Profile: pencilrick
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• • What, exactly, is wrong with instanced dungeons?

  • How did this thread turn into a PVP-centric discussion?

    The argument of "instanced" vs "non-instanced" dungeons is one of immersion, a question of "do other people exist in the world I"m in". 

    While waiting in line to kill a respawning boss mob may not be realistic, just the fact that other people might be somewhere in the dungeon with you is very cool and immersive.  Anyone who remembers Lower Guk in Everquest will know what I'm talking about.  Indeed, my character was saved once or twice by a higher level party in Lower Guk.  When all seemed helpless and I was lost and seemingly doomed, another party was there.

    And the inadvertent (hopefull) "trains" of aggroed monsters made everyone keep on their toes.  Non-instanced dungeons are a thing to behold.

    I think what dev's are learning is that for every perceived annoyance they eliminate, they also risk removing significant fun that was tied to that annoyance.

     

  • Posted: 9/07/08 11:37 AM
    General Discussion
• • A note about PVE in Darkfall for new players

  • Originally posted by imbant
    

    I have seen a lot of threads that contain questions about PVE in Darkfall.  Some even ask if there is PVE at all. 

    Not only is there PVE in Darkfall, but it actually has some really interesting aspects to it which is amazing due to the fact that the game is based on PVP.  So I want to take a second and highlight some of the PVE features for those of you who have not been following the game until recently.

     

    • There is PVE in Darkfall.  So lets just make sure everyone knows that first.
    • There are dungeons, but they are not instanced.  This means that any group of any race can come into the dungeon your group is in.  The dungeons will be zoned and are one of the few parts of DF that will not be seemless.
    • Darkfall has a very dynamic and unique PVE system in place regarding random mobs in the world.  Once you clear a group of mobs they are gone.  However if they remain unchecked, they will grow in size and power, and may even begin to establish structures.  Champions can spawn and they can also roam.
    • PVE mobs will drop exactly what you see on them.  You will not be looting the Sword of the Uber off a boar.  If you attack a goblin with an iron helm, sword and cloth pants on...that is what you will be able to loot off him.  If he switches to a bow and arrow in the middle of the fight, that will also be there too.
    • PVE mobs will have the ability to LOOT YOU if you die while fighting them.  So it is entirely possible to come across a camp of goblins, and notice that one of them is sporting a little nicer gear than the rest of them because he just took out an ork player.  If you kill him now, you will be the new owner of that loot.
    • You will not be clearing the same raid boss over and over.  Once a "raid" boss is killed, he is gone...because you know...you killed him.  Do not read that as raid bosses will be few and far between and only the elite guilds who get to them first will have access to this part of the game.  There will be plenty to go around.

     

    That is just some of the main points about PVE in Darkfall.  There is also talks about Demigods on destruction paths that will be controlled directly by GMs. (That players can obviously kill if they are able to)

    Hope this helps any players who are just now discovering all that Darkfall has to offer. 

    
     

    The part about mobs taking your gear is great, and I totally approve of the non-instanced world. 

    Still, I lament that there is no purely PVE version of Darkfall or anything like that (i.e., a PVE sandbox with true freedom).

    I have played all sorts of PVP from Shadowbane to DAOC to WOW's excuse for PVP, and can find no benefit, indeed no real challenge, in PVP play.  Just ganking or zerging, it's all very repetitive after a time. 

    All of this is my opinion, of course, but I think well-designed PVE does more to build teamwork and community than PVP ever can.

  • Posted: 9/06/08 6:11 AM
    Darkfall
• • What, exactly, is wrong with instanced dungeons?

  • Originally posted by rikilii
    

    I can think of several reasons why instanced dungeons are a good thing, but few, if any, why they are bad.

    Someone care to explain?

    
     

    The whole point of MMORPG's is shared experiences and recognition by peers of one's own accomplishments.  Therefore, when you have some instanced event, the rest of the MMORPG community on your server does not see your heroics not do you see theirs.  In other words, your actions might as well have been played out offline in a single player RPG.

    What instancing does is keep folks from stepping on one another's toes or arguing over camp spots.  However, the gain does not make up for the loss in immersion and overall fun.

    I have played plenty of both, instanced and non-instanced dungeons, in 9 years of MMORPG gaming, and some of my non-instanced experiences, I have remembered for years.  All of my instanced dungeon experiences are forgotten the next day.

  • Posted: 9/06/08 5:50 AM
    General Discussion
• • May be worth a look...

  • Originally posted by downtoearth
    

    Originally posted by pencilrick
    

    While I am normally a PVE player with a dislike of PVP, I do like consequences and freedom in a game, and Darkfall seems to be headed that way.

    Has been a long time since I felt like I was playing in a world and not in some linear game.  Let's hope Darkfall delivers.

     

    darkfall should have awsome pve too
     

    
     

    Excellent news.  I also like how PVP death can sting and how alignment works.

    Funny, how in a tabletop game, alignment dictated how you should play your character, but in this game how you play will dictate your alignment (which is how it should be; they have it right).

  • Posted: 9/03/08 3:15 PM
    Darkfall
• • May be worth a look...

  • While I am normally a PVE player with a dislike of PVP, I do like consequences and freedom in a game, and Darkfall seems to be headed that way.

    Has been a long time since I felt like I was playing in a world and not in some linear game.  Let's hope Darkfall delivers.

     

  • Posted: 9/03/08 3:12 PM
    Darkfall