Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach Interview
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Jonric: When the game launched in 2006, it was rated as good but not outstanding. How fair were the reviews at that time? What criticisms have you addressed since then?
Kate Paiz: I feel the reviews at launch of the game were fair, and articulated the ways in which DDO was not a "regular MMO". In focusing on the true D&D experience, we left some "standard" MMO features, like solo play and PvP, to be part of our live plan, so that we could incorporate them in a way that felt very true to D&D, and with the feedback of our players.
In the two years since we've launched, we've introduced a solo game and PvP, and have more improvements to both systems coming out this year. We've also greatly expanded our landscapes and the gameplay around our raids, based on the feedback from our players on what they love about the game and where they are looking for more.
Jonric: Are there any common misconceptions held by MMOG fans who aren't familiar with the current state of this particular game?
Kate Paiz: I think some players believe that Dungeons & Dragons Online is only for people who have played D&D in the past, but I believe it is a rich, online RPG that any MMO player will find appealing. We're redoing our tutorial and character generation (for release this summer) to make it easier to create satisfying characters for those players unversed in the D&D rules. In addition, the solo experience in the early third of the game helps MMO players know how to play their respective classes and to know what their special skills are, which is a must when joining parties to engage the tougher adventures that are available.
