General Discussion

The last non-instanced MMO made was Vanguard.  I think this is testimony to how long it takes to create a non-instanced, sandbox game.  I wish two things had gone differently:

1.  Microsoft should have kept investing in the project; because still today there are no MMOs to compete with a well-made and distributed Vanguard. 

2.  Sigil should not have given into the WoW mentality of linear gameplay.  Because quest are the ONLY way to make fast xp in Vanguard; everyone does the quests; hence linear.

When I look at PoBS and AoC, I see an utterly un-immersive world where you click on portals and are magically ported into rooms that look nothing like the area you just left.  Worlds where inivisible walls and facade are standard.  Games that cause one to bore in a matter of weeks.  It isn't the gameplay; it's the utter lack of immersion.

Originally posted by Arclan

1.  Microsoft should have kept investing in the project

The reason why Microsoft did not see Vanguard's potential is because SIGIL was poorly managed.

SIGIL needed a management team.  The "creative" team was the management team:  bad idea.

I do agree that Sigil had terrible management problems; at least rumors as such.  Brad was missing-in-action most of the time.

Originally posted by Arclan

The last non-instanced MMO made was Vanguard.  I think this is testimony to how long it takes to create a non-instanced, sandbox game.  I wish two things had gone differently:

1.  Microsoft should have kept investing in the project; because still today there are no MMOs to compete with a well-made and distributed Vanguard. 

2.  Sigil should not have given into the WoW mentality of linear gameplay.  Because quest are the ONLY way to make fast xp in Vanguard; everyone does the quests; hence linear.

When I look at PoBS and AoC, I see an utterly un-immersive world where you click on portals and are magically ported into rooms that look nothing like the area you just left.  Worlds where inivisible walls and facade are standard.  Games that cause one to bore in a matter of weeks.  It isn't the gameplay; it's the utter lack of immersion.

  Umm did you play the game?

  1) Vanguard is instanced. There are instances all over, and you tended to freeze for several mins while Chunk.. urr excuse me ZONING (zones of course being nothing but large INSTANCES)

  2) Didn't seem very sandboxy to me just another poorly done time sink grindage lvl / gear game, but i admit that is just my own perception YMMV

 3) Microsoft stopped throwing good money away after bad because Brad was scamming them. SOE picked up the tab and continued (and still does today) to fund this failed effort. At some point you gotta cut your loses Microsoft is the big name it is today because like it or hate they know when to do so.

   On the whole Vanguard is still around, and i'm happy because it gives players like you a place to play. All to their own!

/agree. I love VG, and will for years to come

I liked Vanguard for a couple of months; but it got boring fast. I'll tell ya one thing - playing a ranger has been a heck of a lot more fun in AoC than Vanguard. The combat and animations are far superior.

Vanguard was basically travel travel travel grind grind and repeat.

Winter, I'm not sure what you are smoking... please lookup "instances" in the MMO dictionary so you can take part in the conversation...

Praxus, you may love AoC right now; because it was JUST released.  I felt the same way about POBS...for about a month.   But if you love it after that, then I might just buy AoC.

Originally posted by Arclan

Winter, I'm not sure what you are smoking... please lookup "instances" in the MMO dictionary so you can take part in the conversation...

Praxus, you may love AoC right now; because it was JUST released.  I felt the same way about POBS...for about a month.   But if you love it after that, then I might just buy AoC.

I'm really curious, havent played, and problably wont play, just want to know. Thanks.

Yes the bosses are roaming around, usually near their "lair" or stomping grounds.  You just pick them off if you see them.  BTW, my post is not meant to suggest that Vanguard is a great game; I personally stopped playing it over a year ago.  But, it is the last MMO to come out that wasn't instanced; and had the potential to be great if Microsoft had the patience to complete it.

I personally think Vanguard development is going in the wrong direction.  Of course, you might love the game; i have no idea :)

Regarding waiting for spawns, I'm not sure now.  When I was playing it, the world was so large and spread out that no one was competing for spawns.  Well, maybe just a little in the starting towns, but it was very minor.

V