Rift [PC]

[MorenoKing24]

After seeing the EvE thread on here I figure I would start this one.

 

Rift is a new MMO that came out in March. There are 4 classes with 8 subclasses each, which you can choose 3 of, so there are a ton of different options.

 

I just bought it today and played for about 3 hours. Got up to level 9 and really enjoying it so far.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rift_(video_game)

[bigtplaystew]

Does it really have more of an adult theme to it? I don't need tons of nudity and graphic violence to enjoy a game but it helps.

[Remianen]

<p>It's a hacker's paradise.</p><p> </p><p>

Their server-client protocol is so flimsy, they've had to bring the game down several times just to get the two to synch in a secure fashion. Breaks my heart because I know Scott Hartsman from his EQ days and he's an awesome guy with really great ideas. But rule #1 with MMOs, as much as I hate to quote Raph Koster, it's true: the client is in the hands of the enemy. Nothing the client sends to the server should be taken at face value, but that's how Rift did it from the beginning.</p><p> </p><p>

Rift is a decent game but it really strikes me as WoW with far less polish. I've even told Scott that and he says it's by design. They're trying to grab marketshare at release and then subtly distinguish themselves over time. Making the game familiar to a large swath of players works to their advantage in that respect. However, it also works against you because few people are going to choose to leave the far more polished title to play a clone based on a promise of "new" and "coming soon".</p>

[Comradebot]

It's a hacker's paradise.

 

Their server-client protocol is so flimsy, they've had to bring the game down several times just to get the two to synch in a secure fashion. Breaks my heart because I know Scott Hartsman from his EQ days and he's an awesome guy with really great ideas. But rule #1 with MMOs, as much as I hate to quote Raph Koster, it's true: the client is in the hands of the enemy. Nothing the client sends to the server should be taken at face value, but that's how Rift did it from the beginning.

 

Rift is a decent game but it really strikes me as WoW with far less polish. I've even told Scott that and he says it's by design. They're trying to grab marketshare at release and then subtly distinguish themselves over time. Making the game familiar to a large swath of players works to their advantage in that respect. However, it also works against you because few people are going to choose to leave the far more polished title to play a clone based on a promise of "new" and "coming soon".

 

I'll be honest, Rift has some of the absolute worst marketing I've ever seen. I can't stress enough how "bush league" it looks when it seems your top marketting strategy is to essentially attack the number one in the market... and then have your product be, by their own admission, pretty similar to it.

 

Reminds of TNA trying to take pot shots at WWE: should be more focused on making a quality product and making THAT their selling point, rather than comparing themselves to the current big dog. In both cases, forcing the comparisons, even moreso than what comes naturally, isn't necessarily a great idea.

 

I hope the best for Rift, and it looks like a solid MMO (though the opening cinematic made me gag... reminded me of those Ford commercials I hate), but I ain't got any delusions about it being the "WoW Killer" like so many hyped it up to be. It'll probably find a nice, comfortable spot with all the other successful would-be WoW Killers, which isn't a bad place to be.

[Remianen]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Comradebot" data-cite="Comradebot" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="31198" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I hope the best for Rift, and it looks like a solid MMO (though the opening cinematic made me gag... reminded me of those Ford commercials I hate), but I ain't got any delusions about it being the "WoW Killer" like so many hyped it up to be. It'll probably find a nice, comfortable spot with all the other successful would-be WoW Killers, which isn't a bad place to be.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Every MMO that releases will be called a "WoW Killer". Why? Because people are inherently stupid and gaming media needs some angle to create conflict. Conflict sells, conflict drives page views, so they're always hyping everything as a threat to the behemoth. TRION took a novel approach to their marketing, poking fun at the behemoth but at no time did they say or imply "We're takin' over!". For those of you with a historical bent, you'll probably recall when DAoC and Anarchy Online and Asheron's Call were coming out, they took direct potshots at what was then the big dog.</p><p> </p><p> All that said, I like the game and I like the basic concept of the game and how open it is. I LOVE the fact that the developers have gone on record as saying it's intended for people to be able to make "weak" "gimp" characters that "suck". I really dislike this all-out move toward accessibility where people aren't punished for faulty decisionmaking (like picking three souls clearly labeled as 'healing' or 'support' and then whining that you can't solo as well as the person who picked two DPS and a tanking (or healing) soul). If you want to be a "pure healer", you need to be a "pure grouper" too, in my opinion. I have a pyromancer/stormcaller/archon and she just VIOLATES mobs.</p>

[D-Lyrium]

Heeey, I like Rift.

 

It has some awesome ideas. Yes, it's similar to WoW in places, but you know why? Because in those places, you can't improve on what WoW did, so why waste time and effort trying just to fall short?

 

Rift, in my view, took the best bits of WoW, removed the ****ty bits, added some genius concepts, and produced a really fun game. Yeah, it had a difficult birth, but it's funny how nobody remembers WoW's release day when they talk about new MMOs having problems...

[MorenoKing24]

2 weeks later and I've been at level cap (50) for about 5 days and just getting my head around all the end-game stuff to do. Still having a lot of fun with this game.