by badkarma » Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:34 pm 
Hope we will all enjoy it when it comes out (and during beta, of course).I have read all the current articles, previews of the game and have read this whole thread (damn, that was challenge). I really want to express my personal opinion (and to comment some other opinions) about HnH and Salem, and possibly make some predictions and/or suggestions. Well, I've found that there are few annoying topics on which many people are debating right now. I would like to express my personal opinion on these things.
1) Donation system.
This is probably the most popular topic right now. Personally, I think that a lot of people would not be happy to pay for playing a game or be forced to pay cash for items, which will affect the gameplay, disbalance economy or simply make somebody too powerfull and reaching him would not be a question of time, but a 'how much money can I spend this month' question. Some of you have been listing several forms of online gaming donation system. Well, I am going to list 3 types of it:
a) Cash shop (the worst one). Cash shops may also be divided into 'minor advantage stuff', 'greater advantage stuff' and 'simply ruining economy stuff'. What I mean by minor or greater is that if you pay cash to buy several, lets say, crystals, which will accelerate your crafting speed, give you more options or simply let you buy something, which could not be bought with just gold or silver, then I call it 'greater advantage stuff'. The 'crystals' I've mentioned take place in nearly every browser game (like Lord of Ultima, Europe1400 or Evony etc) and I can' really imagine this kind of ugliest cash shop system ever being implemented in a MMORPG. However, there can still be a lot of stuff to buy to get advantage over another players. From buying special weapons to buying lp's, which is not good even for a no lifer like myself.
I mean imagine yourself living in a village and you are very rich and/or have a powerful character. You have managed to built your character in, let's say, 5 weeks, while others, let's say average players or people with job and/or families spend much more time building a strong guy like that you have, depends on a family and if it has kids (remember you are a no-lifer, not an average player). Now let's get back to your neighbor. He's sick on donations. Hes also a no-lifer, but in contrast of you he got work in McDonalds and all his salary goes for paying bills for Internet and donations. Imagine if cash shop would be disbalanced and he will be able to buy skills or currency for cash, he will achieve everything you have got in 10 hours. All right, it may not be a good example of what may greater advantage cash shops be like but you got a point. Secondly, 'minor advantage stuff shop' – this is what I call every item or boost which gives you PvP bonuses. By PvP I don't only mean combat, but overall experience, such as competition, because it's also a part of PvP in a game like HnH (at least for me it is). Let's say you are being able to buy teleport rings, invis. cloaks, maybe some kind of magic wands or anything which is EXTREMELY hard to find in-game (let's say you have to go deep in Mordor and slay a lot of monsters to get boots of speed with limited duration). Won't it be too overpowered towards to loyal players who like to play games but can't pay for this? And the last one 'simply ruining economy stuff'. Some of you have noticed me using some 'concepts' from another game, UO. Well, to those who are familiar with this game, simply think about Hybrid. To those, who are not – well, this is basically pure cosmetic and money stuff for sale. Such as you are able to buy loads of cash, colored items, maybe some unique items, which are not giving you any advantages towards another player, but it may just get you rich quicker than anybody else, or if we are not talking about selling currency then simply, you will shine and maybe get some enviers on your a$$. This is basically, only ruining economy since you can sell all these stuff in a game like HnH or it may be strictly cosmetic and won't ruin economy, depends on what devs decision towards donation will be like. b) P2P. Simply, you pay to play, pay monthly subscription and enjoy. Since it's going to be 'f2p' then I won't describe this method much, but I will add that I consider it to be the best donation method. Why? Because it is not causing economical or combat disbalances, is not letting you to be 'more powerful' towards all other players, everything depends on how much of no-lifer you are. But I totally agree with somebody (yes, I'm not making any credits in this 'report') who said it won't work in Salem. Nowadays most games play mostly for graphics (well, some old-styled games are still P2P, like UO) and advertising this kind of game and telling them to pay 5 bucs each month to play it will have negative consequences for business.
c) 'Membership' subscription. Familiar with RuneScape? Then you know what it's all about. For those, who don't – it's a subscription method where a world is divided into two parts: one is available for f2p players, another for p2p players or 'members' how it is called there. There is also several servers, words, shards etc. which are also divided on 'f2p' and 'p2p' so members are playing 'p2p' worlds while cheap bastards, like myself will stick on 'f2p' worlds. Ohh, forgot to add, this is second after best, or 'neutral' donation method between all 3 described here (In my point of view, of course). At first, it may sound scary. 'Whoaat? I have to pay them 4.35 bucks simply to taste the whole world? FTW?!?' But people, believe me, it is not the worst method. Yes, membership will sooner or later 'swallow' 90 % of the world and only 10 % will be available to the rest of players, but I've been playing RS for a good while many years ago, and believe me, I've only subscribed for 2 times. (I didn't like membership features at all) and I still had fun on free worlds. After many years since I quit RS I sometimes think of the good 'ol days spent there hehe. Well, not the best payment method, but much better than 'Cash shop'.
In conclusion, what I think about donations overall. I hate them, but at the same time I don't mind donations, since this is irreversibly. Believe me, they are doing shitloads of work and any work should be payed well. If they are not going use any gameplay ruining donation methods, then thanks God, if they will, well, just get through this. Atleast if they give out a source code, but I don't really want it to happen. Why? Because we will end up having 4340383 Salem clones all around the web with 3.5 people on each. We want big, busy, hardcore world don't we?
2) Graphics.
This is a very popular topic, but I don't find it really interesting to discuss. All of us have personal taste and there's no accounting for tastes. But the fact is that 90 % of gamers, including online gamers nowadays prefer 1337 graphics and mean action with tons of explosions, movements, colorful magic etc. I am not insulting anybody, technology progresses and so does fashion, but there may soon be no real hardcore players left. I can't imagine anybody playing Halo 3 and HnH at the same time. But are Halo or any CoD really hardcore in comparison with HnH? Doubt it. I mean, seriously, if you guys love HnH and -like games you should not care about graphics IMO. If Salem graphics annoy you then I am afraid what would you say about a legendary series Ultima I-V or Dwarf and Fortress, which, btw has no less features than HnH and is only like 12 % complete.
Now, my personal view on Salem's graphics. I like it. It looks awesome to me. I am not really into anime or manga style characters but they look great. What I like about it is all these 16th century clothing aswell and it is 3D and the ground is no more just flat. Graphics are ok, I will be making few suggestions towards graphics later, but overall I'm satisfied with it.
3)Grinding
This is the huge problem. I can't stand it. Not only does it add more pressure on the server, causing it to crash every time somebody wants to send buckets to mass production, it also ruins all the feel. I already know some griefers who, as they say, don't give a shit about Salem, but when it comes out, maybe even during beta stage, are going to fill it with anythingwhat gives lp. I mean it's something I would TRY to avoid if I was a lead designer. IMO, it's also a bad and boring way to train skills/stats, whatever. I think there should be another way to get your profession. For example, why not get rid of lps and everything will be learned by doing a necessary action to gain a certain profession. Like you can gain rhetoric, charisma, intelligence or anything mental related by reading specific books. Bonuses apply if you are doing it near the campfire or fireplace at your house etc. Martial arts or anything combat related can be achieved by hitting a dummy at first, then finding a partner for sparring and later hiring/asking a master player or NPCs to teach you the rest. Note! Not simply gold dropping/learning but actually sparring with him/her for a while. I also find this skill gaining method rather boring and I think that the system like this is spoiling the atmosphere of freedom in a 'free-to-do' MMO like H&H. What I mean is, I hate the idea of getting skill points for doing different tasks and then spending them on skills, which are logically already mastered by any person. I hate that you must grind through certain amount of skill points to be able to kill or plunder a building or to do anything else, however Bjorn Johannessen told us that the grinding part will be minimized, its still said 'That said, Seatribe don't want this to turn into a free for all - you need to learn specific skills in order to engage in PvP, and especially kill, so it's something you have to earn'. I know, this is done to prevent people from chaos, but there should be other ways to build ethnical part of the game, I'll describe it later. Basically, what I want id that you should only learn/train skills to make your actions more experienced, but you should be able to do it without getting 50k skill points first. You should be able to swing an axe in a player, but if you are weak or your lets say 'swordsmanship' skill is low then you will soon regret it. Or lets say 'Stealth' skill. The more stealth you have the less chanses are that you will be caught or leave crime scent after you, but of course players should be able to choose their way at the very beginning. If you want to be a humble farmer or an outcast outlaw, its all up to you. The key is - no actions are restricted by skill points but only by your game experience and your skill. Grinding – Evil.
Griefing
This country was built on gangs. Tupac Amaru Shakur
A lot of people, especially people, who are far away from hardcore MMO's or simply Farmville's are afraid of griefing fest at the beginning and all throughout the game. Problem? Yes. Solution? Remove PvP or possibility for any evil actions against players. Of course, none of us wants Salem or HnH to end up like that. That being said – griefing is an important part of any successful, especially hardcore and free-action MMO like HnH. But, here comes grinding, which is slowering down mass murder and murder for fun (if somebody finds random scents and is able to kill, he/she WILL track you down) a bit. How can they change that? I will describe it later.
Well, I came with conclusion to the general topics about Salem. Now, I am gonna do some brainwashing, if you don't mind
Crime part is primitive in game IMO. You can do a lot to screw up a day of your neighbor, but you can be easily tracked down by anyone with Ranging skill. No ways to get away with crimes (if the scents won't cool down before somebody is after you), no ways to wipe off your scents or to false your trail etc. What I like about justice in H&H is that its all up to players. Almost no restrictions, which is what I like H&H for. But why there are no cities or anything else to control territories or regions (of course by PLAYERS themselves). Colonial way of living is fun but it causes too much of chaos and as result there are 'restrictions' such as skill points without which you cant do, in fact, simplest tasks. If we could have politics sytem, also far wider building system, like in Minecraft, where you can built keeps and castles, there could be cities with small goverment-like groups (who are players, of course) who will have rights to police, patrol, set laws and their severity in their terriotry. Of course, it is not removing lynching or 'mob rule' but still, I think it would be greater than just having 50k to be able to murder something and then being killed even if you're on another side of the continent and no matter how many security were built in your village etc. If we will have cities, not just villages with, lets say guild-like system, there will be jails, trials, politics, which IMO would be much more interesting than simply asking Rangers to kill 'that guy who killed all my hen' on forums. What I mean are historical accurate colonies like Jamestown, Boston etc, which exist in game since day one BUT are completely controlled by players and players do build them up, or destory them. Simply, there will be territories set for every first colony, but everything will be built by players. There also will be HnH village system throughout the world. How do towns/colonies differ from villages? Well, colonies may be 'free-for-all'. This will be huge trading, meeting centres, while villages will be serving as small private accomodations, just like in HnH and just like it used to be. In other words – colonies are being 'controlled' by Old England and everything else is controlled by , people, who may play as colonials or as natives (if these will be avaible) will built countless of villages to produce stuff, establish economy etc. Colonies may expand its spheres of influence with villages to make monopoly of cotton, for example etc. Each colony may be independent or if united by Old England, while villages – independent but may be annoyed by griefers or by colonial leadership etc.
What will it do: Trials, courts, politics. Murderers will be reported, outlawed (free to kill), public executions. Colonies will also add a big advantage to private business. You could open your workshop (if you buy out a piece of land first), inn or anything else in a town and trade between towns, villages or hire new workers to gather resources for you. Try The Guild 2: Renaissance, Europe1400: The Guild, Patrician III and you will be better aware of what I am talking about.
Combination of NPC's and Players. I like the part that players are basically ruling the world, exhaust the resources etc, but IMO, there should be NPC citizens all over the world, with different social classes, with different stories. Some of them will be begging at the market, some will be asking you to make them a service (mini quests), some will be just wandering around and living their everyday life. But the main point of NPCs will be for hiring needs. Players will eventually be able to open their workshops and hire NPCs of various professions to work on you. Do you want to send a caravan to another town? Hire some mercenaries and be sure it wont get robbed. More into hansa-like multi-city traiding? Hire a whole bunch of sailors in a tavern to protect your ships against pirates. Wanna have somebody 'shadowed' to collect information on his crimes or to reveal his secrets? Hire a spy. And so on.. OF COURSE, players will be able to do all of this, but not many of them will be able to finish their tasks because of the real life stuff and the need to rest, sleep and eat
NPC's will also have the degree of of mastery. Hiring a master smith would be a painful task heh. Same goes to the mayor or a chieftain or simply rich or powerful people.. troops, bodyguards etc. Again, refer to The Guild series.Over than that some random suggestions:
1.Some were asking for being able to hire in the forests etc. Good idea, why not?
2.Some were asking for ability of disabling bushes to see through them. Bad idea.
3.Please expand character movements and make them do something while they don't move or you are afk. Few movements while they stand would be nice (maybe they already have them, idk) but what do you think about them using items around them when your long time afk. Let's say you have left them afk in your house. There's an apple on the table and few books. They are reading books, eating slowly an apple (if you don't restrict it in the config).
4.How is the darkening going to work in Salem? In a test video I've noticed a light level getting insta dark as he moved few tiles. It's not even alpha yet, but I am still curious. There are also talks about the deeper you go into 'Mordor' the darker it gets. Will it kill day/night or will we still have this feature?
5.What about seasons, rains, snow falls, winds? Will the weather change with time? If yes, why not make it affect players somehow (snow causing cold, which affects your ability to learn skills or simply work etc)
6.Natives vs colonists, colonies vs villages. I have told a bit about that above already, but didn't include about native 'indians' to be played with. Don't take my previous post serious, I simply like to play a casual, silk-suit sported citizen rather than bear skin wearing indian.
7.Poison (from poisonous snakes or as a part of alchemy). Ability to use deadly and lesser types of poison on food, weapons (including daggers and arrows), rags, basically everything which suits.
8.A lot of crime features. I've told a bit about that above. Building sabotage, pludering a building, vandalism, grave robbing, using lockpicks to pick a lock of a chest or a door to robb it, hire a contract killer etc. Basically, if you are playing as a colonist you can play a 16th century mafia as well
9.Horses and coaches. Enough said.
10. Gold and silver, like anything else, is not just 'owned' buy you like in WoW. I don't know how will it work, but keeping money in the chest of your apartment or cellar would be a good way to keep your gold, but banking it is even better (colonies only, of course). Yes, you should be able to robb banks as well, but damn, it should be one of the hardest things in game to do.
11. Gunpowder and muskets, boomsticks etc. (if hit in the head – bye).
12. More simple, BUT not conceding HnH combat system.
13. Corpses are not decaying. Corpses should say a lot about crime even if all the scents already ran out. Will make it helpful to establish graveyards and criminals burying their victims.
14. How exactly will mountaineering skill work? Will you be able to move high because of HIGHTER skill or because of HIGHER LEVEL OF ELEVATOR? I mean if it will be restricted by skills then we are talking about mechanical restrictions which should not IMO appear in games like that. If you can't built an elevator or whatever will it be, you should still be able to use one built by another player.
15.Maybe diseases, witches making cures (at their own risk), alchemy.
Well, this is hardly the complete list of what I would like to see in game, BUT, I am not asking, begging, trying to mentally force the community to support these ideas. Of course, most of them will never happen, it's great, this are just in case
.Sorry about big text guys, hope I didn't forget anything lol. Once again, everybody, grats with this new project. Players, because I know a lot of you, including myself, can't wait for this to happen and staff because this is only beginning. There should be more permadeath games later. All this only means that permadeath like games are now interested by more and more players, which is great. Can't wait for the beta to start and I am of course down to participate in a close beta!
