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Bostredsox New Kid Posts: 9 |
Is it worth continuing on?
#68719 - 07/18/08 06:08 PM |
This is my first post here and i wanted to bring up a serious question for the legions of DR fans here. My mage just hit 24. Up to this point, every night i've played has been this sequence: 1. Buy pots. 2. head to instance. 3. spam pots and kill boss 4. return to town. Sell items. buy more pots. 5. go to next intstance. rinse and repeat. in the week+ i've played i've amassed over 25 purps, 1 rb and have about 300,000g. I've bought countless spells and abilities just to try all of them. I'm decked out in all purple except for my chest which is the RB Shazam! Now, things are getting really boring. I realize there is a lack of plot in DR and i'm fine with that but when does this game kick it into the next gear? i don't think i can do this all the way to level 100. I can stand in the way of any Champion, Hero or Boss and just spam health pots and drop it eventually which leaves a feeling of no accomlishment at all. My gear is so good at level 24 that i can stand in the center of any group of mobs and they barely nick me. I understand that the dungeon difficulties will get harder as i get higher, but it's the style of play that concerns me. If all you have to do is buy 30 health pots and just fire away there's no skill or challenge involved. And what is it with the purple drops? i get at least 5 a night. That seems a little too common. Just last night Algor The Cold and his cronies dropped 4 purps. (1 in a chest). To me, that kills the thrill of finding new weapons. If they are going to drop like water, where's the challenge? I just feel like i have way too much for a level 24 mage. A bank stash of 25 purple items seems silly. That's not counting ones i'm using, sold or just given away. I guess i'm just spoiled from my time playing WoW. (i'm not trying to compare the two games). But when does Dungeon Runners become worth the time investment? What is there to keep it from seeming tired and boring every night? thanks! -Bo |
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AlienEighter Veteran Posts: 879 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on?
#68721 - 07/18/08 06:40 PM |
What keeps the game interesting depends on the player. Firstly, have you tried adjusting the difficulty setting? Have you played in group? At level 24, you're one level away from the minimum suggested level to tackle the Horrific Dungeon of Legend (HDoL), where every mob conatins two champions and two heroes. Have you tried pvp? As many would say, it's mostly about gear, but a human opponent will always engage your skill more than any AI, and quite a few people do well with 80% pvp power (which is determined by gear). At the end of the day, though, it just depends on what holds your interest. DR is a hack and slash by nature, so maybe the gameplay just doesn't suit you...but don't give up on it just yet.  |
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Khazandra Actual Hawk Posts: 304 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on?
#68725 - 07/18/08 06:46 PM |
Quote: For me? The game has a great sense of humor, that is very similar to mine. It makes fun of MMOs and the never-ending quests and it is pure hack-and-slash with funny weapon names. Plus, the hacking and slashing is good for stress relief. For you? No idea. You need to find that out for yourself. -------------------- Khaz: W4 Laker Girl An earthquake's sound, to a girl's guitar, is just another good vibration. |
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Cthulhu Old Timer Posts: 498 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on?
#68729 - 07/18/08 06:53 PM |
Being a "casual" MMORPG means that DR is targeted toward the player who logs in, plays for a bit then leaves, coming back another day. When people blow through the game like you have, they quickly chew through all the quests and dungeons until there's very little left to see and do. This is also a common complaint of the other end, the Level 100's, that there's no "endgame".... There's no real answer to this, the Devs are readying a major new chunk that will add some new quests, items and things to see and do so at this point I'd say wait it out as the chunk is working it's way through the NCsoft QA process and should be on the PTS soon. Once it hits the PTS, it's not long till it goes live provided we don't find any showstopper last minute bugs.. Hang in there! -------------------- "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" - Cthulhu fhtagn: 47°9′S, 126°43′W Cthulhu's Xfire Stats |
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Bostredsox New Kid Posts: 9 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on?
#68733 - 07/18/08 07:01 PM |
thanks for the replies guys. I saw enough on the shelf of my local Gamestop to pick up DR and i've seen enough in the gameplay so far to see there is a fun game here. (somewhere). I've never been a grouper. I tend to lose interest in any game that forces me to group to advance. I've done plenty of WoW high end raiding, but when i wanted to and for an item i needed. But in general i'm more comfortable solo'ing because it's at my pace and i'm only responsible for myself. That said, if i'm able to solo that level 25 dungeon i'm getting close to, that might peak my interest a bit. I've always been about goals. Not just collecting loot, but feeling that my 30 minutes was well spent and i accomplished something. My last few nights have been depressing because unlike my first few nights of playing, now i feel like i've "seen it all" and in such a small amount of time. I really hope i'm wrong. |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68733]
#68783 - 07/19/08 07:57 AM |
I have reached the same point you have. At first I was really diggin' it so I got the box. I played for hours before work and after daily. Now, for several reasons, I have completely lost interest in the game. Mostly because it's just a grinder. Killing is good stress relief but I can do that with a little flash game somewhere without so much boring walking back and forth. I really need more here. Much more. I have many ideas to improve this game IMO but it's the devs ideas that really matter. It is their game. Insane does provide more and better loot but that's not enough to really keep me hooked. I haven't played in days now. Just not feeling it anymore. I haven't even logged on for the latest patch. If the only difference as I advance is new dungeons with new mobs I think this game would be better suited as a multi-player console game. |
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Cthulhu Old Timer Posts: 498 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68783]
#68793 - 07/19/08 11:00 AM |
Damn! After reading your post, it almost sounds like you're trying to talk yourself in to quitting..... Quote: Again, this is a casual MMORPG and the game is designed around that concept and it's one that will likely never chance as that concept is what makes this game unique. IF you are looking for EPIC quests that take 30+ hours to complete and new content every month, then perhaps World of Warcraft is a better choice for you.. Quote: New content IS coming, with new items, things to do and see and places to go. Your ideas ARE important, as the Dev's DO listen, which is why http://www.idearunners.com was created. Why not create an account there and post your ideas? A not so insignificant part of the game's current direction has come from the players feedback so please do not assume that the dev's don't care or don't listen. Quote: Well, if I played as much as you claim to have recently played, I'd probably need a break too.... Why not take a break, recharge your batteries and after the latest content chunk is released, come back and try it out? Quote: Your wish will eventually be the Dev's command. A console port of this game is being worked on, but it's current status is unknown...  BOTTOM LINE: Ultimately no matter what anyone says to you, it will be your decision to stay in the game or go, but please do understand one thing. It's not the game's fault that you are now feeling this way. If you approach the game by stopping to appreciate what it has to offer instead of rushing through it as quickly as possible you will see that this game has wickedly funny humor, and is fairly deep for being just a "grinder" as you call it.... |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68793]
#68851 - 07/20/08 01:05 AM |
Quote: I'm not sure how you can infer that from my statement. Quote: Let me make sure I understand this. You are saying the game is designed so that the player logs on, kills stuff for half an hour to get quest items, weapons and gold, goes back to town to drop off quest items for the reward, bank the keepers and sell the trash in order to buy skills to improve their ability to log on, kill stuff for half an hour,go back to town to drop off quest items, bank the keepers and sell the trash in order to buy skills to improve their ability to log on....... and that makes it unique. Have I got that right? Quote: Lots of posts on there already. Quote: You are assuming that I am assuming that. Quote: As I CLAIM to have recently played? Hmmm? Quote: That's nice. Quote: If that comment is your backhanded way of saying my boredom is my own fault because... Quote: then please do understand one thing(sounds kind of condescending when it's said to you doesn't it?), I didn't buy this game for the laughs. Can I get an example of this depth and humor because, beyond the twists in some of the names of NPC's like the Sirs, I don't really see much. Maybe it's a lot of references to other games or something else I just don't get. All I know is I was very excited to get the box after a little free play and I looked forward to some adventures but once I got out of Algernon all I found was more of the same. Kill things so they will drop things that you can keep or use to get other things to improve your ability to kill things. That's it. If there isn't supposed to be any more to this game than that then I will just log on when I need to do some killing for a few minutes and find some other way to escape my reality for a few hours. As I was reading your "Why continue" post, I began to wonder where it says to a noob that "The Mother of all RPG's" should only be played in half-hour sessions in order to prevent disillusionment. I can't find the word "casual" on the box, on the main page or in the noobasaur quickstart guide. I had no indication of this before I decided to buy and it would seem from your other post I am not alone. Quote: It seems to me that all these disappointments could be prevented if the differences between DR and these other games were clearly described somewhere obvious to a noob before the purchase was made. I have seen nothing in the marketing to dispel these assumptions so the buyer isn't fully informed in advance. The misunderstanding is only discovered after the money is spent. |
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AlienEighter Veteran Posts: 879 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68851]
#68855 - 07/20/08 02:17 AM |
Here's the bottom line: this game doesn't suit everybody, nor does any game. Quote: Seekwyl, you seem like a reasonable person, but that statement doesn't make much sense to me. If you look through the posts on Idearunnners.com you will see lots of subtitles reading things like "***complete***; ***in development***; etc." Lots of our ideas for what we see as improvements to the game are actually implemented. The devs take into account the popularity of ideas (and practicality, of course) when deciding on new content. If there's something you want changed about the game, vote where appropriate or submit ideas where appropriate. That's not to say that every player gets what he/she wants, but if it works for the community, the devs, and the game it has a good chance. About the disappointment: retail packaging is designed to move units. If the consumer allows himself to make assumptions about the contents of the product, the blame is his/hers. DR doesn't claim to be any other game, nor should it be expected to post disclaimers on its packaging. It's the same with any game someone buys off the shelf having never played it: it's largely hit or miss. Since you did play the game before purchasing the box, you had the opportunity to learn what to expect. The fact that what you found didn't live up to your own expectations leads me to question how you formulate your expectations. |
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Khazandra Actual Hawk Posts: 304 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68851]
#68923 - 07/20/08 10:23 AM |
Quote: This game has a very special sense of humor. A bit of Terry Pratchett, a bit of Monty Python,and some other influences that are near-impossible to pin-point. Since you asked, here is an example: You can spend five different quests helping the Townston Lieutenant audit the Fizz drink sales in Algor to make sure that the sneaky whiskers are not writing off far too much and trying to cheat the town out of rightful taxes. If you don't find that funny, then you may just not have the same sense of humor as the game, and if you don't then yes, it is going to bore you. This special brand of humor is one of THE BIGGEST differences between DR and other MMOs. If you didn't buy it for the laughs and don't want them, then maybe this game isn't for you after all. -------------------- Khaz: W4 Laker Girl An earthquake's sound, to a girl's guitar, is just another good vibration. |
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Bostredsox New Kid Posts: 9 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68923]
#68935 - 07/20/08 01:11 PM |
Khaz, Can't a game have both humor AND depth? I think what a lot of new people are inferring is that this game appears to be trying to be different than other games simply by being funny. I like the funny stuff. There's funny stuff in Warcraft as well. My Voidwalker and Imp torment me all the time. The humor was what attracted me to the game in the store. I could tell by the box that this game was something very different. And to it's credit it didn't try to mislead anyone by comparing itself to other RPG games. But the problem is that at the end of the day you are still collecting pots, spamming bosses, rinsing and repeating. That was fun and interesting the first few levels of Algernon but when getting to Algor and now the Widower's Nest is just the same as it was, it gets a little dull. I'm still waiting for the game to throw me that curve i didn't see coming. To most everyone's credit here, they've been extremely helpful and understanding to new players. I totally expected most to just tell everyone to go back to their old games if they don't like DR but they are trying to build a player base and i admire that. I for one intend to stick around for the forseeable future. I see enough in this game to warrant sticking it out. |
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Khazandra Actual Hawk Posts: 304 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68935]
#68999 - 07/20/08 10:04 PM |
Quote: This is where you lost me. To me, you just described every single MMO out there. The difference between them and DR is that with DR the jokes are actually funny, and I don't have to wait for thirty others of my level to log on to be able to finish a quest. I can solo them. If I want depth I do single-player RPGs, typically from Bioware (or The Witcher). To me, expecting depth from an MMO is a bit like complaining that the drive-through dinner you just picked up wasn't cooked to you exact specifications, and there wasn't a large enough beer selection on the menu. It's not going to be, and that isn't the main selling point of a fast food drive-through either. If that's what you wanted, you went to the wrong place for dinner. Depth in an MMO? Are you actually serious? You must define "depth" very differently from how I define it... -------------------- Khaz: W4 Laker Girl An earthquake's sound, to a girl's guitar, is just another good vibration. |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68855]
#70057 - 07/24/08 05:58 PM |
Quote: Well, I only said that to avoid a long discussion about that site. I have been there several times and what I mean by that statement is there are more than 200 posts already and with the comments the number of ideas only increases. The vast majority of these posts concern tweaks to the game we have now. Potion counters, improve a skill, etc. I only saw 1 original post in the possible section that refers to a bigger change in the gameplay and there is no "subtitle" attached. It's 3 months old and the comments are lukewarm. It's an okay idea but not good enough for me to register and vote. Since my suggestions would be more along those lines rather than tweaks to the current style, I don't think the community would go for them either. I probably should try to find a different game instead. Quote: All consumers make assumptions on content based on their initial impression of a product. Every product. That's why companies have advertising and marketing departments. To generate assumptions that encourage the consumer to buy the product. Quote: Evidently they know about the disappointment considering the tons of posts about it. I just think it would be better business practice to be clear about the repetitive nature and short session time of this game in some location that creates the initial impression for the player. This could be the package, the main page of the consumer site or even the noobasaur guide. I never accused DR of blatantly claiming to be another game. Quote: I'd have to say that's not entirely true. A consumer can research before purchase and nowhere in the common areas of initial research on DR does it indicate this game is repetitive and intended for shorter playing sessions. The retail package itself is vague at best. Who would really think "The Mother of all RPG's!" is supposed to be played for just half an hour? Quote: My expectations were formulated from my initial impression of the game. I played through Dew Valley with the idea that it was the area to introduce the player to game mechanics. I liked the method of control and the idea of quests. I expected things to get more interesting as I advanced in the game so I moved forward to Algernon only to find I was doing the exact same stuff I did in DV. I started really looking at the main site for more info. Since I found nothing to indicate otherwise, I made the assumption that Algernon was just a stronger training ground to be used to perfect my skills and the game would get better. Having faith that that's what would happen, I bought the box and continued on. When I moved on from Algernon only to find more of the same I really started reading the boards and learned what I know now that I wish I'd known then. Tell where I went wrong before I bought the box. What more could I have done? |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #68923]
#70061 - 07/24/08 06:13 PM |
Quote: It's not really five different quests. It's the same quest five times. With the game the way it is, I don't really want to do the same quest over and over just because the premise is cutesy. Cheating rats! LOL. If I'm missing the real humor there, please enlighten me. Now maybe if I could sneak up on a whisker and spy on him for a while, then capture him and threaten him with a mousetrap or tease him with some cheese to get info I could use against the rest before I sent him to Federal prison where he was guarded by mean cats and snakes and forced to take a bath everyday..... I might repeat that quest. |
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Ripper_McGee Karl's "bad cavern" spelunker Posts: 2,650 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #70057]
#70065 - 07/24/08 06:19 PM |
Quote: Off topic, but this blurb stood out to me. It's that type of apathy that will render idearunners rather pointless, even though it's pretty revolutionary in concept. You shouldn't just vote for ideas you like! You should rate all of the ideas (there is a 1 - 5 scale and even an "I hate this idea 0 vote)! If you like an idea, rate it highly. If you dislike it, rate it low, if you have average feelings about it the rate it somewhere in the middle. The whole purpose of idearunners is to give the devs a better way to gauge player interest in specific ideas. If nobody votes then it's pretty tough to gather true metrics. If everybody votes, regardless of each players personal ranking of an idea, it's much, much easier to track people's interest. On topic, DR is--at it's core--a hack-n-slash game, a la Diablo and all of it's clones. There really isn't any depth to the combat (so far) and it never really changes except for acquiring new gear and skills. I've personally voiced concerns about player "churn" from the very beginning. Players, especially those used to more in-depth MMOs, burn through the content, get to the "end", then wonder what else there is to do. In some cases, players don't even make it to the end. That's why I think additional features, such as badge hunting, mini-games, tactics-based dungeons, etc.. would help to add diversity to the game, which would result in better overall player interest and retention. |
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AlienEighter Veteran Posts: 879 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #70057]
#70073 - 07/24/08 06:29 PM |
Quote: You win some, you lose some. People throw that "intended for short periods of play" statement around after one of the devs brought it up. Most of DR's players don't play for only "a couple hours a week." In fact, most play for quite a bit more. "Tons of posts" is a bit much, don't you think. If the current player base suddenly dropped back to where it pretty consistently was before the retail launch, that might be saying something. Instead, the population is very stable if not continuing to grow from about double what it was before the box. I don't know what to tell you other than this: at least you didn't pay $50 for a cd on top of a higher monthly charge to find out your assumptions were misguided. Better luck next time. |
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Khazandra Actual Hawk Posts: 304 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #70061]
#70083 - 07/24/08 07:01 PM |
Quote: Only a few times. It the sequence of events was exactly the same, regardless of what these events are, it will probably start to bore you after a while. Dungeon Runners is a dungeon crawl. It is hack and slash and nothing else (and frankly, I never thought it was anything but obvious about that). At least you haven't been charged $60 for a disc and an outrageous monthly fee for the privilege of playing the $60 game, while finding that out. -------------------- Khaz: W4 Laker Girl An earthquake's sound, to a girl's guitar, is just another good vibration. |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #70073]
#70087 - 07/24/08 08:19 PM |
Quote: I don't think it would necessarily be a sudden event. People play at different rates and will give varying amounts of time to a thing. They would not all get bored at the same time, they would not all quit at once and they would not all complain about it. To say you need a sudden drop in current player base to really believe that many people are discouraged by the game is an unrealistic argument. "Tons of posts" is just a phrase. I could have said "so many posts" or "several posts" to indicate that there were more than "a couple posts" or "just a few posts". I just tried to find it but I can't. It was a thread at the beginning of the month. I should have marked it. |
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seekwyl New Kid Posts: 20 |
Re: Is it worth continuing on? [Re: #70083]
#70089 - 07/24/08 08:28 PM |
You and AlienEighter are right about the bright side. I'd really be hot if I spent a lot of money on it. I just wanted a game I could play for hours or even days that made me really think about my actions and plan some things. I'm not looking for a game that ends at a final boss or goal. I want it to be and alternate life that just goes on. I'll admit I haven't looked around a lot. I'll just go back to the site that pointed me to DR and try something else. |
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