D&D Online Free to Play! Menace of the Underdark coming to menace you!

[iloveplywood]

I played DDO with two friends five or sixth months ago and thought it was going to be the perfect fit.  We all played D&D and we like instances.  Instead it pretty much bombed.  It's hard to put a finger on what went wrong, but I think it was the leveling scheme.  It took a long time to get significant new abilities, I felt like I played the game forever and was level four when we quit.  Now, we are casual players, and I admit playing a game until level four doesn't sound like we gave it a fair shot,so maybe this won't be a factor for other people -- but it was one of the least successful MMOs we played.  

I brought up to my friendsthat DDO was going to be free and they just moaned (and my friends are cheap too). So I guess I agree with previous posters who sort of bemoaned the lack of carrots in the game.  

[Barrakketh]

I love the Blues News headline about it (wow, talk about a delay!):

DDO Unlimited Delay  

I don't know that DDO Unlimited, Aion and Champions Online are going after the same audience per se, but it does seem a little questionable to move the date right into that range of two brand new MMO releases (I think Aion is Sept. 22 at this point?).

They must have found something serious to cause them to postpone for an entire month, so that it will now go live between Champions Online (Sept 1) and Aion (Sept 22). Still, since I'm not playing it now, but was planning to go back on the free option, I'll just go back later. I have a few friends planning to return as well. We played casually before, and that's all we plan to do this time. My main MMO is LOTRO, and I plan to check out Champions (spent $5 for the preorder, so I'll see how it looks in open beta before committing). How much time I'll have for DDO:U is the question.

[kronovan]

This one just got pushed to 09-09-2009.

Missed deadlines have always been a problem for DDO and this is 1 they really should made at all costs. I've always had the impression that Turbine is too much in the habit of allocating DDO resources to LotRO.

[Destructor]

This one just got pushed to 09-09-2009.

Missed deadlines have always been a problem for DDO and this is 1 they really should made at all costs. I've always had the impression that Turbine is too much in the habit of allocating DDO resources to LotRO.

I agree. DDO sure looked like it was ready (short of their attempt to 'fix lag' by trying to convince people to not aggro lots of mobs - you know, because that would actually have fixed anything), so I'm surprised they're not coming out 'first' before CO.

[Gratch]

It took a long time to get significant new abilities, I felt like I played the game forever and was level four when we quit.  Now, we are casual players, and I admit playing a game until level four doesn't sound like we gave it a fair shot,so maybe this won't be a factor for other people -- but it was one of the least successful MMOs we played.  

I think that's what will ultimately be the biggest problem with DDO for most players.  Most MMO's have you levelling at a ridiculously fast pace in the early game, and I have a hard time believing DDO's slower pace will fly with folks that are used to constantly getting new and better items/skills/abilities/etc..

Granted, there are probably better ways to grind XP than what I was doing, but it took me nearly 12 hours to hit level 4 in the beta, and any sort of new abilities seemed to come at a snails pace.  It may be sticking fairly true to the tabletop version, but that doesn't make it terribly fun.

[Punisher]

I think the game was made first and foremost for the tabletop players...If it wasn't true to that, they would have gotten a lot more complaints....

I picked up the full game at GS for $5 yesterday, gonna give it a try and it doesn't sound like there will be a wipe (unless I missed it somewhere), so I can get a head start...I'm also going pick up another copy and see if the product key will let me extend the subscription. If it does, I may just clean them out....I did this with the COH/COV game cards at Comp when they closed. I still have about a year or twos worth of those...

[Punisher]

Well, trying to use the full product to extend the subscription didn't work...

My loss is your gain......I'm thinking of a number 1-10. First post to guess it will get the product key in a PM. When I get home tomorrow, if noone has guessed it, I'll give it to the closest person.....
This will let you play for a month....You'll have to DL the product somewhere though. there has to be a demo out...

[kronovan]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

[Punisher]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

Actually it's one key per account.... So if you buy 5 retail copies, you can't get a 5 month subscription, you'd have to setup 5 different accounts...

[Harkonis]

I can't think of a MMO that works differently.  All of the ones I've seen have the free month that comes with buying it only work for new accounts.

[Punisher]

I can't think of a MMO that works differently.  All of the ones I've seen have the free month that comes with buying it only work for new accounts.

Champions seems to be allowing it...

[kronovan]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

Actually it's one key per account.... So if you buy 5 retail copies, you can't get a 5 month subscription, you'd have to setup 5 different accounts...

I also tried to create another account and then use the key from the copy I previously used...no go. So a key is tied to it's original account for time eternity. I guess that makes sense, but if I was turbine I'd probably be willing to give a returning customer 30 days instead of immediately demanding new billing information. But hey, I guess that approach works perfectly well for LotRO.

[Punisher]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

Noone else tried, but do you need this? If not, I'm gonna post in Steals and Deals... This may have gotten buried... I'd like to give it to someone without an account...

[kronovan]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

Noone else tried, but do you need this? If not, I'm gonna post in Steals and Deals... This may have gotten buried... I'd like to give it to someone without an account...

I definitely could use it Punisher and would be most grateful for it. I applied for the beta months ago, but still haven't received my invite yet.
BTW what was the number anyways.

[Punisher]

7

I already own the game, but when I input my product key Turbine remembers my account and wants new billing info; i.e another ccard. I guess a product key is a 1 time, 1 shot deal in their system.

Noone else tried, but do you need this? If not, I'm gonna post in Steals and Deals... This may have gotten buried... I'd like to give it to someone without an account...

I definitely could use it Punisher and would be most grateful for it. I applied for the beta months ago, but still haven't received my invite yet.
BTW what was the number anyways.

You have a PM

[Blackjack]

Yikes, Blues pointed out a Joystiq post about a Courthouse News Service item (is that convoluted enough?  ) that Turbine is suing publisher Atari DDO/DDO Unlimited...

Atari Accused of Playing a Rough Game
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/26/Atari_Accused_of_Playing_a_Rough_Game.htm

Turbine claims Atari acted unreasonably in its efforts to promote and distribute "DDO: Stormreach," and failed to devote the necessary resources to it. It claims Atari breached the agreements by accepting payments - including future royalty payments - in return for extending their relationship and paving the way for the launch of Turbine's free-to-play "DDO: Unlimited" service, though Atari knew it would not perform its obligations under the agreements and knew it would pretextually seek to declare Turbine in breach of the agreements.

     Turbine claims that Atari's purported "termination" was part of a strategy it conceived prior to the May 13 agreements that it would either terminate Turbine as part of a shakedown, or proceed with termination in bad faith to benefit from its own competing product at Turbine's expense.

     Atari says Turbine invested millions of dollars in developing and promoting the DDO franchise to demand more consideration from Turbine than called for by their agreement. [I think the wording in this sentence might be off?-bj ]

     And it claims that Atari's purported termination of the license agreement, in addition to threatening Turbine's past investment, threatens the goodwill that Turbine has developed with the thousands of players who play "DDO: Stormreach" and are expected to use the "DDO: Unlimited" service.

I'm curious if the "competing product" is Champions Online, because AFIK, that's the only other MMO that Atari is involved in right now. Joystiq seems to think so:
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/turbine-sues-atari-over-dungeons-and-dragons-online-licensing/

We can assume that "competing product" is Atari's upcoming Champions Online MMO, being developed by its recently acquired in-house MMO dev Cryptic Studios.

Very interesting, though the two games are so vastly different, I can't really see why Atari would worry about one siphoning the others' playerbase (free or not).

[Destructor]

Well, the suit/Turbine thinks that Atari is having Cryptic make a D&D MMO of their own (on top of both Champions Online and Star Trek Online apparently - like they're not busy enough with two MMOs as it is). Also the suit is partly because of Atari taking total control of DDO's publishing rights in Europe, verses Turbine selling it here in the US. Info based on what I'm saying over here.

[andon]

Well the headstart on DDO Unlimited got going today.

Anyone interested in a weekly, or 2x a month, meetup to go through the quests and such at a slower pace.

I'd love to get a good healing/battle cleric going in a party.  I found the gameplay in DDO good fun in a small group with the quests set to hard.

[Vidiot]

I will probably be trying it out over the next few days.

[Fez]

I'm still playing, and I'd be up for starting a new character.

[andon]

I was thinking a week night maybe from 8pm EST - 11pm?? (whenever we got tired).

What would work for folks?

[Harkonis]

I'd be up for it, I play a monk

[Harkonis]

which world are you guys playing on?  need to know before I start a toon

[morlac]

I am game for this.  Let me know what server and what classes folks are playing.  Looks like we got a monk?  I am leaning towards a Bard who can do a bit of everything or some sort of spell sliniger.  Though if we need a meat shield I could go that route as well.

[andon]

I got a lvl 1 Cleric on Khyber who's done nothing but finish up the tutorial quest and log out in town.  Khyber has some folks from GWJ's on it as well so we might be able to recruit a few more folks.

[Razgon]

If you guys play REALLY late, I can join up as well!

[morlac]

I got a lvl 1 Cleric on Khyber who's done nothing but finish up the tutorial quest and log out in town.  Khyber has some folks from GWJ's on it as well so we might be able to recruit a few more folks.

Khyber it is then.  I think that's were I rolled my Bard last night.  He has done the tutorial and 1 more quest but that  is it. 

[morlac]

If you guys play REALLY late, I can join up as well!

Or really early .  Though my baby girl is roaming around at that time and distracting.  Not so much past 8pm...

[Razgon]

If you guys play REALLY late, I can join up as well!

Or really early .  Though my baby girl is roaming around at that time and distracting.  Not so much past 8pm...

so true! I've actually managed to play a lot with you guys over the years, so it should be possible :-) Especially back in the BF2 days

Btw - another cleric wouldnt hurt, would it? I love my clerics! sooo awesome - either that, or a Palalaladin!

[Vidiot]

I made a ranger last night on some random server and got though the tutorial, but I borked the build anyways (don't use the default builds!).

I will either make another ranger, or a caster.

[Razgon]

Btw - I really dont understand that DDO now runs on two different models in US and Europe..it doesnt make ANY sense to me...

oh well, I'll just play the free version, much to codemasters dismay I'm sure

[andon]

Well I'm on EST here.  I wouldn't mind a Thursday/Friday or Monday night.  I can usually play from 8pm EST on till I get tired.

You guys let me know what would work best for you.   

My idea here is to have a character that we don't play xcept during the scheduled meetup times.  We just grab as many quests as we can in the area, group up, and go through them.  Take our time, see the sights, compare equipment, and just play.  That's really the best way to experience DDO...sadly not available in PUG's in game.

[Fez]

I think most of my characters in the past have been on Khyber.  I'd be up for making a sorcerer, as I don't think anyone has mentioned one yet, or even wizard, but I'm flexible.

[morlac]

Sounds exactly how I want to play Andon.  Those nights will probably work for me, we can decide on the best one at each session. 

[Harkonis]

I think most of my characters in the past have been on Khyber.  I'd be up for making a sorcerer, as I don't think anyone has mentioned one yet, or even wizard, but I'm flexible.

sorcerer is more flexible

[andon]

Anyone up for an impromptu session tonight?  Say maybe 9pm or 10pm till whenever?

There is voice in DDO..but if folks want to do Vent?  I know the GWJ vent, but haven't gotten into Hark or USMC Kato's in a while.

[Harkonis]

I'm usually in Kato's vent pretty much all the time.  Been playing a lot of Champions and Gratuitous Space Battles and we use the vent for both.

Made my Monk on Khyber, name is Anuvara. 

[Arkon]

Sounds exactly how I want to play Andon.  Those nights will probably work for me, we can decide on the best one at each session. 

I may be up for this as well, I keep getting emails about this, I guess it is time to download the client.  I haven't played DDO since it first launched.

[Razgon]

Will someone please make a guild? I got this downloaded today - I'll probably go with a Drow Cleric or Paladin if thats possible

[morlac]

Anyone up for an impromptu session tonight?  Say maybe 9pm or 10pm till whenever?

There is voice in DDO..but if folks want to do Vent?  I know the GWJ vent, but haven't gotten into Hark or USMC Kato's in a while.

I was about to type this exact thing.  I am up for tonight if we get enough folks.