Dark Ages of Camelot

jimmydatwin · September 2010

Thinking of giving this game a try. Wish I could have got into it years ago but never found it. Is there still an active population base? Is it going to be impossible to reach a high enough level to enjoy the end game PvP content(as a new player joining an old game)? If anyone has any input please let me know. Downloading client now and just curious as to what is going on these days with this game.

Thanks in advance.

tiki · September 2010

At prime time the server has just under 3000 people, 1000 per realm. I have not leveled a character from 1 - 50 the old fashion way in years, so I am not sure how hard it will be to level with people these days.

I do know that if you can get to level 20, which is about 6 hours soloing in task dungeons, you will be able to go to the battleground Thidranki and have an awesome time leveling from only RVR from 20 till 25ish, depending on when you get killed, you get kicked out the first time you die and dont get rezed after 25. Then pve again until 35 then have an awesome time rvring and leveling at the same time again.

In the end, getting to 50 in DAOC these days is not a difficult task and the battleground help break up the grind. Hope you have fun! Dont be afraid to PM me here if you need any help.

SuperXero89 · September 2010

Pretty much every server has been consolidated into one, so there's a healthy amount of players running around. It's extremely easy to get to the max level. In fact, you could probably do so in a week, and that's by taking your time. Of course, you'll be soloing the entire time, but at least you'll fly through those levels.

What I can't really tell you is how easily you'll be able to gear yourself towards the endgame. Given that you're playing alongside people who have (most likely) been playing for at least five years or more, you'll obviously have a lot of catching up to do, at least in terms of learning game mechanics. I suppose gearing your character and learning your class will vary depending on what you put into the game.

Sid_Vicious · September 2010

The game is becoming too old for me but definitely a lot better than most of what else is out there . .. and totally worth playing if you are not a spoiled little brat (majority of the MMO community is seems these days).

The game will seem totally dead until you hit the max level. I would definitely ask for assistance from other players to reach the end game with good gear asap. Its all about the endgame in this one and luckily they made it a lot easier to reach it.

Good luck ; )

Mardy · September 2010

Gah you posting this in the Pub made me think there was big news about DAOC initially.. Ugh, ok back to my corner wishing for DAOC 2.

Jimmac · September 2010

Originally posted by SuperXero89
Pretty much every server has been consolidated into one, so there's a healthy amount of players running around. It's extremely easy to get to the max level. In fact, you could probably do so in a week, and that's by taking your time. Of course, you'll be soloing the entire time, but at least you'll fly through those levels.

What I can't really tell you is how easily you'll be able to gear yourself towards the endgame. Given that you're playing alongside people who have (most likely) been playing for at least five years or more, you'll obviously have a lot of catching up to do, at least in terms of learning game mechanics. I suppose gearing your character and learning your class will vary depending on what you put into the game.

This is pretty much accurate. I can confirm that it doesn't take more than a week to reach max level. I did so recently, mostly solo pve. A few things I'd like to add, gearing yourself for pvp after you reach the max lvl has actually somewhat been fast tracked, if you know which items to get and how to get them.

You can construct a basic crappy template (gear setup) upon reaching lvl 50, then work towards the good items by rvr'ing with other people. So you need to find a guild or a group of people to play with that (a) know which items you need for your template and (b) will help you get them. After that, it's just a matter of playing the game.

The biggest hinderence to playing the game, like SuperXero said, is learning the game mechanics. This varies by class, but no matter which class you play, the combat mechanics in this game are very complex and it will take you a while to learn them, with or without a teacher. Also, you will die a lot.

Compound that with the fact that most other players will have special, uber abilities one can get by pvp'ing. 5 years of pvp experience means a ton of these abilities, and means you will be at a huge disadvantage against them.

Another poster mentioned that you can lvl mostly by pvp'ing in the battlegrounds. This isn't really true anymore. I mean you can do it, but it is way less effective than just pve lvl'ing. It is slower, you die a lot, and it is only possible for about 8 lvls anyway since most BGs are dead. You will pretty much have to lvl from 1-50 pve'ing, solo. Or at least that's how you should do it.

So in summary, the obstacles that make this game hard to start right now as a noob are:

- having to learn the complex game mechanics from scratch, especially if you have to teach yourself

- most other players are vets, and many are unwilling to help you level, teach you, or even play with you since you won't have decent gear or those special abilities

- finding a good group of people to play with

- getting geared out

- getting whooped over and over again most of the time due to the above reasons

EDIT: Oh and I know I mentioned "dying a lot" a couple of times. I'm not trying to say players shouldn't die a lot in mmo's. What I mean is that many of the times when you will die, you will have no opportunity to learn anything from the fight because you basically just got raped and there was nothing you could do about it. Dying from a fair fight is fine. Dying an excessive number of times in super unfair fights is fine as well, I just feel it necessary to warn people about it.

tiki · September 2010

Originally posted by Jimmac

Originally posted by SuperXero89

Pretty much every server has been consolidated into one, so there's a healthy amount of players running around. It's extremely easy to get to the max level. In fact, you could probably do so in a week, and that's by taking your time. Of course, you'll be soloing the entire time, but at least you'll fly through those levels.

What I can't really tell you is how easily you'll be able to gear yourself towards the endgame. Given that you're playing alongside people who have (most likely) been playing for at least five years or more, you'll obviously have a lot of catching up to do, at least in terms of learning game mechanics. I suppose gearing your character and learning your class will vary depending on what you put into the game.

This is pretty much accurate. I can confirm that it doesn't take more than a week to reach max level. I did so recently, mostly solo pve. A few things I'd like to add, gearing yourself for pvp after you reach the max lvl has actually somewhat been fast tracked, if you know which items to get and how to get them.

You can construct a basic crappy template (gear setup) upon reaching lvl 50, then work towards the good items by rvr'ing with other people. So you need to find a guild or a group of people to play with that (a) know which items you need for your template and (b) will help you get them. After that, it's just a matter of playing the game.

The biggest hinderence to playing the game, like SuperXero said, is learning the game mechanics. This varies by class, but no matter which class you play, the combat mechanics in this game are very complex and it will take you a while to learn them, with or without a teacher. Also, you will die a lot.

Compound that with the fact that most other players will have special, uber abilities one can get by pvp'ing. 5 years of pvp experience means a ton of these abilities, and means you will be at a huge disadvantage against them.

Another poster mentioned that you can lvl mostly by pvp'ing in the battlegrounds. This isn't really true anymore. I mean you can do it, but it is way less effective than just pve lvl'ing. It is slower, you die a lot, and it is only possible for about 8 lvls anyway since most BGs are dead. You will pretty much have to lvl from 1-50 pve'ing, solo. Or at least that's how you should do it.

So in summary, the obstacles that make this game hard to start right now as a noob are:

- having to learn the complex game mechanics from scratch, especially if you have to teach yourself

True

- most other players are vets, and many are unwilling to help you level, teach you, or even play with you since you won't have decent gear or those special abilities

I would definitely say most vets are 100% willing to teach people how to play, and obviously no one is going to waste their time PLing anyone for free.

- finding a good group of people to play with

True, unless you just plan to zerg than its very easy to find a group.

- getting geared out

I would say untrue, getting capped stats now is very easy, for anyone.

- getting whooped over and over again most of the time due to the above reasons

Unless you are zerging

EDIT: Oh and I know I mentioned "dying a lot" a couple of times. I'm not trying to say players shouldn't die a lot in mmo's. What I mean is that many of the times when you will die, you will have no opportunity to learn anything from the fight because you basically just got raped and there was nothing you could do about it. Dying from a fair fight is fine. Dying an excessive number of times in super unfair fights is fine as well, I just feel it necessary to warn people about it.

Jimmac · September 2010

Possible to find a group, yes. I meant a good group though. Also, there's been plenty of times where I logged in, started LFG and got no replies. But your point is certainly valid.

I've had different experiences with vets, but if you think most are willing to teach etc then that is great news for newbies.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "unless you are zerging" comment. I guess you mean you won't constantly be whooped if you are zerging. I mostly 8 manned and small grouped, and I rarely zerged, so I can't speak to that.

tiki · September 2010

Originally posted by Jimmac
Possible to find a group, yes. I meant a good group though. Also, there's been plenty of times where I logged in, started LFG and got no replies. But your point is certainly valid.

I've had different experiences with vets, but if you think most are willing to teach etc then that is great news for newbies.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "unless you are zerging" comment. I guess you mean you won't constantly be whooped if you are zerging. I mostly 8 manned and small grouped, and I rarely zerged, so I can't speak to that.

Same here, I hate zerging personally, but there is definitely a large amount of people that love doing it. Just look at the nightly Kzar zerg. But yea, I was just trying to say gear doesn't matter to much when you are on the side with significantly more numbers.

I do totally agree it is very very hard for noobs or even returning vets with a high RR and good gear to get 8man groups, that is definitely the biggest downside.

The reason why I say most vets are willing to give help is because everyone I play with, including myself, love to help out new players if they ever PM me. I will usually give a new player to the game a plat if they seem pleasant and serious about the game.

Slapshot1188 · September 2010

Recently returned to the game with some friends after a multi-year absence (never played Trials of Atlantis..)

We are having a great time. Usually only 2-3 of us on at a time, but occassionally we get 5-6. We have been able to start from scratch and level characters to 50 in both Albion and Midgard realms. Midgard is the realm we play most and I currently have a 50 Healer and Bonedancer. I also have a Hunter, Skald, Shadowblade, Shaman, and Bonedancer at level 39 for the 35-39 Battleground called Molvik. I also have a Hunter, and Thane at level 24 for the Thidranki Battleground. On Albion I have a 50 Heretic and then 3 characters in Molvik and 2 in Thid.

We just started playing with some Hibernian toons and I have a 30 NS and 24 Vamp.

All those characters have been created within 2 months and leveled/geared without the aid of any twinkage.

I have found folks to be very friendly on all 3 realms. In Midgard we made our own guild and actually joined an Alliance. They have been a great resource for asking newb questions (What stat effects this... Would you choose this skill or that one? etc)

On Albion and Hibernia we joined existing guilds and have been having fun as well.

I can confirm that population usually runs around 3k... This is for a pretty big window as well since they merged Euro and US servers.. It starts in EU prime and runs through US prime. Pretty much every night there are multiple keeps being taken in the Frontiers and relics changing hands.

I can honestly say that there is more action today in the frontier than there was on my original server prior to ToA expansion when I stopped playing.

Good Luck!

Howdy, Stranger!

Dark Ages of Camelot

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Quick Links

Dark Ages of Camelot

Comments