter, Archer, etc etc). The beauty of this game is that you can customize your stats to exactly how you want them, there is no numeric number level, and of course, the total freedom to do damn near anything you want:
Become a murderer and collect body parts from your victims, collect wealth and buy a mansion and decorate it...just way too many options to list here.
The one downside to all this freedom are the graphics. Its in that 3/4 isometric 2D Diablo style, which was great for 1996, but 6 years later, its very dated and showing its age now. PvP on here is some of the best I've ever played on a game funwise and balance wise.
(Oops, one thing I forgot about AC...if you arent an OG Mage, you will always be second best. Mages RULES AC and the OG Mage template is the King of Rulers. Melee is an absolute joke and archery is a giggle. Balance has no meaning as far as the classes go).
Only thing I could tell you about DAoC is that it has great graphics, being the youngest of the Big 4, this makes sense. But the speed of travel and gameplay in general kinda turned me off from logging in on a daily basis, very slow travel in DAoC. You see your character doing a running animation but the speed at which everything passes you looks like someone walking (this is of course only from a level 3 character and in comparison to AC) |
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Tue Feb 05, 2002 5:21 pm |
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Joey Nipps
Orcan High Command
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 849
Location: Outer Space |
Everquest is (in my opinion) the king of the hill and will be for some time in the future. This does not mean it is the best for you - nor even technically the best - it is just the most popular. If you like LOTS of people in game with you - this might be the way to go. Most quests are inane but do provide for high level equipment (gaining stuff IS the primary reason people continue on EQ). Guilds and thus group play is virtually mandatory for long term play as Verant has made it a group minded game - solo play gets more and more difficult (not impossible) just VERY, VERY difficult at higher levels. So, it really depends upon what you think you want. Since you haven't played any at all - you cannot possibly know what you really want. I think UO is the most fun of all - but it's engine and graphics ARE very dated (so if you must have the prettiest go EQ or DAoC). UO is NOT level based at all - stat based - thus you can make virtually any style of character you want. EQ is essentially totally level based - all Mages are identical, all Wizards are identical, etc.
_________________
When everything else in life seems to fail you - buy a vowel. |
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Sat Feb 09, 2002 1:45 pm |
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Sir Markus
Counselor of the King
Joined: 11 Jan 2002
Posts: 369
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA |
Currently I'd recommend either Asherons Call or Dark Age of Camelot.
However Blizzard is coming out with a game, Worlds of Warcraft that, by all accounts from those who have played it, will totally blow away the competition. I guess this is going to be a VERY good online game.
I beta tested Asherons Call and I know that the people who put it together care about their customers. The same cannot be said for Everquest, which I would avoid completely. The first 15 levels of EQ are great, after that it just gets boring, and 'death' is particularly brutal in this game; when you die you can lose hours and hours of exp and you STILL have to worry about corpse retrieval to get your equipment back. When you die in Asheron's call, your most 'valuable' item is taken from you, and MAYBE some exp. (I can't remember, it's been a while). In any case, Asheron's Call is a pretty good game.
Worlds of Warcraft is the one I'm waiting for, but Dark Age of Camelot is very well done.
[ This Message was edited by: Sir Markus on 2002-02-10 09:42 ] |
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Sun Feb 10, 2002 3:39 pm |
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Rendelius
Critical Error
Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 16
Location: Austria |
I am an UO player of the very first hour, but left the game (PK'ers annoyed the hell out of me). I tried EQ, but didn't like it. Then I did not play MMORPG's for some time. In January, I tried both AC: Dark Majesty and DAoC. I left AC after three weeks because of all those cheaters, macroers, silly kids and people who don't know how to roleplay. I am still in DAoC and decided to go for a subscription. They have pure roleplaying servers where you are not allowed to speak out of character - this helps against all those d00dz 
DAoC is far from being perfect. But I think it's the best offer out now. Nice graphics, somehwat interesting gameplay and - at least on the roleplaying server - nice atmosphere.
_________________
Rendelius
former Senior Editor RPGDot
now at http://www.theastronomers.com |
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Sun Feb 10, 2002 3:57 pm |
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Guest
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Any comments on Anarchy Online?
I have been using the trials of both DAoC and AO and I am undecided which to choose.
DAoC seems nice but the world is very small and shallow.
AO is impressive both with the system and as a world to explore but there are many critics.
-Soeren Busch |
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Mon Feb 11, 2002 11:34 am |
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Joey Nipps
Orcan High Command
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 849
Location: Outer Space |
I can tell you that many, many people from EQ tried out Anarchy Online when it came out. To my knowledge virtually all of them have returned to EQ. Anarchy Online had/has many problems both in terms of technical issues and general game play - with (as far as I can tell) no advanctage(s) over EQ (or AC).
However, to absolutely answer the original question - there is NO best. It all depends upon what you NEED/WANT in an online game. If you DEMAND the most beautiful graphics in 3D then UO is NOT for you (likely DAoC or EQ). If dealing with PKers bothers you then do NOT go for DAoC - perhaps UO or EQ are better for you. It all depends on you.
_________________
When everything else in life seems to fail you - buy a vowel. |
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Mon Feb 11, 2002 2:18 pm |
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Shrapnel
Rocket Scientist
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 1325
Location: Newark, NJ |
Yep cant tell you which to pick, but can difinitely tell you not to pick AO. Right about the door it was very buggy and got bad reviews from all the big reviewers. Overall fun, you cant beat UO you can literally do it all in that game, and because there are no levels (just ranks of fame 6 the good way Like Glorious Lord and 6 the bad way Murderer being the worst, although I like the Vile and Scoundrel hehe).
I think the mmog you will have the most fun in will be the one you find another friend to join you in |
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Mon Feb 11, 2002 2:26 pm |
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raspewtin
Village Dweller
Joined: 31 Dec 2001
Posts: 19
Location: California, USA |
I have only played EQ and it was the most boring horrendous game I have ever played. Often it was like work trying to level up. The entire game focuses purely around levelling up, there is no "role playing" of any kind, no story of any kind, no character development of any kind, no reason for your character's existance besides levelling up. It's as if they removed every single thing that makes a role playing game a role playing game, and left you with the tired useless machinery that is not the focus of any RPG, but the by-product. Sometimes you feel like a rat hitting a button for random food, but instead the button is the spacebar, and the food is virtual money. From what I have heard Daoc is no different.
[ This Message was edited by: raspewtin on 2002-02-12 13:51 ] |
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Tue Feb 12, 2002 7:50 pm |
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Joey Nipps
Orcan High Command
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 849
Location: Outer Space |
You might take note that Anarchy Online (AO) just received the best MMORPH of the year award. There is a link on this site.
_________________
When everything else in life seems to fail you - buy a vowel. |
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Wed Feb 13, 2002 11:07 am |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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You might also note that in order to survive Anarachy Online, there are limited 'build orders' for each class... and all classes are not created equal. I played three or four to level 55 (yes, relatively 'low' level... I guess... though I don't know how people can stand getting much further doing the same thing over and over and over again...)... and some definately struggled more than others.
You can seriously screw your character up. Seriously. I know that applies to most MMORPGs, but in Anarchy it really stood out for me.
That's why I think I'll have to go with Star Wars Galaxies, even if Verant (EverCrack) is involved. A skill based, not level based, system where you can... reallocate your skills as you wish. In other words... Blaster isn't working out for you? Fine... go back to school, cash in a few blaster levels, and learn doctor. You hung up your blaster and became a healer. How cool is that?
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Wed Feb 13, 2002 1:44 pm |
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Shrapnel
Rocket Scientist
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 1325
Location: Newark, NJ |
Yep Im throwin a lot of eggs into the SWG basket. Sounds amazing all the options you have (Build your own lightsabre, use The Force, own vehicles, spaceships and pets/sentries, own property, build player run towns, alliance yourself with the Empire or the Rebel Forces) all qualities I've been waiting for in an MMOG. But considering how molassess-slow Ever-Crap is, Im gonna check out SWG from a good long distance before I dive in. Coming from AC, Im used to speed and instant actions. EQ...isnt about speed, at all.
And if not that, then there's always WoW, hell I can always play Morriwind while waiting for that
http://www.cityofheroes.com looks promising too, the concept is definitely original, features and options, either they havent mentioned them yet on their boards or they just dont have many, another one to watch. |
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Thu Feb 14, 2002 6:57 pm |
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Logan
Village Dweller
Joined: 14 Feb 2002
Posts: 7
Location: Chicago |
I've tried them all (except Motor City Online and some of the fly around in a spaceship ones) and I'd say EQ is the king.
Was good for 2 years for me.
DAOC did a lot of things right that EQ didn't - but was lacking content. Seriously. It might be good in a year or so.
UO has lovely 1980's graphics and a 3d iso view if you are into that sort of thing. I am not. Couldn't get past that to get into the game much.
AC. Hum. I know they have a couple thousand hard core fans that absolutely love it. It lasted a couple weeks before it was deleted off my machine.
I'd say to go with (in this order of experimentation) EQ, DAOC, AC and then UO.
But the final decision is up to you. |
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Tue Feb 19, 2002 3:57 am |
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