135074-first-impressions-of-wildstar

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So, I figured while this game is down, I might as well say what I've thought about the game so far. 
 
I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, I just heard that this game was going f2p, and with there currently being no MMO's out there to play, I decided to give W* a chance. I was initially intrigued by the style/theme of the entire thing. Semi-future/magic intertwined and a generally over-the-top attitude gave it some charm. I decided to roll the Esper class, since I love spell-casters. 
 
The combat system is one of my favourite things, the telegraphed attacks lead for interesting gameplay, although I don't quite like how there are many occasions where I seem to dash out of a telegraphed red hitbox, and yet I still take damage from it. That aside, I still enjoyed it for being more immersive than WoW-style tab and cast combat. Two of the things that I also really enjoy is the ability to vacuum up loot, effectively letting you start running to the next objective, knowing that your loot will be on its way, and the ability to press "c" to turn in and receive new quests, saving you the annoying trip of running back and forth. Double jumping is something I didn't realize I needed until I had it. Being able to pay to rez wherever you die is also nice. The built in quest-finder tool is also a nice throwback to WoW mods. 
 
However, the game has its drawbacks. As far as my experience goes, it has been horribly laggy. Sometimes it seems as though the enemies continue to attack while I can't, and this has caused me to die many times. Additionally, since launch there has been many server restarts, and is a common forum complaint. I think, though, that these issues will get resolved over the next couple weeks, and that NCSoft didn't predict such a large wave. Additionally, it seems as though the main story quest is the only one you need to do; however, there are many occasions where the trail drops off and has left me unsure as where to go next. Also, certain quests objectives are  difficult to find, and the arrow can sometimes be less-than-helpful. 
 
Still, all in all, it seems like a nicely polished game. I wouldn't say that there's anything game-changing or revolutionary with what they're making, but it is a refined version of what we're used to, and I don't mind a fresh taste of that. I'll probably stick around at least until level 50 and experience some of the Elder game content. 	
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You should absolutely stick around for level 50 content, because vet dungeons are absolutely amazing. Unless you don't like difficult 5 man content or dying. But in that case, there is contracts and world bosses and expeditions and adventures. So... lots of non difficult stuff to do.
 
Either way welcome! I highly doubt we're looking at weeks to fix the big lag/bug issues, more likely a week. But who knows, maybe I'm just optimistic. 	
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 I highly doubt we're looking at weeks to fix the big lag/bug issues, more likely a week. But who knows, maybe I'm just optimistic. 
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I really like the game.
 
But for the life of me I don't know why.
 
After 30 levels the combat feels very 1 dimensional.  
I'm not a huge fan of the crafting system.  
I love the Paths but think they should have been used far more extensively - maybe give each Class/Path combination an ongoing quest arc or something.
Stylistically the game doesn't wow me; its OK, but it doesn't leave me open-mouthed gawping in the way that parts of ESO and LOTRO did.
The Story is not, for me at least, as immersive as SWtOR class stories, or ESO, or for that matter LOTRO.
 
Maybe its the combination of Sci-Fi and Magic (something I have loved since first reading Michael Moorck's Eternal Champion stuff way back when).
Maybe its the fact that the game was / is something new.
Maybe it god-damned Cupcaking Hoverboards.
 
Who knows.
 
But I genuinely really, really like it.
 
I like the move the F2P, I know for a fact I have spent twice as much money on SWtOR, including subs, since it went F2P as I did when it was Sub only; and I am sure that I will do much the same for Wildstar once I get back into it fully.
 
All The Best
			
				
	Edited October 1, 2015 by RedneckRPGer	
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 although I don't quite like how there are many occasions where I seem to dash out of a telegraphed red hitbox, and yet I still take damage from it.
 
However, the game has its drawbacks. As far as my experience goes, it has been horribly laggy. 
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I wanted to comment on this because it was a problem I had for a while. 
 
Because of the LAS (limited action set) you can only have 8 abilities at a time. This means you cant really have abilities play off each other because then you'd force people into picking those two abilities together. Thats why procs are usually crit based, cant really proc on something else.
 
ANYWAY what happened for me is I hit 50 with my stalker and finally sat down and did some research on what a proper dps build is. And oh my goodness... my stalker rotation is way more complex than I ever imagined. Basically, when you get high enough level, your amps and abilities play off each other and you form an actual rotation. The problem while leveling is it's hard to understand what to pick, and then you end up making pretty boring rotations which are just, hit these abilities as they're available. 
 
I know you're only 30 but I'd recomend already looking at some meta builds for your character and seeing if you can recreate something. My stalker end game ends up being a lot about suit power up time and using concussive kicks to lower CDs on other abilities so that I can continue to generate suit power and use my powerful attacks. It's very fluid. 
 
This is rambly...
 
tl;dr - It is not very obvious how you need to build your character. That freedom means a lot of people make really boring builds while leveling. Research end game builds already so you can have more fun while getting to 50
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I really like the game.
 
But for the life of me I don't know why.
 
After 30 levels the combat feels very 1 dimensional.  
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My main is level 50 (Medic) and had just started the attunement process when I took time off from Wildstar.
 
Even at 50 I find the combat 1 dimensional to be honest.
 
In SWTOR the Sith Assassin has to be almost as mobile in combat as you do in Wildstar and has 30+ skills to choose from, many of which trigger effects on other skills.  
 
All The Best
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My main is level 50 (Medic) and had just started the attunement process when I took time off from Wildstar.
 
Even at 50 I find the combat 1 dimensional to be honest.
 
In SWTOR the Sith Assassin has to be almost as mobile in combat as you do in Wildstar and has 30+ skills to choose from, many of which trigger effects on other skills.  
 
All The Best
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Well that depends.
 
SWTOR seems to have developers that are a bit more creative in their combat design than "dodge red box". 
As a Sith Assassin there's a skill rotation for trash mobs, one for harder mobs and a 3rd for bosses.  Between the three that accounts for approx 15 skills in regular use.  There's another 5-10 that are utility skills or very situational.  I can't think of a single skill that I haven't had a need for in the last week.
 
By comparison Wildstar feels, well frankly, extremely dumbed-down; it's like going from a 12 button gaming mouse to an old single button Apple mouse.
 
All The Best
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But to the 30+ skills comment, having 30-40 skills doesn't make for better gameplay. It makes for a huge button bloat when in reality you only use maybe 10. That's the same reason WoW cut out so many abilities.
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			Very pretty loading screen from character select..I have for some reason had tons of time staring at it	
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It is in a way simplified. The amount of abilities used doesn't reach other games. Before Wildstar I spent time in Rift and even there I had around 20 buttons with some macros with some classes. The bars where loaded. Although I miss the possibility to use some abilities at certain times, the limitation here make me think harder what to bring, and it also can change the flow of battle and outcome depending on which abilities that were brought into it. A positive thing with a limited action set is that the player can start to focus on other things. Movement is a big part of this game and a necessity as well. Missing interrupts can be devastating. But doing all that while juggling 10-20 abilities makes it more chaotic than it have to be. Limiting it a bit makes sense, and easier to handle without even making things less difficult.
 
Same can be said with the telegraphs. It make the game look really simple and almost made for kids. But even simple tasks can prove to be really hard, especially with the unforgiving nature. Easy to spot telegraphs make it clear that if you die, you didn't get out of that telegraph. No arguing. You didn't move in time.
			
				
	Edited October 1, 2015 by Alysion	
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SWTOR seems to have developers that are a bit more creative in their combat design than "dodge red box". 
 
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