1. Here you will find official announcements and updates. These announcements are also linked in the Official SotA Discord server.
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Single Player Offline: Unique Features

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by DarkStarr, Feb 17, 2015.

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  1. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Greetings Avatars!

    This post is intended to be a quick update on some future plans for how we will handle Single Player Offline and how it will differ from the Online modes of play. None of this is set in stone but it is our current thinking so, as always, feedback is welcome!

    As you review this remember that Offline Mode is completely separate from Online Modes. Characters cannot move between these modes.

    As we have stated elsewhere we have to build the sandbox first and then layer the narrative on top of that. It will totally fail if we try to do that in reverse. Please be patient and know we are as committed to the Single Player Offline mode of play as we are to online, we just have not gotten to it yet.
    1. Save Games: One of the benefits to our distributed server model is that even though we are a client-server game we offload some of the server work to the local machines of our users. For offline mode the server (including all data) will be entirely client side so we can relatively easily provide the ability for users to restore their game from backups, aka Save Games. For Episode 1 launch we are planning to give players the ability to have multiple Save Games!
    2. Companions: In Online modes companions will appear to the players from time to time along the story but they will not travel with the players. We did it this way for the Online modes because we did not want clones of these key NPCs in the same party of players. For offline mode we don’t have to worry about this though! This is, by far, the most requested feature and we intend to provide a small set of Ultima like companions that will journey with you. They will still periodically go off to do “their thing” as part of their virtual lives but for the most part they will indeed be companions. We intend for them to each have robust conversation and AI so that they truly feel like individuals (as they did in the linear Ultimas). In combat they will have commands similar to the pet commands we have now. For Episode 1 we have a long wishlist of features that are probably outside scope but
    3. Spawn Rules: Some scenes will never respawn (creatures and resources) in offline mode (clearing a dungeon for example). The scenes that do respawn may do so on a very slow timer or only if there is a game state change that requires them to respawn (ex. a Town Siege by the Undead). We will balance this to make sure the game feels like it is reacting to the player but it is also providing enough resources for crafting.
    4. Content: There are a few items that we are not going to sell in game in Online mode including the Castle and Keep sized lots. However we do plan to make those available in Offline mode along with a handful of other items yet to be finalized.
    Finally, a gentle reminder that posting accusations of malfeasance by Portalarium in our forums, including accusations of a "bait and switch" regarding the single player features, is against our Forum Rules (https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/forum-rules.8/), and could result in a permanent ban. Instead we ask you to frame your feedback / concerns positively, be patient and trust us that we will do everything in our power to deliver what we promised (especially because we want to play that game too!).

    -Darkstarr
     
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  2. Bubonic

    Bubonic Avatar

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    This is wonderful news, and my thanks goes out to the dev team for hearing our cries.
     
  3. Moiseyev Trueden

    Moiseyev Trueden Avatar

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    Thanks for the good feedback on where you are intending to go.

    With the Companions, are they going to be all tied to Order or Chaos or will they vary based on your actions (i.e. if you are one style of play will it affect/persuade them or will they be more likely to only side with someone that is aligned as they are)?
     
  4. Jack Knyfe

    Jack Knyfe Avatar

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    I volunteer to lend my personality to one of the companions...if needed. Probably isn't...but still... :rolleyes:
     
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  5. Tahru

    Tahru Avatar

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    Will it be possible to advance time by sleeping or camping?

    Will boss monsters stay dead once defeated to give a sense of achievement to the players?
     
  6. Alexander

    Alexander Avatar

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    Awesome. Looking forward to this :)
     
  7. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Great question. We cannot give much away just yet without spoiling some major plot points.
     
  8. Bowen Bloodgood

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    This may be slightly off topic but a little clarification / update I think may be in order. I was just looking at the store and as a town owner the question of Keep and Castle lots still seems unclear. These lots won't be available for purchase in-game online.. and by that I assume we're talking lot deeds.. but the language on the store seems to imply we can get these lots through the store..

    Of course there are no such deeds in the add-ons section.

    Anyway, brought it up since it was mentioned we can buy them in-game offline.

    In regards to save games.. can we assume then that we can have multiple games in progress using different characters?

    Companions: Seems like a reasonable solution. Sounds good to me.

    Spawn Rules: I hope that areas that logically should respawn do. I would hate to see normal wildlife for example disappear from an area because I did a little hunting. But it might also be interesting if there were conditions that had to be met in order for certain creatures to no longer spawn, such as say burning the spider's nest or doing something to the wolve's den.
     
  9. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    For Episode 1 we don't plan on supporting time advancement through sleep/camp but we can put it on a wish list.

    Your boss monster question is covered in point 3 of my post regarding spawn rules.
     
  10. Andrew Rodrick

    Andrew Rodrick Avatar

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    I'm more interested in the online modes but this all sounds fine to me, companions are a nice feature to have.

    I'm interested to hear if this will be in the single player too :)

    Edit: Answered above!
     
  11. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Lots: Technically those lots are available but only from players.

    Save Games: Good question about multiple characters. We can definitely try to support this.

    Spawn Rules: Hence the reason I didn't say "all scenes will not respawn"
     
  12. Bowen Bloodgood

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    Fair enough on lots. I had another concern but it's not really pertinent to this particular thread. I suppose that answers it though.

    I suppose my only other comment on spawn rules would be: :)
     
  13. Myrcello

    Myrcello Avatar

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    Suggestion- To counter an unliving feeling in the towns of Single Player Online Mode i asume that NPCs could occupy the player housings, even if they are decorated and owned by players?



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  14. Bubonic

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    Will there be any opportunity for the Player to influence the combat behavior of our companions?
     
  15. Sir_Hemlock

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  16. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Did you mean Offline mode? Because in Online mode all those houses will be occupied by players and their vendors, servants, and pets.
     
  17. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Whatever level of pet commands we have will also be applicable to companions
     
  18. Bowen Bloodgood

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    I think in Offline mode a lot of lots will have NPC housing? With only a few open for purchase or empty? At least I would like to think so.
     
  19. Link_of_Hyrule

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    Super excited to see where this goes and having companions will be fun and give a reason to try out online.
     
  20. Bowen Bloodgood

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    It's nice to finally hear some news about offline mode.
     
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