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Turbine Shows Off Latest D&D, Asheron's Call Announcements

Posted by simoniker on from the spinning-up dept.

Thanks to Warcry for its coverage of MMO creator Turbine's 'Turbine Nation' fanfest, an event which has included new details on the 2005-due Dungeons & Dragons Online, confirming "dungeon randomization as well as instancing in... the game (when you enter a dungeon, a completely separate version of that dungeon is created for you and your party)." GameSpy also has multiple new articles on D&D Online, including a new preview mentioning "D&D Online will be extremely combat-heavy. A whole lot of thought was put into its real-time combat system." Finally, Warcry has details on the Asheron's Call expansion, being developed following Turbine's buyback of the franchise, which apparently includes a "level cap... raise from 126 to 275."

4 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. ironical.. by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    that d&d online will be combat heavy..
    when playing real d&d in it's best form has very little to do with just bashing it off.

    (though.. I have known some games which have gone so ridiculous that I don't know how anyone bothered to play in them after 20th "2000 orcs attack! they can't hurt you! you win!". really shitty dm)

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  2. Instancing... by Taulin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't understand why MMORPGs make such a big deal of 'instancing a new dungeon' when entering one. Anarchy Online has been doing this since release, and it is over two years old. To my knowledge, it was the first, but I am probably wrong.

    1. Re:Instancing... by MayonakaHa · · Score: 4, Interesting
      It was one of the first, and I liked that about it. I found AO a very interesting game and it kindof appealed to me, but it was just too buggy on release. I'm not sure what they've done since then but their reputation was damaged too early on to get back easily.

      I'm hooked on City of Heroes now, too, and they have instanced dungeons. In fact, I thought I remember hearing that they were supposed to be doing instanced *outdoor* missions. Now that would be something new.

  3. Maybe to be used as a tool for Table Top Play? by NashCarey · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Many times DM's have a hard time getting the players on the same page with long descriptive monologues of areas the players are in. With this concept maybe the players only need to look so far as a laptop computer to have a complete idea as to the layout. And if the movement and other things follows the basic rules set forth they may be able to use this as a replacement of purchasing expensive minatures, paints, and markers to help the players visualize. I personally like when different formats come together to create a new style of play.

    For instance I have recently put on an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) at http://ruaware.org/. Many people feel the game is more an RPG than an ARG, but whatever it is, it is new, and when games come together, everyone wins.