Alex Danger here, lackadaisically coming out of a weekend that was gone so terrifyingly quickly. I finally got to play this mega-hyped MMORPG over the weekend and I just thought i’d pass on my initial impressions to anyone else who might be interested.
Firstly, it warrants mentioning that I was a hardcore World of Warcraft player for nine years, on and off. This means that every MMORPG I ever will play in the future will be compared to that golden standard, and of course I realize that’s not necessarily fair. After all, World of Warcraft has had almost a decade to hone and improve upon its original model, that only makes me more excited knowing we’ve still only gotten just a taste of WildStar. Let’s begin!
The coolest thing about WildStar from the second you spawn in-game: movement and the environment around you. It really is a kick in the pants when you realize that technology is literally capturing all that is our imaginations. It reminds me of how blessed I am to live in this generation, as gaming tech makes leaps and strides toward fulfilling the nerd prophecy of living video games. I didn’t think the three-dimensional computer consoles and other ambient objects around me were a part of the scene at first, until I started jumping (and double-jumping) all over them. WildStar far exceeded my expectations of ambient objects and environmental fidelity, ending the prominence of rocky objects merely filling up empty space. Movement in-game is smooth and character physics inspire flow to all of your actions. You actually lean when you make a turn at a full sprint!
Weirdest thing about WildStar as a WoW player: lack of tab targeting. Or rather, lack of a need for tab targeting. WildStar uses a telegraphed ability combat system (think League of Legends skillshots, from a third person perspective). Your abilities are set to follow a predetermined path, or affect a certain area around you. This means that character control is very important in WildStar, as you reposition yourself for maximum damage or threat. With less emphasis on targeting individual mobs it might take some getting used to, but it seems telegraphed combat systems are the direction most new MMORPGs are going in.
My highest hope for WildStar: decent end game content. I always liked leveling characters, there’s something about the grind that’s almost therapeutic for me. If I can put on some good tunes and zone out for a couple hours blowing away quests I can be happy. But never again will I be as content with an MMORPG as I was when I was raiding Icecrown Citadel during Wrath of the Lich King. As such, my highest hope is that WildStar’s developer Carbine can deliver some immersive and challenging boss fights.
Another cool feature: the loot system. Finally… finally the day has come when I no longer need to spend another 2 seconds going into a looting animation just to see a bunch of gray vendorables that i’d rather not pick up anyway! WildStar does all the work for you, simply assign a hotkey and “vacuum” everything into your inventory in one easy step. If you’re in a party and a higher quality item drops you are allowed to roll only if it’s suitable for your class, eliminating a lot of drama seen in WoW when it comes to pick-up-groups.
That’s all I have time for this week, but be sure to stay tuned for the next round of closed beta, as I will surely write another article at its conclusion! For any informational needs, be sure to visit our WildStar Wiki, and to keep up on current and new content follow us on Twitter @CurseGamepedia, and like us on Facebook! And remember, it’s dangerous to go alone… be prepared with Gamepedia!