[ddo] OMG

[Joe Vaughan]

You misunderstand me Mike. I wasn't talking about the game (even  
though I would disagree with some of your assertions about WoW  
itself. It's a 3 quest game with pretty much 0 variety)

I'm talking about the customer experience from Turbine versus  
Blizzard. The latter, frankly, treated me like shit for the whole  
year that I stupidly let them. Turbine, on the other hand make me  
feel like they actually care about my gaming experience and improving  
it. I had nothing but criticism for Blizzard *literally* from day  
one. I haven't a single bad thing to say about CM and Turbine.  
They've been top notch.

As for the content issue, true, since we're not rushing through the  
amount of content is not an issue for me. But then again, as I say,  
WoW is hardly a shining example of content. There isn't a single  
quest in the game (that I can think of) that requires you to use any  
other skill besides your ability to slash, bash or burn your enemies.  
Doom (1) with Swords != content... it's just window dressing over an  
incredibly hollow gaming experience (only made bearable by the  
company you keep) - For me, once Leigh quit playing (we were like the  
WoW siamese twins joined at the hip) I realised there was 0 content  
in that game and without the social side I quit not long after.

I'm sure it would be the same with DDO if you all quit tomorrow, my  
interest would wane immediately, but the point is that the quests  
continue to excite us all with their variety and the fact that there  
is no uber-formula-that-works-every-dungeon means we all get to play  
different styles and stretch various abilites on a regular basis.   
Again, something that cannot be said of WoW.

Altogether, having played WoW (compulsively) for a year (over 60 days  
online time in that period) and DDO now for six months I am convinced  
that at core, DDO is a better game being run and improved by people  
who are not (only) driven by the "bottom line" but with a genuine  
interest in creating a better gaming experience, contrasting strongly  
by Vivendi....er... sorry I mean Blizzard... who are run totally by  
french bean-counters now. WoW is soulless commercialism. DDO is at  
least tempered with an element of pride in their work.

A nice shiny paint job and fancy chrome do not a great car make (just  
look at the performance of American "supercars" versus European  
ones). Slick though it is, WoW is the vapid blonde bimbo of the MMO  
world.

Me... I'm seduced by the sultry, intelligent brunette that is DDO.

Joe.


On 10 Oct 2006, at 11:50, Mike Kelly wrote:

> On 10/10/06, Joe Vaughan <joev at jarhedz.com> wrote:
> God almighty the amount and scope of all the changes, along with a  
> very
> large new area in the next module.... These guys (Turbine) make me  
> feel
> like it's more than worth paying them my monthly fee (if they keep  
> this
> up, I'd pay more/month tbh!).... contrasting starkly with Blizzard  
> who I
> wish to hell now I had never given a bloody penny to.
>
> On this note, I still play WoW and I think it's still well worth  
> paying for, I still have a ball playing the game, I'm really  
> enjoying BWL, I'm looking forward to Naxx soon and I'm really  
> looking forward to the Burning Crusade. Whatever problems you have  
> with the game, it's still a hell of a game. Slick, polished and  
> largely trouble free at this stage.
>
> With DDO Turbine are doing very well however IMO they have a hell  
> of a long way to go (druids and monks are still missing for  
> example). The game suits our style of play (one night a week with a  
> fixed group) however you *need* a group to play, for a awful lot of  
> players the game is far too short (largely because the game  
> released with a level cap of 10), levelling itself is quick and too  
> easy and there's absolutely nothing to do (except possibly grind  
> for loot) once you hit level 10. The system itself rocks but the  
> content has serious problems (mostly of the, "there's too little of  
> it" variety).
>
> Lets be honest here, it's a whole lot of fun but I play it because  
> of the people I play it with (I love you guys! Eh, screw you guys.)  
> if we played DDO the way I/we played WoW we'd have been at level 10  
> after the first couple of weeks and we'd probably have quit shortly  
> afterwards.
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