at the EQ chanter forum, a member posted their thoughts
brakeformezz wrote:Warhammer:
So totally looking forward to it. Hoping they get a great PvP game. Love that their casters tend to be thick-of-the-fight types, and not back row finger twiddlers.
The only thing I don't like so far is that the evil elves feature a class of beautiful, scantily clad females. Couldn't they at least allow some hot, scantily clad males in their ranks? Except most MMORPG artist have an awful time with realistic male models that aren't covered in plate mail. Gee, wonder what we'll see a billion of, running around and doing sexy dance emotes?
Age of Conan:
First I really read of it. Combat system sounds cool, and probably indicative of where a lot of games are going, allowing you to play with a console controller as well as keyboard/mouse, angle of impace makes a difference. Downside is this might make it very vulnerable to lag, and could overemphasize arcade reflexes. Which could be fun as well. OMG, I would so love a fantasy MMORPG that uses Wii to swing your sword, wave your magical staff or wand, etc.
Customizable appearance. Love love love heavy appearance customization, making the hero look like you want, not like the game designers dictate your gear should look like.
Big downside on the classes: You start out with no specific class, and then pick 4 archetypes. And here they are. Make sure you jot this down, because this is unlike anything you've ever seen before: Soldier, Priest, Rogue, and Mage. Wow, whatever could those classes be about? My imagination runs wild. Oh, and you don't pick your final specific class in the archetype until level 20. Didn't any of their designers know how much the EQ2 playerbase hated that system? Hopefully they won't have the lame "explore the classes" quests that EQ2 did.
Something about a solo campaign as well, though it could become some chore you have to work through to hit the multiplayer game if it turns out to be a 3 hour linear ordeal that's the same for every single character you make.
No elves, dwarves, or rabbit people! Yay! I think the Conan works have enough possible lore to set up an interesting, unique, and dark game. So dark, in fact, that you have to enter your date of birth just to go to the game's web site. Anyway, might be something refreshing.
Chronicles of Spellborn
Never heard of it. Uses a "deck" type of organization for abilities. I'm keen on those, making you device a play strategy and not just spam whatever looks good from your entire class's array of abilities. One of my favorite parts of GuildWars is selecting a set of abilities to have active to have great ocmbos in your own style, and still allow for contingencies and complement your groupmates'.
Interesting visual style from the screenshots, though the landscape and some character models look rather unoriginal. Claims big appearance customization.
Pirates of the Burning Seas
Meh, riding on the pirate fad, but anything that risks being something besides fantasy should get a second look. And what is this mythical setting? These strange worlds called "France," "Spain," and "England?"
Heroes' Journey
I'm looking forward to this as well. The Gemstone playerbase is known to be a good community, and hopefully they'll make it a nice bunch of people. Primary and Secondary class system, like Guild Wars. Totally love making my own bard/wizard, wizard/bard, priest/ranger, warrior/priest, whatever.
Screenshots indicate a less-than-state-of-the-art appearance by the time it releases, though I just need something that looks fairly nice, and it will probably be playable well on a wide variety of systems. One reason everybody and their grandma took up a certain hugely popular MMORPG is that they didn't have to plunk down for a new video card, or whole new PC, just to try it out.
Also, the game designers are raising their funds through licensing their engine to other games out there. A plus is that they get to keep more control than if they'd had to partner with a giant out there to get the development $$$, so they can really do their own thing, and make a totally awesome or totally sucky game. At least it probably won't be mediocre like many of the bland corporate offerings.
