D&D Online BETA review

[Comrade Tortoise]

Well, seeing as the NDA has been lifted, I figured I would make a post on a new game that is sure to make RPG fans drool large puddles on the floor.

DUngeons and Dragons Online

My machine
HP Pavillion zv6000 Notebook
RAM: 512 DDR
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 at 2.0 Ghrz
Video: ATI Radion 200M with 128 MB Dedicated memory

Gameplay: Well it is a beta, so there are a few issues. First, are some login issues. SOmetimes it wont let you connect to the server despite having smitten your firewalls. However this is being worked out of the system. Second is a bit of lag when you are in common areas. Dungeons are instanced, so that is not a problem. Of course, it could just be an issue with my machine, which is on the low end of the games system requirements.

As for content *sweet rapture*: It pretty much salves all the powergaming griefer issues of other RPGS... unless you have someone in a party that goes ahead, opens every door and chest, then brings all the very angry Kobalds back toward the wizard...

Combat is instances so you arent competing for dungeon space. ANd XP is based upon quest completion, so there is no kill theft, and treasure chests have little reserved sections for each party member. SO one person cant hog the loot. Sweet joyous rapture.

The interface is easy to use. Simple click to target then right click to attack, shift to block, and you can attack different body locations and get past blocks with your movement keys. As well as physically dodge attacks and spells.

Graphics: Good God. that is all I need to say....But I will say more. Pretty much all environments are interactive in some way. You splash realistically when you swim, deaths are realistic, and spell effects are both creative and well done. Nice little perks like wactually watching your character load a crossbow, rather than have it just sort of reload automatically.


SOund and : SOund effects are good. No complaints. Splashes sound like splashes, you really cant get much better than that.

Overall. I think it is the game of my dreams, and the fact that I only have access to it for 3 days makes me itch inside.