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Turbine Gives DDO Players a Solid Primer

By Ralsu

Every MMOG has a learning curve. Some aspects of a new game will be the same as any other: hit points, obtaining quests, and navigating an avatar through a fantastic world fraught with dangers. A few game play aspects of a new game ware always slightly different: health and magic recovery, combat mechanics, and modes of travel. The key to keeping the uninitiated games motivated to play your MMOG is to provide a newbie experience that shortens the learning curve as much as possible. Through trial and error, Turbine has succeeded in making Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach (DDO) a newbie-friendly game.

Smuggler’s Keep

New DDO players pop into the world on the docks of Smuggler’s Rest. Tool tips immediate pop up to explain navigation and game play basics. Turbine knew gamers had a lot to learn in DDO, so they gave us a great starting area.

Euphonia’s Challenge
Euphonia’s quest exposes players to many of the fundamental elements of DDO. Players learn that levers open doors, chests and crates hold loot, and that they would do well to pick any sparkling mushrooms they encounter. "Euphonias’s Challenge" also introduces the active combat of DDO and the importance of rest shrines. By the end of the quest, players receive their first Enhancement, another integral facet of DDO.

Archetypal Training
Before players depart from Smuggler’s Rest for Stormreach, they have the opportunity to visit one or more of four archetypal training rooms. One room provides practice with the DDO melee combat engine and emphasizes the importance of blocking. Another room contains three mephits that can only be damaged by arcane spells. This room also contains an overview of spell preparation at rest shrines. A third room teaches about the art of divine healing. The last room requires the player to employ the unique talents of a rogue—finding hidden doors and picking locks.

It is impossible for a player to complete all of these rooms with one character. All classes can melee, but no character will be able to pick locks, cast divine spells, and use arcane magic. This setup actually works perfectly. The player behind Clubthor the barbarian just wants to smash things; he doesn’t care how to prepare arcane spells, but the arcane training room will be there in Smuggler’s Keep for him when he rolls Boomguy the sorcerer later. Turbine did a terrific job with this area.

New to DDO? Ten Ton Hammer has all of the information you need to get started: Check out our guides section to see our introductions to the races and classes of DDO. Our DDO Builds can help you figure out how to make a character to fit your play style. Zed's Guide to Stormreach Port will help you find your way into Stromreach proper.

Stormreach Port

Wavecrest Tavern
The Wavecrest’s barkeep gives the player the first two quests in Stormreach. The first quest, “Taking Stock,” reinforces that players will find hidden doors and it’s always a good idea to search dungeons for secrets. The second Wavecrest quest, “Thwarting the Threat,” features DDO’s first kill count objective and serves as a solid introduction to the kobold invasion of Stormreach’s underground. When DDO first went live, the quest could be really easy for STR-based melee builds. Rogues and bards could find this quest very difficult. I know I needed 6 or 7 tries with my bard.

Turbine did a fantastic job listening to player feedback about the difficulties of “Thwarting the Threat” for casters and skill-based melee builds. It didn’t take Turbine long to issue an update to the quest to make it a little easier. Now any class can succeed in this quest through judicious use of spell points and the rest shrine.

Lord Goodblade Quests
Before players can gain entry to Stormreach proper, they must complete Lord Goodblade’s quests. These quests finalize the orientation to DDO’s game play elements. Players will encounter traps, oozes that corrode weapons, puzzles, and hidden items. Goodblades’s quests were pretty hard to solo when DDO launched, but Turbine has since made them easier to complete alone. In fact, Turbine has made a conscious decision to make many of the Stormreach Harbor quests available for solo gamers.

Parting Thoughts

Turbine knows that it must ease gamers into the complexities of DDO gradually. Frustrated gamers will give up quickly and move on to seemingly greener pastures. Without a doubt, Turbine has made the necessary decisions to ensure that players find the beginning of DDO to be a smooth experience. Great job, Turbine!

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