Author Topic: Neverwinter  (Read 12152 times)

Offline Goatboy

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Neverwinter
« on: May 05, 2013, 07:01:39 PM »
So Garry pointed me to http://nw.perfectworld.com/ that has been in open beta since a few days.

Free MMO that seems to mix D&D and Neverwinter Nights, from the makers of Star Trek Online (so you can use your account for that if you have one).

I have a Trickster Rogue. Awesome class. They go all Nightcrawler from X-men with their special attack, poofing all over the place and raping enemies in the face while doing so. I also added a Tiefling Control Wizard. But I really hate doing the same content more than once... so he'll take a backseat I think. Although the effect of the teleport ability is quite majestic.

The playing style is more arcade like a third person shooter. Main attacks are used with LMB and RMB, special attacks under Q+E+R and number keys. Mouse pointer mode is also available after pressing ALT and is mainly used to manage menus and items. This makes the gameplay quite involving because you have to actively twist and turn and run around, as opposed to going click, click, click and standing still all the time. I assume all classes have some sort of 'get your butt out of trouble' jump/shift/teleport, which is really nice to close distances quickly, dodging AOE spells or quite simply things like arrow attacks. Guardian seem to raise their shield instead of doing a jumpy thing. People say they're the most boring class at the moment and a tad underpowered compared to the rest.

Also, there's the main questline right from the start that you're pulled in to. Sidequests seem to integrate into the main questing very fluently. So even though you are going 'Kill x, Collect Y', it doesn't really feel like it because you always seem to be 'on' the main quest.

I particularly appreciate the optional quest path in the form of gently twinkling lights guiding you toward your quest or map target.

Founder packs are available until 9th May containing special items, but the cheapest one seems utter shit. So unless you're willing to shell out 60 or 200 bucks, I'd pass on those. AFAIK there shouldn't be any wipes. It's more of a soft launch.

Game seems relatively easy. So far I've died once because I turned a corner not expecting ten enemies to pile on me including a toughie and a trap. Other times I've been running around doing quests 3 or 4 levels above my own without any trouble. Especially now I've got a healer companion. Don't really need a healer, but it saves money on all the pots as there's no out of combat regen. Just campfires. Mmmm campfires.

There's a distinct explory feel though. Lots of sewers and caves and underground or interior stuff. You can cut to the chase and follow the twinklies if you've got them turned on. Or you can murder everything and take side corridors and you'll find treasure chests and such. These little quest instances are very doable timewise. They don't feel boring.

Course the game is repetitive like any other mmo, but running around 3rd person slicing and dicing everything in my path while poofing around and going in and out of stealth and slapping some guaranteed crits on tough guys is still fulfilling.

Spent some time on my rogue running around with a wizard today doing some quests. Scary shit. Pretty sure everything is getting the shit tweaked out of it, because so far it all seems a bit OP.

You can find me under:

Wubblebutt - Halfling Trickster Rogue

Don't think it matters, but there are 3 shards you can create a character on. I'm on the one with a B. Beholder or something.

And mostly for my own reference because you need to log in and fill out a form to even see the EUR to ZEN ratio:

€44.99 - 4,950 + 350
€27.99 - 3,080 + 220
€18.99 - 2,090 + 110
€9.99 - 1,100
€4.99 - 540
« Last Edit: May 06, 2013, 09:09:04 PM by Goatboy »
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Taith

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2013, 10:50:08 AM »
Hearing very mixed things about this game, so thanks for posting.

First I've heard of a companion system though. How does that work?
DC Universe Online (EU PC): Psilance, Psion Hero, Noctirian, Sorcerer Villain
Neverwinter: Theron Dios, Control Wizard (Beholder)
Star Trek Online: Eric@TaithZero
SWTOR: Tarkanian, Sith Assassin (Progenitor) (Inactive)

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2013, 11:05:56 AM »
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/05/01/impressions-neverwinter/ pretty much sums up my experience, apart from server issues that have been sorted since the review was written.

Companions. At level 15 you get a quest from Sgt Knox who's everyone's veritable sugar daddy and you get to pick a companion. Basic summon/dimiss. Quite similar to SWTOR, except that they have no storyline or anything. They level up and you have to send them on increasingly lengthy training periods to do so. You start by picking a guardian, cleric, hound/wolf, etc. But you can also go for golems and hawks and such later on. Each will have their own abilities and bonuses. You can slap some secondary items on them to give them bonuses, but not full on armour like you can with your own character. Three runestones, a necklace, a ring and something else I think. So far I'm pretty happy with my cleric. She throws some dot heals on me so I don't have to mess around with pots as much.

PVP seems to be absolutely shit from what I read in general chat. There's no balance.
The multiple levels of currency (gold, diamonds, bars, zen, etc) can be confusing.

But overall it's quite a fluid experience. The user generated content in the Foundry has the potential to keep this game interesting much longer than others. But they need to sort it so that the Germans and Frenchies that write stuff in their own language like a bunch of nubholes GTFO and get their own sections where they can circlejerk their bratwursts and croissants.

So far playing 3 tot 4 levels above my own isn't an issue, except for when I get swarmed with multiple toughies or at boss fights at the end of a dungeonesque quest. Haven't done any grouping or skirmishes yet.

http://www.gamebreaker.tv/mmorpg/neverwinter-101/ has useful stuff, especially:

Quote
A useful trick for getting around a zone faster is when you use the blue gem at the top right of the screen that has your instance number on it, if you switch instances it loads back in at the last entrance you used to get into that zone. so if you came in at the area you got your quests from its very easy to teleport back there!
« Last Edit: May 07, 2013, 01:50:02 PM by Goatboy »
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Taith

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2013, 07:25:57 PM »
The user generated content in the Foundry has the potential to keep this game interesting much longer than others.

My experience with the Foundry in STO is that, even with the most highly-rated user-created missions, you can tell the difference between the amateur and professional efforts.

Thanks for the link. Interesting.
DC Universe Online (EU PC): Psilance, Psion Hero, Noctirian, Sorcerer Villain
Neverwinter: Theron Dios, Control Wizard (Beholder)
Star Trek Online: Eric@TaithZero
SWTOR: Tarkanian, Sith Assassin (Progenitor) (Inactive)

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2013, 06:42:18 AM »
Yeah I suppose that's true. The game is getting a lot of mixed reviews right now. Mostly about things like respeccing costing cash and the currently imbalanced currency markets due to Founders having a large influx of astral diamonds and other people not being able to grind them quickly enough. High costs of actually buying something if you do wish to send money to PWE. The game being a reskin of other PWE games, etc, etc.

Right now I still want to explore the rest of the storyline, we'll see how long that lasts. At the end of the day it's free and has managed to hold my interest so far.

Right. So at level 35 the game has just become a lot more challenging. Certain mobs just swamp you and the tough guys at the end of instances actually require you to get out of their aoe attacks. Quite the contrast to earlier levels. The companion is now pretty much useless and dies if a zombie farts in her general direction. There should be future options to upgrade a companion. And there are companions available for cash, but no indication of what level they can max out at and no healers there.

It's not so much of an open world, as it is a collection of areas you can travel in between through gates. On one hand, this removes the need to go cross country to discover flight paths and what not. Which is especially nice when you're on foot. But it does create this constant 'Oh you're done? Hoorah! Now go there and do it all over again!' feeling. Not a surprise really. But in the early levels there was a bit of a storyline. Sadly that vanishes too quickly and you just get sent out to various areas to do the same trick over and over again. To cleanse the region of Valindra's undead.

XP gain also seems to be slights slower. It was crazy fast up until now. I'm also no longer 3-4 levels below mobs. Luckily after you bought your horse for gold, the gold earning starts to pick up. Which I'll probably need for all the potions I'm knocking back again now my cleric is not as useful anymore.

I haven't done any Foundry content yet. Nor have I participated in skirmishes or dungeons. I'm probably missing out on some stuff, although I feel those are only getting challenging at around level 35 as well.

From 35 to 40 the game is a bit more challenging. Or better said 'normal', it's an easy ride for a rogue up until this point. After that regular quests are at regular (easy) difficulty again. Could definitely do with a higher level healing companion at this point. The lower level one just dies quickly a lot of times when she gets swamped with adds.

From around 40ish and upwards it's very hard/impossible to solo instance bosses that are two levels above you. So you'll have to get a buddy a lot of times. Bit annoying that regular zonechat isn't active inside an instance, so you can't ask for help from inside an instance and maintain your progress allowing someone to just dip in to help out with the boss. Then again, plowing through the instance with two people only takes a few minutes.

Respawn rates can be a bit insane in some areas. Sometimes you'll be wiped due to random double spawns. And in certain areas where you need to make your way up a path with patrols and other mobs, you may find yourself battling a gauntlet of constantly respawning mobs that are running to the spot where they need to be.

Having said that, the game does offer a constant sense of achievement. The xp bar seems to keep going up just as fast now as it did twenty levels ago. At the end of the day you're visiting various areas in and around Neverwinter. Saving the day. Questing. Instancing. And if you so desire close it off with a group dungeon. But the mmo grind from 35 to 55 definitely isn't present. You can easily play an hour or two and clear a zone and gain two or three levels in the process.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2013, 12:20:20 PM by Goatboy »
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2013, 11:58:28 AM »
I went into my first dungeon yesterday. And what I read about dungeons so far seems true. Barely any communication. Which, to be fair, isn't really necessary. Healer seemed to manage quite well considering all five party members whipped out their clerics as well. Although they're definitely not super awesome at a companion level of 15 and player level of 50ish, their HOTS help.

Everyone has been trained by instance quests to kill the shit out of trash mobs and when it comes to a boss, to control adds if you're a control wizard, heal if you're a cleric or repeatedly stab the boss in the face if you're a damage dealer. Guardians can try to tank, but I don't think they have much aggro control at all. Oh and of course avoid any and all red aoe circles on the floor and bail when you spot a slow pre-attack movement (swinging back its weapon, for example). If everyone does that and chug back some pots, healers seem to do fine. And the whole party can happily chug through a dungeon.

Dungeons take a bit longer than an instance quest and definitely feel like it. Trash is slightly tougher. Bosses have their mechanics. I'd have enjoyed it more if my game would run smoother during a dungeon and the screen and chat wasn't constantly flooded with loot rolls or their results.

It's a big mess. I turned my graphics down to potato (like really, superpotatoe) and it was still quite sluggish. Simply too much going on on my screen for my machine to handle.

I'm still one or two levels below regular quest instance bosses. So I tend to need a buddy to do those. And as there are several instance quests in each zone, this has become quite annoying. It can't be the lack of dungeoneering or skirmishing as that hardly gets you any xp. And I do all regular quests in all zones.

Something else that bugs the shit out of me are the messed up respawn rate and stacked mob spawning that seem to be more frequent in higher level areas. You can barely make your way through some areas because the mobs spawn so close to each other so quickly or they spawn elsewhere to proceed and run towards their designated area.
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Warcold

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2013, 05:03:47 AM »
I downloaded this, but hadnt come to it yet as I'm tired as shit and go to bed at around 9 each night. But I gather I can now uninstall?
'Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime, and every kindness, we birth our future.'

'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'


http://warthunder.com/en/registration?r=userinvite_3240166

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2013, 05:24:31 AM »
I'm intent on getting my rogue to 60 for some reason. Even though my skill tree is messed up and I know exactly what type of content to expect. I'd at least give the first few levels a try.
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Taith

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2013, 08:15:00 AM »
I appreciate the efforts of you brave beta testers, but I'll wait for the release version. ;D
DC Universe Online (EU PC): Psilance, Psion Hero, Noctirian, Sorcerer Villain
Neverwinter: Theron Dios, Control Wizard (Beholder)
Star Trek Online: Eric@TaithZero
SWTOR: Tarkanian, Sith Assassin (Progenitor) (Inactive)

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2013, 08:22:41 AM »
Yeah... when it's a free game from the start and they're charging you money to respec, it's not a beta imo.
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Taith

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2013, 12:36:00 PM »
Officially, no. Unofficially, release and patch is not an uncommon practice among those light on cash and good at BS. I'm guessing you've seen plenty of that in the IT industry. I certainly have.

Slightly less cynically, Perfect World know what a new f2p MMO's likely lifecycle is. They know they'll get early adopters who will do more playtesting for them than they could ever manage on their own, or certainly not without spending a lot of money. They can put this out there and go through the balancing phase, start making money, then hit review sites up 6 months from now and say hey, look at all the improvements we've made. Review sites, always in need of more content, will try the game again, find things are working better and post a new review. Players who are getting bored of their current choices will give it a try.

Given that social network connections should result in a lot of people being slow to transition from one MMO to another, a wave of early adopters followed by a later slow trickle of interested players seems a reasonable expectation.

All personal conjecture, of course.

Plus it's an established IP. There are plenty of people out there who will want this game to succeed and will give it lots of chances to do so. I've seen comments like that already in the FB group of one of my old WoW guilds: players who admit the game's got problems, but damn it it's D&D! I'm sure many others are waiting for the comments in a few months along the lines of "And they've really made a lot of improvements."

Plus plus, WoW did just lose 14% of its player base. That has to be a pretty big incentive to push the button NAOW.

Personally? I'd be quite willing to check this game out again in three to six months. But hats off to those willing to slog through the post-release balancing phase of a game. I don't know why you do it, but I'm glad you do.
DC Universe Online (EU PC): Psilance, Psion Hero, Noctirian, Sorcerer Villain
Neverwinter: Theron Dios, Control Wizard (Beholder)
Star Trek Online: Eric@TaithZero
SWTOR: Tarkanian, Sith Assassin (Progenitor) (Inactive)

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2013, 01:20:15 PM »
Gotta get to 60, son.
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.

Offline Warcold

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2013, 02:22:46 PM »
need your handle to add you as friend
'Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime, and every kindness, we birth our future.'

'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'


http://warthunder.com/en/registration?r=userinvite_3240166

Offline Warcold

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2013, 02:53:58 PM »
and chat wasn't constantly flooded with loot rolls or their results.

Can turn that off you know, go to the options - but instead of meddling there click the gear-icon that then appears at your chat window. can (de)select stuff there per channel
'Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime, and every kindness, we birth our future.'

'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'


http://warthunder.com/en/registration?r=userinvite_3240166

Offline Goatboy

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Re: Neverwinter
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2013, 04:29:05 PM »
I think it's: McGoatboy
Daikini of the House Goat, the First of His Name, The Unmilked, Queen of the Meadow, The Chickens and the Pigs, Queen of the Field, Nibbler of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Wub, Lady Regent of the Seven Barns, Breaker of Fences and Mother of Ducklings.