DAoC Trial?

[Strazos]

What with all the talk about Mythic and WAR....for some reason, I've gotten an itch for another PvP game. I don't feel like loading up Guild Wars (I only have the original game, so I invariably get stomped with my limited skill/item pool), so I thought I'd give a DAoC trial another shot. I tried it Years ago, but didn't give it much of a shot.

Now, I know the graphics at this point might be...painful to look at. That does not concern me. I an only concerned with how easy it is to get into PvP with a new character.

What server should I go on to? Am I going to have to PvE grind all the way up to 20 (or whatever)? Is it even possible to get anywhere with the trial (my previous try didn't even have Shrouded Isles)? Rogues still suck?

In all honesty, I've never really been able to participate in good RvR, or even large GvG combat, so I'd like to get a taste of it.

Kinda bored at the moment, so time wouldn't be a huge factor.

[Nebu]

1) If you decide to play, play on Bossiney (Gareth/Ector/Lamorak cluster).  It lacks the ToA grind so getting geared up and ready takes much less time. There is also a smaller difference between the "haves" and "have nots" making entry RvR more palatable.

2) The biggest weaknesses of the game are a) that the PvE is a terrible grind albeit shorter than it used to be and b) that the pvp is best enjoyed when you group with a competent bunch of people.  If you come to DAoC on your own without a group of friends, I think you'll find it to be less fun.  There are a few classes that can solo, but it can be a frustrating experience at times.

3) I think SI zones and NF still have double xp bonus, so that should speed things up a little. 

4) Not sure what the Trial gives you access to, but the best gear/leveling is found in Catacombs, Champion levels come in Darkness rising and the Labyrinth expansions should you decide to stay a while.

5) The more populated PvP battlegrounds come at level 24 (Thidranki), 39 (Molvik), and 49 (Cathal Valley).  If you know someone playing with a level 50, they should be able to get you to 24 in an hour or two max.

Post questions or PM me if you need a hand.  I've been playing this damn game since beta and have characters in all 3 realms of this cluster.

EDIT: Missed one.  Rogues are playable but many are gear and timer dependant.  Also, very few people play solo anymore so expect to fight 2+ opponents at any given turn.  It's better in the BG's, but you'll need to get to 24 before you experience any kind of decent PvP.


 

[tazelbain]

> I only have the original game, so I invariably get stomped with my limited skill/item pool

I still get hit with tons of GW: Prophecies (Origanal Campaign) spells these days.  They are still useful.  And I am pretty sure the new equipment system is available to Proph only people, so you can deck you char out as well as anybody else.

*Obligatory offer to PvP with you and help you get back up to speed.*

EDIT: Hows that Nebu?

[WayAbvPar]

Come back and risk your precious Raven in EVE, n00b. Plenty of PvP to be had right near our home base.

[Nebu]

I still get hit with tons of Prophies spells these days.  And I am pretty sure the new equipment system is available to Proph only people so you can deck you char out as well as anybody.

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[Nonentity]

I still get hit with tons of Prophies spells these days.  And I am pretty sure the new equipment system is available to Proph only people so you can deck you char out as well as anybody.

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

The official name for the original Guild Wars is now "Guild Wars: Prophecies", to follow in the naming convention of GW: Factions and GW: Nightfall.

[Nebu]

I still get hit with tons of Prophies spells these days.  And I am pretty sure the new equipment system is available to Proph only people so you can deck you char out as well as anybody.

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

The official name for the original Guild Wars is now "Guild Wars: Prophecies", to follow in the naming convention of GW: Factions and GW: Nightfall.

I get it now... if he had used Prophecies instead of Prophies I would have got it.  Crap, my ability to understand typos used to be much better.

[geldonyetich]

Nothing like the DAOC trial to get one to appreciate how far the MMORPG genre has come since then.

[Nebu]

Nothing like the DAOC trial to get one to appreciate how far the MMORPG genre has come since then.

Has it?  I haven't found an MMOG yet with consensual pvp anywhere near as well-made as DAoC. 

[Kitsune]

Funny coincidence, I found the DAOC+expansions pack at a local discount store for five bucks.  Brought back memories.  If only they hadn't fucked over the grouping system  I probably would've played for a year or two.  But once they hacked the experience for groups and made the level range so narrow, I couldn't keep playing with the friends I'd made, so that just killed my reason to play.

[Nebu]

Funny coincidence, I found the DAOC+expansions pack at a local discount store for five bucks.  Brought back memories.  If only they hadn't fucked over the grouping system  I probably would've played for a year or two.  But once they hacked the experience for groups and made the level range so narrow, I couldn't keep playing with the friends I'd made, so that just killed my reason to play.

If you have friends playing, you can get from level 1-50 and geared for PvP in about 16h played.  I did it just the other week. 

I can't think of a single other MMOG where you can get to the endgame and enjoy solid PvP that fast.

[Kitsune]

If you have friends playing, you can get from level 1-50 and geared for PvP in about 16h played.  I did it just the other week. 

I can't think of a single other MMOG where you can get to the endgame and enjoy solid PvP that fast.

Bear in mind, this was at release.  There was no way in hell you could get to 50 in 16h.

[Nebu]

Bear in mind, this was at release.  There was no way in hell you could get to 50 in 16h.

Very true.  The game has evolved a bit.

[Kitsune]

This was a few months in, two or three.  I'd hit level 25ish on my main, a smite cleric, and blown a TON of time on running the crafting errands to get the money to start up a guild with a few people.  PvP was still new enough that when we heard that one of the other realms was attacking, everyone'd stop what they were doing to ride off to the gates in the hopes of 'defending the realm', even the level 20s folks who didn't have a prayer in a fight against people 20 levels higher than they were.

And then one day it was like, "Oh, oops, we had a bug in the group code that let people group with higher-level people and actually have fun, so we're gonna fix that."  Overnight my experience gains halved, I said, 'Fuck this.' and quit.  Never went back.

[WayAbvPar]

And then one day it was like, "Oh, oops, we had a bug in the group code that let people group with higher-level people and actually have fun, so we're gonna fix that."  Overnight my experience gains halved, I said, 'Fuck this.' and quit.  Never went back.

Ditto. I think 90% of my lifetime posts on the Vault were about this issue to no avail.

[waylander]

We felt like you did and returned to DAOC after several years off.  I'd have to agree with one of the guys above that the DAOC free trial makes you grateful of the MMORPG advances in the last three years.  If you don't have friends to level up with or can't find a PL type guild to help you out, its not worth going back.

[Nebu]

If you don't have friends to level up with or can't find a PL type guild to help you out, its not worth going back.

Best advice here.

[Venkman]

But would you/your guild be interested in leveling up an interested group from F13? :)

[Nebu]

But would you/your guild be interested in leveling up an interested group from F13? :)

I'd certainly be willing to level/play with them.  I hate PvE to the point that I don't think I could bear PL'ing people just to have them leave in a week.

[Soln]

If you don't have friends to level up with or can't find a PL type guild to help you out, its not worth going back.

Best advice here.

sadly, that was my sentimental journey's result this year.  Bought all the upgrades, took hours on hours to download.  At the end, still same ole grind, with faster travel, and fewer peeps and fewer options because there are so few <50 toons.  I tried.

[AlteredOne]

But would you/your guild be interested in leveling up an interested group from F13? :)

I'd certainly be willing to level/play with them.  I hate PvE to the point that I don't think I could bear PL'ing people just to have them leave in a week.

I cancelled my account, but my wife's toon is on Alb/Gareth is still available to help out with such activities.  For some reason she persists in wanting to stock her merchant with stuff, even though she doesn't care to buy anything with the proceeds, go figure.  I find DAOC to be a sinking ship, but I will say that the battlegrounds can still be fairly fun -- particularly the level 20-24 and 35-39 ones.  I also enjoyed the new 45-49 battleground for a bit with its retro "Old Frontiers" look, but it's barely populated. 

At this point, DAOC is clearly a game with minimal new blood, gradually bleeding off old-timers with various mistakes such as the recent botched expansion which catered almost exclusively to hardcores.  The new RvR dungeon was released with massive LoS exploit issues, allowing certain classes to farm realm points nonstop for a week or so.  When certain exploiters are earning millions of realm points in a week without any punishment, your more casual crowd gets a wee bit upset that they spent many months trying to get a quarter of that number.

So if you really want to try DAOC I'd advise you to do two things:
1.  Roll on the "Classic" cluster
2.  Don't bother reaching 50 where you'll just be fodder for professional 8v8 RvR groups.  Just have some fun in the battlegrounds.

[Shapechanger]

I gotta second that.  BGs are the way to go.

Myself, Ive had 2 accounts since launch and still have them active.

That being said, I abandoned my home server when the classic servers came out.  Despite that, Ive never been able to get myself through the grind to 50, since I dont know anyone there.  I stopped at 24 and made a whole bunch of level 24 alts.  They dont have the best gear, its not even SC'd because I dont have the crafters or cash.  I just PvP in the BGs in NPC purchased gear, and it's pretty fun.