LINKS!:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNXe8Mw4u1Awww.dcuniverseonline.com/www.dcuniverseonline.com/en/movies.vmGetting on the same server is pretty simple, actually. You simply choose what server you want a particular character to be created into. A server is basically a world unto itself. If you're going to play the game, it will probably be the simplest part of the process...
There are 2 types of server: PvP and PvE
Player vs Player is pretty much you vs the world. You play against the computer-controlled NPC characters, as well as any other player sitting at their computer looking to beat the snot out of you. Anyone can challenge/fight/harm anyone else. It tends to be a little more cutthroat and "serious gamer" crowd (as if the term "serious gamer" weren't an oxymoron on its own). You can also team up with other players and form "Leagues." It's what they're calling the guilds (which, given that it's the DCU... DUH! :-))
Player vs Environment is generally more casual. You're playing against computer-controlled characters and that's IT. You can always team up with other players, of course, to go against the computer, but that's it. The software simply doesn't allow you to kill off other player characters.
That said, there are exceptions even in PvE where you have tournaments and sponsored events and such, wherein you CAN harm other players, but those are voluntary and not part of the general game.
Anyway, when you make your character you get to choose if you want to build a PvP character or a PvE one, which will define where you game with that character forever. You then will have a list of potential servers pop up which are specific to your choice. The servers are named after various DC Story arcs, so they're pretty cool and familiar thematically.
PvE Server Zero Hour is one I selected, and you can find me there most evenings until I run out of cash.
Which brings me to the hook in the tasty tasty DCUO worm: The game costs about $60, PLUS $15 USD per month to play. The first month comes free with the purchase of the game, BUT you still need to input either a credit card or a prepaid Sony Online Entertainment Game card to get online.
The SOE Universal Game card is literally a card bought at places like Gamestop that get you a month of online playing time. They come in 1-month and 3-month versions (details here:
gamecards.station.sony.com/index.vm?page=SOE ), and they look like this:
or this:
...or some close facsimile thereof. And don't fear the fact that it doesn't SAY DCUO or have a cool picture of Superman on it. Word online is that the SOE Game card DOES work with DCUO. They are, however, getting difficult to find (especially in Canada, dammit... which is why I had to use my credit card).
One thing to watch out for, AN SOE GAME CARD IS NOT A PLAYSTATION NETWORK CARD. PSN cards give you cash to spend on the Playstation network. SOE Game cards give you online game time. Don't let the dimwit at Gamestop/EB Games give you the wrong thing, it will cost you 20 bucks and do you absolutely NO GOOD on your PC. Trust me. This is what you DON'T want:
Also, a few other issues that may hinder the DCUO-DC2 League: Minimum System Requirements for this one are not light.
From the DCUO FAQ:
MINIMUM SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS:
Windows XP 32 bit
P4 3.0 GHz or AMD equivalent
NVIDIA 7800+ or ATI 1950+ Video Card
1 GB of RAM
30 GB of Free Hard Drive Space
Broadband internet connection
RECOMMENDED SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS:
Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7
3.0 GHZ CPU Dual Core Processor
2 GB RAM
NVIDIA 8800GTX+ or ATI 3800 series+ Video Card
30 GB of Free Hard Drive Space
Broadband internet connection
Installation took me about 2 hours. 1 to install from the 2 discs, 1 for the 8.8 Gig patch that was already out the day the game released. It's a HEFTY download.
However, if you ARE a PC Gamer, and you DID plan to play this game anyway, I'd be happy to have you there!
Also, DCUO IS available on the PS3, but the PS3 servers are TOTALLY different from the PC servers so if you're on the PS3 you won't find me there. You might find my wife, however, who loves console gaming and hates the PC. *shrugs* No accounting for taste, huh? heheh :-)
