I posted a review on MMORPG.com of L2. It was limited space so I was not able to cover all the positives and negatives. I think I got the most important things covered.
Here is what I wrote, if you agree or disagree post here. Maybe the Devs will start improving the game for once. Or possibly take these suggestions in mind when making L3.
Lineage 2 is the best PVP game on the market. It's sieges are better and more rewarding then DaOc. While PVP is restricted, serious penalties for ganking. There are lot of opportunities to PVP. Clan and alliance wars, sieges and arenas. Battling on The open field works to if the person attacks back. It's weaknesses are: Cookie cutter skills and classes. Melee's aren't worth much. Casters are overpowered and will still dominate melee's in C5. You can never catch the old players in level or gear, so never beat them in PVP.
Edit: another thing that should be mentioned. Quest in L2 aren't fun or valuable. The few worth taking, like A grade weapon and armor quest require you to put in up wards of 60 hours or more of each just to get a recipe and some parts.
Despite the incredibly slow and boring grind of L2, you can actually out level quests you need. To get all of your A grade parts and recipes you would hit 75 first. There all grind quests and spread out all over the map.
I think you're missing an aspect of the game. You mention nothing of the community or politics and that is the central focus of this game.
You correct that you outlevel quests before you could ever get all the gear you need from them. But... the thing is, you're not supposed to be able to do ANYTHING completely without community involvement. You're meant to be doing quests that aren't too useful to you, sell the parts to people who need them, then you purchase the things you need from the higher levels. The reliance on community for craft/drop only items and the massive market of items give this game a level a reality others don't have.
PvP is important but not everything. Try looking comprehensively at the variety of things to do: Hunting, Fishing, Farming (Manor and SB/item farming), Sieging, Seven Signs, Rift, Olympiad, Pets, Scamming/Griefing/PKing (yes if these weren't a part of L2 it wouldn't be the same).
Also, you're awfully down on the quests but they're not all bad. The Valley of Saints and Beast Farm quests are actually fun and pay out quite well. And really, how would you do L2 quests different? You're either traveling or hunting... the only way to make it different is if the game was intstanced instead of static. Being set in a static world is one of the major pluses for L2.
Well, I just wanted to give you a few things to think about.
Then there's one other aspect of the game you completely neglected: The Market. No, you probably can't grind away for all your gear. Guess what: That's not what the game was intended for you to do! You must play the market to make money. A BD friend of mine does this, and makes all his money this way. When he hit C grade, he was able to afford mid-top gear and an overencahnted focus duals because he made a bunch of money off the manor. He's almost B grade, and is planning on crafting and selling a Keshenberk (using a recipie he got as a drop) to get his next level gear. There's no way he could've afforded it otherwise.
It does not take much to advance in wealth in this game, merely a little bit of persistance and luck. Hell, for A grade weapons, you can get the recipie through a quest. The process to get the A grade weapon recipies is slow and tedius, but you make constant progress through the whole deal, and in a week or two, have the coins you need to get your weapon recipie.
Then, there's other ways, including buying low/selling high. Some people have stuff they want to sell, get rid of, right away. Others desperately want that gear. All you have to do is be the middleman.
Right now, the only real obstacle to getting A grade gear is the A grade helms. That is a big problem, but in C5 new ways of getting helms are coming (so sayeth the dev team).
I think you're missing an aspect of the game. You mention nothing of the community or politics and that is the central focus of this game.
You correct that you outlevel quests before you could ever get all the gear you need from them. But... the thing is, you're not supposed to be able to do ANYTHING completely without community involvement. You're meant to be doing quests that aren't too useful to you, sell the parts to people who need them, then you purchase the things you need from the higher levels. The reliance on community for craft/drop only items and the massive market of items give this game a level a reality others don't have.
PvP is important but not everything. Try looking comprehensively at the variety of things to do: Hunting, Fishing, Farming (Manor and SB/item farming), Sieging, Seven Signs, Rift, Olympiad, Pets, Scamming/Griefing/PKing (yes if these weren't a part of L2 it wouldn't be the same).
Also, you're awfully down on the quests but they're not all bad. The Valley of Saints and Beast Farm quests are actually fun and pay out quite well. And really, how would you do L2 quests different? You're either traveling or hunting... the only way to make it different is if the game was intstanced instead of static. Being set in a static world is one of the major pluses for L2.
Well, I just wanted to give you a few things to think about.
It's true the comunity is good in L2, 2 years I should know. The problem is you need comuntiy help to craft, you should be able to get the parts on your own. L2 has a bad problem with farmers and people who violate the ToS because they won't let you be self suficient enough.
A grade helms for 150m? Redicules. I'm thinking sabout leaving again for that reason and the "politics" The fact is the game favors those on top and craps on the people trying to fight them.
Covanant1 was the team that came in 2nd on the tourny. They have also ruled Devianne since November of 04. Broken every alliance that opposes them and recruited there best players. No one can catch them in levels.
I'm sorry but many of the streangths you listed actually ruin the game. Sure there are cool people, I even like many of the enemy. But that doesn't mean I'm going to keep grinding just to have no hope against them.
Look at the top apsects of the game.
Sieges: If you are 2nd or 3rd on the server you ally may get a castle the top ally doesn't want. Most people neve get to siege.
Raids: Raid farmers take out most of the regular bosses so no one wants to even try any more. Valakas and Antheras are imposable with out at least 150 high level people. In other words since C4 only the top ally could think about it.
Wyvren Riding is advertised: LOL
Even getting a stryder with out violating the ToS is stupid hard.
Seven Signs: More grinding and has nothing to do with a linear plot. Dusk can't win because every one wants to and can be dawn. Pointless expansion.
Misleading class system: You put a lot of work in to your class to find out it's not even par in PVP? Or they make you a super class for 1 chronicle then you get nurfed? Whats even worse is the new balance system. The fataly doomed melee classes by making it Nuker>Melee>Buffer>Nuker.
I could go on but the point of this thread is to get improvment on the game. Why would any one start this game now if they can never compete? Would they join if they knew that there are only 2 types that have A and S grade? The top people who own castles and kill big bosses and the ones who buy it with RL money?
If your talking about working the market, you could find some of my old posts. I farmed bones when the manor was new. I crafted when craft shops first came to the game. I've made million a week crafting/farming and overenchanting.
I can tell you that you can't legitamatly make enough for A grade in 1 month of crafting.
If your talking about working the market, you could find some of my old posts. I farmed bones when the manor was new. I crafted when craft shops first came to the game. I've made million a week crafting/farming and overenchanting.
I can tell you that you can't legitamatly make enough for A grade in 1 month of crafting.
Buying mats and crafting all in town, no, you're not going to make much money. You have to find your own mats, use your own recipies, get help from clannies. You don't just craft, you work the manor to get your mats, you work quests to get your parts, and find deals in town and resell them. You might not be able to get them all yourself, but doing everything solo is not what this game is about! :D
With all these gripes I'm surprised you still play. You seem to take issue with the core of what makes this game fun and what makes ppl play for two years instead of 2 months. If you want an easy game where you can do everything yourself then you're really not suited for L2 (not an insult, just an opinion). If they made the changes you'd like then it'd be too easy and wouldn't inspire nearly the same kind of following.
Ok again your talking about playing for a full time job. Well I guess I'll give L2 one more try on another server. But I am looking for a new PVP game.
<---Didn't I say 2 year player. Not of what you said is new. As for it being the "core of the game" I can tll you thats not why most people play L2. Yes having it a little harder makes it a more long term game. But it's actually forcing people to pay farmers to do the playing they can't. Personally I don't want to be part of that.
So far I've only herd from people who love every aspect of the game. The vast minority in this world. Any one have suggestions for the Dev's on how to fix L2?
BTW only nukers think that overpowered nukers are a good thing.
Then there's one other aspect of the game you completely neglected: The Market. No, you probably can't grind away for all your gear.... You must play the market to make money. A BD friend of mine does this, and makes all his money this way.
This is how I make most of my money.
Sure, my adena drops are pretty good but that covers shots, porting, and soe's etc.
My rule is that I only buy items where I know if I can resell them I will get at least 500k profit, though I usually try to get a million.
A weapon enchants, underpriced armor or robes or weapons, A crystals etc.
And yeah... this game really is about the politics (or trying to stay out of them :p )