Stormreach First Looks at Bytesector

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Bytesector has a cast a first look on Dungeons & Dragons Online, producing a pleasantly not so fanboyish preview as a result. Here's an excerpt therefrom:

A large majority of ‘hype’ factor, as I will call it, has followed D&D Online: Stormreach since the second it was even thought of. I myself have been a member of their community for a long time, well over a year at least. I’ve played Pencil and Paper (PnP) Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) for about 9 years now, and this is how I remember it. That being said, it is definitely not how I see D&D Online: Stormreach. The highly anticipated game laying claim to the 3.5 rule set from Wizards of the Coast is in my opinion, a majority hype, and very little follow-through. It does have a few strong cards, but the true D&D feeling is lost in the game. Some of the most crucial aspects of the 3.5 D&D world are missing, so let’s take a look.

One wonders what's feeding all the hype that worships DDO as the ultimate reflection of pen and paper D&D, which it clearly isn't, along with WotC official endorsement which wasn't really the case with previous D&D games to such an extent.

Read the rest at Bytesector.

 

Theres still a large amount of negative posts out there, and true you do need to see all sides of the coins.

But I have to tell you know (and this is from somebody who has played nearly every incarnation of D&D thats been converted to the computer game medium.) that this IS the closest thing yet.

It is LESS restrictive than pnp D&D is , which has been part of the criticism to bare against it,(like halfling being able to use any weapon with the normal damage ranges, the weapons resize via some ancient magic and it has gone out of it's way to add features to support leveling junkies from other mmorpgs. (enhancements)

Sure it's combat orientated (few dungeon style games arent) but it's not solely about combat. But even after all the things it doesnt do, look at all the things it does.

Remember that there is only so much time in the world to make something, limited resources and you really do have to boil some things down to their component parts. It's quite possible that all the non-combat orientated stuff can be added on later, that will remain to be seen.

I havent seen stealth done as well in any other D&D style game.

A lot depends in this sort of game who you're playing with.. somebody who rushes ahead, likes to go it solo in situations way out of their depth and the situation is not going to be fun for anyone involved.

I applaud their bravery in not seeking PvP & crafting, because they really arent in the spirit of the group getting together for a co-operative session of explorating and adventure which is what D&D IS at it's core.

It really is the closest thing YET to Pnp.. when something comes out that's closer you can draw comparisons then.
And if you want to knock things, you go ahead and do a better job, I dare you. Put your money where your mouth is, if you succeed we'll all be enjoying ourselves that much more wont we.

 

i was a rogue. and my job was suppose to walk first, scout the situation and disarm trap etc. I have seen people run in front of me. The moment i detected a trap is the moment they triggered it. Very disappointing group. Even those "popular" dungeons where everybody knows every trap in everywhere, these people still run through everything. Sometime it is even worse because you can trigger trap trigger ahead but the actual trap is behind, where you low health points healers, casters are.

About 3 months of playing, i only been in one real group where groupmates do talk, and role play! At least, when they are lawful, they do speak lawfully.

i remember the worst group i was in. So there was this guy, since the first moment he joined, kept talking about stats. Say how dual wield is flawed. Ask every single groupmate about their equipment, IN THE HEAT of a fight. Always run the first (and he is not the rogue, i am) and complains about how people don't stay together. And someone accidently triggered the boss, he complained about not well planning at first but then he is the first to rush into the "boss trigger-able" area. The there was this cleric who always run the second and for the particular quest we were in, he was a first timer. Jumped down a long pipe and crush himself. At least he can stay up and see how i, the rogue, did it or let i, the rogue, scout first. And there was this newb. i don't complain about newb because from i was a newb before, everytime. But this newb was just too much. All of us were always two pages ahead of him. Two pages, that is not on the same page plus seriously lag behind. Not because his connection was not good. He just stood there, static. And everyone left the scene and engaged in another two fights, he was waaaaaay back there complaining everyone not stay together. The one rushed fastest complains about it and the one lagged most complains about it. And i the rogue, at the moment, looks rouge, purely decorative. In a pnp world, where everyone is on the same table, you wouldn't have this problem, never.

[ February 28, 2006, 03:55: Message edited by: teekc ]