Release Date Trailer: Eternal Alpha, Aug. 21st 2015

[mvgulik]

I am not entirely sure how this will all pan out, but am rather simply curious to find out. If it doesn't work out or isn't fun enough we can always change it.

Seemed pretty clear to me.

[loftar]

Seemed pretty clear to me.

I suspect that most meaningful experiments will always be controversial.

[Kaios]

E-mail addresses: mailinator.com. IP addresses: dynamic IPs, VPNs, &c. MAC addresses: Not possible to see over the Internet; they are link-local constructs.

Honestly I'm not even sure what a mac address is, I only recall for some reason that it could be used within a method to prevent a connection in some manner. As for the rest I know it's quite easy to be anonymous if you want to be, believe me based on previous discussions I have no illusions regarding your stance on limiting or monitoring multiple account usage.

Maybe we haven't made it clear enough, but the spawning mechanics are controversial even when discussing them amongst ourselves, and it is certainly very possible that we'll change them in various ways as time goes on, but we'll certainly try without party-arrows are HS spawning from the outset if only to see how it works out and what happens.

That's fair, like I said before I am happy to try it out too.

[loftar]

I have no illusions regarding your stance on limiting or monitoring multiple account usage.

To be fair, we have at times entertained speculations on maintaining a separate server with extremely stringent human verification requirements to play on, including but not limited to manual passport check and constant facecam requirement. ^^

[ghostdizzy]

What if you have it so that at the start of character creation is the only time you can spawn together with friends?

[Kaios]

To be fair, we have at times entertained speculations on maintaining a separate server with extremely stringent human verification requirements to play on, including but not limited to manual passport check and constant facecam requirement. ^^

Sounds great, now I just have to get a passport and less ugly face for your viewing pleasure.

Really though I do think that a more realistic form of human verification wouldn't be such a bad idea. Runescape does it with pop-up npcs, not saying you would do it that way nor would it be a good idea for Haven but there are options.

[Mopstar]

What if you have it so that at the start of character creation is the only time you can spawn together with friends?

How does that stop alt spams and how does that fit in with we want a less predetermined world.

[Xcom]

I might be wrong about this but I suspect the whole not spawning with friends will become a big deterrent. Huge appeal about MMOs and the whole reason behind haven is the social aspect. I for one would never played this game if I wasn't introduced into it by a group of other players. Although its a nice experiment forcing people to find each other it might just not be the right time to do it on the launch of havens new engine. Its a bit to big of a risk taking out the main core aspect of MMO right at the eve of a huge update.

Any minor method to spawn together would be a huge step forward to not ruing the social aspect. I would for one sacrifice the exploit in risk of alienating a huge number of newcomers to the idea that they are unable to join up with friends unless they spend hours looking for them. I don't think a map would matter for new players even if it did exist.

Spawning on HF might be to exploitative but there must be some other method that can replace it rather then removing the whole HF spawning.

[LadyV]

You know I have thought about some of these issues for some time now as I've played and i really see no easy solution short of a mandated client that has just as many updates as the main game will have. Considering its a team of two that would be rather demanding. So if we have to choose Ill take the flaws of an open client rather than sacrifice gameplay.

Alt abuse is there but multiple alt use is also a boon for new, hermit, and veteran players. It lets you explore more of the game and keep things fun. If I get tired of my daily routine I can spawn a new character int eh world and have fun starting over. If I am a hermit and a hostile group threatens me I can have a reserve character to flee and start over if my main dies. If I am a veteran i can specialize my alts to the need and save time with function and movement. Alts are only bad when the cheat the system. Any suggestion radically limiting them also removes game function and fun.

Bots...I don't like them and I certainly think they undercut the spirit of the game. However I have come to conclude that if the game needs bots either those people can not handle the game or the game is not fun enough for them to keep interest any other way. Either way the best way to reduce bots is reducing the very need for them. If I have fun or good tools to help me with a in game chore then I can have fun and am likely not to use outside tools. But draconian methods of curtailing bot use will not stop them. It will only make them adapt to the changes.

As for spawning together how about a group spawn option? Form up with friend in character creation and spawn together. It should be simple enough as a party system exists. Its just a matter of all involved being online together and then creating the mechanic to have them spawn in one location. Yes if all of a group cant be on it may have limitations but it is a reasonable compromise I think.

[LadyV]

To be fair, we have at times entertained speculations on maintaining a separate server with extremely stringent human verification requirements to play on, including but not limited to manual passport check and constant facecam requirement. ^^

Sounds great, now I just have to get a passport and less ugly face for your viewing pleasure.

Really though I do think that a more realistic form of human verification wouldn't be such a bad idea. Runescape does it with pop-up npcs, not saying you would do it that way nor would it be a good idea for Haven but there are options.

You mean the same runescape that became over run with bots despite such mechanics? No thank you. I hated having to prove I'm human all the time just because i was doing their grind.