Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 22

Thread: Istaria 4 years later

  1. #1

    Default Istaria 4 years later

    Hello dear Istarians. My wife and I used to play this game about 4.5 years ago and cancelled after LOTRO came out. Now LOTRO is becoming sorta streamlined WoW type MMO and we are thinking back about nostalgic moments that we used to have in Istaria. I don't remember most of the things I've done here. Remember fighting some blight creature with my wife and mining ore in Blight infested lands.

    We are returning now for a month for starters, will try to restore our property, get our houses back up etc, thanks to the support staff who got all our characters back. Question that drills my mind - has Istaria been able to avoid becoming a WoW type MMO with grind for uber gears annoyance and raid sickness? Is it still a good old Istaria where you are not forced to grind like obsessed day and night raid for some tokens to get some uber lewtz ..grrrr

    I loved plots and house building in Istaria, awesome crafting system and aegis attacks etc.

    I can't ask what changed the last 3 years, I'll try to read news archive, but maybe someone can say in a few words, whats changed in crafting and plot system, what new story-lines or story arcs been added etc. I hope that Istaria didn't fall under influence of 'successful MMO template' and converted to a dumb MMO that MMO market is so full of today.

    Its good to be back, anyway.

    We are bipeds, btw .
    Istaria for PvE.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Was there also any graphical changes in game. Maybe soem player MODs that improved textures throughout the game etc?
    Istaria for PvE.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Which server are you on? Hopefully Chaos.

    I came back recently after being away for six years having played when Horizons was first released. A lot of things have changed but the core structure of the game still remains.

    Istaria definitely has not copied WoW and still remains a sandbox semi hardcore MMOG. I wouldn't be here if it had become a lame theme park game like WoW or Rift.

    Grind is subjective. You have to spend a lot of time and effort to level your characters in both adventuring and crafting, otherwise you wouldn't have a sense of accomplishment in my opinion. I do not consider it grind, as I enjoy the process. Considering you can switch between adventuring and crafting and amongst the various schools themselves, it is only the player's fault if they allow it to feel like a grind.

    Sadly the early days of rebuilding the world and fighting an aggressive Aegis have vanished. There are no world structures to build now and the Aegis seem to be settled into a defensive posture.

    I despise raiding. Most items in Istaria are crafted. There is no emphasis on raiding. There are encounters that require groups but not raids.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Quote Originally Posted by reanor View Post
    Was there also any graphical changes in game. Maybe soem player MODs that improved textures throughout the game etc?
    The graphics are as I remembered but better since I can run them on highest settings now with a better computer than was available then.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    I can answer your question about uber gear. It is not needed you can craft for yourself real good equipment on your own. My dragons for the most part wear player made stuff that is great in regular figts and epics. Example for sog i made myself a set of scales just to fight him no need for epic loot. But thier is epic drops in game and they are hard to get but do they give you a huge bonuses over player made stuff, no not realy. I like the epic stuff but i have never gone out of my way to gather them.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Thanks guys, glad to hear that istaria held to it's nature. We are on order from what i remember, which probably has fewer player then on Chaos. Don't remember what was the difference and why we've created bunch of characters on Order. But thats where they all are. We may find a guild later if decide to go for any group content but I bet bunch of our time will take to find plots and get everythign up as we used to have, like work shops and silos...
    Istaria for PvE.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Order is the role play server

  8. #8
    Member C`gan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Acul, Trandalar and Tagath's in Mala, Genevia Island
    Posts
    3,246

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Reanor. I'll be happy to have you around on Order shard.

    Though, I would like to mention in correction of Jorev, WorldProjects continue to be added by the devs from time to time. They're not always mentioned in the patch notes. So, from time to time, it's a good idea to go out looking, just in case.
    C`gan Weyrsinger, blue Tagath's rider, WorldProjects Team Lead Emeritus
    Tagath, blue Lunus "for the breath weapon"
    Located in sunny Acul on Trandalar, Order shard

  9. #9

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Oh, thank you much C'Gan. Good to know about world projects. Most of our time will most likely be taken by rebuilding for now and exploring maybe here and there. Since we plan to be selfsufficient as much as possible and try not to make it a burden.

    I think Role Play servers in games like Istaria are the best. Since there is no PvP role play actually may add to the interest of time spent in game. Otherwise you'd just slide down to every day routine. But playing together with wife will probably help me not to get bored soon . I have a problem with routine and repetitive gameplay. Hopefully I'll last for a few months.

    We have life subs in LOTRO, so we will be visiting there too as we do now from time to time. Instances are fun but only for so long, so its gonna be a good time switching between LOTRO and Istaria... until SWTOR comes out.
    Istaria for PvE.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    I`d suggest Chaos, sadly the community on Order`s gone down, and many are moving from Order to Chaos. I got characters on al three servers myself. XD
    and yes there are many player mods, red mouths, bone colored claws, and horns, furry manes, sound emotes, mappacks. lots of stuffs XD
    I personaly think the game`s pretty grindy, but still quite addicting.

  11. #11

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Quote Originally Posted by Darkwing_Duck View Post
    I`d suggest Chaos, sadly the community on Order`s gone down, and many are moving from Order to Chaos. I got characters on al three servers myself. XD
    and yes there are many player mods, red mouths, bone colored claws, and horns, furry manes, sound emotes, mappacks. lots of stuffs XD
    I personaly think the game`s pretty grindy, but still quite addicting.
    Please, Darkwing Duck, don't make Order server's lower population sink more. :/

    There are still good and friendly people there, so, if you look for roleplay, Mr. and Mrs. Reanor, Order Server is for you. There are also non-roleplayers there, as well, friendly as well and up for good hunts very often.
    By the way, welcome back on Istaria, both of you, and I wish you to spend good time there, and too get more good friends, whether the shard you'll choose.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Quote Originally Posted by Darkwing_Duck View Post
    I`d suggest Chaos, sadly the community on Order`s gone down, and many are moving from Order to Chaos.
    I'm not moving to Chaos, Siivyra isn't moving to Chaos, Nambroth and Eldarath aren't moving to Chaos (infact they came from Chaos), Starstilanxs isn't moving to Chaos, Sereamha isn't moving to Chaos. C`Gan, Knossos, Saphire, Frith, Lung, Slee, aren't moving to Chaos. Who is this 'many' that are moving to Chaos?

    While I will agree, Order has really been struggling the past year due to a sudden and rather dramatic drop in population with a number of key players leaving the game at around the same time, it's still a nice server. But the Order that was will never replace the Order that is now if players move/are redirected to Chaos.

    Keep in mind that some of the most frequent (and veteran) RPers such as Kandrin, Amethyr, Hraefn, Vhazshyn, DharSii, Hrajiel, Xeffer, Tsargoth, Sigvard, and Silithus (off the top of my head) all left the game within 2 to 6 months time of eachother. This severly crippled the amount of RP there was (A reason why I've had difficulty getting back into RP) and I feel it wound up being a large part of why much of the momentum the server had was lost.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    When I log on, I commonly see, among others, Niveus, Cynny, Starcrystal, Staron, DemonWing, Romirez, Zarla (though these last two tend to log later), and they are often enough RPing or up to RP.
    So, the Order RP community isn't doomed yet
    I saw DharSii, one or two times, in the last months, he was up to RP in the public channel (Role-Play); and also Slee, who joined the same channel's RP, not so long ago. Though, some roleplayers tend to come and RP during events like the festival of ashes and for special RP events.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    There's a great community of friends on Order and plenty of RP. I've been playing since Beta with the exception of a six month absence, and am having trouble keeping up with all the new things and smart changes to old content.
    I'm sure you will be happy and welcome back!

    Cixi
    gnome extraordinaire

  15. #15

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    I think most of the people who are regulars in the game now are former players who left and missed or felt a longing to return.

    In my opinion if you and your wife liked it before you will like it quite a bit much more now. The game is essentially the same, and it is an acquired taste. It's been long enough you guys will essentially be starting over and therefore may not realize the amount of work that has gone into the game since you left.

    It's not perfection, but it offers a very different kind of long term playability than any other MMORPG that I have played or ever even heard of. 99% of the game is soloable and while there is some raid content it is definitely not the focus of the game.

    Istaria for me offers long term end game in the form of lairshaping and Nth degree-ing my ancient dragon; eeking every little piece out of the game and while I don't devote the time to Istaria I did to WoW, I have now been here longer than I was there.

    Hope that helps,

    If you are on Chaos I am Snowfury,
    Take care

  16. #16

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Apparently you get more replies on patch day

  17. #17

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    *serves reanor and his wife each some delicious klava presented with a towel and a curtsy*
    welcome home! :-)

    on a side note, in case it makes a difference about coming to order... you do not get klava from me on chaos 'cause i love where i am on order :-) i make it fresh daily to serve in the marketplace.
    Last edited by awdz; March 22nd, 2011 at 10:39 PM.

  18. #18

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    I am a new player and i like it very much in the Order server. Welcome!!!
    By the way.... what is the definition of klava?

  19. #19

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    Klava I believe is a hot beverage served in the dragon books written by Anne McCaffrey. eg. Dragonflight.
    I have always thought that Awdz was refering to those books, but never asked her......Awdz is that right?
    Be the Dragon!

  20. #20
    Member velveeta's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    le palais du fromage and industrial complex, cliffside, shepherd's mountain, blight
    Posts
    5,075

    Default Re: Istaria 4 years later

    most welcome home, necas, reanor and mate!
    you can't cast a play in hell and expect angels as actors
    check out my game blog: https://velveeta3.livejournal.com/

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •