Looking to shake up your PvP a little bit?

[Sneezer]

You should try out the Rift open beta next week, it starts on the 15th.

I've played in the last two betas (5&6) and PvP is really fun.

You can play on either an open world PvP server or a PvE server.

Open PvP allows PvP anywhere, anytime, including griefing, so it might not be for everyone. PvP servers also have all of the PvP options that the PvE servers do as well.

On the PvE servers all PvP is what I'd call "consensual". You can do what they call Warfronts. These are instanced, up-to 15 vs 15 players matches with objectives like capture the flag, capture control points, etc. PvE servers also have shared zones for RvR with control points. You can also flag your self for PvP and go into the opposing factions areas, but you can't attack anyone that isn't flagged for PvP, of course if they attack you they get flagged.

If your getting sick of TR/TA bridge fights or camping grams... you might give Rift a shot.

[Leer]

I'm playing on Seastone. So far it looks good and not a bad choice as a second MMO.

[Meijha]

I heard there were some *real* balance issues with this game and definite WIN classes. Confirm?

[Celestrata]

Moving this thread into the off-topic area. The off-topic area is the appropriate forum to discuss other games, such as RIFT.

[BLoNdiE]

Rift is terrible. It's a straight copypaste. I don't see why people bother with the same old thing but in "new packaged & bugged" form. If I wanted to play WoW or WAR, I'd go play them.

[Polvere]

Rift is terrible. It's a straight copypaste. I don't see why people bother with the same old thing but in "new packaged & bugged" form. If I wanted to play WoW or WAR, I'd go play them.

I’ve seen this kind of response around the place and it’s pretty bizarre. Having played WoW since release through to the current expansion, it’s difficult to understand how someone could suggest ‘just carry on playing WoW’:

- Phasing has completely gutted questing and exploration in WoW, and routinely prevented me from helping my friend with Cata quests (we couldn’t even see each other).

- Would be great to get away from flying mounts and vehicle quests.

- Six years later and you still can’t tailor your appearance in WoW (dyes etc).

- Rift’s graphics are a significant improvement (to be expected given how old WoW is).

- The soul tree system is miles better than WoWs class system. I liked being able to bounce around from a bard, to a ranged pet class, to a sneaky assassin, a bomb and explosives expert to a teleporting tank. All in the same class.

- Found the world significantly more interesting due to the rifts and invasions.

- It’s early days but the dev time is incredibly responsive.

Never played WAR but at a guess I’d think new players were better off with RIFT given that WAR closed yet more servers recently and are just down to two servers.

And as for “new packaged & bugged” – RIFT has been widely praised as one of the most bug free betas ever.

I understand no game is for everyone but the criticism here is so far off the mark.

[Silverangel]

Rift is terrible. It's a straight copypaste. I don't see why people bother with the same old thing but in "new packaged & bugged" form. If I wanted to play WoW or WAR, I'd go play them.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02...owhammer-myth/

[hucklebarry]

I heard there were some *real* balance issues with this game and definite WIN classes. Confirm?

I can't confirm in regards to PvP, but soloing, I've leveled one toon to 26 and another to near 20 (a third to level 8, but I won't count that) and while both were drastically different builds, I had no problem soloing in any way, shape, or form.

with the soul system, balance issues can be ignored to an extent. It costs 30 gold to completely reset your soul tree (gold is not much in the Rift... platinum is higher and I found a stash in a level 20 quest area that had over 40 gold in it... so one stash find and it was more than enough to cover a full character redesign. I think turning in 1, possibly 2 quests would also yield that amount of money at my current level). So if they nerf a skill or buff you are using, you can 'undo' that and apply points to something better until they fix it. (another way to put it.... its cheaper than retraiting in LOTRO today and your character 'CAN' become drastically different).

Additionally, since you have 3 souls to have active at any given time.. you get a lot of skills. There is a good chance that a simple skill rotation change can overcome a possible imbalance or nerf.

I've also seen the fixes come in at insane time frames, within hours of being reported in some cases.

Others can likely speak to this better than I can, but I'm not at all worried about balance issues from what I have seen.

I can also agree with others who claim this game is better than a clone. It uses a mouse, therefore its a clone of a spreadsheet program :/ Yes, it contains features that are common in other MMO's but I claim they are extremely polished features and only the fun and good elements from other MMO's were kept. It won't be for everyone... but I think anyone who looks at it constructively will see the effort and polish in it, even if they choose to pass.