We took a week off due to a busy week last week, but we're back on track. This Friday and next we'll have five more questions and answers with Victor Watcher and D&D Online team.
MMORPG.com: Sorcerers and Wizards are very similar classes. Both, for example, are Arcane spellcasters. In Dungeons and Dragons 3.5e, wizards must memorize their spells while sorcerers do not. How will this be handled in DDO?
Victor Watcher: The acquisition of spells is unchanged from the D&D 3.5 Core Rules. Sorcerers select their spells as their characters advance, and are always limited to that set of spells. Wizards are able to prepare a number of spells based on their level before each adventure, selecting anything that they have in their spellbook.
The main difference between the two classes that differs from pen and paper D&D is in the number of spells each class can cast. Instead of the spells per day system, we use the spell points system, under which a Sorcerer can cast more spells before resting than a Wizard. |
You can read the full Q&A here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
Oh where to begin:
DAoC Juansanchez 50 Armsman Igraine - Back from the Grave
DAoC Prol 50 Necro Igraine - Back from the Grave
CoH Devient 28 Mace/Stone Tank *Retired*
WoW Talgar 27 Warrior *Retired*
Horizons Goledstadt 35 Dragon *Retired*
And many many others in many many games. But I always go back to my home in DAoC
as always, I cant wait for DDO. Theyre using a combat system not unlike RYL, with the real-time battles. I loved the combat system in RYL, all else just sucked
Anyways, I cant wait for it... must... buy!
At first I thought this game would be crap but after reading some Q&A, I'm kidnfof hyped up about it. I'm really looking forward to testing the game out as well as inputting my opinions and bugs to the developers.
EDIT: I'm afraid though that bards are going to be heavily neglected like in any other D&D game ala NWN, BG, the old 8 bit games, etc.
Ya, I'm interested in it... the live action combat is a big pull for me...
This is one game that almost demands an open beta to judge....trying to make a MMORG that adheres to a pen and paper ruleset where a few friends gather once a week to play with essentially their own GM...well it's going to be interesting to see how well they balance between strickly adhereing to the D&D rules and making the small number of loyal D&D players happy and adapting to traditional MMORG game mechanics enough to gett the huge number of daily players necessary to make an MMORG function.
"MMORPG.com: Roleplaying obviously played a large role in the pen-and-paper version of Dungeons and Dragons. What, if anything, are you doing within your game to promote that kind of gameplay?
Victor Watcher:
This is always a difficult question to answer for any MMORPG: We can build the sandbox, but can we get people to play in it? This is why there is such a focus on bringing the D&D character classes to life. These are each unique roles that a player can assume, and so we build them along with content that highlights each role in order to give the player a strong sense of identification with that role."
What BS. What is DDO doing to "bring the classes to life" anymore than any other major mmorpg?
The truthful answer to the question "What is DDO doing to promote roleplaying?" is: Nothing Special
Maybe that's because there is realistically nothing a game company can do about something that only takes place in the imagination of the participating players beyond using instances and other schemes that prevent non-roleplayers from interfering. You can't force people to roleplay, so it's pointless to complain about it.
No you can't force roleplay.
But you can provide carrots and sticks to encourage it and Turbine isn't making an effort to do so.
I can't wait for the NDA to lift, so the testers can voice off.
ijust cant wait. everything sounds wonderful so far:)