The Rift NDA is down, Syp has a nice write-up. As expected, the rift system is WAR’s PQ system but more. I think the make or break for Rift will be just how big that ‘more’ really is. Opinions about that are still mixed. Claims that Rift will ‘change the game’ on day one, as expected, were just silly Mythic-level hype. The genre needs to grow up in that regard, but eh, I don’t play games because of their ‘great’ marketing.
Someone today on the Darkfall forums brought up Rift as a potential competitor, and I think it’s rather clear it’s not going to be that. And that’s ok! I’m definitely in the market for a GOOD version of WAR. Not only do I know plenty of carebears (Inq and others), but I’m married to one, and we enjoy playing MMOs together. Just last night, as I was playing Darkfall, Aria again did her little “I just don’t get it” speech about the game, and it’s cool. Not for everyone indeed.
So yes, I’m looking forward to Rift. I signed up for beta, and if I get in, cool. If I don’t, I’m sure enough bloggers will do enough write-ups to cover everything. Come open beta I expect us to jump in and check things out. Best case here? WAR – broken system and directionless dev team + PQ 2.0 system. Bonus if the PvP is something above what WoW/WAR offers. If not, I’m sure we will have fun with the PvE and all that.
Hardcore Casual 
Based on Aria’s newfound rage in LoL, etc., I don’t know that she completely qualifies as a carebear anymore.
Carebears rage all the time, what are you talking about? What would you call any MC run where Gavell was the MT?
I’ve been in both Rift betas. The most significant thing I can say is that for the three days of each I played almost nothing but Rift and I really, really hope I get an invite for round 3.
I’ll be buying it on release and Mrs Bhagpuss and I are expecting to play it for a significant period.
With that said, it is absolutely not going to “change the game”. There is nothing in what we’ve seen on the 20 levels of beta that you won’t have seen in many other MMOs. Global chat was constantly full of people arguing about which MMO Rift is or isn’t like, but the fact is it’s like ALL of them.
What Trion have done, very professionally and successfully, is cherry-pick lots of things from other MMOs and synthesized them smoothly and convincingly into a coherent whole. Warhammer crossed with WoW is a pretty fair description, but I spotted a large dollop of EQ2 in there and a soupcon of Vanguard, while other people claimed to see strong ressemblences to Aion.
The questing is very WoW. The combat is slower than WoW, which I like. More like Vanguard pace. The PvE is prety similar to Warhammer’s (which I personally thought was underrated). Crafting is WoW/LotRO, no real complexity as yet, with yet more Warhammer. thrown in. I liked all of it, but without the Rifts themselves it would be a pretty dry loaf.
The Rifts, though, live up to expectations. They look great and they are fun. They aren’t a random as you might expect, but then we’ve only seen two starter zones and we certainly haven’t seen the other side of any Rift. What’s really interesting is the way the planar invaders pour out and take over the countrside.
I particularly liked the way they interact with each other and with the local population. They have their own agenda that carries on with no player involvement and I found it fascinating.
One of the best moments I had was watching a Life rift open on a beach and establish itself, clearing all the wildlife I’d just been questing on (while I stood in the surf, watching). They put up an idol, established a foothold and began worshipping it. I crept out and began to pick off the surviving whelks for my quest and then a Fire Rift opened further along the beach. The creatures from the plane of fire poured out and surged over the Life foothold. There was a short but spectacular battle, which Life lost. Fire established it’s own foothold.
Eventually players begane to arrive and the Fire rift was closed. The whole thing did seem very “dynamic”. It may well become routine in time, but for now it’s something well worth experiencing. And as well a planar creatures invading from Rifts, large raiding parties of NPCs from the other faction also periodically appear, making the roads completely unsafe.
This, of course, is just the PvE end. Yes, the questing is very themepark, even linear (although it is just a starting zone, so that may change) but an environment where your questgiver, and his entire quest-hub can be wiped out between you taking the quest and doing the hand-in does add a certain degree of immersion that I haven’t felt in questing for a while. I was eveen corpse-camped by Fire planar creatures at the graveyard in on hub and couldn’t respawn until players had defeated the foothold they’d established.
Add PvP onto this structure and I do think there is a lot of potential for entertaining mayhem.
Good stuff Bhag, thanks!
I was in both beta’s and thought it was dull, unoriginal, wow/war mashup. i can’t wait to see what Syncaine thinks, but i’d bet money on ‘sucks’. Frankly, i’d rather play circa 2004 WOW.
Pretty much my experience. At least 2004 WoW had this glean to it, it was also far less themepark then Rift (or current WoW) is. 2004 WoW didn’t have the horrible flavour that Rift does, it also encourged you to play with others
TBH, I left Rift was very much more in line with Allods. At least Allods purposely went full out on the cheesy themepark for the start. Rift in that regard, I am unsure what it wants to be.
But I just feel empty when I see mobs attack and spawn other mobs. Because they aren’t people, yet they are trying to be.
First impressions = bored and sad. Empty of people and empty of life.
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