DC Universe Online, Anybody else play it? Options

[crash2029]

I got DCUO a couple of days ago and it's awesome. It is unlike any other MMO I have played. I was wondering what DSF thought of it?

[klinktastic]

What do you like about it?

[deek]

I've only read some reviews, but they have said that DCUO is the best superhero MMO out there. When I told that to my friends, they kind of laughed and said that that's not saying much based on the competition.

The big thing that I've read is how DCUO handles end game. Leveling is supposed to be pretty quick, so its all about what you do with your end level that is going to make or break the game...

[Voran]

I did open beta and have a freebie month at the moment. Honestly, I'm not seeing me going beyond my free month. It captures the setting well, but its just...lacking...in areas. Part of the community is rabid in defending it, "What did you expect for opening month?" and try to explain away all the problems people are having. Others want to dump on it just for sake of dumping on it. I like to think I'm in the middle, but even we're getting a little frustrated from some of the lacking and lack of feedback.

Issues:

Its a cross platform game, meaning the PC version is limited somewhat to be on par with the PS3 version, even though the two don't share servers. The chat system is underdeveloped, it doesn't have your typical dedicated chat channels, which is odd, considering that Sony Online Entertainment has experience with MMOs. You have to 'shout' which only reaches people in your zone, not people inside buildings/etc. You have 'versus' basically a shout channel that is cross faction between heroes and villains. There's a limited WHO function, so you never know who is online or what the numbers in the server, much less your zone (metropolis, gotham city, etc) are.

People are a little frustrated the costume choices are rather generic and not all are available at character creation. They're frustrated that you can only slot 6 active powers, a potion and a trinket.

Levelling is quick. Level 30 is max, I reached it in 3 days of casual play. Part of the initial PR was that you could pick a mentor and stick with that storyline through your whole level gain, but that's not entirely true, requiring you to take cross-mentor missions, which then limits replay somewhat as it means you see all the various story missions that much faster. End game is kinda what you expect, PVP arena, alerts (kinda like raids).

PVP itself is not balanced, but that's sorta expected for any mmo that's live less than 6 months or so. But there are cheaters and exploiters as well. Power sets aren't really balanced, and they've gone through at least 5 significant overhauls since I started beta in October or so. They did a massive overhaul of how you generate energy (energy is used for powers, built up by weapon attacks) late in Beta, and didn't really give testers time to test it.

The chat filter is overzealous, and you can't turn it off.

It kinda plays like a 3rd person shooter/sandbox kinda like...I dunno assassins creed, prototype, etc. You don't point and click interface via mouse, basically you 'steer' by mouse if using keyboard/mouse or plug in a xbox type controller.

Hit detection is poor, targetting is floaty and linked to camera, which can tend to flip around at inopportune moments, leaving you heading in the wrong direction while someone shoots you in the ass.

Open world PVP basically comes down to "which side has more people at level 30". Heroes tend to outnumber villains around 3 to 1.

There isn't much variation in play of particular characters with particular powersets, but that's sorta an issue with all mmos. If you see someone using fire effects, you can sorta guess what his 6 loadout is going to be, likewise ice users, etc. Ah yes, also powersets determine role. Fire and Ice are tanks, for example, so you wanna be a fire using controller or healer? too bad, you can't. Healers can be sorcerers or nature users, thats it. I forget what the controllers are. Everyone can be damage role, and 'switch roles' at level 10. So as a fire user, i can switch mode between damage and tank, if i had a nature user, damage and healer, etc.

[KarmaInferno]

I'll wait for the free trial.

Sticking with City of Heroes in the meanwhile.

Tried Champions Online, didn't like it.





-k

[klinktastic]

I've got a free subscription to LOTRO and only 1 of my 4 accounts active on EVE. I don't think I'm going to be MMO'ing until the new Star Wars MMO comes out. I had a lot of fun with Star Wars Galaxies (as crummy as it was in some aspects). If the new one is equally as fun, then it should be good fun, especially with all the SW fanboy love it will get. Oh yeah, I've got a lifetime sub for Star Trek Online....that was a waste. I should probably log back in, see whats new...but I just dont have the willpower.

[Tanegar]

I might check out DCUO in a year or so, after it's gotten its sea legs, so to speak. MMOs are like wine or cheese: it doesn't matter how great the end result is, they all taste horrible if sampled prematurely. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[crash2029]

There are two things I really like about DCUO. One is that you get a movement power at level one, yes I'm looking at you CoH. The other thing is that the combat is realtime. I actually feel like I am battling the villains and not just waiting until my turn.

As for the downsides, I cannot think of any that are specific to DCUO and not parcel with the MMO genre. I am sure there are serious flaws but now I am too jazzed about the combat and movement and whole superhero-y goodness to be fault finding. I am sure I will have some specific criticisms when the novelty wears off.

And thanks for the replies, guys.

[Starglyte]

Its a nice break from WoW for me. Different control scheme and I like the character creation. But I have only gotten to level 10 hero and villian, so I don't know how well the game will hold when there is not enough difference in the quests.

[Voran]

A gripe I have is that there's not going to be much difference between the quests within the 'same side, different mentors'. And to a degree, different sides share quests as well. All the 'raids' are pretty much the same, just the voiceover changes between hero and villain side.

I think the only real differences are seen at lowbie levels, where you start out and your initial chains to quests, beyond that they force overlap, and then do it again as you get to higher level.