DC Universe Online jumps on the F2P bandwagon

[Tach Deneva]

Holy Who Didn't See That One Coming, Batman!

"We are really seeing the benefits of free to play, and we're really liking it," said John Smedley, SOE president.

Evidently it's happening in October.

[PanzerMeyer]

Heh, this is really fascinating to me from a business perspective because I wonder if World of Warcraft and the new Star Wars MMO will have enough clout and high enough demand for the long term to keep the monthly subscription model.

Hasn't the subscription base for WoW been declining steadily now for a while?

[Tach Deneva]

I've read that WoW has lost more subscribers in recent times than most other MMOs can even lay claim to, but it remains the proverbial 800 lb gorilla of MMOs. As for SWTOR, I suspect it will have massive numbers as well, at least at first, but I also have a feeling that it won't retain them. I think people are expecting way too much from it. If Bioware manages to launch the game without any major game-breaking bugs, missing features, and last minute/launch day nerfs... well, we'll see.

[Softball]

I'm DLing this on Steam, gonna check it out.

[Hudson]

It looked like you could only play in the Lantern Corps from the video on Steam. is that true? I don't want to play The Lame Lantern...

[Softball]

Don't know yet, still DLing. 25% done...

[Tach Deneva]

Cool, curious to see what you think of it. I'd actually forgotten about it...

[Softball]

Played for about 2 hours tonight, not too bad. I chose a Batman template during character creation, so I was given Martial Arts as my main skill, among other weapon / power choices. I didn't spend too much time on my character creation, as I wanted to get into the game quickly. Chose the PVE server, hero, character name is "Moonstrosity." The graphics and visuals are very well done, much better looking than the other superhero games. Took me a bit to get use to the controls, but once I learned how to get around, it was pretty simple. Your character's movements are somewhat over exaggerated, but that is ok; it adds to the atmosphere.

Starting aboard one of Brainiac's ships was pretty cool, and it was short and simple. After the Boss fight, Superman showed up and helped me finish off the minions. That is the only DC hero I have seen so far. Talked to Batman (my mentor) on the communicator to turn in the mission from the ship.

Overall, it was very entertaining. I'm gonna keep playing it and see where the story goes.

[Tach Deneva]

Argh, after running all night it's only at 8.5 of 14.1 gigs on the download.

[Tach Deneva]

Almost 4 hours later = 12.8 GB. Whee!

[Softball]

Almost there....stay on target...

[Tach Deneva]

Okee doke - review time!

Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly...

Er, I mean, DC Universe Online is, once you get past the bizarro controls, actually kinda fun. Of the MMO type games currently available, I've played Guild Wars, City of Heroes/Villains, Lord of the Rings Online, Champions Online, Star Trek Online, Everquest II, Age of Conan, and Rift. All of them have very similar controls, with a few minor differences. It's very easy to jump back and forth between these games without having to RTFM extensively and/or consult a wiki.

DCUO does share some common key commands: M = map, I = inventory, Enter = enable chat, and you can use WASD for certain aspects of movement (cue ominous thunder). On the other hand, what's the key to take a screenshot in DCUO? Which key do you press to reply to a tell? Heh. Whatever you may have said, you were wrong (unless you are Softball or Ghost, in which case you might know). Bonus points: let's say you figured out which key takes screenshots, and you're sure you caught some rollicking action scenes and are ready to view them and share them with your friends. Now then - where are they?

All minor quibbles, yes.

DCUO's major departure, for me anyway, involves the use of the mouse - and during my first play session I uttered a plethora of colorful metaphors as I struggled to become accustomed to how the mouse works in this game. Now, I often use the mouse in other games to change my toon's direction or to look around while my toon remains stationary (or on course), but doing so requires the holding down of a mouse button. The rest of the time, moving the mouse moves a cursor, which you can place over icons or items in the game and perform such wonderful actions as the ubiquitous mouseover for info and the ever popular clicking/double clicking of various things to produce various effects.

In DCUO, there is no mouse cursor. (However, see below.)

In DCUO, the mouse controls your toon's direction if your toon is moving, or it lets you 'look' around if your toon is just standing there. See, you don't click on things in the DC Universe. There are no items in the game world for you to click. To interact with something, you move close to it and hold the E key. Note that I said 'hold' the E key and not 'press' the E key. There's a difference! Also, if you press either of the two main mouse buttons, like you would in most other games to use the mouse to alter your toon's direction or to take a look around, your DCUO toon executes an attack. Even if he or she is just standing there and there's nothing available to attack. Swing! Shoot! Woops. Guess that's a Free Parking spot now.

Below to be seen: in some situations, however, there IS a mouse cursor. Say you want to choose one of the tabs above the chat window, or change the channel in which you wish to chat. First you press the Enter key, which activates the chat window. Poof! Now you have a mouse cursor you can use to click those tabs and other chat-related things! There is also a mouse cursor when you are looking at the Menu and Inventory screens, and you can right click things in your inventory to equip them and you can even drag and drop. Whee!

Fighting is fun - so long as you're not attacking an innocent parking meter somewhere off to your right instead of the dastardly villain standing in front of you pummeling you about the neck and head. The Tab key is supposed to lock you on target. It seems to work best when there is only one target. I haven't quite mastered the mouse button combos required for some of the attacks yet. My hero and my villain have some way cool attacks, though, and someday they will use them!

Superhero MMOs - well, CoH/V and CO, anyway - are deservedly famous for the amazing array of super-heroic (and otherwise) costume variations available to the player. CO in particular has some very nice costume pieces, and you can even put a frowny face on your toon's belt buckle if you so please (can't do that in CoH/V). DCUO is *not bad* - especially when you're making your second toon and just happen to notice there are a lot more options available than you noticed when you were making your first toon. Still, it lags considerably behind the other two when it comes to available costume options (and ease of use). The 'personality' options (which in other games might be called 'stances') for DCUO toons are, well, I'll just say I don't like any of them. They are silly. Nobody stands that way. Unless they were drawn by Rob Liefeld. In the 90s.

Okay I'm running out of steam here, so I'll sum up by saying that this game is not bad, not bad at all, even though it is decidedly not what I would deem great. It's Free To Play, so, heck, you might as well give it a shot - unless for whatever reason you can't or don't want to do a 14.1 gig download. Anyway, I'm having fun with it. For now.

One final caveat: looks like the DCUO devs underestimated the number of free players waiting to descend upon the servers like a plaque of things that carry plagues, what, locusts and stuff, I don't know, the point being there may be a queue and it may be longer than the Great Wall of Khitai. Oh, and there's a bug that sometimes keeps you on the loading screen for way too long. A workaround that worked for me is to delete the /SaveData folder and try logging in again. First, however, you must find it! Bwahaha! I'm not telling you where it is! Bwahaha!

Kthxbai.

[Ghost]

Nice review Tech.

[Softball]

Yes, nice review. That pretty much sums it up. This is a nice filler until SWTOR arrives.

[Tach Deneva]

I got the 'Fight for the Light' DLC pack ($10). Now I'm a Premium player with 6 character slots and I can make Green/Yellow Lantern toons. Whee.

[Tach Deneva]

Wow, some of the missions in the level 20-25 range are TOUGH. Did the Area 51 Alert (normal) on my archer toon, with a PuG. Fun stuff.

[Tach Deneva]

Lightning Strikes DLC Pack

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) will soon launch its second Downloadable Content (DLC) pack for DC Universe Online with the worldwide release of Lightning Strikes, later this year. Launching simultaneously on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC, Lightning Strikes introduces Electricity Powers – the game’s eighth power set – and a new adventure starring the iconic speedster The Flash.

“In this DLC pack, fans have the opportunity to immerse themselves in another great character and action-packed story from the DC Universe,” said Jens Andersen, Creative Director for DC Universe Online. “With exciting gameplay, a new power set and new locations to share with your friends, we packed a whole new kind of fun into this DLC pack and are eager for our players to dive into another legendary adventure.”

In addition to the new Electricity Power set, DC Universe Online players will also be able to interact with The Flash-themed characters and content with new maps and features:

Central City – An all-new map that offers players a more open world experience that provides on-going gameplay, with solo and group missions.

The Flash Museum Duo – Players can now experience the Central City of today and tomorrow. In The Flash Museum Duo, players can travel back in time to the very moment when Barry Allen became The Flash and battle foes inside the Central City Police Station!

Electricity Powers – Players now have the opportunity to get the new Electricity Power set for current and new characters. The new Electricity Power set allows players to leverage the lightning power of electricity and use new types of attacks in combat. Electricity Powers include the Tesla Ball, which creates a floating ball of electricity that zaps nearby enemies; the Shockwave, which shoots streams of electric bolts at enemies; and Ionic Drain, which drains energy from the environment to replenish a player’s health while simultaneously damaging surrounding enemies.

New Gear – Players can earn all-new gear sets including the new Zoom-inspired gear set for villains, and the new Black Lightning-inspired gear set for heroes.

New Characters – Lightning Strikes brings players new iconic DC Universe characters including Livewire, Black Lightning, The Top, The Trickster, Static and more. New characters – such as Livewire – will be featured as new “Inspired By” options for players who can choose to create a new character inspired by some of DC Universe’s legendary characters. Additional new characters – such as Black Lighting – serve as a bounty mission that players can fight if they choose to be a villain.

Lightning Strikes offers players a new story-driven adventure that offers up even more of the intense and fast-paced combat that distinguishes DC Universe Online, a game focused on superhero combat set in locations where gamers can showcase over-the-top powers in epic battles. The Flash adds another legendary superhero for players to battle against or alongside on their journey to becoming the next legend.

DC Universe Online’s Lightning Strikes DLC pack will be accessible for free for all of the game’s Legendary players and available for purchase for $9.99 USD for all Free and Premium players from the PlayStation® Network Store, through the in-game Marketplace and on the PC from the DCUniverseOnline.com website.

[Softball]

Electricity Powers – Players now have the opportunity to get the new Electricity Power set for current and new characters. The new Electricity Power set allows players to leverage the lightning power of electricity and use new types of attacks in combat. Electricity Powers include the Tesla Ball, which creates a floating ball of electricity that zaps nearby enemies; the Shockwave, which shoots streams of electric bolts at enemies; and Ionic Drain, which drains energy from the environment to replenish a player’s health while simultaneously damaging surrounding enemies.

I am SO switching to this power set on my Magic hero.

[Hammer]

what can you do that does not have to be purchased?

[Tach Deneva]

For more info (and tights sizes) click:

Up, Up, and Away!