Dungeons & Dragons Online Beta Impressions

Ten Ton Hammer has written up their impressions of the ongoing beta test for Turbine’s Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach. Here we go:

Once I’d settled on a character that worked for me I was ready to begin my adventure. I was told that I was entering Xen ‘˜drik, and I soon found myself in the port town of Smuggler’s Rest. Immediately, the help system went to work telling me things I needed to know such as how to move, how to access my character information and inventory, and how to interact with NPCs. Veteran MMOG players will find nothing very surprising here, and you can turn off the tips, or reset them if you decide you’d like to see them again, using the options menu. The user interface (UI) is intuitive and non-intrusive; even a rank newbie should find their way around the game’s controls easily enough.

When I arrived on the dock to the sound of surf and seagulls. I made my way toward the most obvious beginning point, a tavern near the docks called the Rook’s Gambit. Outside I was greeted by a warforged guard who told me that I could probably find a quest or two if I spoke to some people inside the tavern. As I entered, the strains of guitar music, the chatter of patrons, and the clinking of plates and glasses made the bustling room come to life. After a word or two with Euphonia Teles, the NPC who offered my first quest, I was off to learn some basic survival skills.