A suggestion

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by SynthMusic, Aug 10, 2018.

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  1. SynthMusic

    SynthMusic Avatar

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    I am going to make a suggestion based on my limited knowledge of the game and how the company has its servers set up. I heard that there is some system that exists on the server that allows for the separation of the population into chosen segments or whatever its called. I am sure someone can explain that better than I do. I would suggest to the company to shut this system down. Make it to where all people are logging into and playing in the same server space and can see each other. Having a player log into an MMO<=== I will say it again MMO which is supposed to stand for Massive Multiplayer Online game, logging into this and seeing no one for hours is the kiss of death for an MMO game. A lot of the appeal of the MMO experience is having people to help, a lot of different personalities in chat, being able to team up and complete tasks together. etc. There is a whole lot of space in this realm filled with empty cities that stand like ghost towns in cyberspace. If this game is to thrive that needs to change. So the point of my suggestion would be to shut down those systems that are in place for segregation option at least until a population is built up within the game. I am a happy subscriber to two other MMO's and might be with this one in the future. But between those two other MMO's I am in 6 guilds each with at least 300 people in them.
     
  2. Sir Frank

    Sir Frank Master of the Mint

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    Thank you for your suggestion.

    There are 4 modes.
    Only one is meant to feel like an MMO.
    As you say, the population isn't large enough yet to make it feel that way.

    Many people choose to play solo or party for a reason.
     
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  3. Elwyn

    Elwyn Avatar

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    @SynthMusic
    I'm not sure what idea you have of how things work, but I'll try to summarize.

    First, there is only one world, shard, server, database, whatever you want to call it. Most MMO games scale to a large population by dividing it into different identical worlds, each of which have exactly one instance of every zone, always running, no matter whether it contains zero players or a thousand or more. But SotA instead instances each zone, or "scene" as seems to be the Unity-speak for it.

    Each scene has a population limit. Before this point, new players are put into the same instance with everyone else, and after that point, another instance of the scene is created. The current limits are supposed to be 16 for "adventuring" zones, and 128 for the other areas. Town areas have player deco changes synchronized through all instances of the same scene. So while the scenes are instanced, housing is not. Split instances for non-adventuring zones are uncommon, and even rarer on the overworld, but they do happen from time to time.

    But that's not all. The "matchmaking mode" selected by players can also cause instances to be created. "Open" mode works as above, "Party" and "Private" modes (which actually work the same) only match you with players in your party. But those are only preferences. There are some scenes that override this to party mode or solo mode (for some mainline quests) or even open PvP mode. Also, players running different client versions are always put in separate instances (mostly important during the week after a new release). The game supports players not having to update right away, and the back-end can even be updated with no client change, though you may be forced to reload your instance. (For instance, the "instance closing" message appears when double XP is turned on and off, because it is set when the instance is created.)

    Each of these instances behaves more or less like a P2P game, with the "server" participating as a sort of referee before making changes to the back-end database. This takes some of the game processing load off of back-end servers, reducing server costs for Portalarium. It also enables offline mode by running the back-end server/database locally.

    There are some quirks though. For some reason when you go into a scene that party members are already in, it may put you in a different instance. That seems like a bug to me. But there's a shield icon that appears on the overworld that you can use to enter the specific instance with party members, and it can even skip you right into a dungeon area. Also, when social events happen with lots of players attending, you can end up in the instance that doesn't have Shooter Jennings. I thought they put in some kind of "VIP mode" where a player could be seen by all instances just like housing deco, but they didn't use it a couple of weeks ago, so I don't know. The devs just had us ask them to yoink us into the right instance. But since it was a dance party too, it was the right thing to do at the time.

    So what you get is:
    - a single game world shard; no being on an unpopular server when the game population shrinks
    - no being on a different server from your friends; you can always choose to play with any other player simply by forming a party
    - less cost to keep the game running, so SotA can survive on a smaller budget, and live off of a cash shop instead of a required monthly subscription fee
    - no problems caused by overpopulated towns trying to keep hundreds of players in the same instance
    - popular XP spots don't get monopolized, because you can always go into friends mode
    Pretty much all of those were problems for me back when I played FFXI.

    But as to why the game appears so empty, it's two things. First, a lot of people prefer to play in party or private mode. They just do. Or they go into party mode and forget to turn it off. But the real reason that most people don't realize is there are just too many places to go for the current player base. When I check my friends list and sort by location, almost everybody is in a different scene, except for a few in popular places.
     
  4. majoria70

    majoria70 Avatar

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    Yes it is difficult to know you are not alone in this game. On the Novia map click the first icon on the upper right hand part of your screen and there is an option to look at a nearby players list to see some of who is out there. Also having a big friends list tells you where players are and who is playing. Our main fast travel is our friends list. I accept all friends requests but currently out of game until the 23rd.

    So as mentioned we don't have servers but we do have a way to keep players limited in scenes. I have wished for a heat map showing all players in-game with dots but so far we don't have a way to know for sure. I have a big friends list so I can see where many are but for those who don't the game may seem empty. As mentioned we have an unusual set up here that keeps us in an unknown state concerning that and many players are most likely out there but you may not know that. So as always we appreciate your feedback and understand how it may seem.

    The game is full of self contained little scenes through out our world. Players don't have to leave their part of the world if they don't wish. Group finder is a newer system that helps find players but it still needs updated to be better. You can access it with alt f. So a ability to separate yourself from others is a requested feature of this game so I don't think that will disappear. What should be implemented and improved are better ways to find others and know how to get connected to others.

    If players don't want to play alone the guilds in the game are an option and another is to friend everyone you pass by. To easily do that right click players to send a friends request. Then you will see more players and where they are. I accept all friends requests but am not in game until the 23rd.

    If you drag teleport and recall scrolls to your non combat bar you can teleport to the scene a player is in but it doesn't teleport you to them.

    The Alchemist in Npc towns will train you to make recall and teleport scrolls. Talking to the town crier let's you bind to one bind place to teleport back there at the end of a day. If you need a place to stay many of us have free rooms we offer. l am Majoria in game. Soon I'll be back in game and I'm happy to help anytime. Thanks for your feedback.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2018
  5. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    I have a sneaking suspicion that the upcoming control points passable change is going to lead to a lot more people running around on the world map instead of teleporting. That will go a long way toward seeing others.

    I agree, we want to see each other. The Grand Duke tournament had 65 people there when I counted. But how many new players will never see a crowd like that because they have no idea they are happening?
     
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  6. 3devious

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    Wouldn't we still have to be playing in "Open?"
     
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  7. Floors

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    Use the looking for group tool to organize a group around an activity you want to achieve if you want to have some feeling of socialness.
     
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  8. Vladamir Begemot

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    Yeah, but if you're in open you'll see me a lot more since I won't be trying to tele to Aerie or Ardoris so often.
     
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  9. Razimus

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    I agree 100%, guess what the reply was to the thread I made about this, "let's add even more solo options yeah!", well, multiplying the solo options is great but when a game is officially advertised as an MMO, MMO fans will check it out, and find it doesn't feel like an MMO at all. "Where is everyone?" Is the most popular question asked by new players, they know it, we all know it, but it falls on deaf ears, because the few that enjoy the solo experience don't want to see other players, which is sad, because the many, prefer to see the many. Global chat + A starter zone where everyone logs in to the same location so they can see everyone, would really bring life into an otherwise ghost town, they know it, we know it, but again the fix is apparently unfixable, which leads to some strange confusion where there should be none. Players seeing each other, it's not only important, it's the most important thing a game like this needs. Solo mode will always exist, but a way to bring players together should be of the utmost importance.
     
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  10. Elrond

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    I think a compromise to this idea would be to make player owned towns open mode only. If your in solo mode when you enter a pot you get switched to open mode .
     
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  11. mass

    mass Avatar

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    I like this idea. A primary appeal for some players such as myself is the multi-mode options. While the population is relatively low, I play in open all the time. If that substantially changed, I would happily go into a restricted population mode. One of the things I hate about MMOs is being the chosen hero and standing in line with 23 other chosen heros to get the next step of the quest.
     
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  12. Turk Key

    Turk Key Avatar

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    So is this an exploration of strategies for destroying the other group? Redefining the game as a multiplayer game or a solo game is counter to the game design and promise. What a brilliant design. Now we are really getting into the definition of human virtue. Being the skeptic I am, I doubt RG planned it that way but what the hey. If I were him I would take the credit. But count me out, I will not join a faction but simply play my way until it fades away.
     
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