DOAC PvP - do I have to finish the game first?!?!?

[old.Aspartame]

There seems to be a rather big issue for this game. I bought it based on the idea that I could do some nice RvR combat (i.e. a cross of RPG and FPS which hasn't really appeared yet).

Ok, so I start levelling up... but release how painfully SLOW it is.
Also, killing toads and stuff over and over again, watching the bar slowly go up, occasionally getting bumrushed by some monsters 10 levels above me... fine... but I then realise that the manual said level 15 for RvR! OMG level FIFTEEN jeez do I have to spend my life playing this or something? This was to worsen on reading some posts on here about not even bothering with RvR until level 40+. What the hell?

Seriously, the only thing I was interested in was some PvP, and it looks like its only for people who have already played the game for ages. What I'm saying here is there is NOTHING for the casual gamer in this game. I want to spend a few hours building a char, go to the front and see some action. It seems like I have to put in weeks of effort in just to get a char who can even stay alive out there.

Am I missing something? Does everyone buy the game, play it for a few days, have the sudden realisation (see above) then bin their copy? Is there some secret way to level up quick? (btw - killing toads and tree trunks even as a group just aint fun).

This is my first (well not really - I bought EQ but that went back almost instantly) foray into MMORPG and will most likely be my last.

Soz, but I just can't see how it works, and would love some enlightenment.

BTW - I will most likely continue playing for a bit (u have to keep trying I spent 20 quid on this) - For Excal and Pryd which are the weakest realms currently?

---
Aspartame

 

[Aeiedil]

Sadly it takes a lot of time to get to a level where you dont get killed in about 0.000001 seconds (at least general emain melee), i can normally manage about 0.000002 seconds Obviously this depends on class but presently id say its possible to rvr from about 20 upwards.

Level 20+, Yggdra Forest, Uppland, Midgard
Level 20+?. Forest Sauvage, Albion (deserted, albs dont go to frontier much it seems)
Level 20+, Cruachon Gorge, Mount Collory, Hibbieland
Level 25+, Odins Wall, Midgard
Level 35+, Emain Macha

Obviously those level ranges are just guesses, and you will usually see very high levels in all places. After the patch there will however be 2 zones where you can go for decent fights, which are for levels 20-24, 25-29, and 30-34 (i think). Sadly this still means you need to be level 20+ to get into rvr really, but unfortunatly thats how it is. It is possible, at least on Hibernia, to level some charachters to 20 in about 30 hours playtime (Enchanter for example), maybe faster. I am sure if you know what you are doing its possible to get most charachters up to that level in that time, but obviously it will take time, otherwise it would be too easy for the powergamers to reach higher levels.

If you feel like a change, it sounds like Star Wars Galaxies, when released, may be different. From what it says in the info it dosen't seem to have a level system, more some kind of skills system, dunno what that all means though Hope this is of some use to you

 

[SFXman]

People who are new to MMORPGs usually don't realise that you paly these game for months... that is the whole point behind them
About reaching L15... that is a day or two of quality playtime.

I am way too tired to explain anything about RvR right now

 

[deadparrot]

this isnt really a casual-gamer type of game, to get to a good RvR lvl you have to work a for a while.
The whole point in the game is to build (and customize) your character up throught the lvl's, an that takes time.

If you want a game you can get straight into player battling you're better off with a fps like tribes 2 (altho its not too newb friendly), that i play when i want a breeak from doac

 

[SFXman]

Exactly
This game is not meant for the unpatient, I have noticed at times...
I just release my aggression by getting a good lightsaber duel going in Jedi Outcast

 

[old.Alliandre]

I know what you mean SFXMan. It feels good to throw lightning at someone, and then cut off their head and laugh like a maniac. Looking forward to SWG. I put down to be a beta tester, but have only got newsletters so far.

 

[razorboy]

lvl 15 isn't that hard to get imo, find a guard and get kill tasks, or if ur a hib get a lvl 50 enchanter to buff you and then kill reds

 

[kain_pravus]

The levels where you could do kill tasks seemed to fly by, leveling from 20-37 dragged on.

but i'm here for the long run (just hope goa is ) so I'll get to level 50, i'm in no serious rush.

You can RvR at lvl 15... The chances are your going to die fast, but hey so what...

 

[old.tRoG]

this is why i didnt uninstall half-life (and all the many, many mods) and q3 when i bought daoc.

its always fun to blast someones head of with a rocket launcher

but tbh lvling to 20 is easy... then the xp grind begins

 

[granny]

Originally posted by Aspartame
Ok, so I start levelling up... but release how painfully SLOW it is.

Oh god yes, wait until/if you get to lvl 40, then it gets stupidly slow

is there is NOTHING for the casual gamer in this game

No.

Soz, but I just can't see how it works

It doesn't.

 

[Louster]

Agreed fully with granny.
It's a game for masochists.
In fact, it's not really a game.
Jesus Christ I only wish I had something better to waste my time on.
The only way you'll have anything approaching "fun" in this game is if you make "friends" or play with people you already know. Otherwise, I recommend either watching TV or masturbating (or combining both!!!) as more fulfilling pasttimes.

 

[SilverHood]

I recommend either watching TV or masturbating (or combining both!!!) as more fulfilling pasttimes.

Suppose you could do it during downtime?

 

[Louster]

Aha. An excellent idea.

 

[klavrynd]

seems nobody played everquest

now there's a game where you need to spend massive amounts of time to get somewhat of a character

(not too mention the huuuuuge downtimes and death penalties)

 

[kalgarn]

well in the next patch we get 3 lowlevel batllegrounds.so you will get some nice time off xp'ing and you can go rvr'ing for a while.

 

[Louster]

Originally posted by klavrynd
seems nobody played everquest

now there's a game where you need to spend massive amounts of time to get somewhat of a character

(not too mention the huuuuuge downtimes and death penalties)

Less bad does not equal good.

 

[Louster]

"Worship me, and be grateful that, in return, I will remove only one of your hands!"

 

[old.Aspartame]

Thanks for the replies,

Indeed I was prepared to put some time into playing the game (I understand that RPGs require at least some time outlay). But weeks of time thrown into a game just to get to fight other players?

Levelling is boring, and makes the game look poor versus ProgressQuest (currently the best RPG out there - all things considered). When they refer to things like EverCrack etc. I can quite understand it. People seem to play these games even tho they hate it. Killing the same monsters over and over, not going anywhere, throwing hours of time away - for no apparent reason.


One thing I will say, its a great way to throw away a summer. But think, you can play 1 hour of an FPS, feel like you have acheived something since it requires more than just 'how much time I've wasted on the game' to be good.


I can see the attraction of MMORPG, but thankfully will not become an addict


Aspartame
^ now theres an addiction!

 

[old.tRoG]

Originally posted by Aspartame
I can see the attraction of MMORPG, but thankfully will not become an addict

Thats what they all say in the beggining...

 

[old.Carnak]

If you wanna do PvP fast, go on a test shard on UO and make a char (you can set skills) and kill other people like that. There you can actually see how good you are compared to others because everyone is sort of "Level 50" and can afford the same equipment. It gets boring really fast though if you didnt work to be better than others.

 

[SilverHood]

and one hour of fps?

I went back to Tactical Ops for 2 hours the other day.... afyer not playing for 2 months

Wish i hadn't... sucked soooooo badly.. but atlest I managed to get 8 kills over that time

/em remembers getting 45 kills in 20 mins

damn my aim is rusty

 

[old.Prof]

The only way you'll have anything approaching "fun" in this game is if you make "friends" or play with people you already know.

I had to laugh when I read that line

This is a friggin multiplayer game THE ENTIRE POINT IS TO MAKE FRIENDS AND PLAY WITH EM FFS.

Join a guild - fill yer friend list - go adventure with em - go RvR with em - chat with em - etc. It's the social interaction that's crucial in MMORPGs and keep you playing in the long term.

Complaining that you need to make friends to truly enjoy the game is like complaining about an FPS game you need to shoot others to have fun.

 

[Lydek]

it requires more than just 'how much time I've wasted on the game' to be good.

Not really, I've wasted enough time on an fps to get pretty good at it... time is all it takes, nothing more

 

[Danya]

Originally posted by Prof

Complaining that you need to make friends to truly enjoy the game is like complaining about an FPS game you need to shoot others to have fun.

Well said.

 

[old.chesnor]

Originally posted by Prof


Complaining that you need to make friends to truly enjoy the game is like complaining about an FPS game you need to shoot others to have fun.

Undoubtedly true. However, daoc is a RPG...right ?

How about if I want to play a loner, taking the world on alone....? (and please don;t give me no shite about playing a single player game, sometimes I want to group, sometime I feel anti-social...ok)

In this game I can't. Oh, and try levelling zerker solo. I CANT FREAKING PULL OMG.....btw is the zerker the only class in the whole game that can't pull ?

 

[old.LandShark]

Oddly chesnor, no. Friar and paladin come to mind instantly...
Back on subject, I can't really agree that FPS is as fun in far far less time. Having been in one of the world's best teamfortress clans (apologies for sounding arrogant here, it's really not how i mean it - i'm crap now due to lack of practise) i can promise you that you can waste as much time in an FPS as an MMPORG. And yet, the reason I ever played so much TFC (from Xmas 1998 to about Xmas 2001) was because of the social interaction with clanmates. Decent clanmates is what keeps an FPS playable in the long run, and in DAoC it's the same. Hell, my best "online friend" is currently having account probs, and i can't be arsed playing until he is =p

Best tip for easier exping: find someone to chat to while you do it. Nothing else makes it bearable.
Second tip for easier exping: find a MINSTREL to chat with, and do tasks together. Runsong is essential

 

[old.chesnor]

In 1.51D (I think) they gave a pull spell to pallys and friars (and wardens rofl, although they get bows) so I think that just leaves zerkers.....

I've tried (almost) every class in this game now. But I really do not see the point in the light tank classes (zerker, blademaster, mercs). They are all universally poor...moan more?. Or does noone actually play them...?

 

[old.Klazartthetank]

FYI

Okay guys, no need to cry about needing to level.
THe next patch will add battle grounds for newbies
and this will continue in the patch after i think also

Basically battle ground has a level limit where only certain level can play.

There are Battle grounds for level 30-35, 25-30 and 20-25
so u can be a level 20 (takes like less than a week to get there if u know what u are doing - can do it purely on kill tasks). And then you can go RvR to your hearts content in the battle grounds.

So have patience.

 

[old.Aspartame]

With regard to FPS games, I would say the following:

The rate at which you get 'better' at a game (relate to say, being a 'higher level') is dependent upon your hand eye coordination and your general skill at FPS games (e.g. movement strategy etc.). Someone who has both in abundance will be the best in a very short period of time, gaining maximum satisfaction. People who are not as good will need to put more time in to become better at the game. Hence, time is not a factor with FPS games (if we can balance it either way with inherant skill).

With RPG's it is literally just time. There is no skill, you can never be 'better' than anyone else unless you put more time in. Your time does not make you yourself a better person, you don't develop your hand-eye, or learn new approaches to movement in combat etc. You do the same thing over and over and over again. You never know if you are better than someone next to you, because even a 20 level difference means one thing:

He/she spent more time playing than you, regardless of how well the time was spent.

You can never really be 'better' than anyone else. There is nothing to distinguish a good player from a bad player, since the level of a player is just 'time spent divided by time spent to get level'. For items, its a similar story, killing monsters for the right 'drop'. Now, in an FPS, you truly feel that you are better than your opponents, your score is higher and you dominate, from the word go.

The way I would conclude is that in order to be good at RPG games, you spend time. Spending time is not a skill, as we could say about hand-eye. I can be as good as EVERYONE in this forum, if I decided that I wanted to put some time in. But, some of you who play FPS may always be better than me, no matter how much time I put in.

DAOC's RvR sounded really good, but underneath all the nice graphics (and they are NICE graphics for an online RPG game) its still just ProgressQuest (www.progressquest.com - it will change your outlook on RPG's), but in this game you have to be playing all the time.

As a final note, how many hours would I need to put in before I could reach, oh I dunno, level 40. And then, how many for level 50?

 

[old.Cher]

felt i needed to reply. Its amazing that u say that this game is just about time. because to be honest its not. True time does come into it (as in all games) but you still hae different skill levels. a few examples

1) 40 odd people may be the same level. but the play time between them is immensely different, some people pick up the game fast, others it takes time with. Similer to your hand eye co ordination argument, this game requires thinking, pick the wrong mob or area = Dead fast or slooooow leveling.

2)IN rvr not always the force with the higher lvls win, on hibernia prydwen we have small no.s , yet still come out on top of bigger forces occasionally by using tactics.

3) this game most of the time acts as a chatroom, its a place to meet people and talk to them and laugh and have fun, soon as i quit having fun i quit the game.

To be honest you don't really appear to be a real gamer,Aspartame, u just appear to be an annoying add for another game, (kinda like a pop up, but worse) but i'm sure u are able to advertise things on here for free.

and an intresting thing about this progresquest malarky thing is its description of leveling

"Your character gains experience by killing monsters and sentient beings, over and over again. Once the experience bar is full, your character levels up, and is given an automatic boost in several of his stats"

Sounds to me like daoc, and yet you seem in love with one but yet not the other