For Gnomepy

Well first off...For Vanguard you NEED a highend computer to play endgame. It's a very damanding game spec wise. I am running a 4gig ram, 10000rpm HDD, GF 8800GFX (7xx mb) and a E4400 dualcore (low CPU i know) and i can't take on an overland mob (like...erhm...doomwalker or other world bosses in WoW) without dropping from 40 FPS to 5 FPS.
in addition, yes there is some bugs here and there. used to be way many, but devs in SoE have focused on releasing bug patched / Game Updates instead of actual expanssions which is very unlike SoE. Look at EQ1, they spewed out expansions every 2nd month :S But they have fixed ALOT of the mayor issues at hand.
Last thing, there is some archtype class unbalance (like stack Shamans in SWP and win). some of the 15 classes in VG is rendered usless endgame because of this. But it's to be adressed later™.

Despite that, if you ever played EQ1 you will find Vanguard as probably one of the best MMO games on the market as it is. This game is so unlike WoW.
For one nothing is handed to you (like welfare epics), you need to actually think. Which obviously exclude alot of mongs and kids. So VG's player base is somewhat mature.

Also the graphics is outstanding. If you got the spec to run it on highest settings, you WILL be baffled and amazed. They've put so much work into the actual scenario.

The actual classes are awesome aswell. only 2 outta 15 classes can be looked upon as "same playstyle" (Shaman and Cleric (priest in WoW). Rest is totally unique. I've been playing this game for 2 years soon (on and off. Mostly off while in Maligned) and i know ONLY how to play 3 classes. if i was equipped with another class i wouldnt know how to play it. The very basic is the same as any other MMO. Target > Mash some buttons > win. But the way each class works require you to understand some of the mechanics and not just mash Lightning Bolt or Steady Shot to achieve best DPS possible. You can't follow certain rotations as it's based on the situation that is happening just NOW. It's more like, follow your guts, and as you get better your learn how to handle situations
Also one thin i absolutly love about VG (Being parttime RPer my self) is the lore of the game. it's like 20% of the game. Alot of lore has been put into it which is nothing but amazing.

Regarding raids. The tolerance is huge. if one or two dies, no biggie aside from the fact the boss will ake longer duo to lacking DPS or whatever. This is kinda a bad thing as it doesnt really leave any challanges when you're "game over" and got the best-in-slot gear. Pre that, it does take quite some skill and awareness to actually complete something in our "SWP".
But wow is much more unforgiveable than Vanguard. Doesnt mean that you can just walk in and play like bobbeh or Enigmar...

As for PVP, this is close to non exsiting. there is a FFA-PVP server. but everyone playes a druid as they are far superior in PvP. apparently devs are trying to figure something out™ on this, which includes FFA arenas, class balance in terms of PVP etc

So all in all: If you can live with some minor graphic glitches, soon to be adressed™ lacking endgame, random mob bugs and stuff like that and appreciate a game with difficulty and lots of lore and unique classes, this is the game for you mate.

 

Reason for not actually PMing you back is because some thing is fubared with my PM (or i dont know how to use it :S).

Admins, what am i doing wrong when it just puts my message in outbox instead of sending it to the reciever? Happened when i tried to PM DL and bobbeh today aside from gnomepy's reply...

 

It means they haven't logged in to receive it yet

 

I've been pending for DL's PM for like 2 months :S Is he really that much of a slacker?

 

sometimes they seem to get "stuck", i've had one in my outbox for 8 months now... no idea how to fix it tho

 

Glad i am not the only one. That rules me out of the "mong" category luckily! \o/

 

Think Darklore's username is just "Darklore". And sorry i ment the original pm from Gnomepy to me

 

On the PM issue haven't had a PM from Meemers so it cant be stuck waiting for me to read it :/


Thanks for the expanded reply meemers. It sounds like a fun game, but the high system needs and the fact there is no PvP will probably not have me check it out anytime soon after all. I thought the original designers (before SoE) meant it to be somewhat of a sandbox game?

If you ever played DAoC, I had imagined it to be somewhat like that but then more open world / sandbox.

 

I am not sure i know the phrase "Sandbox" game...Care to explain your leet lingo?

 

Sandbox is like non-linear gameplay, where the player is pretty much put into a world (sandbox) and left to go his own way, make his own story (Make cool buildings and pies out of sand!) a bit like oblivion/ GTA / Fallout 3 etc.

In an MMO it would probably be the idea of Starwars galaxies, though I never played it.

 

Aah right...

Well Vanguard is deffo a so called "Sandbox" game. You're pretty much free to do whatever you like. As soon as the other day i got a "first" on discovering a place serverwide (Mind you the game have existed in nearly 2 years). Devs are known for making content not writtin in patch notes. So it's pretty much down to exploring, doing new quests and killing new mobs. I've got 2 chars at 50 and a couple high 40's, and i think i've been to the same place twice on a total of 5 chars in the entire leveling session of all the chars together. There's no guide like joana's or somesuch as there are countless different way to level.
Ofcourse there's the "mandatory" stuff you do for gear, but aside from that you got like 10 different places per 10 levels to go in 3 different contents.

Mind i put in as well as there is 3 different spheres in Vanguard. Adventuring (PvE), Crafting (well duh) and diplomacy (practicing politics ingame). Adventuring you obviously know, but neither crafting or diplomacy is anything as it sounds. you can reach Level 50 in all three spheres, where each grants you rewards in different aspects of the game.

If you're into PvP as you say, then go buy Warhammer or keep getting owned on that shammy of yours. Vanguard is clearly lacking a PvP aspect of the game, but other than that it kinda lives up the ruinfalls kinda expectations if you ask me (without the bugs obviously - But bet Ruinfalls gets rushed aswell as AoC, Warhammer and Vanguard etc. but we'll see)

If you're not sure, but still entriged i suggest you try the 14 day trial that'll take you through the newbie area learning you something about each sphere, can try different classes etc.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, 14 days free trial on Isle of Dawn