WildStar

(Argggh some how my nearly finished post got lost so I have to start over)

WildStar is a science fiction/fantasy MMORPG, devleoped by Carbine Studios, published by NCSOFT (publishers of Guild Wars/Guild Wars 2 by Arena Net).

I'll be trying it out for free with weekend. I received an invitation to beta weekend. Its okay to talk about it, they posted about it on Facebook, where they said the non-disclosure agreement has been lifted. (Any way I never got one to sign). I haven't decided yet what character(s) I'll make.

Business model: purchase ($59.99, $79.99) plus subscription (purchase includes 30 days)
Pre-order: NOW (includes beta weekends and 3 day head start)
Launch: June 3rd

Plot: The Exiles and the Dominion fight over the planet Nexus, newly discovered home world of the lost race, the Eldan. The Exiles found the planet, but the Dominion claim ownership, like they claim every thing else in the Galaxy. The Exiles have been pushed off other worlds, they refuse to be pushed off this one. The battle is on.

Factions:
The Dominion: powerful Galactic Empire, claims to be founded by the Eldan and thus rightful rulers of the Galaxy.
The Exiles: lose alliance of races who lost their home worlds to the Dominion.

So sort of the opposite of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Unlike SW:TOR there are no faction specific clases, only races.

Races:
Dominion:
Cassian: humans of the planet Cassus, claim the Eldan picked them to rule the Galaxy. Superiority complex (all clases available)
Mechari: race of intelligent killing machines designed by the Eldan themselves to be the Dominion's enforcers. No sense of humor.
Draken: bastial race of warriors
Chua: small, sociopathic scientists

Exiles:
Human: decendents of Cassians who rebelled against the Dominion and fled Cassus 300 years ago (all clases available)
Granok: stone-headed mercenaries who like kicking *** and drinking beer (not necessarily in that order)
Aurin: tree-huggers with tails and rabbit ears
Mordesh: space zombies

Classes:
Warrior: melee DPS/tank wielding power sword, arm cannon, brute force (all races except chua or aurin)
Spellslinger: ranged dps/healer wielding mag pistols, magic sigils, acrobatics (all races except mechari or granok)
Esper: ranged dps/healer wielding pys-blade, benevolent illusions, terrifying nightmares (cassian, chua, human, aurin)
Engineer: ranged dps/tank wielding launcher, bots, exo-suit (all races except draken or aurin)
Stalker: melee dps/tank wielding claws, devices, nano-skin (all races except chua or granok)
Medic: ranged dps/healer wielding resonator, fields, probes (all races except draken or aurin)

Warrior is your basic warrior. Spellslinger mixs magic with guns. Esper is illusionist. Engineer design experimental weapons and robots. Stalkers are stealthy assassins. Medics are healers who can kill too.

Looks like all classes can DPS (Damage Per Second, its used to refer to characters who are primarily damage dealers). Three can also tank (take lots of damage while doing damage close up, allowing DPS to do more damage and healers to heal). Three can heal.

One of my guildies in SWTOR says the tank is always right (of course he's a tank). In another guild the healer told me the healer is always right. Us poor DPSs get no respect. I've played all three roles in SWTOR. Not good at healing, besides it bores me. Tanking can be fun, but a lot of work. DPS is usually the easiest role to play, so there are usually more DPS types than tanks or healers. Tanks (and healers to a lesser degree), need to be careful they don't get a swelled head. They sometimes become elitist thinking only tanks (or healers) matter. When in fact all three are needed. Its the DPS who do most of the killing, not the tank. Tank's job is to hold aggro to keep the healers and DPS from getting hurt, so healer can keep tank and DPS up, while the DPS does the bulk of the damage.

I forgot Paths.

There are four Paths to choose from based on your personal play style.

Explorer: if your favorite part of MMOs is exploring new worlds, this is the path for you. Wouldn't be for me since I'm sure it includes jumping puzzles.

Soldier: if your favorite part of MMOs is killing things, this is the path for you. Everybody spends time in combat, but soldiers live for it.

Settler: if you like building things for other players to use, Settler is for you.

Scientist: love game lore? This is the path for you.

I'm thinking scientist.

Hmmmmmmm, I'm thinking a combination of explorer and scientist would be fun. Thanks, Guybrush

Had I known I was going to be invited to this beta weekend, I'd have asked for it off work.

I've played two characters. Exile: (male) Aurin, Spellslinger, Scientist and Dominion: Chua, Engineer, Soldier. With the aurin I managed in my limited time to complete the tutorial on the space ship and one zone of the planet Nexus. I just started the first Dominion zone of Nexus.

The gender of Chua is currently "unknown". You don't get a choice like you do on the other races. Oddly even the Mechari which are machines have male and female.

Walking characters look like their prancing, this was particularly disturbing when I briefly tried a Mechari. The Dominion's killing machines make me laugh every time it moves. Don't like it. All I noticed with the aurin and chua when they move is their swaying tales.
I love making the chua double jump. Great to see this little guy go flying over objects and people.

Wildstar is more cartoonish than either Guild Wars (1 and 2) or Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's not bad, just different. As is apparently normal for these games, evenn SWTOR, there are people in chat who insist on comparing the game to World of Warcraft (WOW), which I've never played.

Dialogue has a little voice work from the NPCs when they great you but is otherwise mostly text and so far I have NOT heard my own characters talk, which is disappointing after GW and SWTOR. Cutscenes are few and far between but seem well done.

I didn't care for the music at first but its growing on me. Hard to beat the Cantina band and Imperial March from Star Wars. And GW2 has Jeremy Soule's always excellent music.

Every zone has path quests but there less obvious once you leave your factions ship for the planet Nexus. Since I had no idea where I'd find science tasks I ended up being an explorer (without the jumping puzzles) and covered the entire map looking for them. There were only 3. While the tutorial (ship) science tasks were perfectly save, the ones on Nexus always lead you into danger. Plants and animals on Nexus don't like being scanned. I found one puzzle where I had to hack a locked door. I didn't know what I was doing and random clicking got the door open. Inside was a datacube. Once the door is unlocked others, including non-scientists can open it. I don't know how long this lasts though. Soldier gets quests to go "assassinate" a particular target or does a "hold out" which is a timed fight with multiple groups attacking you. Anybody else passing by can jump in, and some did, to get experience for killing foes.

Combat: I'm not sure how to describe it, but when you're in combat the game shows you the area where you attacks effect. For Spellslinger its pretty much a straight line towards whats in front of you. If the ground around you turns red, MOVE, that's a warning your foe is about to lunch an attack. For the Engineer the range is shorter but wider. All characters have a skill that temporarily boosts your other skills. My Spellslinger got to level 6 with just enough money to buy damage skills, not enough to purchase healing skills, but as I said I'm not good at or fond of healing. Played enginner a lot less so no where near tanking yet.

Armor: I was confused at first, and posted a message in the WildStar forming asking why my Spellinger was getting Esper armor for rewards. Apparently a bug, should be labeled Esper, Spellslinger as Engineer armor from early quests is labeled Engineer, Warrior.
Spellslings and Espers both wear light armor. Engineers and warriors, heavy armor. Medics and Stalkers get medium. Eventually you'll get quests that offer class specific armor, Spellslingers need Finesse, Espers Moxie.

I reported a bug where the scientists scanbot controls vanished as soon as you land on Nexus. Bots take damage durring combat so being able to dismiss them is necessary to keep from temporarily losing them.

A more annoying bug is the little windows that pop up advising you how to do things or giving lore get stuck open, so after awhile I have to log out to get them to go away.

EDIT: ARGGGGHHHHH. Apparently I didn't pay close enough attention: I found that one datacube, but there were actually 4. At least thats how many dominion has to find in starting zone. There are also journal entries spread around each zone which every, not just scientists, can find for lore.

Anyway have to go to work now. :(

Sorry you have to work, but really do appreciate the reports. Sounds like a lot of fun!

Got to play a Exile: (male) Mordesh, Medic, Explorer. Finished one zone on Nexus, getting all 4 datacubes but missig some journal entries. At these low level the jumping puzzles were not hard. I expect they'll get harder so I wouldn't play explorer for real.

Played a little of Dominion: (male) Cassian, Esper, Settler. Settler a lot of running around looking for stuff to collect to build with. Only had time to do the ship. Will probably play more on planet after work tonight.

If you delete a character, it cries.

That is hysterical!

Argggh, beta ended right in the middle of a cut scene.

Little more background. Cassians are humans from Cassus. Humans are decedents of Cassian rebels.

A technologically advanced race the Eldan created machines with artificial intelligence, the Mechari. When the Eldan detected an intelligent life form on the planet Cassus, they sent the Mechari to escort the Cassian leader to Nexus. Later, the Eldan sent the Cassians a new leader, part Eldan, part human. He became the first Emperor of the Dominion.

When the Eldan vanished the Mechari became the Dominion's enforcers.

When the Dominion discovered the home world of the Granok and sent a Mechari "Ambassador" to demand their joinging the Dominion, the Granok pounded it into dust. This started a war. The Granok were primative but tough. Still, the Dominion had the better technology and ultimately would have won except a band of Granok carried out a series of raids on Domnion tech. WIth Dominion weapns they were able to drive off the Dominion. However, instead of being rewarded these Granok were banished for violating ancient Granok tradition by using their enemies weapons. These Granok became mercanrie. Holding a grudge against the Dominion when they met humans they joined the Exiles.

When the human rebels fleeing Cassus stumbled upon the Aurin homeworld, they befriened these primitive people. Reasling they were putting the Aurin in jeapordy the humans eventually left, hopeing the Dominion would not find the planet. But they did and although the Aurin were no threat the Dominion punished them for aiding their enemies. The Aurin queen sent a distress call and the Exiles responded by sneaking as many Aurin off world as they could. The Aurin have proven to be adaptive learning to use technology quickly.

When the Dominion encountered the Draken there could have been a long and bloody war but the Emperor challenged the Draken leader to single combat, and when he won, the Draken swore loyalty to the Dominion. Draken act as the Dominion's spys and assassins.

The Mordesh were powerful alchemists and were invited to join the Dominion. When an elixr that was supposed to grant eternal life turned out to be toxin which turned the Mordesh into ravenous, cannibals before it kills them, the Dominion quarantined the planet. The Mordesh found a treatment, not a cure. They have to take the drug daily. As long as they take it they are virtually immortal, they stopped aging, however its a living death as they're body parts are slowly wasting away. They replace dying tissue with machinery. Abandoned by the Dominion a few Mordesh turned to the Exiles to escape their planet.

The Dominion found the chau to be primitive but surprisingly intelligent. Exposed to Dominion technology, the chau soon took it apart, analyzed it and improved it. Now the chau are the Dominion's primary scientists. Unlike the Aurin who try to preserve nature, the chau turned their planet into a giant factory. Chau have no morals. It was chau tech that drove the Aurin from their home world.

Eeeek, Guybrush, sorry you didn't get to see the whole cut scene. Will you be playing the game when it is released?

Considering pre-ordering. Standard version, I don't think the deluxe bonus items worth the extra #20, that could buy me an extra month of play instead.

Character names cannot have spaces in them so Ramei Arashi (one of my GW1 characters) would be RameiArashi if I used that name.
When creating a character the part you can adjust most is the face. For beta I did not spend any time with the facial characteristics sliders. For the beta I recycled my SWTOR character names, except one was actually taken.

Typical of these games characters bodies are not realistic. Someone was complaining that female characters have waists so small there's no room for internal organs and you can guess what the problem is with chests. Some of the males have overly large shoulders. I think the answer is to roll all chua Fat little rodents, the major differences is in face and ears not body so much. Aurin and chau my favorite races. Dont care for Mechari, the Dominion's great killing machines prance when they walk.

Don't know how it works but pre-ordering the game supposedly allows reserving character names. They're also giving gifts to people who took part in beta. How that works I don't know but on the last day I got a message about a gift of armor for doing beta and every day a person logs in during betas is also supposed to reserve 3 boxex which will contain some random goody. So I would get 9 if I buy the game. Apparently this extra stuff is linked to email used on NCSOFTs web page which is where you register game key codes.

WildStar forums have English, Deutsch (German) and Francais (French) versions, so my guess is the game will be in those languages.

Other WildStar ressources:
WildStar Wikia
WildStar Wiki
WildStar Youtube Chanel

video: Official trailer - aurin esper, granok warrior, human spellslinger
video: Meet The Exiles (minus 1)
video: Meet The Dominion (minus 1)
video: Dark Secrets (the previously skipped races)
video: Classes
video: Paths

Thanks, Guybrush...I hope you get something great in your boxes if you buy the game.

Corrected my previous post. It was 3 boxes each day, so 9 for the weekend.

People on different paths can help each other out:

On my scientist I opened a locked door. For a time this allowed other people not scientists to enter the room too.

On my soldier I had to ask in chat for a scientist to come unlock the door then wait for one to do so. One did eventually.

On my scientist I joined in when a soldier started a timed mob fight, to gain experience and help the soldier finish his task.

On my soldier, somebody else joined in when I started a timed mob fight.

There will be hidden places that if an explore opens up non explores can follow.

Settlers build buff stations everyone can use.

Another beta this weekend. Several gaming sites giving away keys. I just got mine from first site on the list. Want to try WildStar? Get beta key from one of these sites

Open Beta Stars May 8th - every can get a key and try the game starting tomorrow.

WooHoo Guybrush, thanks

Ramei, male aurin spellslinger, early armor

Outside of house - wind chime on the left was a gift from another player

Inside house, looking towards bed room

Ramei sleeping (warning: shirtless cartoon character)

I die too much and have to repair armor so I don't have a lot in the house. Not shown are: a table with mug of tea, knife and an ern thing; poster on one wall, neon beer sign (gift) on wall.

Outside I have a flower garden, a hedge maze, a little place with some food and a big tree.

Most of the stuff I got in drops, two items were gifts, windows I bought. Now broke.

That looks super cute! You must stop tempting me

Well I haven't bought it yet. I'm starting to think its actually too hard for me. Once I get above level 10 I start dying too often and apparently it gets even harder around level 25. So this 10 day beta may be last time I play. Unless I can find a class I can keep alive on.

Akakage, male Draken Stalker

Outside of Akakage's house

Inside, stocked bar on left, bed room center, couch right

Akakage sleeping

The quest for getting you first house always rewards you with a bed, a table and a couple decor items. In this case the rug and a tree that's outside. The item on the table is a plushie of a snail monster which I got along wht the wooden frame as a drop.

Outside, Akakage has an extra tree, a vegetable garden, same little picnicc spot as Ramei, and a meteor crash site which can eventually be mined. Next to that he planeted a mechanical arm invented by the chua. The arm and meteor hole were drops.

Nekokei male Cassian Esper

Nekokei wearing native headress

Sounds like things are developing beautifully

Qazari: male Granok Warrior

Janek: male Mordesh Medic

Skrak: Chua Engineer

Haven't made any female characters (or have I) for beta. Chua gender is unknown to all but the chua who dont talk about it. All chua accept being refereed to as "he" if you can't recall their name.

Ohhh, I like the Chua...looks like a stuffed toy

I quit. Lot I like about the game but its no fun dying because the combat is too hard. Still 5 days off beta but I'm done.

Well, at least you gave it a run

One last comment. I found the forums to be unfriendly because of the more hard core gamers who are rude to everyone else. They told me WS was for the top !% of gamers. I told them WS wont be self sustaining if that's the case. If the "casual" players some of the posters keep insulting can't play than WildStar is doomed to become free to play or be shut down.

Sadly, there are some gamers who consider themselves above all others and really hurt the gaming community as a whole

Thanks for all the info Guybrush. I had to skim most of it but will read it in more detail later. Sorry to hear you dropped it.

My experience with specific game forums is that they are at their worst before release. There is little to no hard information so it allows anyone with an opinion to spout it as if they know.

If it really is so hard, I won't be interested. I am enjoying GW2 greatly, at least in part because it is about the right difficulty level for me. As annoying as the forum folks can be, it is really Carbine who is responsible to balance the game and to make it at a difficulty that will satisfy players. I hope they adjust it so that casual players can enjoy it and have success leveling. Otherwise they won't get me as a player either.

The graphics must be optimized. My nvidia card got an update which included Wild Star profile. I'm still not playing.

Thanks, Guybrush

June 3, 2014 released as a subscription game
September 29, 2015 goes free to play
January 8, 2018 I create a Chua Engineer Scientist, take it from starter world, play a little of next planet
January 9, 2018 I create male Aurin Stalker Soldier, take it from starter world, play a little of next planet

Chua are intelligent rodents. Chua males and females are indistinguishable to none Chua. Male or female choice does nothing.
Aurin have tales and ears can range from tiny to large rabbit like ears, to ears that look like antlers. Chua are part of The Dominion (ie the Empire) and Aurin, the Exiles (ie the Republic). Free to play gets you 2 character slots.

Seems like its been made easier, too easy actually. My engineer was easily able to solo what was supposed to require a group with out taking any real damage until near the end.

I believe I'm spoiled by Star Wars: The Old Republic. Wildstar can be fun to play but it has little story. Most of the dialogue is in text. I don't think I heard either of my characters actually speak once.

I saw a couple of other player characters running around the starter worlds. No one would talk to me in chat when I tried to ask questions. So unfriendly as ever. SWTOR chat is often full of politics (mostly leftist nonsense) but you can actually get an answer to a question on occasion.

Strange the NCSoft web page (you use NCSoft account) doesn't mention either Guild Wars anymore even though they published both along with Wildstar. Different developers though. SWTOR is totally different people.

Anyway I guess back to SWTOR. Even though I know every story, they at least exist.

Despite my previous post, I got bored with SWTOR, and started playing Wildstar.

My characters (just a jpg)

Its pure coincidence that I made them from shortest to tallest. Wasn't planned.

Chua know which gender they are and what gender any other Chua they meet is but they don't care to tell other races. If the other races are so stupid they don't know male or female when they see it that's their problem.

Updated to include 2 female characters.

All but last two characters are wearing The Highwayman armor, which I got for being a beta tester. The aurin and the human left their's black. The rest dyed theirs.


Chua are short, intelligent and insane, nature is for testing their scientific theories on, everyone is dumber than they are

Aurin are tree hungers, opposite in temperament of the Chua, they believe in a natural balance which includes natural death

Humans are same race as the Cassian but the humans are rebels

Draken are the Dominion's shock troops, the live for war (similar to the Exile's Granok)

Mordesh suffer from a disease that causes their bodies to decay and drives them mad (don't ever call them "space zombies"), they use technology to keep themselves alive

Mechari are androids, created by the Eldan to insure the Cassian rule the Dominion as they wish it run


Each race has its counter on the other side:
Chua vs Aurin (despise each other)
Cassian vs Human (despise each other)
Draken vs Granok (respect each other as warriors, each prefers to test themselves against the other)
Mechari vs Mordesh (Mechari hate every Exile but especially the Mordesh for bringing a contagious disease to their maker's sacred homeworld of Nexus, Mordesh do not return the hatred but actually have a grudging respect for the Mechari's technology)

I thought it was funny to make the nature loving Aurin be what is basically an assassin class and set him on the solder path. Then make the warrior draken love science and studying nature.

Free to Play players only get 2 slots but you can earn omnibits and unlock more characters. However they max out and then it takes a week for them to start dropping again. So it will be awhile before I can add a Granok or Cassian.

Most of the time player characters are silent. But if you type /laugh into chat window your character will audibly laugh, unless its a mechari. They go through the motions but make no sound. Mechari are not programed with a sense of humor.

Added 2 new characters if you looked at the jpg in previous post, look at it again.

Well this sucks there are no Mordesh or Mechari specific houses. If you want a house for them you have to pick from one of the other races. And Mechari don't get voices when you use /laugh. Seems they gave up on Mordesh and Mechari.

Wildstar starter houses

I like the one on the bottom left....

OH I forgot to identify them.
Top: Cozy Chua House, Cozy Aurin House, Cozy Exile Human House
Bottom: Cozy Draken House, Cozy Granok House, Cozy Cassian House

Mordesh and Mechari have to pick from one of those which I think is unfair. You can pick from any of the starter houses on every character. So an aurin could have a draken house if you wanted.

Somehow I got tossed into someone else's home once, they had a fortress including weapons on the walls. Those in the picture are just the cheap starter houses.

You can change the roof, the walls, the entrance, the door. Inside you can change the cieling, floor, walls, trim, lighting and music that plays. I haven't changed much. Too pricey to get the good stuff. Eventually I'll be able to upgrade the houses.

Since I captured those imagines the chua house now has a spotlight over the door shining on the steps. I could try to capture the insides but not much to see.

When you get your house you also get some basic furniture for inside, a bed, couch, table, carpet. Also a tree for outside. Their are two different sets to choose from so you can either get a round table or a square one. A round carpet or an animal skin. A small tree or a large tree.

There are 6 other plots on your land to place other things such as a garden in which you can plant seeds then harvest the plants, a mine to harvest metals, a thicket to harvest cloths, a crafting site, etc. Some of the objects you pay for with copper, silver or gold, some you get a object that lets you built it free of charge. Those objects you get as rewards for doing your path stuff. Decorations sometimes drop in battle or are rewarded for doing quests. The chua got a tea cop which is apparently a less common drop. I put it on his table. It steams.

If you leave your character in their home when you quit the game they gain some "resting" experience.

You get your home you get quest to get your house at level 15. You have to go to faction capitol to get it. By the time I finish the other quests in the starter areas I'm level 16 or 17 before I get to capitol to get home.

Wildstar is shutting down and Carbine Studio closing. Another 50 people in the gaming industry to be out of work. Email says they will shut down the game on November 28th. I haven't been playing recently so I will never finish it.

I just uninstalled it.