Final Review - DCUO

[Janthos]

Thank you , I kind of expected they were seperate but figured I would ask. My cousin keeps trying to get me to get a PS3 and out of the consoles it is my favorite , but I just really prefer online gaming to console ... with some minor exceptions for FPS games.

[Scrib]

Darn this thing!

I got my copy today. First problem came up when installing: an error with data2.cab on the the first disc.
After two failed attempts, I used a program to create an iso image and another to mount it as a virtual drive.
Luckily that worked and installation completed smoothly.

Next, the launcher just sat there doing nothing. Thinking it had crashed, I closed it and tried again. Still nothing, but I left it for a while. Eventually it worked and came up with the DCUO screen and it started doing a file check.

That took ages (it better not take that long every time) and ended by telling me I'm going to need a 2.9gb download!!! That's going to take me a few days.

Then it made me jump through hoops to figure out how to get my 30 days free trial. I had to go through the whole subscription process first (credit card, sign up for a monthly fee etc.) before it gave it to me. For a while there I thought I wasn't getting the 30 days at all. Only then would it allow me to start the patch.

Finally, it has installed as the EU server version. I see I can change it to US but I don't want to take any chances of messing anything up and there seems little point with so far Saga folk playing and time zones always an issue. I can always cross that bridge is a Saga prescence becomes more substantial.

[Lilica]

I wouldn't fret too badly over servers.  If I read this correctly, it's just Banc, Valquiss, and myself...and from the looks of things, we are all on different servers, either unguilded or in guilds of other names.

Rumor is that you have eight character slots in total to play around with.  All you have to do is insure that you save a slot or two once Saga finally decides which server it will be on, and then create a character (or two) there.  Thus, I have determined that I won't make more than four on my present server, unless it winds up being Saga's server.  I like the names I was able to get (with one exception, which I chose out of sheer frustration after about a half-dozen messages saying the name was unavailable - but after seeing the name 'G Spot', it isn't really all that provocative to me anymore)

I'm running a villainess through the 'newbie zone' (Brainiac's ship) right now, and it will take me a while to get out of there, as I am milking the Feat system for all it's worth.  That means shooting 1,000 orange barrels ('Get Your Kong On'), and breaking free of the Hold effect by the bottled brain in the security room multiple times (500 times is called 'Control Issues', and I have it on good authority there is a thousand-point badge as well).  I am not normally this OC, but the more Badges you have exiting the tutorial, the more skill points you have, which I can see greatly aiding in survival.  Not to mention exploration badges in both cities, plus either the Watchtower or the Hall of Doom (both of which can give you your first collection badge).

And...if there is any way you can justify it through character concept at ALL...take Flight as your movement.  You will not regret it.

[Scrib]

Right now, the option that is most appealing is seeing if the game box can fly back to SOE if I throw it hard enough. 

My patcher ran through the night and seemed to go fine. When I checked this morning, it was mostly done. Five hours later and it hasn't moved. There's a thread on the forum running to 21 pages which covers exactly this problem. People have been getting stuck at 0.1gb to go. Some have managed to get through it and a couple of solutions have been suggested, but I'm not having any luck so far.

It seems the most likely answer is that the downloader indicator is completely wrong, that there is far more than 0.1gb to go (quite plausible with my slow connection), and to just let it do its thing even if it appears to be doing nothing. Aaaarghhhh!!!

[Scrib]

Hooray! I'm in.

I must admit that I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I really need to learn which keys do what. At the moment it's just a click-fest and hope for the best kind of thing.

I'm not sure I like the view method. I usually end up facing the wrong way and have little control over what I'm facing or hitting.
It'll take some time to get the hang of, I guess.

[Lilica]

Awesome!   

Well, decide if you're doing PvE or PvP, grab a server, and off you go!

I really should list characters by game like you do...that's a good idea.

[Scrib]

Well, so far so good. I'm enjoying DCUO, but haven't tried any PvP content yet and the only groups have been quick one off battles to take down some named characters like Bizarro. It has taken me all of 9 days or so to get my first character to the max level of 30, with my casual play schedule. Now I'll get to see what the rest of the game is like.

My first character is Crematia, a fire tank with flight and hand-blasters. I must admit she has been great fun to play and soloing the content was pretty easy, especially once I figured out a good selection of powers to use. A few quests/dungeons proved challenging but I managed after a few tries.

[Vilidius]

The game really does start at level 30 in a lot of ways.  And you aren't really "done" either.  Feats are effectively AA in DCUO land, and there are many many many feats to accomplish.  Glad you're enjoying the game thus far.  Check out Legends for PvP fun.  It's far more amusing than you'd imagine!

[Scrib]

Thanks, Val. Will do. I've been trying to complete some of the feats involving quests that I've missed, named foes, solo instances without being ko'd or using drinks etc.

This brings me to one or two gripes I do have.
1 - Missing quests. It's quite pathetic to release a game with quests completely missing from the game. I have found one, a low quest involving Grodd which means a feat involving it cannot be completed.
2 - The chat system is irritatingly bad.
3 - There's a thread on the forum that describes the problem I've been having. The thread started pretty much on launch day, ran 21+ pages and was locked without the issue being solved. It looks like lag, but is more of a graphic issue. It only comes up in fights, and usually only when grouped although sometimes to a very minor degree when solo. I can be fighting something without its health bar moving, then the loot drops because the battle is over, but the mob is still there. When our group fought the Judge, the battle was over but to me it appeared that he still had 1/3 of his life. I've had cases of being hit by something without being able to see it. I don't know what'll happen when I try legends or other pvp instances but it probably won't be pretty.

The last could be a game breaker and I may very well cancel my subscription before the free month ends.

[Scrib]

Cancelled subscription.

This thing should still be in alpha testing.
I'll be able to go back if they ever bother to fix the major bugs, but no way I'm paying a cent to not-play.

[PinkRose]

Sorry to see you go.
What game will you play now?