DDO Goes Solo

Gamespot reports on efforts by Dungeons and Dragons Online creator Turbine to add soloable content to the gameworld. They have added a new difficulty level to the existing missions ('solo'), which will allow players unwilling or unable to form a group to successfully complete tasks. From the article: "Turbine has also adjusted the experience requirements for leveling up. The change heavily favors new players, cutting the necessary experience points to get to level two by half. However, the requirements for levels four and up will only be decreased by 10,000 points."

Comments

Dungeons and Dragons Offline?

[scrabbleguy]

I wonder if they'll be offering an offline version of their game for those who only want to play solo?

Re:Dungeons and Dragons Offline?

[SydShamino]

What about us folks without a computer at home? Will they have a version for us, too?

Re:Dungeons and Dragons Offline?

[Gattman01]

I think its called "Dungeons and Dragons Online: Table Top Edition"

This helps

[Dark Paladin]

I was talking to a friend the other day about how I don't play WoW because a) I just don't have the time, and b) the later missions pretty much require that I always have to have a group with me.

The problem with that is finding said group, organizing them, keeping them there long enough, before I decide I need to go to bed, blah, blah, blah.

But when I was playing Oblivion, I actually thought it would be nice to have other people around to chat with or trade things with (like "I'll restore charges on your weapon for some potions"), or just chat about things in game or otherwise. Some really good discussions I've had came around through old MUD gaming while talking to guild members about Friends or religion or politics.

What we decided is that the fun of MMRPG's isn't necessarily grouping together - it's just the shared experience. I'd be perfectly happy never having a group of people with me on a quest, but just being able to chat or trade with them as I chose.

So, I'd love to see a MMRPG with mostly solo quests that can ramp themselves up if you have a group to provide a challenge - but don't *make* me try and herd these cats you call other gamers if I don't want to.

Re:This helps

[AviLazar]

The problem with that is finding said group, organizing them, keeping them there long enough, before I decide I need to go to bed, blah, blah, blah.

That is NOT the problem with end game instances. Once you are in a guild that is of sufficient quality to do an instance then you guys schedule time. For 20 man and 40 man instances - if you have a guild of 100 people it is easy (in fact people are begging to get on the teams).
The problem with the end game instances is the sheer amount of time to finish them. I think MC, assuming you don't wipe, is about 4-6 hours. Usually MC is split into two night events.

The only instance I have ever had problems with, that I generally do not get a guild for, is UBRS. PUG groups (pick-up groups) are nightmares and are almost NEVER done for 20-40 man raids. In fact, whenever someone tries to organize a PUG 20-40 man group everyone laughs.

WoW has a TON of soloable quests, from level 1-60. Just a lot of the more rewarding quests (i.e. slaying the big huge dragon, or defeating the creature that is near god-like in power) requires a group of 20-40 people. You do not have to do it, but you will not get those rewards...and some of the best rewards in the game are soloable (battlegrounds ranks Marshal/Field Marshal/Grand Marshal gear, Cenarian Hold rewards, and more).

Exploring new levels of geekyness

[inio]

Q: What's geekier than playing board games with friends?
A: Playing Dungeons & Dragons with friend.

Q: What's geekier than playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends?
A: Playing Dungeons & Dragons with strangers.

Q: What's geekier than playing Dungeons & Dragons with strangers?
A: Playing Dungeons & Dragons with strangers, online.

Q: What's geekier than playing Dungeons & Dragons with strangers, online?
A: Playing Dungeons & Dragons alone, online.

Though thankfully, LARPing still has all that beat hands down.

What this really means to me...

[Programmer_In_Traini]

What this really means to me is that unfortunately, Turbine's got a bad product on its hands (again) and now they're entering survival mode by just giving up and altering the game they made. You know, when game gets old, its normal that it receives an overhaul to give it some fresh air but...at the beginning like that ? hum...scary...

In fact, im pretty sure DDO can be quite a cool game with various strategies..meant for the true D&D fan at heart. The cold hard fact is that people dont play online to play the way they do on the table with P&P. They just wanna bash stuff, get loot and fat xp :)

I said it when turbine came up with AC2 and I'll say it again, they need a game that offer an immersive solo player experience and not only for the beginning of game, for the WHOLE game. You know, another poster said the same thing in this thread. When i go online, what i like to do is chat with my guild, trade with people and go hunting on my merry own or maybe with two or three personal friends. I rarely have more than two hours in a row so I cant afford big groups with lots of coordination, nature calls, laundry breaks and knockings at the door, not that its bad, but on the large scale, thats very time consuming.

playing a mmo for me means interacting with people not being forced to be with a big bunch of PUGs just because my quests forces me to group. That is immensely why wow is so successful. Sure for high end instances you are forced to group for the majority of the quests, you can solo them if feel like so.

People keep saying that soloing quests defeats the purpose of playing a mmo but i disagree, I like to play alone or with close friend but I like mmos because I can interact with people. that is what mmo means to me.