Since I got into the WAR beta I've actually put a lot of thought into what was better about DAOC and what was better about WAR and how they could be combined. Two things in particular stand out. One was mez/root, the other was speed songs. These were actually things that people said they hated in DAOC, but it didn't take long to notice how WAR was lacking with it's version of crowd control and no group speed. So I started kind of analyzing what the problem with these things is in DAOC and here's what I've come up with.
I'll start with crowd control. The biggest differences in how control control needs to be used in the two games is based primarily on interrupt system. DAOC's is beyond harsh and absolutely requires that any caster be on their toes at all times. Battles are won and lost primarily by one sides ability to keep the other side from casting. For all the complaints about it, in a situation like that crowd control is needed as much as it is hated. And lets be honest, no one hates it when their side lands the mez. So I think DAOC has the right idea for it's interrupt system. I'd say the biggest problem with the CC there is how variable it can be. The base durations are far too long and the ability to reduce it far too high. It gives us a situation where a geared and realm ranked tank will eat a one minute mez and barely break stride while the caster next to him twiddles his thumbs for 45 seconds. Other than that, with the number of counters and such that exist in the game I think the system is mostly balanced now. WAR on the other hand had far too many forms of "weasel" CC. The constant knockbacks/knockdowns/roots/snares that hit just as you get on top of someone seem completely redundant in a game where everyone can fight back up close. More importantly, while the system undoubtedly has a level of balance it took DAOC nearly 6 years to reach, no one likes fighting that way. Once melee's are on a target being knocked back/down and having to catch them again just pisses people off. On the flip side, being unable to escape due to chain CC is IMO worse than what happens in DAOC. A death in WAR can be drawn out a long time to virtually no purpose, but if you're like me you struggle on anyway even though 99 out of a hundred times you will not get away. In Dark Age, the mez or stun lands and the melee is in your face, you're dead seconds later and you know that.
And that of course brings up speed. Anyone who played WAR knows it doesn't take many trips with an entire zerg to chasing one fucking dude across the entire map before you realize that variable speeds is basically a must have. So what's the problem with speed anyway? Well, the obvious point is that any classes that have it are going to be required in group, and I(and many others) don't think a game should be built that way. Using current day DAOC as an example, the Skald is a middling melee class of somewhat limited utility compared to other classes, yet you will not find a Mid group that doesn't have a Skald. I'm not sure what the solution to this would be. Maybe a group based buff of some sort. Perhaps the original design of TOA boats is a good example: a vehicle that goes faster that more people are in it. I'm not sure what the exact solution is but I can say that after DAOC, PvPing with everyone running at the same speed is just LAME.
