Interview with IndieGameMag

[Amanda44]

I may be the only one who actually thinks it's a good idea, I think everyone is over reacting to some degree, ofc, I understand your disappointment and I know you don't want to do it that way but it's not like you are never going to be able to meet up with your friends in game. I mean really, all you have to do is agree on an edge/corner/center and all head towards it. Lol, Dis and AD unknowingly choose the same destination and all kill each other off early on .........

I don't think for one second that having to spend a few days alone is going to drive existing players away from a game they love, even if they say so now, esp when they are all so hyped about the new version and dying to try it out.

It is a survival game, spawn alone in the wilderness and learn to survive, I do think it will benefit people in the long run to get through a few days without the support/help/back up of your friends and to interact and maybe work with unknown players. It's character building, lol, I'm saying that with a smile on my face so don't flame me. (Jackard) And, maybe spending some time surviving alone instead of starting every world with concentration on getting the village established will open you up to other avenues and change some peoples perception of the game world for the better.

Maybe not, who knows ............. if you all hate it that much and stop playing I'm pretty certain the devs will revert it back, they have even said as much, so it's not the end of the world, look at it as an exciting adventure!

[TeckXKnight]

Ultimately, even if we think we know exactly how it'll turn out, we don't know what will happen via this change. It could be the best thing that has ever happened to the hearthland, engaging new players by forcing them to experience the rich early game rather than starting in isolated late game towns where everything is handed to them. It could also be an absolute nightmare where the playerbase is decimated because the only reason they were playing was to be with friends and now they can't. Who knows. As far as game changing mechanics go, it's a pretty ballsy move and I'm interested in seeing how it changes things, if it changes things at all.

I do believe it'll cut down on alt use and bot use because of the extra head ache involved in navigating characters to your main. I don't believe it'll get rid of them entirely because if someone wants to have alts and bots, they will.

I don't believe it'll foster local communities as most players will navigate their way to resources/terrain that they prefer. I do believe that it'll lead to more interactions between players and a less hostile environment. Newbies wandering around asking if anyone knows their friends are a great way to break the ice and communities that talk, even with simply 'hello's and 'no's are less ripe with paranoia and hostility.

Of course I have my fingers crossed that this turns out for the best, but if it sucks it sucks and we can grab pitchforks and torches and riot until JLo get rid of it. =)

[borka]

We'll get Pitchforks Teck ?!? Great

The more i have thought about the more it's one of the main points i'm eager to try - it was exciting and fun to team up with others i never had played before in the beginning of this world - sadly all gone MIRLA - that's why i made plans to team up with people i already have ties with next one.

Let's hope there will be less clustering for the wildspawns also - to me it was a main disturbing factor while establishing a good socialized neighbourhood in the early weeks of W7

[Avu]

Since everyone I've ever grouped or lived with in game, with the exception of Emerald, has stabbed me in the back? i'm perfectly ok with this concept.

While I know the fag to decent player ratio has increased to unfun levels in the later worlds one would have to find the thing all these people have in common and that is you. You either are a terrible judge of character or you're so annoying you'd drive anyone to betray you or more likely a combination of the two.

[Duderock]

it's not like you are never going to be able to meet up with your friends in game. I mean really, all you have to do is agree on an edge/corner/center and all head towards it. Lol, Dis and AD unknowingly choose the same destination and all kill each other off early on .........

But isn't that the exact problem? I'm fine with being forced to work with random strangers, but the only people who will bother travelling great distances to meet with their friends are the veterans who will ultimately benefit.

[Amanda44]

it's not like you are never going to be able to meet up with your friends in game. I mean really, all you have to do is agree on an edge/corner/center and all head towards it. Lol, Dis and AD unknowingly choose the same destination and all kill each other off early on .........

But isn't that the exact problem? I'm fine with being forced to work with random strangers, but the only people who will bother travelling great distances to meet with their friends are the veterans who will ultimately benefit.

I think it will depend on how much you want to play with your friends and events that happen in the interim.

And anyway, how is that more of a problem than them all starting off together as they do now? As it stands now we can all start at the same time as them and it hardly makes a difference to the end result does it. Not that I'm saying this will, I don't think it will change the course of events that drastically, lol, but I do believe it may end up resulting in a less hostile environment, particularly initially, which may then continue on some kind of level, hopefully will decrease the use of bots, as Teck has mentioned, and give some players a fresh/different perspective which may continue to end up benefiting us all.

It's worth a try imo and can be reversed if it fails miserably.

[painhertz]

Since everyone I've ever grouped or lived with in game, with the exception of Emerald, has stabbed me in the back? i'm perfectly ok with this concept.

Hey! I never stabbed you in the back! I thought we had fun....

Ok, 99% of people....

[Jackard]

Man, ever stop to think, "if nearly everyone betrays me, maybe I am doing something wrong"

[Robben_DuMarsch]

The progression system they described sounds awesome in theory.
Just my opinion

[borka]

Ok, 99% of people....

can i haz my ingame now?!?