Dungeons & Dragons Online Is Getting A Mini-Expansion, Called 'The Sinister Secret Of Saltmarsh' | M

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Dungeons & Dragons Online Is Getting A Mini-Expansion, Called 'The Sinister Secret Of Saltmarsh' | MMORPG.com

Standing Stone Games is testing the waters of the mini-expansion release with their other MMO, Dungeons & Dragons Online, with Executive Producer Rob Ciccolini announcing the D&D game will see one hit this year.

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MikeJezZ

Tried the game today to see if it was interesting.

It took several hours downloading despite having a good Internet connection, but left fast due to how badly the game has aged.

Talemire

My issue is that the gate of entry so is insanely steep that it's not worth investing in. If you want all the content, you're gonna be out hundreds and still left with a subscription fee after that. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's great. It's just, well, insanely expensive.

Ungood

Talemire said:

My issue is that the gate of entry so is insanely steep that it's not worth investing in. If you want all the content, you're gonna be out hundreds and still left with a subscription fee after that. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's great. It's just, well, insanely expensive.

If you get the Sub, you will be level 16 before you even need to think about the expansions. 

and as a 1st life toon, you will make level 20, before you get around to doing the expansion content.

Ungood

Also.. I'll see how this pans out, DDO is very different game than LOTRO, so it might work better.

Nebless

Talemire said:

My issue is that the gate of entry so is insanely steep that it's not worth investing in. If you want all the content, you're gonna be out hundreds and still left with a subscription fee after that. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's great. It's just, well, insanely expensive.

The Gate of Entry is steep????? You get 74 Free lvl 1 to 10 dungeons. That's your gate of entry right there and it's totally free. Getting up to lvl 10 which is a third of the way to max can be done totally free.

Yes if you want ALL the content you'll have to pay; either money or grind points, but first WHY would you want all the content? I've been playing since 2009 right after it went F2p and have no interest in some of the packs; some just dupe other levels I have covered and some I'm not interested in and you don't NEED all the content to hit max. Not to mention if you run a sub ALL the non-expansion content is included. And since you could say it's B2p, why would you need to keep a sub running after buying all the content?

As for being insanely expensive, in the past 11 years I've been playing I've probably only spent a total of $200 on it.

Nebless

Ungood said:

Also.. I'll see how this pans out, DDO is very different game than LOTRO, so it might work better.

That's it right there, it's going to depend on how much content is in it.

olepi

I just started playing DDO recently, and am pleasantly surprised.

YashaX

olepi said:

I just started playing DDO recently, and am pleasantly surprised.

Yeah that's how I felt when I first tried it. The graphics are pretty subpar, but there are so many interesting mechanics for an mmo - amazing level design, deep character customization, narrated dungeons, etc. 

FrodoFragins

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

cheyane

I really do love this game. I was playing a bard not too long ago.

Scorchien

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

Mostly yes the experience feels like a lobby based game ..

Ungood

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

If, by World you mean something like a continuous open zone maps, akin to EQ1, GW2, and the like... 

The answer is No.

If by World, you mean a large explorer zone map, that is themed to the content it relates to, and has dungeons nestled in it.. it has that.

FrodoFragins

Ungood said:

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

If, by World you mean something like a continuous open zone maps, akin to EQ1, GW2, and the like... 

The answer is No.

If by World, you mean a large explorer zone map, that is themed to the content it relates to, and has dungeons nestled in it.. it has that.

is the explorer zone instanced to your party?

Ungood

FrodoFragins said:

Ungood said:

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

If, by World you mean something like a continuous open zone maps, akin to EQ1, GW2, and the like... 

The answer is No.

If by World, you mean a large explorer zone map, that is themed to the content it relates to, and has dungeons nestled in it.. it has that.

is the explorer zone instanced to your party?

It's instanced to your party. 

There are even some Raid Explorer zones, so that the whole raid group can travel together to the raids that are placed in the Explorer zones.

You can set the party as "Public" but it's still going to be instanced to that party, and limited by the party size.

Which still boggles my mind that people wanted huge explorer zones and mounts.. so that they run around through a whole bunch of nothing.

Nebless

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

There actually is.  The 'world' is broken up into different zones; Korthos Island (starter area), The Harbor, The Marketplace, and the various House area's.    Each of those is a public zone and that's where you'll see people running around going to the trainers, Quest givers, Vendors and the dungeon start points.

These would be the area's you could walk around in to sight-see in and you'll find some hidden and interesting things if you take your time and chat with some of the NPC's.

There's also explorer zones (called Wilderness area's) which branch off some of the above zones.  Now those are instanced to you / your party and can be private (just you / your group) or public meaning anyone can come into your instance.

Some of the explorer zones aren't all that big, but contain dungeon start points and some are quite large also having dungeon start points.  The explorer zone's (Wilderness area's) also contain their own quest goals; find different spots (explore), find various bosses and slay an ever increasing number of monsters and all of those will earn you XP.

Ungood

Nebless said:

FrodoFragins said:

Is this really just a lobby game?  There isn't a world you can explore a bit and walk through to get to dungeons?

There actually is.  The 'world' is broken up into different zones; Korthos Island (starter area), The Harbor, The Marketplace, and the various House area's.    Each of those is a public zone and that's where you'll see people running around going to the trainers, Quest givers, Vendors and the dungeon start points.

These would be the area's you could walk around in to sight-see in and you'll find some hidden and interesting things if you take your time and chat with some of the NPC's.

There's also explorer zones (called Wilderness area's) which branch off some of the above zones.  Now those are instanced to you / your party and can be private (just you / your group) or public meaning anyone can come into your instance.

Some of the explorer zones aren't all that big, but contain dungeon start points and some are quite large also having dungeon start points.  The explorer zone's (Wilderness area's) also contain their own quest goals; find different spots (explore), find various bosses and slay an ever increasing number of monsters and all of those will earn you XP.

Right, there are various "City" zones. You have Krothos, then you have Stormreach, which is broken into the Harbor, Market Place, and the Various Houses.

You also have places like Zawabi's Refuge, Merdia, Savarath, Reavers Refuge, Etc, which are their own City Zones, or "Hub" areas as it where.

Then you have Expansion City (Hub) areas, like Evening Star, Sharn, Etc.

It's not like being in a Lobby really, even if technically, it could be called a lobby dungeon running game, it does not feel like you are in a Lobby, it feels like you are in a city, and going about, doing things.

cheyane

It is actually quite nice to see other players and loads of them too at the harbour and other common areas. I enjoy seeing them as I go about.

The thing I appreciate the most about this game is that it has such a great variety in how one might go about building your character. There are many ways to skin a cat as they say and this game has given you the tools and created a world where you can go and test them. I love trying to solve the puzzles and get a sense of satisfaction when I manage to figure it out.

The quests can be very long, some are short, and if you die or don't complete it you do not get any experience. So it is important that you and your group are prepared for it before you go in. There is also the option to solo or do a group quest at different difficulties. Many options and a very good game in my opinion and I do enjoy listening to the dungeon keeper. 

Scorchien

If you ever played GW1  , it feels exactly like that , which oddly enough ANet calls GW1 a lobby based game ..

Ungood

Scorchien said:

If you ever played GW1  , it feels exactly like that , which oddly enough ANet calls GW1 a lobby based game ..

I played GW1, when it was Beta/EA, with my guild. I don't recall it being anything like DDO.

olepi

DDO for me has just the right mix of old-school mechanics, extremely deep character creation, and fast-paced action that isn't quite twitch based, but almost.

The graphics are good enough, and the effects and animations are good.

Scorchien

Ungood said:

Scorchien said:

If you ever played GW1  , it feels exactly like that , which oddly enough ANet calls GW1 a lobby based game ..

I played GW1, when it was Beta/EA, with my guild. I don't recall it being anything like DDO.

The la k of world , lobby feel us very similar imo  that was the comparison and where it ends .  Both have that lobby feel lacking a true open world

TwistedSister77

How easy is it to be a new player and find groups?

Nebless

TwistedSister77 said:

How easy is it to be a new player and find groups?

Lot of different factors impacted on those 2 questions; but I'd have to say medium hard.

New Player;

There is a pretty steep learning curve to become a 'effective' player.  Now anyone can crank out a toon and go wack stuff, but to get to the point where you can take on and beat higher level content does take a bit of knowledge and work.

Some of what you need to know can be found in the game; you do have a pop up box explaining things and there are NPC's in game that will impart knowledge but I'd say on the whole you're going to have to go outside the game; talk to people, read the newbie guides etc.... to really get a grasp on what's going on.

The game is set up to assist new players; your first dungeon you can't die and it walks you trough the basics, then the next set of dungeons are pretty easy and continue the teaching role and with each dungeon having the different levels of difficulty; on level, 1 level higher and finally 2 levels higher, a player can ease into it.

Groups;

There is a Looking for Group panel anyone can post on.  Plus while their is no Global chat (which I think hurts the game as many believe the games dead as they're not seeing others chat), there is zone chat and it's probably most active in the starter zone.

It'll also depend on getting on the right server for your time zone.  Go to one that's most active when you're asleep and you won't be seeing anyone while you're awake.

And while checking players levels is still important, it's not a total game breaker since the game is set up for players to max and then restart back at lvl 1.  

olepi

TwistedSister77 said:

How easy is it to be a new player and find groups?

I've been playing solo so far, up to level 6. I have turned down a lot of guild invites, and group invites, because I'm not comfortable with the character yet, and not sure I will play this character long term.

However, you can buy a hireling of almost any class to accompany you. And if you pick a class that has a pet, you are a group of 3 when you play solo.

Wizardry

I kept itching to go back and give it another  try,has be like 3 tries already.I stood there looking at install then told myself WHY,i can get better easily so why waste my time.