[General Article] Rift: Storm Legion Review In Progress Part 4

SBFord · December 2012

Today marks the final installment of our Rift: Storm Legion review in progress. Next week, we'll give our final and official review to our readers but, in the meantime, this week, we check out the new souls added when the expansion went live. Read on and then let us know what you think in the comments.

I did not experience any rough spots over the past week that I have not previously addressed. With the holiday now behind us it appears Trion is back in business. Since our last Review in Progress they have released another hot fix stomping out more bugs, solving the great rested experience heist, and fixing broken quest lines.

Read more of Rob Lashley's Rift: Storm Legion Review in Progress Part 4.

Aaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!

causs · December 2012

I'm leveling a tactician as a new player to Rift. All I can say is.. I wish I gave Rift a chance earlier on. The game is amazing.

Jaedor · December 2012

Me too. Rift is a really fun game and Dimensions are da bomb!

Samhael · December 2012

I know several rogues running tactician as their primary. Defiler is also fine for solo play and shouldn't just be considered a healing soul. I was extremely unimpressed with Harbinger and Tempest so I've ditched both of them and levelled the mage with the old souls and parked the warrior at 50 to hang out to see if a future change makes the class more interesting to me.

Hrimnir · December 2012

Originally posted by causs
I'm leveling a tactician as a new player to Rift. All I can say is.. I wish I gave Rift a chance earlier on. The game is amazing.

The really sad part is you missed out on a lot of cool stuff. HK for example was probably one of the best raid zones thats ever been put into a game. Some of the original dungeons were freaking awesome.

Anywhoo, if you ever get a chance you should check them out

causs · December 2012

Originally posted by Hrimnir
Originally posted by causs
I'm leveling a tactician as a new player to Rift. All I can say is.. I wish I gave Rift a chance earlier on. The game is amazing.

The really sad part is you missed out on a lot of cool stuff. HK for example was probably one of the best raid zones thats ever been put into a game. Some of the original dungeons were freaking awesome.

Anywhoo, if you ever get a chance you should check them out

Luckely I found a guild which is showing me a lot of the old content! :]

Raventree · December 2012

I have to agree that this expansion is fantastic. Real life is keeping me from playing as much as I want, but there is so much to do with PVP, farming, leveling, running dungeons, raiding, crafting, and trying to get your dimension just right that I doubt I will run out of stuff anytime soon.

Big props to Trion for the dimensions.

strangiato2112 · December 2012

"These dimensions allow you to stake your claim on this area and personalize it however you like. You obtain your first dimension key through a quest; further dimensions can be purchased from vendors. They vary in price from hundreds of platinum to thousands of platinum. You can set permissions on your dimension which would allow only you to visit, or you can open it to the public. You can also decide whether or not you want visitors to be able to edit your dimension or if they are only allowed to view the work that you have done. There are also dimensions that can be shared across your guild. You can furnish your dimension with dimensional items. These items can be found as quest rewards, from vendors, and from merchants all across Telara. You can even find NPCs to populate your dimension. If you have a public dimension visitors can +1 your creation, almost like a Google+ post. There are leader-boards for dimensions with the most popular ones at the top. "

Replace dimensions with housing and this is a word for word description of EQ2 housing. This is definitely one case where its okay to copy/paste another game's system into your own game.

Now if someone would only copy/paste SWG crafting into their game...

Myrdynn · December 2012

they just released an offer for the holidays

6 month sub for 60$, thats a fantastic deal, I usually play RIFT in 6 month segments, so saving 30$ is cool. Also nice to see companies giving sub deals, and rewarding and tempting long term subs

CyclopsSlayer · December 2012

I have played many different MMO's over the years and have so far been more impressed with Storm Legion than any other expansion before. SL is a real nice job, and rather than sitting back and resting, they have added 4 hotfixes, and are talking about Rift 2.1.

Trion seems to be on a win streak with SL!

Freezzo · December 2012

Originally posted by CyclopsSlayer
I have played many different MMO's over the years and have so far been more impressed with Storm Legion than any other expansion before. SL is a real nice job, and rather than sitting back and resting, they have added 4 hotfixes, and are talking about Rift 2.1.

Trion seems to be on a win streak with SL!

That's general business when talking RIFT. Even just after it launched we got 1.1. Lots of people assumed that was because the content was already done, but did we get proven wrong

JudgeUK · December 2012

So, what do Trion have to do to get big numbers playing the game? Any suggestions...

It seems to be one of those games that no matter what Trion do, it will always be viewed as a minority mmo.

How do they clmb the player numbers into the millions?

Khebeln · December 2012

Originally posted by strangiato2112
"These dimensions allow you to stake your claim on this area and personalize it however you like. You obtain your first dimension key through a quest; further dimensions can be purchased from vendors. They vary in price from hundreds of platinum to thousands of platinum. You can set permissions on your dimension which would allow only you to visit, or you can open it to the public. You can also decide whether or not you want visitors to be able to edit your dimension or if they are only allowed to view the work that you have done. There are also dimensions that can be shared across your guild. You can furnish your dimension with dimensional items. These items can be found as quest rewards, from vendors, and from merchants all across Telara. You can even find NPCs to populate your dimension. If you have a public dimension visitors can +1 your creation, almost like a Google+ post. There are leader-boards for dimensions with the most popular ones at the top. "

Replace dimensions with housing and this is a word for word description of EQ2 housing. This is definitely one case where its okay to copy/paste another game's system into your own game.

Now if someone would only copy/paste SWG crafting into their game...

Its obvious someone didint play either one of those games apart from reading the posts or reviews. Go play and and they say its the same. Ohh and SWG was a mess. dont want system like that.

Khebeln · December 2012

Originally posted by JudgeUK
So, what do Trion have to do to get big numbers playing the game? Any suggestions...

It seems to be one of those games that no matter what Trion do, it will always be viewed as a minority mmo.

How do they clmb the player numbers into the millions?

I think they should streamlined the tutorial zone more, make it more dynamic like the rest of the game. Its to linear, but then again all tutorials are, but it dont show the real gameplay there. Even 1-50 is half as good as SL is right now. Its probably the best expansion ever, and i thought i saw it all already.

Nacario · December 2012

Rift could have been something greater if they only took that extra effort in optimizing the game engine and fix combat gameplay feel (animations, sounds, spell effects, impact)

Khebeln · December 2012

Originally posted by Nacario
Rift could have been something greater if they only took that extra effort in optimizing the game engine and fix combat gameplay feel (animations, sounds, spell effects, impact)

I agree about optimization, game is cpu capped (very heavily) and if its got any flaw its this big time.

Animations sounds etc its a matter of taste. I like most of the animations and effects apart from few but then again i play dwarf and we have best character animations ^^

The art and animations/sound etc is a lot better in SL tho than in vanila version

grimgryphon · December 2012

Originally posted by Khebeln
Originally posted by strangiato2112
"These dimensions allow you to stake your claim on this area and personalize it however you like. You obtain your first dimension key through a quest; further dimensions can be purchased from vendors. They vary in price from hundreds of platinum to thousands of platinum. You can set permissions on your dimension which would allow only you to visit, or you can open it to the public. You can also decide whether or not you want visitors to be able to edit your dimension or if they are only allowed to view the work that you have done. There are also dimensions that can be shared across your guild. You can furnish your dimension with dimensional items. These items can be found as quest rewards, from vendors, and from merchants all across Telara. You can even find NPCs to populate your dimension. If you have a public dimension visitors can +1 your creation, almost like a Google+ post. There are leader-boards for dimensions with the most popular ones at the top. "

Replace dimensions with housing and this is a word for word description of EQ2 housing. This is definitely one case where its okay to copy/paste another game's system into your own game.

Now if someone would only copy/paste SWG crafting into their game...

Its obvious someone didint play either one of those games apart from reading the posts or reviews. Go play and and they say its the same. Ohh and SWG was a mess. dont want system like that.

Of all the past MMOs, SWG is the one that people still can't help but wear their rose-colored glasses while discussing it. The entire game was a mess. Great ideas and terribad execution.

Loving RIFT these days. This one just keeps getting better.

strangiato2112 · December 2012

Originally posted by Khebeln
Originally posted by strangiato2112
"These dimensions allow you to stake your claim on this area and personalize it however you like. You obtain your first dimension key through a quest; further dimensions can be purchased from vendors. They vary in price from hundreds of platinum to thousands of platinum. You can set permissions on your dimension which would allow only you to visit, or you can open it to the public. You can also decide whether or not you want visitors to be able to edit your dimension or if they are only allowed to view the work that you have done. There are also dimensions that can be shared across your guild. You can furnish your dimension with dimensional items. These items can be found as quest rewards, from vendors, and from merchants all across Telara. You can even find NPCs to populate your dimension. If you have a public dimension visitors can +1 your creation, almost like a Google+ post. There are leader-boards for dimensions with the most popular ones at the top. "

Replace dimensions with housing and this is a word for word description of EQ2 housing. This is definitely one case where its okay to copy/paste another game's system into your own game.

Now if someone would only copy/paste SWG crafting into their game...

Its obvious someone didint play either one of those games apart from reading the posts or reviews. Go play and and they say its the same. Ohh and SWG was a mess. dont want system like that.

Yeah, it is quite obvious you havent played EQ2 recently if you are actually saying the two housing systems arent the same. Are they identical? well of course not. Are they EXTREMELY close? Yes.

And only a complete fool would write off a game's system because the game as a whole was a mess. If you did a poll of best MMORPG crafting system I would bet SWG would be an easy #1 with over 50% of the vote.

strangiato2112 · December 2012

Originally posted by JudgeUK
So, what do Trion have to do to get big numbers playing the game? Any suggestions...

It seems to be one of those games that no matter what Trion do, it will always be viewed as a minority mmo.

How do they clmb the player numbers into the millions?

More races, bigger, better 1-50 experience, better lore presentation, open world dungeons, make it less 'game'y and more 'world'y.

Raventree · December 2012

Honestly, Trion has done a better job with this expansion and their relentless content updates than any other company that I am aware of. I have been seeing the SL advertisements everywhere, but that may be because I visit a lot of gaming sites. I'd also like to know how a company really gets those subscription numbers to start climbing again once you are past the initial release boom.

Volgore · December 2012

Originally posted by JudgeUK
So, what do Trion have to do to get big numbers playing the game? Any suggestions...

It seems to be one of those games that no matter what Trion do, it will always be viewed as a minority mmo.

How do they clmb the player numbers into the millions?

I think the main flaw of RIft is that despite the overall quality and polish, it's just way too generic at the end of the day. The soul-system and so called "dynamic" events just don't overweight the basic "tab, kill, loot, gain rep, farm tokens...just like you've done for years in other games already"-feel to it.

Trion seems to be the most capable studio nowadays. NOW IF ONLY FOR ONCE they would have the balls to INNOVATE instead of copy+paste. To me it looks like everything in Rift is something one of their devs has done in a former title before -and what many players have played for years already.

Trion should have elaborated rifts and dynamics and stuck to what the game originally promised, instead of going the "get gear + raid" way. Perhaps we would have giant NPC-fortresses spawning by now, laid under siege for days by the players until someone can even set a foot into it...and once a server manages to get in, there are instances and tons of stuff to be found in there.

Raventree · December 2012

Originally posted by Volgore
Originally posted by JudgeUK
So, what do Trion have to do to get big numbers playing the game? Any suggestions...

It seems to be one of those games that no matter what Trion do, it will always be viewed as a minority mmo.

How do they clmb the player numbers into the millions?

I think the main flaw of RIft is that despite the overall quality and polish, it's just way too generic at the end of the day. The soul-system and so called "dynamic" events just don't overweight the basic "tab, kill, loot, gain rep, farm tokens...just like you've done for years in other games already"-feel to it.

Trion seems to be the most capable studio nowadays. NOW IF ONLY FOR ONCE they would have the balls to INNOVATE instead of copy+paste. To me it looks like everything in Rift is something one of their devs has done in a former title before -and what many players have played for years already.

Trion should have elaborated rifts and dynamics and stuck to what the game originally promised, instead of going the "get gear + raid" way. Perhaps we would have giant NPC-fortresses spawning by now, laid under siege for days by the players until someone can even set a foot into it...and once a server manages to get in, there are instances and tons of stuff to be found in there.

I really feel like if enough players suggested this it would get done. Trion is just that responsive. I was one of the people who repeatedly suggested in the suggestion forums that they add housing and they kind of blew me away with how well they did it.

strangiato2112 · December 2012

Originally posted by Raventree
Honestly, Trion has done a better job with this expansion and their relentless content updates than any other company that I am aware of. I have been seeing the SL advertisements everywhere, but that may be because I visit a lot of gaming sites. I'd also like to know how a company really gets those subscription numbers to start climbing again once you are past the initial release boom.

So far no one has pulled this off. Its constant growth from the start or nothing.

Some games have managed to rise for a year or two after an initial dip (EQ2) but none have yet been able to fall off after release and fully recover. I don't think its impossible, but we havent seen it yet.

The key is managing retention. Rift has struggled since day 1with long term retentiion. People (general) have a strong initial impression yet are unsubbed a few months later. Super fast leveling syndrome? Maybe, but no one knows for sure.

strangiato2112 · December 2012

Originally posted by Raventree
I really feel like if enough players suggested this it would get done. Trion is just that responsive. I was one of the people who repeatedly suggested in the suggestion forums that they add housing and they kind of blew me away with how well they did it.

The PvP community wanted more meaningful open world PvP, Trion answered with instanced conquest.

People wanted new low/midlevel zones, Trion responded with the entire expansion for 50+

Doesnt hurt to suggest because they listen to a lot of them, but a lot of the most requested items have been ignored.

Khebeln · December 2012

Originally posted by strangiato2112
Originally posted by Raventree
Honestly, Trion has done a better job with this expansion and their relentless content updates than any other company that I am aware of. I have been seeing the SL advertisements everywhere, but that may be because I visit a lot of gaming sites. I'd also like to know how a company really gets those subscription numbers to start climbing again once you are past the initial release boom.

So far no one has pulled this off. Its constant growth from the start or nothing.

Some games have managed to rise for a year or two after an initial dip (EQ2) but none have yet been able to fall off after release and fully recover. I don't think its impossible, but we havent seen it yet.

The key is managing retention. Rift has struggled since day 1with long term retentiion. People (general) have a strong initial impression yet are unsubbed a few months later. Super fast leveling syndrome? Maybe, but no one knows for sure.

Eve pulled it of, and is doing it since release increasing the subscribbers each year. And its one of the oldest mmos on the market. It can be done.

Rift is doing reasonably well in regards to player retention compared to most mmos released during the last 5 years. There is huge competition on the market and even games like wow are losing the players due to age and playerbase spread out.

the innovative games are 1 month hit recently and hit rock bottom after 1-2 months.

I

Khebeln · December 2012

Originally posted by strangiato2112
Originally posted by Raventree
I really feel like if enough players suggested this it would get done. Trion is just that responsive. I was one of the people who repeatedly suggested in the suggestion forums that they add housing and they kind of blew me away with how well they did it.

The PvP community wanted more meaningful open world PvP, Trion answered with instanced conquest.

People wanted new low/midlevel zones, Trion responded with the entire expansion for 50+

Doesnt hurt to suggest because they listen to a lot of them, but a lot of the most requested items have been ignored.

You constantly bash on the Rift whenever and hovever you can in every posible topic so i would not sugest taking this guy seriously as im not even sure if hes playing, and if he is thats just being hypocrite.

It all sounds like the cry of miniority in rift that wants one thing that majority didint want and cant get over it.

No one that actualy "PLAYS" the game wanted low or mid lv zones. NO ONE. Content locust players thinking about coming back ? maybe. Actual players didint want that.

If you actualy visit PTS often you have opportunity to talk to DEVS frequently about new ideas and problems. Trion Rift division have one of the best player to dev comunication right now.

Right now there are only handful of quality mmos on the market that are doing fine or great. Rift is one of them. Not saying its not w/o its flaws, but they are not where you say.

Biggest one would be cpu capped engine, weird artstyle for many (took me a LOOOONG time to get used to) but a very high quality one.

Id say if anything the fact that Rift is so alien for many players is the main reason why it dont have as many players as you would expect.

If Rift will have real future like Eve or will plumet like most mmos will depends on their next expansion and the willingless to improve the game engine performance considerably.

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[General Article] Rift: Storm Legion Review In Progress Part 4

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[General Article] Rift: Storm Legion Review In Progress Part 4

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