AdventureQuest: No stoning!

[James Lu]

Does anyone play AdventureQuest? If so, what character type (Free, Guardian, X-Guardian), level, class and subrace are you?

Belgarath (http://guardian.battleon.com/build30/charview.asp?temp=14801915)
Level 78 Guardian
Vampire Slayer
Human Dracopyre

I like the game's ever expanding and updating nature, the regimented update schedule, the staff (who actually go the extra step and give play-by-plays and a more definite update schedule) and the artwork (elegance and beauty in 2D simplicity :D).

[Mx.Silver]

I used to play Dragonfable and Mechquest, although that was a couple of years back. I eventually stopped with the former due to the devs complete refusal to go back and tweak earlier phase content (the Paladin class, Togzilla). With the latter it was more due to there being balance problems and it being such a huge grindfest (even for an online game). Never really got into Adventure quest though.

[warty goblin]

I played a bit of AQ back when dinosaurs wandered the earth and you had to kill a triceratops to get internet. I stopped pretty quickly because it was goddamn boring. Meet monster, choose attack, watch attack, choose attack, watch attack, iterate until you, your character, or the monster expires.

It struck me as a classic example of why turnbased games get a bad name. Turnbased gaming has, to my mind, two advantages:

1) Plenty of time to think about what to do next.

2) The capability for surprising, almost mathematical, elegance through generally simple rules that build upon the abstraction of the turn.

The first is only an advantage if the game is deep enough that lengthened thinking time is actually something desirable. AQ's system was, at least when I played, very simplistic, so there wasn't need for much time to decide how best to act. Nor did it's simple rules give rise to much interesting depth - in fact deprived of a movement system it quite literally had zero. When I think of good turn-based RPG combat my mind goes to something like Disciples III or Jagged Alliance 2. AQ was just comparing number pile 1 with number pile 2.

[Raistlin1040]

I used to play. I was a Guardian (Don't think I made the jump to X-Guardian). I can't remember my Username/Password combo so I can't check what level I was or any of my stats, and I don't remember which email I used. All the criticisms leveled at it are sound. It was a fairly mediocre game.

[James Lu]

Due to the lack of inventory space in DragonFable and MechQuest, I just quit the game after 2-3 years, I play AQ's expansion WarpForce and I'm also a WarpGuardian :P there is a lot of mathematics involved in AQ, I've been a BattleOn! Forums member for years and they're currently conducting an overhaul of all the game's weapons, armours, pets, monsters, shields etc. they call it the "Sweep". Before mana used to be set for each spell, now there is base mana (the cost to cast at the spell's level) and a certain percentage extra for each subsequent level (I think it was 0.5-1% each level, so it's barely noticeable).

The introduction of Skill Points (SP) meant that using potions, summoning certain guests, retaining certain guests and using certain skills require some SP. The Knights of Order, as they're known, are the thinktanks behind the game's balancing, in my opinion they're doing a good job. The new damage, gold and EXP caps have put an extra element of challenge into the game. Overall, I think that since I started the game has improved dramatically (art and balance-wise).

[Mx.Silver]

Due to the lack of inventory space in DragonFable and MechQuest, I just quit the game after 2-3 years
To be honest, you don't really need to be carrying a huge amount of kit with you in those games (particularly Mechquest which barely even has any elemental weaknesses in it). It was never a noticeable problem back when I played it anyhow.

[James Lu]

To be honest, you don't really need to be carrying a huge amount of kit with you in those games (particularly Mechquest which barely even has any elemental weaknesses in it). It was never a noticeable problem back when I played it anyhow.

I was a rare collector and a non-Dragon Amulet holder, so yeah :P AQ has 60 slots by default (10 for each type of equipment) and so I didn't really mind that (I've got 14 slots now because of my Forest Stone Mansion Estate), I'm quite a poor bugger in AQ (only got 25k I think), but I stinking rich in DF and MQ (3mil and 2mil, respectively), the problem is I don't know what to buy :S

[Partysan]

Played a long time ago. Long time. I liked the amount of classes and how they intertwined, but the actual gameplay was rather meh.

[James Lu]

The gameplay was indeed very easy, when I first started playing (I was very young) I got to Level 54... the game had very little overall balance, on the second day I played the game, I got to level 68. Then in between I started playing their then-newly-released games, lost interest in all of them and started playing Guild Wars, which coupled with AQ are the only games I still play. I must say though, the game's mechanics have definitely improved since 2006, without a doubt.

[Cespenar]

*snip*

Disciples III came out? /oblivious

Nice.

[Renegade Paladin]

I had a Guardian account way back in 2004. I don't know if it's still there. I could find out; I still remember the password set I used back then (I memorize a small set of long alphanumeric passwords that I use and change regularly, but I use them for long enough that I rarely forget the old ones), but I discovered that paying them really didn't improve the game all that much, so I quit before getting further behind.

[warty goblin]

Disciples III came out? /oblivious

Nice.

It did indeed, quite a while ago actually. It's on sale (http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-D3R/disciples-iii-renaissance) at the moment as well.

It reviewed quite badly, but I actually like it quite a bit. Tactical battles now play out on actual hex maps with maneuvering, hotspots that allow melee/ranged/magic attackers to do extra damage, and randomized terrain features. I definitely like this, it makes the fights interesting. The engine isn't cutting edge, but the modeling and texture work is spot on, dead gorgeous, and very atmospheric. It's a game that's definitely fun to look at.

It's surprisingly difficult as well. Leveled up units are much more powerful, but require lots of experience. This means that generally you want to go into each fight with the smallest, weakest party you think can handle it so you get as many advancements as possible. Unlike most RPG/TBS hybrids this keeps fights challenging since, if you want more than one party (and you do, maps are big and there's occasional enemy raiders), you've got real incentive not to simply steamroller everything with your high level guys. It does mean maps play slow, and have a slightly puzzle like feel, but it feels very different than most other recent games.

It's the sort of game I can easily take extended breaks from, but like to have around for when the mood strikes me.

[Cespenar]

Yeah, that almost exactly sounds like Disciples II, with the exception of the static vs. dynamic battles bit. Sounds good for them to change that aspect while still keeping the other parts more or less the same.

I'll be getting the game, for sure. Heh. I wasn't expecting this when I first glimpsed at this thread. :smallbiggrin:

[James Lu]

@Renegade Paladin: The game would not be as recognisable, it's improved quite a lot!