[POLL] What is your *overall* rating for this Pre-Alpha Release 2?

Ok everyone, similarly to my previous poll: for those of you who've had a chance to playtest this Pre-Alpha Release 2, what is your *overall* rating?

As a reminder, here are the areas of focus for R2:
Crafting
Town 2 (Kingsport)
List Inventory
Character Customization++
Jumping
Run Speed
Mac & Linux Builds
Recipe Log

Feel free to break out your ratings to those categories above or whatever and elaborate in the comments below.

BONUS QUESTION: If there is *one* feature that you'd like to see improved more for the upcoming Pre-Alpha Release 3, what would it be? (not limited to categories above, can be anything)

 

I thought it was great with the exception of the few times I escaped the boundaries and fell off the map

 

I really liked Kingsport - specially around the docks area; the multilayer buildings with their nooks and the path ways near the coasts ... and the sun effects near the ocean

Jumping took a little work but I'm very please with it

Character customization - I know it's early; but the hair options were lacking (both in variety and look) some of the hair looked like it was shaving cream on a persons head (white hair)

I like the run speed; it seems solid now

I think the recipe log could use a little work (look wise) but I know that it was thrown in there last minute

I haven't tried crafting: I was too busy falling into the Volcano after I jumped over the wall

I gave it a 4, it would have been a 5 if it were not for the chat issues with "barks"

 

Character movement/animations.

 

Would love to see more atmosphere in the taverns. Read this for pics and info: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ecor-in-taverns-and-other-npc-buildings.6599/

Also more 'personable' NPCs - but they have replied to one of my posts to say facial expression rigging etc is coming so look forward to getting some smiles from the characters

 

For the NPCs it sounds like this is underway and I imagine it's the same for Avatars: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/feedback-npcs-expressions-etc.6598/

 

I feel like they basically added crafting but crafting is still an incomplete - it needs a lot of help. This list inventory is certainly an improvement but it too has a ways to go.

 

Still need to mess with crafting more. But I like it. Can't wait to see how it works in relation to skill levels.

Overall, I really like the Kingsport and some of the small touches added to Owlhead.

However, I still think Jumping is nothing but a steaming pile of trouble.

 

Character customization was lacking, but that was expected in the current game state.
Movement and animation could use a bit of work, but I wont complain. Some female NPC idle animations and postures need to be revisited, while the walking animation of the patrolling guards reminded me of some old french caricatures.
Crafting was rather tedious, hopefully it will be worked more.
Inventory listing reminded me to much of Skyrim. I changed it back to freeform immediately
Jumping was alright I guess, Im not much into jumping
The recipe book was functional, but it could use a scribing sound that something is written to it once you discover a new recipe.
In regards to UI, the inventory items kept sliding out of the bag graphic especially when breaking stacks.
The cracking sound of those electricity thingies at the NPC buildings were annoying.
The environment was beautifully designed, but I hated the fact that tall grass halted my progression.
Torch sound effect could use some work. Sounded like a plane.
Kingsport, is a nice change from the other city. The sea looks amazing and standing outside looking at it, closing the eyes and putting on the headphones felt real.
Something weird, I enjoyed the nights in the game. They were actually dark and made me light my torch as I walked around. Could make walking around at night a scary experience. Thumbs up for that!

 

I have to give it a 4. Would have given it a 5, but I had issues with the conversations and the 'multi-talk' of the NPCs while attempting to converse with one (It actually seems worse in R2 than it was in R1). I also found it annoying that when bringing up the chat window (by hitting Enter), I had to hit enter each time I had to engage in dialogue ( or click on the dialogue bar each time I wanted to type ). It was actually much simpler in R1. where I can continue to type until I was done with the conversation and then hit Esc to get out of the chat window.

 

I give it a 5. Not because I though the play experience was fabulous but because the team continues to exceed my expectations of what can be done in the time given.

 

Can't rate... as of update 55 only get server unavailable message. I've spent 4 hours trouleshooting so far with no luck - only connectivity issue I have on my PC and changing every setting imaginable doesn't fix it.

UPDATE: Fixed my issue and definitely a 5 so far. I can tell that a lot has been done to improve on the issues found in Release 1.

 

The land mass is amazing, and I would readily give the scenery a 5. But the looks of the characters, lack of customization(hair and body types look worse than 3d Stygian Abyss at this point) options at this point and stilted movement of NPC's still needs work.

That said, I am sure that seeing this is still pre-alpha nothing is in the final forms. I am loving exploring the two towns and looking forward to getting out into the wide world.

 

I'm not worried because its so early still, but this release felt like something that was just pushed ahead to make the month's goal. Crafting minimal, multiple crashes, no merchant interaction. Cool jumping though I like it.

 

Once the mouse patch went in, this game was smoooooooth. I'm very impressed with where they are at this stage of development.

 

Go to Options, click GAME to go to that tab and check Continue Chat After Submit.

 

I'm going with a 4 because there seems to be a few more "Fall off the World" issues than R1 (compared to simply clipping under the terrain that R1 had). Also had a few odd dead ends in the NPC conversations (which look to have been psted in the bug forums already). The only other complaint that I have is that I had to work extra this week at my real job which took away playtime I wish I could have had.

Crafting

A good start, but has a ways to go before it's "ready for prime time". I've given expanded ideas in other threads. 4

Town 2 (Kingsport)

It's... ok. Once questing is really ingame as well as other systems, it will flesh out I'm sure. 3

List Inventory

Useful from an inventory standpoint, but loses a bit of the immersion factor with the sorting tabs and extra information. 4

Character Customization++

Obviously expanded from R1, would like to see more here, but I'll give it a 5.

Jumping

Like general movement, it took a little getting used to, but adds a LOT more to the game. 5+

Run Speed

MUCH better. 5

Mac & Linux Builds

N/A as I am on Windows 7 64bit.

Recipe Log

VERY necessary for the crafting system and looks great using a book interface. Some people may want the book to be useful in that if they are at the correct station with the correct ingredients, clicking on the desired recipe will place the items on the table automatically rather than dragging each one separately. 5

Graphics and Sound

Graphics quality is noticeably better as is the sound and music all around. Some graphical issues stand out like Mount Blurry the FAKE volcano, but overall very happy here. The Shattered Moon looks MUCH BETTER. 5

 

Crafting - In my opinion, this was a let-down. I was expecting crafting to be a bit more interesting than click-and-drag ingredients and guess at (or look up) the recipe.
Town 2 (Kingsport) - Looked pretty good (though a bit small)
List Inventory - This was fine, though I'm not sure how much I would use the list.
Character Customization++ - We got mohawks, which is really all it takes to make me happy. I assume they're going to continue adding to this, but even at this point I'm not too concerned about additional customization.
Jumping - It was fun, but definitely needs some work. Right now you can jump to too many places that don't make any sense.
Run Speed - Much improved.
Mac & Linux Builds - Didn't try it. I'll probably try the mac build next release.
Recipe Log - It worked fine for me, though it would be nice if it was interactive (i.e. click a recipe and the ingredients are brought out for you).

Music is vastly superior to R1 (something I haven't seen talked about much on here, but it was one of the most obvious areas of improvement to me).

 

Did anyone happen to climb the mountains up to where the power generating windmills were? I did. Then I jumped off the back of the mountain and fell below the world until my screen turned black.

 

I did, I ran into the Volcano