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###Long Version:
Certainly it sounds cliche, but bear with me. I try to be a fairly low key player, but my real interest in games are team oriented. This was one of the big draws to DAoC and later to War. I gave AoC a try but roughly three months in, even a decent guild didn't make up for some of the nonsense in the way of broken game mechanics. So I came around with some pretty decent expectations with War.
Frankly, I was a little disappointed but I didn't count it out. The reason why I was disappointed was that it wasn't DAoC 2. Although they never marketed it as DAoC 2, so the fault of expectations was laid at my feet. I adjusted to the more fast paced action, that War proved to be over DAoC. I think coming off of AoC's oneshot fest it was a welcome change.
I've been watching the changes, and seemingly everything that's been altered has been for the better. Combat has been streamlined to the point where actions are immediate. There is still some funny business with timered abilities, showing they are ready when they are not. Annoying at times, but not gamebreaking. Open RvR has recently been bumped to a 100% XP bonus, which is the right course of action. I greatly enjoy the RvR lakes moreso than scenarios, and being the core aspect of the game I would think it should be worth the most due to the effort and time investment is far greater. Prior to the second 50% bump, I was able to clear an easy 20% of a level defending a keep in T2.
The new chat changes are huge. Prior to the changes chat felt almost useless, as if you were moving from tiny box to tiny box. The restriction was horrible without a doubt. With the new /1(Zone) /2(zone-RvR) changes, it's very easy to get a PvE/PQ or RvR group going. It melds well with the open party system. I end up using vent for guild groups, but I've been able to put together some warbands for keep sieges thanks to the new changes.
The best thing that's happened to my gameplay personally was leaving my low/low population server. Frankly I would have given up on this game had I remained on it. I do think it was a mistake to open the number of servers, and they've already stated they will be offering transfers so players can grow the respective numbers on the "established" servers. The next thing was to find a good -Active- guild. A guild is only as good as how active it is. I've joined a few guilds in my playtime, but when I was able to find an active one, when my gameplay changed a great deal. Just for today, I did a few PQs with guild groups. We then moved on to a pre-made scenario group. Then finally finished it up chatting away in vent on tatics, specs, and other such nonsense.
I think if people play the game as a solo scenario/grind-fest you would get burned out exceedingly fast. I felt that way on my low/low server pretty much all the time. I think it would get around low/med during primetime. I rerolled a 20 chosen to a now 20 Bright wizard, and it's still a lot of fun.
###Short version:
I think the summary is, while War isn't DAoC 2.0 Mythic is heading in the right direction with the decisions on where the game is focused. The regular updates, admissions of faults & how they will address them, along with the advancements for open RvR have me hooked. I'm planning on sticking around as long as these types of updates continue. It shows while the game is still getting on it's feet, the developers are actively engaged in responding to the feedback of the players.
Certainly like all games, War is probably not for everyone. Though I'm having fun right now, pending Mythic doesn't do something to screw the pooch so to speak. Though if you check the updates they have a lot of solid ideas coming down the pipeline to address various issues.
Comments
Nice post, dear.
I have to disagree.....
1) PQ areas are completely empty
2) Open RvR is a ghost town
3) Crafting sucks
4) Scenarios although fun sometimes, are usually completely unbalanced team wise, which means one team slaughters the other big time.
5) PvE is pathetic and boring... I still can't believe that the dungeons are just big PQ areas...
6) When you do find enough people to do a PQ area or Dungeon they have this stupid loot system that is based completely on random rolls... So someone can come in at the last second and get 1st place overall...
7) We all look like clones of each other, there is no customization in this game at all...
8) Everyone is playing DPS classes (at least on the Order side), healers and tanks are becoming an endangered species
Stick a fork in it, this game is done.....
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