I actually agree with everything in your post, for the most part Broken_Kayfabe.
Sorry, that there wasn't enough to draw you in more.
On your 2nd point, I think this was a design choice so people didn't feel like they had to level a new character to play as subclasses in the same calling.
I think when the game goes live, there will 'restrictions' in place on how fast you gain souls, as of now, i have all 8 souls (and only a few warfronts from having my pvp soul), and while the choice is nice, I already know which combinations i prefer.
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Broken_Kayfabe posted: 1. I hate questing on railway tracks. I have no patience for being led by the nose for advancement anymore. To be absolutely blunt, I would like to go back to a quest system that rewards items only, not experience, and does not affect content availability at all (ie, opening up new lands etc). Totally optional.
u dont have to quest ;p
i did 10-18 strictly off invasions.. i seem to hate railroad questing like you, but for me the invasions kept it fresh for me.
Broken_Kayfabe posted: They seem to be aiming for a higher quality release than most other mmorpgs have accomplished, so for that I wish them luck.
However, two things killed the game for me (and only me, these are personal opinions):
1. I hate questing on railway tracks. I have no patience for being led by the nose for advancement anymore. To be absolutely blunt, I would like to go back to a quest system that rewards items only, not experience, and does not affect content availability at all (ie, opening up new lands etc). Totally optional.
2. For all the variety in having all those souls to choose from, it really removes the feeling of attachment to your character. To me it seems like, say you're playing D&D and you can, on a whim, utterly change all your feats and skills. You'd basically be an entirely new character, and lost everything that happened before that.
For these reasons, I didn't really see much of a future for me playing Rift, and the wait continues. Hopefully it does well, though, as a reminder that quality mmorpg release is something publishers need to make a higher priority.
1) You don't have to quest. I believe you can level purely on PvP or Invasions, but I understand your point all the same. Unfortunately that style seems dead and long departed.
2) Again, another one of those features that they added a long time ago, that I don't like, but I doubt any game will be without. I disliked when AC1 added the respec quest, and by comparison to most games these days, it was rather tame (allowing you only one skill change per 2 week per two week period).
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I agree that questing on railway tracks is not fun.
The quest hubs in Rift direct you to the next hub, the next one .... AND you do not have to quest that way. There are no phases forcing the order. You can pick and choose, you can skip, you can come back and do some, you can dungeon / PQ your way up. Including PvP.
Playing alpha/beta and now back to alpha:
I decided not to jump on the quest-train (even though it took a hit in efficiency). I went exploring, found little hubs on the way, Orange and Red quests. Could actually do some of the orange ones. Had to be careful where I walked and found myself in Sanctum at level 8. Did some quests there, got the portal, wandered back and generally picked up the quests that sounded interesting. Throw in PQs with the zerg (dungeon runs past 14) and it was all good. At some point, I went back and polished off the quests in the zone before heading over to the next zone up, just because I wanted to... not because I had to.
I've run at least a dozen characters if not more through the starter zone ... and yes, those you have to do. That's really no different than WoW, where you get that efficicency down to 25 mins because you can just knock them off. Had the same experience in Rift.
As to the variety, my character can swap between melee/dps/backup healer to pure healer. No different than my WoW Ret Pally/Holy Pally, SP/Holy Priest. Or any of my characters that go from DPS/Tanking. or DPS/healing. or Tanking/Healing. It's the same character for me, I can invest in it or feel attached/detached in the same way, create a backstory in my head for it or not. In WoW, I have 2 pallys: one that is DPS/holy one that is DPS/tank. In Rift, the good news is I can do that with basically one character. Which means I can invest more into that one character.
Anyway, sorry that the game didn't appeal to you. Hope you find that quality MMORPG you're always waiting for.
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Broken_Kayfabe posted: 2. For all the variety in having all those souls to choose from, it really removes the feeling of attachment to your character. To me it seems like, say you're playing D&D and you can, on a whim, utterly change all your feats and skills. You'd basically be an entirely new character, and lost everything that happened before that.
I believe that feature is optional so if you would prefer living with your initial spec choice you can do it.
Broken_Kayfabe posted: 2. For all the variety in having all those souls to choose from, it really removes the feeling of attachment to your character. To me it seems like, say you're playing D&D and you can, on a whim, utterly change all your feats and skills. You'd basically be an entirely new character, and lost everything that happened before that.
I believe that feature is optional so if you would prefer living with your initial spec choice you can do it.
Exception being PvP, I believe.
If you want, you can just use 2 souls, don't even need 3 if that's your choice. Yes, getting more is optional. If you really want to play "old school style", you don't even need to use the respec ability for the 3 you have by level 6.
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There are those who play tank classes, and those that tank.
The weapon is only as good as the person wielding it.
Free advice is often worth what you pay for it: nothing.
Mirkwood MUD, OneEye IvoryFang, Lord of the VampireZ (Retired)
AC Frostfell, Clan Z - Lvl 239 Grief Dagger (Retired)
WoW Lightbringer Alliance, Z Guild - Lvl 85 Combat Rogue (Retired)
Making iOS Apps these days at http://zsprawl.com/iOS
