Where did everybody go off to?

I know it's not an online game, but I've been playing Hogwarts Legacy and it is absolutely fantastic. I haven't had this much fun playing a new game since I found Dark Souls in like 2014.

As for MMOs I dunno, I feel like I don't have much fun in any of them anymore. They're fun for about a month and then I get bored. I can't tell if I've lost interest in the genre or if the games just all kind of suck...

 

So, came back here to offer some observations about my experience with DDO since coming back to it after more than a decade.

Despite being an old game and one that has embraced micro transactions, it's not bad.

There are three membership levels:

(1) VIP: Pretty much the same as the eq2 monthly sub. Opens up all content except the big expansions, gives 500 ddo points (shop currency) per month, more chatacter slots. Some orher fluff.

(2) Premium: For this level, you just have to buy ddo points from the shop once. Gives more chatacter slots than free, some other fluffy perks. The way this tier works is you buy the individual pieces of content you want to run with ddo points, and once you do, it belongs to the account forever. Think modules from the old p&p game. In fact, I think the reason why I'm not offended by this pricing model is that it's really no different than P&P. Content prices range from about $4 to $20 for action packs that have anywhere from 4-10 dungeons. The major expansions follow the eq2 format of three tiers.

Playing solo and very casually, this is the plan I chose. In addition, content can be purchased at a significant discount by taking advantage of sales on DDO points, action packs and expansions, and from ddo points earned in game. All three can be used together and there are always sales happening.

3. F2P: This game is technically 100% playable for all content for f2p. In DDO, shop points can be earned in game from achieving "favor" goals. Favor is like eq2 faction and the amount awarded is determined by the level of content difficulty you choose when zoning into an instance (casual, normal, hard, elite, reaper). BUT, favor is only paid once, and it's not addititive. For example, if you run a zone on normal for 5 pts, and then you run it again on hard mode for 7 pts, you will bank 7, not 12. There are also bonuses here and there. From what I understand, the way to grind enough pts to buy all content you want is to have an army of low level alts spread across all 8 servers and optimize low level content and bonuses. Grind, grind, grind. Not for me.

So there have been several big feature adds that seemed to have happened right after I left years ago. The first is availability of Hirelings (mercs). These dudes actually work really well. Sure, they still do dumb merc stuff like stand in traps until they die, but they're really easy to control. In fact, you can command them to to execute specific abilities (for ex, command your merc to heal any target you select), but I've found that's not needed much. The AI is really good ( my healer actually heals, buffs, and removes detriments WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED ). If you buy the premium mercs from the shop, you can pop up to 4 hirelings at the same time.

Of course, the downside is these things have really killed grouping. DDO, much like P&P, is heavily dependent on class skills to clear content. Healers aside, need a rogue to disarm traps or open hidden doors? NP rogue mercs work great.

For me, as a casual player who likes the puzzles DDO is built around, this works nicely. Very happy with it.

Reincarnation is the second big feature add. This is more or less DDO's solution to a TLE server, but without the need for a new server. The way it works is, after level 20 (in DDO, level 20 is sort of mid range), you can purchase or get a loot drop token that allows you to reincarnate your character at level one. When you do, your character retains some of the memory of its past life to make the new character a bit stronger. So for example, if you were a paladin, and you reincarnated as a rogue, you'll inherit some pally things that don't constrain your build the way multi-classing usually does. If you reincarnated your pally into another pally, it will inherit stuff allowing you to make a stronger buld out of the box. With each reincarnation, your xp gain slows down considerably. I think this is a really interesting way to address the "re-experiencing the content " problem. When you reincarnate, you lose your earned favor but keep your crafting experience.

They've also have added scaled content called legendary and epic levels. I don't know much about it, but it seems that it's just a way to keep ramping up the challenge of existing content. From what I've been able to piece together, past lives are more or less a must to run these difficulties.

Lastly, they've added enhancement trees that work like any other game where the points spent further customize character builds by making specific actiions more powerful (ie, eq2 aa trees). I have found this too makes makes soloing the content, especially on higher difficulties much more attainable.

That being said, last night I tried to solo an hard mode level dungeon that was three levels above me on my pally and got one shotted by a trash mob arcane skelli 5 seconds in.

Nuts and Bolts:

1. There is no housing in DDO.
2. The crafting system still blows in terms of fun, but anyone can make useful items.
3. There are guilds.
4. Unique character building (multi classing, feature selection, enhancements) still allow for a seemingly infinite number of unique builds.
5. DDO is big on puzzles. If you like that kind of thing, you'll enjoy the content.
6. DDO is big on itemization. Certain classes and weapons are stronger/weaker against specific classes of mobs.
7. Solo friendly (now).
8. Micro transactions are a big part of their model, but they aren't bad and there are alternatives (I actually like this system for a D&D format).
9. The game uses D&D mechanics. Rolls are 4 sd, 6 sd, 8 sd, 12 sd, 20 sd). All the usual roll mechanics are there: spot, hit, damage, bonus damage saves, heals, etc. Unlike eq2's black box of modifier mysteries, this makes working out the impact of itemization super transparent and easy to figure.
10. Raids in DDO are 12 players. They can be quite challenging depending on the difficulty selected (well, that's what I recall. Haven't raided yet since coming back).

For me, the game works because I can piddle and dink around when I feel like it. I buy the content I want, when I want, and then it's mine. It doesn't punish itemization the way eq2 does for nonsubs. I like the puzzles and the solo fun.

PS. Haven't played ESO for several years. That's a really good game, and I might come back to it. Best story telling in the market (imo).