It’s Pretty – But Is It Fun? #Rift

Servers are down right now for an update, and I’m backlogging a few days where I neglected to post (it’s actually the 25th, not the 19th) so I decided to upload a few more screen shots in my massive collection, and I’m struck by just how beautiful this game is. Screen shots are important to me in any game, I’m not sure why. I have folders upon folders of “memories” for the various games I’ve played. Those I’ve stuck with for years (EQ/EQ2) and those I’ve only played briefly (AoC). It doesn’t matter what the game, before I learn any of the commands for actual game play I want to know how to take screen shots. I’ve been that way for years now and I doubt it will change any time soon.

I was so frustrated with the lack of participation I found in Stonefields that I was ignoring the fact that the zone is incredibly pretty. Sure, the entrance is a desolate barren wasteland inhabited by trolls and other goon-like creatures but as soon as you hid the mid-way mark things brighten up considerably. There’s more population to speak of. One of the things holding me back slightly is that I prefer to do my zone quests in order and thus I didn’t even make my way to stonefields until I was well into 20, almost 21. Now I’m 26 and my quests are 21-22 which means there’s very little risk involved. Of course I did happen to stumble into a rift or two where I couldn’t defeat the bonus round by myself and limped away as fast as I could before I was smushed (or, after I was smushed as the case was a few times) but it was still pretty fun.

I’m having fun, which is important. Fun enough to grind by myself for hours in this little speck of land before I get bored? Probably not. But I don’t mind queuing while I quest, and at least then it’s broken up by a dungeon or two. I still think Rift really needs a mentor program so that you can play with your lower level friends without completely trivializing the content for them. I appreciate the fact that my level 50 friends can help me out with my quests, but when things die in one hit it makes me wonder what the point is, I may as well just be on auto follow and have them do everything for me.

A few things could be added to clinch this game for me. Number one would have to be player housing, objects crafted as well as quested and looted that could be placed in said homes. This gives players more ‘to do’ outside of slaughter. I enjoy working on achievements but I also enjoy just hanging out and talking to friends. Except I don’t want to just hang out, I want to do something that doesn’t require me worrying about whether or not I’m going to get killed while doing it. I also wish factions meant something besides just grinding for gear. I appreciate how factions work in EQ, they have meaning. You’re working on your faction for a greater purpose, and enchanters and their illusions become incredibly handy. I dislike the WoW faction grind, working away to a specific faction level in order to have a vendor item become available to you. Granted, I’m 26 and rarely (if ever) have come across this yet in my own travels in Rift, but I know it will come with time.

I enjoy crafting and doing my daily quests – but I think crafting is too easily accessible. It makes crafted items almost meaningless, and the market is so incredibly flooded with items that there’s no real point to them any longer. Harvested goods on the other hand can sell for a tidy profit, and I’m looking forward to doing some crafting rifts eventually. For now I’m content with my two dailies, and I’ve even gotten a few Artisan plaques from doing my dailies around Meridian.

Anyhow, enough of my rambling for now. Game should be back up, and I’m eager to try to reach the next tier so I can get a little closer to the rest of my friends who are playing. Despite the fact that this post sounds quite negative (well, for me in any case) I AM enjoying myself. It’s just a matter of finding my niche within the game. Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!