Finishing up 3-Day WAR Weekend

I’ve been playing Warhammer Online since the Collector’s Edition Head Start began on Sunday afternoon.  I’m in the Casualties of WAR’s Order guild on Averheim and although I haven’t grouped with the guild much so far, it’s a fun having considerate and helpful people to chat with on Vent.  Most of the grouping is based around Scenarios and Open RVR both of which I’ve been unable to play since the Preview Weekend.  After making some minor tweaks I read on the Internet, I was able to stick a toe into the Tier 1 zone for a bit but within a few minutes I crash.

Sans RVR, I’ve been focused on the PVE content which really does deliver.  The quest mechanics are certainly the standard fare but there is something about the quests that I like enough that I’m actually doing them!  I not a fan of quests but like Age of Conan (AOC), the WAR quests are rather engaging so I find myself continuing to take the next one offered.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that the map is similar to AOC’s in that it provides visual cues for quest objectives.  I’ve always said that exploring is fun but being lost isn’t so find a more interesting way to encourage exploration than leaving me to wander lost.  Twice now this year, the gaming developer gods have taken pity on us poor gaming mortals and given us maps with quest information.  If you don't like the map help you can disable it.  Personally, I’m more apt to explore when I know that I can easily get back on track for quest objectives when I'm ready to get back to business.

No launch is perfect but this has been pretty darn close.  Beyond the RVR issue I have, I’m not running into any other bugs.  Combat responsiveness has been improved but it can still be several moves behind in heavily populated Public Quests.  The mob will be dead and I’m still executing abilities that don’t require a target.  For a casting class that’s not “too” bad.  I execute specific spells in certain sequences and I just keeping going even when the game isn’t responsive because I know the spells are firing.  It’s better to keep fighting and waste some mana than have the screen update and find yourself dead.

Alysianah is my main character and she’s a Bright Wizard.  I love the whole pyro boom-boom style of this class.  She’s a bit squishy but that’s to be expected because of the high amount of DPS she can pump out.  I’ll do a class overview at a later date.  But suffice it to say that I’m really enjoying her.  Based on how I spec her I’ll be able to play like a World of Warcraft (WOW) Warlock or Mage with plenty of diversity in between.

I’ve already reached half way to level 12 doing quests, Public Quests and farming mobs here and there when I was in the mood.  The leveling curve is moving slower than when I did the Preview Weekend. However, I’m not sure if it’s because PVP/RVR levels faster since that’s all I did that weekend or they changed the pace afterward. Either way, I’m not racing to the end so it’s not that important to me.  I’ve found my favorite zone, Empire, which is similar to what my favorites where in WOW – English countryside.  This is my ideal fantasy setting – forests, groves, small towns, outposts, farmland, etc. 

Similar to WOW, combat in WAR is spread across the countryside.  WAR is literally everywhere.  With the exception of the Capital cities which will eventually be under siege as well, they don’t relegate the combat out in the middle of nowhere so that you only go there to kill mobs. It’s all around you and that makes the whole world feel alive.  You’re fighting in and among the people (NPCs) that inhabit this virtual space.  I prefer it when the game is laid out in this manner.  WOW did it.  AOC did it.  WAR knew it was the way to do it as well.  I don’t know why EQ2 continues to layout those combat-only zones that you travel to and leave when you’re questing is done.  It’s just so contrived and is one of the things I’ve disliked most about Norrath since day one.

I’m decked out pretty good for a level 12 character.  Goodness only knows what gear I’d be dripping in if I’d been able to earn RVR Renown Gear.   I’m in two epics, two blues and greens.  It’s nice to get quest rewards suited to your class.  I adore the fact the PQs which are repeatable, allow you to choose your reward from a list of options.  If you’re still doing the quests to obtain influence but no longer need the rewards because you’ve already gotten what you want, you can take the coin instead.  Fabulous I tell you, just fabulous.

It’s back to work tomorrow and only playing if I get off at a decent time.  *Grumble* I’ve really enjoyed the CE Head Start and the only thing that would have made it perfect is if I’d been able to do the PVP/RVR.  Oh well, here’s hoping installing from the CDs provides a fix.

Comments

[nosedive51]

Sorry to hear about your RvR troubles. I've not ran into any problems. Crazy computer world.

[JoBildo]

I seem to have fixed my issues by reinstalling Nvidia's most recent drivers, but where mine might have been a graphics issue, yours sounds much deeper int he code of the game and how it reacts to your set-up.

I'm curious, Vista? Quad-core or Dual-core?

I feel bad because you're missing out on all the fun scenarios!

[Openedge1]

Wonder how much WAR gold is.
Thats pretty SERIOUS stuff there...bot's already.

WAR is pretty serious though.

Anyways. I have heard if using Vista, that by switching the client to XP sp2 for the .exe, it helps crash issues.

I sure am glad Conan has worked out their OOM issue finally. But, since I switched to Vista 64 and 4 gigs, I have had zero issues.

Love my machine!

[Saylah]

Windows XP, Dell XPS Duo-Core, Nvidia 9600 GT & 4 GB RAM. Yes, I'm very sad that I can't do the Scenarios. I uninstalled graphics drivers, re-installed and updated Direct X but to no avail.

I'm bummed about not being able to do any of the RVR. That's all I did during the PE and OB. :-( Luckily, I'm enjoying the leveling and quests enough to be a bit more patient.

The minute I step a toe into those zones, I crash. I've crossed over into RVR just barely turning in a quest and there's no one there and I crash. Someone suggested unplugging special peripherals and see what happens. Will try just about anything at this point.

I defrag and did a clean install from the game CDs today and no change.

[JoBildo]

I have a similar system, and my crashing to black screen is unexplained as well.

I even have the same video card and 3GB of RAM. I wonder if there's something with on-board sound going on? It only seems to happen to me in crowded areas, and after about an hour of playing. For you it happens when crossing over into an RvR zone...

Very fubared, and I wish they'd fix it soon. Spent 2 hours losing scenarios last night, and the first time we were winning I crashed... and my team ended up losing because they were down a DPS class to take out the healers.

Bad, bad, bad.

I'm tempted to avoid RvR and crowded PQs until this is fixed. It wasn't an issue in the OB, but was there during the PW... so it has to be fixable and something they know how to do.

[Mornazh]

Nice 'air, fer a ummie!

[Saylah]

For me I don't think it has anything to do with crowds since I do the PQs not problem. I ran thru crowded zones on the way to the Shawl mob location just made sure not to actually wander across the zone into the RVR area and was fine. Whereas with the Scenarios it happens as soon as I zone in even when there are only a couple of people in yet. And I'd done both before OB just fine - mostly. I had some lag and a few crashes but nothing consistent to a black screen.