Game Development: Prelude

[Shrapnelx]

Incidentally, we figure we need about two weeks to fix all the stuff we want for the next world.

Im hoping there is going to be another mini-update tomorrow? please?

Please have an update before the world restart that replaces the level cap with something else..

[Reyajh]

Jorb &Loftar,
First of all thank you for the years of free enjoyment of what I still believe to be a great & unique mog with huge amounts of potential… Your commitment to principles and innovation should be commended. I am glad to be able to pay, when I can afford to, to support your hard labors.

I have studied, followed and participated in mmorpg’s since near the beginnings of UO (During which time I played a little known game called LastKingdom by Netamin.) Runescape (Very near after it’s inception, off and on, up thru many of it’s changes), Dark & Light, & Mourning, just to name a few… A few of those games had, or purposed to have, if not full blown permadeath, at least severe penalties for death. Though a strong fear detraction to the major masses, I still believe if done right, it is certainly achievable to create a viable game, with that goal in mind. One that will far outweigh the others in endearing qualities over the long haul…
Though I must admit, I have seen many of them beaten to death at the alter of frustration…, I have also tasted of the fruits of retribution in some of them, and seen indeed, the flickerings of a light at the end of the tunnel… After finally reading through all the posts in this thread, and drawing upon my experiences, (& I am certainly no expert) I personally feel that, the development of a structure that promotes a tight community is a must to fostering an acceptable risk to those, first of all, even willing to participate in a permadeth game… Granted this is perhaps not a strict permadeath game, with the ancestral line mechanic in place.


I am ok with your reasons, whatever they are, for waiting 2 weeks to take in feedback and make decisions on where to go from here or whatever.., Certainly most of us knew that this game is in Alpha stage & development… nuff said.

I’m not sure if I like the map size reduction. The reasons are several: 1) I quite enjoy just exploring the world.., However, if I must admit it, perhaps a good part of my hermity side is due to my complete inability to grasp the PvP system of this game. I am still quite dumbfounded… I think that an introduction to it, in some way in the least, should be a goal of your opening quests perhaps, somehow or something along those lines… On that note, the game is indeed very counter-intuitive, I’m sure to some extent by design, however, here as well, I feel there is room for improvement…
2) Now, I am equally at home as a hermit explorin’ the world and on my own, as I am socializing, period. However, I feel that there are not enough unique things to reward my explorations, such like as was mentioned about relics to discover and the like… On that, there should be a simple way for me to socialize when I want to.., perhaps a 1 way 1 time use portal that is simple (Or not) for one to create perhaps.., (and I can always Hearth back home…) Now this would not be without risk to my hermity side and so therefore, there should be an enticing amount of reward involved…
And then there's the question of where would I portal to..?
Still on with the map size reduct:
3) It feels limiting and like a step in the wrong direction. Now I could be wrong & I know it is not writ in stone or intended to be static and I am all for the experimentation as we alph along to this beta be right. I just felt the desire, or need to state it… Perhaps as I just don’t buy into the arguments for any of the limiting aspects such as level caps and all… On that note, no one should be invincible and so there needs to be the potential of a leveling of the playing field along those lines… There always is in real life… I’ve read many good ideas here on all of this despite the fact that indeed, the noise ratio is quite loud…
I continue to be impressed with the solutions you guys come up with to things, such as this end of the world alter mechanic and the Nidbanes. I’m sure there are still balance issues to consider, but things like that, the Christmas free time giveaway & the washing ashore of items… All definitely examples of your continued dedication & generosity towards the game and community… Looking forward to a more enriched W9.., & what’s to come…

Consequentially, I would like for you to share a general design philosophy with the community.

I have to agree, that for J&L to share a design philosophy, presented to address broad issues about development, would do a lot to mitigate the backlash, and accelerate everyone to a point of framing their suggestions around said design philosophy.

You have a "Developer Thoughts on PVP," which many people admittedly never read or even understand when they do...

But I think a "Developer Thoughts on Development" would be a topic worth posting and having stickied in the announcement subforum.

I personally like Andie Nordgen's approach, who is a developer for EVE Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSmI4KO9968

Thanks for the link Vaku. IMO Andie Nordgen is a prodigy, on the right path

[MightySheep]

Reyajh, if they took the time to read your post it would probably delay the world restart by about a week.

[dantheman540]

I can't stress enough just how much I hate this as a game mechanic.
I don't mind a world reset, that's fine, and the level capping won't really effect me since I brought 6 months silver sub at the beginning of the sub model. However, the part I don't like, is where I'll spend hours building my base, and trying to raise animals, just so that roughly every 2 weeks I've either got to seriously risk loosing my character to perma death (which will happen if you continually try to stop this world ending stuff) or accept that its not worth spending any time or energy doing anything worthwhile in the game.
Why not just implement this when your ready to make a new world, and allow the in-game players a choice when to end the world. Having it implemented at the start of every world, will just mean new worlds every 2(ish) weeks.
I shall of course give the new mechanics a try, just in case I'm wrong about this in some way. I do however see myself leaving the game and community in the near future if this goes the way I think it will.

[Den4X]

I can't stress enough just how much I hate this as a game mechanic.
I don't mind a world reset, that's fine, and the level capping won't really effect me since I brought 6 months silver sub at the beginning of the sub model. However, the part I don't like, is where I'll spend hours building my base, and trying to raise animals, just so that roughly every 2 weeks I've either got to seriously risk loosing my character to perma death (which will happen if you continually try to stop this world ending stuff) or accept that its not worth spending any time or energy doing anything worthwhile in the game.
Why not just implement this when your ready to make a new world, and allow the in-game players a choice when to end the world. Having it implemented at the start of every world, will just mean new worlds every 2(ish) weeks.
I shall of course give the new mechanics a try, just in case I'm wrong about this in some way. I do however see myself leaving the game and community in the near future if this goes the way I think it will.

Looks like only possible to fix this - built multiworld system, when new world start old one continue to work some extra time. Not sure how much it can be cost for developers, but if not much - it can be good solution.

[Reyajh]

Reyajh, if they took the time to read your post it would probably delay the world restart by about a week.

lol.., & if it made for a better game (The one I know it has the potential of becoming) I'd be all the happier to have endured the wait
Patience is a necessity in life young sheepshearder

[Raffeh]

Incidentally, we figure we need about two weeks to fix all the stuff we want for the next world.

wow nobody cares

lets gooooooooooooooooooooo

Wow. Someone remind me why I play with this guy?

Reyajh, if they took the time to read your post it would probably delay the world restart by about a week.

LOL so true. I read the first 5 words and skipped the whole thing.

[lachlaan]

I can't stress enough just how much I hate this as a game mechanic.

The next world will not have the altar of spooky doom in it, is what jorb has said. This is just an attempt at a fun way to end THIS world, since it was going to happen either way. As for it dragging out and looping over every 2 weeks, they also said they might just pull the plug if it drags on too long, but they probably won't do so before at least the first 2 weeks (the first altar becomes fully vulnerable) so that they can finish up some extra dev work. The next world won't be at risk of a reset every 2 weeks nor will your walls turn to mush as often.

[Raffeh]

I can't stress enough just how much I hate this as a game mechanic.

The next world will not have the altar of spooky doom in it, is what jorb has said. This is just an attempt at a fun way to end THIS world, since it was going to happen either way. As for it dragging out and looping over every 2 weeks, they also said they might just pull the plug if it drags on too long, but they probably won't do so before at least the first 2 weeks (the first altar becomes fully vulnerable) so that they can finish up some extra dev work. The next world won't be at risk of a reset every 2 weeks nor will your walls turn to mush as often.

I didn't read it that way. I was on the understanding that because it takes so much stuff to get a alter up it wont be easy built and because in the next worlds people will be more interested in keeping the world alive they will be challenged more.

Ah maybe I need to read op again

[lachlaan]

Jorb,

Will the alter still be in the new world?

Not sure. Depends on how it plays out and what we see. We might remove it and re-add it, change the mechanics, remove it all together, &c&c.

I kind of like it, though. I imagine the global nature of the catastrophe could force some fun PvP if it doesn't happen all the damn time.

My bad, I guess I imagined a clear no being said. It'll quite possibly tick a good few people off if botters manage to get it built and pop it in a few months. I personally don't think PvP is well balanced enough to keep one faction of subbers from restarting at will. It will be the ultimate form of PvP, wreck everyone's everything in one go xD