Guildwars - Yay or nay?

[SecondTime]

I am looking for a low cost action rpg to pass some time with. I like multiplayer, specifically pvp. I also enjoy a bit of character building. How does Guildwars stack up on this score? From the little research I've done, it looks like the stand alone Factions expansion might be my best bet. Any opinions on which of the three available games is the best beginning point? Is there an Enworld guild?

As an alternative, I was considering finally getting into Diablo (through the Battlechest) for some casual laptop gaming. How does Guildwars compare to this older, cheaper game?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[trancejeremy]

The thing with GW, is that while it has PvP, you really have to spend a lot of time (and work with a team) to be good at it. There are random casual arenas, but they are mostly theoretical - they get lots of people slumming there who use exploits to win a lot. (Like the best armor in the game on level 1 characters, which makes them almost unbeatable)

 

[Thanee]

Havn't really tried PvP, since it's not quite my thing, but other than that Guild Wars is a nice enough game. For single player gaming, starting at the beginning (i.e. Prophecies) makes sense, I guess. It's the only one I know yet, and it's pretty good. Story is unfolding nicely and when you just follow the story and do all the quests you progress nicely. Of course, you reach the highest level by the time you are through 1/3 of the game or so already, but that's deliberate, and I heard you still continue to be able to advance your character afterwards.

You can observe PvP fights from inside the game via a special interface. So you can get an idea how it works.

You can also start at level 20 right away as a PvP char, but you will only have basic skills (though those are probably alright, but surely not great). The RP game allows you to discover and unlock (for PvP) a lot of new skills and items.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Wystan]

I have tried the following:
World of Warcraft - Only one I still play
Everquest
Everquest 2
Star Wars Galaxies - Beta (want to try this again)
City of Heroes/Villains

Of all of these I hold the following views:

City of * is easy and fun, but there is no real story there for me. Just a list of quests that seem to be in the same 5-6 buildings inside. Teams are required for advancement and finding a good supergroup can help. I quit as it was becoming repetative.

Star Wars Galaxies has a theme I can get into, but the Empire vs. Rebelianwas not there in the Beta as much and I need to try it again to see what it is like now. Also when I played I was on dialupand the Lag was atrocious.

Everquest I played for 2-3 years, never got past lvl 45 and felt like I would never see the end game. I quit well before WoW and never looked back.

Everquest 2 suckered me into trying it with the blurbs, but I never even finished my free month.

World of Warcraft holds my attention as it is possible to do a lot of different things, even on my lvl 60 character. There are different dungeons to try with groups, low level characters to run through low level dungeons to show off too, questing in the outside world, tradeskill collecting and practicing, playing the auction house, exploring, and starting an alt of a different race/class/affiliation to see the different quests and zones that the others get.


Sometimes I load up Diablo II and jump into it to play a quick game as that is mindless entertainment, I also have NWN and NWN2 and play those once in a while.

This is just my 5-10 cents

 

[Banshee16]

Apparently the game was built around PvP...but if you play story mode, it's strictly co-op until you finish it.

The graphics are pretty decent, but I do find that some of the abilities really don't seem to make much of a difference. It does have storyline, and something it does that WoW fails at is making solo gaming easy.

If you're having trouble finding a group to play with, you can actually get hirelings who will give you enough support to make it through most of the quests on your own.

Keep in mind that it's not a "true" MMORPG....more of an action game. And the only places where you can interact with multiple players is in the towns. As soon as you leave the town, it instances off an "occasion" of the surrounding area for your quest, so it's only you and the up to 7 other people you have in your group. There *are* NPCs, outside of the towns, but they're computer controlled.

I played the game a lot for a very long time, though I've since slowed down. I've heard the expansion packs are pretty good, and ordered Factions on Boxing Day, but haven't received it yet, so can't tell you if it's any good.

Banshee

 

[MarauderX]

I've played:
Everquest
Everquest II
WoW
DDO
City of Heroes

Of them I prefer DDO. The familiarity of D&D with more mature players than WoW. Everquest II graphics are phenominal, but the quests themselves are a little lackluster. DDO has quests that are easy to get to, and when you're part of a great group you get a real sense of accomplishment and teamwork - with every quest. City of Heroes is a great superhero MMO, but the quests start getting a little repetitive.

 

[SkidAce]

It's a Yay!

You can have a blast at PvP or have a RP character. Three different storylines available. (Start with Prophecies)

And your only investment is the origional box, so if you don't like it...stop. Or leave and come back...etc.

I have a Ranger with a secondary class of Mesmer, which in my mind equates to a DnD Ranger/Magic User I had long ago.

 

[LrdApoc]

I'm a pretty big proponent of Guild Wars. I don;t spend hours playing online with a guild doing grinding instances in WoW but I can co-op with friends in GW. We tend to have a lot more fun because the game (at least the RP campaigns) are really built to be played by a party of 4-5 people and that works best for us. I've played about every MMO out there and I personally find GW the most affordable time and money wise.

The focus is not on level so much as it is on skills. I've interviewed Jeff Strain, ArenaNet's founder about the game and he confirmed what I felt as a player - GW is really a card game with a really cool graphical adventure interface. The game is built around a hand of cards - or skills - that you prepare and play in the game. I like that aspect.

There is no grind to level or find the perfect item - instead you face quests to beat foes and unlock skills or advance the storyline. I feel Guild Wars really makes you feel like your character has an impact on the story of the game. You are the heroes. WoW and other MMO's don't do that well at all.

DDO does a better job than most with the epic nature of the modules and making your party important but it is hard to solo in.(or was when I played)

Monetarily I can pick up an expansion or not and never pay to play online - I like that. I'm not a PvP player in any game I play so the cooperative nature of the game works really well for me and I've been very pleased with the first year of storylines and character options - Each has added something or corrected a problem from the earlier games in the series - like Factions adding a more guided campaign to help people get started and Nightfall adding Heroes tot he party that players arm and equip in combat - making solo or small group play much more approachable.

I'm a fan and i recommend it easily enough to others. Though I still enjoy WoW I find GW more fun to play with my circle of friends - especially since I'm not into the whole Clan aspect of MMO's in general and the high cost of personal time it takes to maintain any part in a larger Guild or clan.

 

[Ghostwind]

I have Guild Wars and the first expansion and as hard as I try to like the game, I can't. Maybe it's because I am spoiled by the willingness of people to team up in City of Villains, but Guild Wars comes across as very much a game of cliques and World of Warcraft/Everquest washouts. I haven't found a single player that was friendly or willing to help a newbie. Most had rather rude comments to say the least. An unfriendly player base spoils the game real quick in my book.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I have Guild Wars and the first expansion and as hard as I try to like the game, I can't. Maybe it's because I am spoiled by the willingness of people to team up in City of Villains, but Guild Wars comes across as very much a game of cliques and World of Warcraft/Everquest washouts. I haven't found a single player that was friendly or willing to help a newbie. Most had rather rude comments to say the least. An unfriendly player base spoils the game real quick in my book.

I got GW: Prophecies for Christmas, been playing a lot and I enjoy it. I've got a couple folks that I co-op with that I knew before the game that I play with, otherwise I tend to run solo with Cohorts.

GW is fun since the group doesn't have to be a bunch of people, you can fill your group out with NPC's and do all of it yourself.

I've answered questions from folks that were newer than I, I've spent plenty of time pn the game so I'm familiar with the parts I've run. (I like tinkering with new class combos, so I've got Pre-Searing memorized

For me, GW is more of a Co-Op "Fable" style game, with some MMO features. I've only trial'd WoW and DDO, but both seemed not as solo-friendly to me.

Also, GW has a "trial code" that is good for like, 15 hours of gameplay, but I think you already need to have the game discs.