bjj hero said:
Good summary. What are the system requirements?
Minimum System Requirements:
Processor: P4 1.6 GHz or AMD equivalent with SSE
Memory512 MB RAM
GraphicsCard 64 MB Hardware T&L -compatible video card
NetworkConnection 56.6 K modem
SoftwareWindows XP, DIrectX 9
DiscSpace 3GB, 5GB for high resolution
Recommended System Requirements:
Processor P4 3.0GHz or AMD equivalent with SSE
Memory 1GB RAM
Graphics Card GeForce FX or better with 128MB of memory
Network Connection Cable Modem or DSL connection
Software Windows XP, DirectX 9
Disc Space 3GB 5GB for high resolution
Also how varied are the missions? Assassin/bughunt/Retrieve/escort?
There are over 200 quests of varying length and level range. Most of these are a combination of "Assassin" and "Retrieve" in various forms. Defeat this evil mastermind, save this girl, retrieve these documents and slay the foul brigands who stole them. That sort of thing. Many missions have multiple optional goals which grant small xp bonuses. Many missions have multiple goals which must be completed to get quest completion. Almost all of the experience granted in quests is from completion.
There are not many bughunt quests in ddo. There are a few bughunt optionals, but no quest completion bughunt style goals.
There are a handful of escort and/or protection quests.
There are several massive outdoor instanced areas where you can earn xp for exploration or just going out and hunting a bunch of random badguys, but these are not the staples of your character growth.
There are different styles in how you complete a quest, but so long as you accomplish all of the required objectives you get credit for quest completion and there are bonuses in xp depending on how you get the job done.
Are there puzzles? Item creation? PvP? None combat skills? How balanced are the classes? In a hack and slash surely the fighter is the daddy
Puzzles: yes, quite a few quests have puzzles either as optionals or required for quest completion or alternate quest completion.
Item Creation: end game only. hopefully we will see more development along these lines in the future, but for now there is limited item creation for high level characters. It is some of the most popular available gear currently in-game.
PvP: Originally DDO was exclusively a PvE game, but about a year after launch they added in some small PvP capability. There are optional "Tavern Brawl" areas where its an everyone for themselves fight pit. There are also 3 PvP maps where you can play in teams of up to 6v6 in games of Slayer or CtF, kind of like Halo style. There is plans in the upcoming module to add another PvP map and to add a "challenge" system where you can challenge a random joe out on the street and he can choose to accept or not, or your group can challenge another rgoup of up to 6v6.
Class Balance: PvE the class balance is very good with only a few points that are being worked on. For you DDO players out there I refer to the lack of Prestige Enhancements on some classes. PvP the class balance isn't good at all. PvP feels more like a complex game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, where if you are this class, you will likely beat that class, but that class will beat the class that beat you. More complex than that, but ya. It is more a PvE game where the PvP was added on just for flavor.
Your comment about Hack'n'Slash:
Hack'n'Slash is great, but so is a Sorcerer or Wizard who wields the power of death with a single motion, or a caster who can lay down an inferno of fiery death with multiple DPS spells.
Of course, those guys don't always get far without a rogue out ahead disarming traps or sneaking up to assissinate an enemy who was a little bit tougher than the big hack'n'slash guy was expecting.
Or the light-weight skirmisher style ranger or monk who seems impossible to hit.
Or the cleric who keeps his front line alive while occasionally calling upon the power of his deity to slay some foul miscreant. Or maybe he will wade into the battle and deliver a well placed hit or two of his own.
Or the bard who helps heal the good guys and enhance their fighting abilities all the while controlling the minds of half of the badguys force and making them fight for him, and of course at the same time he will be dealing devestating damage with his repeating crossbow.
I could go on and on with ways to build a character concept that is able to compete at the end game. One of the greatest strengths of DDO is the character versatility and how well it all balances out. And for the novice character builders out there they have several viable pre-made builds that you can choose from when you make your character.
But if you think positive we keeping this thread up so more people can read. xD Now when my MEO box crashes I'll PM you with angry writting!
