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I think a hybrid real-time/turn based system would work well for a D&D MMO, something akin to Bethesda's VATS system they've use in their fallout games perhaps.  Maybe each player gets 20 seconds to take their turn, deciding on their three (ish) actions which the game then animates lovingly while the next guy is setting up his own actions.  If someone takes an action which triggers an immediate/free action of yours, maybe time will slow just a tad and a prompt will show up on your screen for a few seconds.

Just brainstorming here.  I'm having trouble seeing how a button masher is going to be able to simulate D&D.

Side notes: how much do we want to bet that it's going to take a hell of alot more encounters than 10 to get you from level to level?  God forbid XP isn't something you've got to grind for.

Oct 13, 2011 -- 1:10AM, Pluisjen wrote:

Frequently, but not automatically. While limiting someone's reaction time does make games tougher, it doesn't automatically mean that it's about button mashing rather then fast paced tactics.

I actually find games that require quick but tactical thinking to be just as entertaining as games that require deep thinking but have limitless time for it.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that requiring mouse dexterity in a good way would catch the action-movie vibe of D&D far better the turn based combat. Of course, they'll have to do it right first...

My brother scoffs at the idea that WoW is a reflex game (he is a big fan of reflex games and the game doesnt feed him) WoW combat varies by class and player inclination kind of like looking at a archer ranger and deciding there were few real choices in D&D combat... my wife button mashes her rogue - whereas my sequences and amount of perception I apply for best performance with my Warrior is very different.

Oct 13, 2011 -- 7:27AM, Pluisjen wrote:

WoW is a button masher, it doesn't have an awful lot of tactics. It's all straight-forward script following button clicking. At least the PvE part; PvP is probably different.

One of the main reasons it's so repetetive is because all the regular enemies are dumb as a bag of bricks. They just stand and maul. There's no reason to adapt tactics because every battle is the same.

I got bored of the battles real quick too. Had some fun exploring the world and items and such, though. But battles were always pretty lame. Just keep doing the same thing until you go up a level. The only exceptions were monsters which were resistant to a damage type, in which case you swapped "6" for "7" to use a slightly weaker attack with a different type, and that was about it.

I think you misunderstand button mashing and what cycles are.

The WoW cycles are just pressing buttons as they become active or cycling moves as it becomes suitable to use them. Stunning, Hitting, Re-Stunning, etc.

It's not the same as button mashing where you just randomly use powers or press buttons.

WoW is different in PVP as well where you'll need to press different buttons, but it's still quite a flowcharted game.

What's being described for Neverwinter is neither button mashing, flow chart or cycling moves. It sounds more like rythem action or QTE are being employed. Not something you'd typically associate with MMO's because of Lag but it's not an alien concept either, DDO had maneuves you could pull out in time with attacks.

No idea how it'll play like D&D at all.