Too many online modes/too much instancing gives appearance of abandoned

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Razimus, Jul 26, 2018.

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  1. Tiina Onir

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    While I like this idea (more then a little bit), I can see how others wouldn't. That said, even if this was a 4th(!) mode, I would immediately go into it and likely never leave.
     
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  2. Metalocalypze

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    I remember Eve used to have a total player count at the logon screen. Although I never saw all those people in the game just knowing they are there fulfilled the sense of knowing they are out there somewhere
     
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  3. kaeshiva

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    The adventure scenes, some more than others, are too small to support more than a couple of players actively killing/farming in the scene. Party mode is needed for this.
    I'd like the idea to set my 'default mode' when entering a town scene to Multiplayer, though, would save a lot of switching back and forth. Allowing that as an option shouldn't upset anyone's world as they can just leave it off.
     
  4. Spungwa

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    Like the idea of defaults. Would also be nice to be able to right click enter and pick mode.
    Persumably this saves resources all round. Spawning an instance just to instantly switch is not an efficient use of computer resources or player time.

    Spung
     
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  5. Elwyn

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    Each instance is like a P2P game, with one of the player computers being designated as the "master" for the zone, but I think it does try to pick someone not on a potato. I think the delay when switching modes or exiting is partly to ensure time for the master to change if necessary. Whatever happens is still checked by the back-end before it becomes "real" in the database.

    Once an instance hits the limit, a new instance is created. The limits are supposedly currently 128 town and 16 adventuring scene. I've seen a three-way split (the QA server event) where my instance had just over 100 in it, so maybe it reserves a few slots for matching party members later and such.

    The night before "release", Novia split from an impromptu dance party on the overworld.

    If we ever get a big enough player base (of people NOT in party/private mode), splits of towns and overworld areas may become common.
     
  6. SmokerKGB

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    I'm from a different generation, so... I disagree completely...
     
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  7. DeadnGone

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    Hmmm... I wonder if, until that mechanic gets changed, if they could implement a symbol, icon, number, etc next to a group members name to indicate how well they could handle being the "master" for a zone. That way, if it was low, they could swap leadership and let the one with the stronger ability to "master" the zone reset it or start it each time. (I say leader, but whoever is going to start the instance)
     
  8. 7thRankedNoob

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    Looking at the 'nearby players' etc... the game looks dead. I know when I'm tooling around in a scene virtually no one replies to zone chat. To me, this makes for a lonely online experience.

    IDEA:
    - Add a "Players in Scene" that shows the total number of people using a zone, regardless if you are in private, party or open. The game knows what scene everyone is in so it should be able to convey that. "Players Nearby" would be the actual scene you are loaded in.
    - Likewise, make it so there is a 'Global Scene' chat for that particular scene so anyone using an instance the scene can chat. I would set my chat to always display this.

    I think doing these 2 things (especially the chat) would greatly reduce the feeling that no one is playing. I know alot of people hate chat channels but they go a long way to creating community and you can always turn them off.

    There is nothing worse than being a newbie and asking a question in chat only to never get an answer ...
     
  9. MFWalter

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    The 10% reduction is wrong. It is actually a 10% bonus for playing in open and an additional 10% for PVP flagging in Open. You can find this information in the Player Instructions under "Character Progression". You can find the Player Instructions on the main page of the Shroud of the Avatar website or there is a button in the top right corner of the game that will take you to it. I provided the quote from the Player Instructions below.

    "Avatars that elect to play with others will receive additional bonuses to experience received from combat. Players that play in Open mode will receive an additional 10% to combat experience received. Going further, players that are flagged for PvP while in Open mode will receive a bonus 10% to combat experience that stacks with their Open mode bonus. There is no bonus for being flagged for PvP in any mode other than Open."
     
  10. Razimus

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    The point is simple. Seeing more players. Or seeing less players. Derailers have to derail. Open your own thread about anything other than seeing more players, or seeing less players, this thread is specifically about seeing less players due to modes and instancing, or seeing more players if less modes and less instancing existed.
     
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  11. Jimmy Cliff

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    I feel a competition for resources drives emotions which make the game immersive. The private modes destroy that and the game feels empty and objectives are not satisfying.
    This post is pure opinion, please dont ban me for that.
     
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  12. Moiseyev Trueden

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    Why on earth would you be banned for giving a genuine opinion in a polite manner? Doubly so as you've given the same opinion that many others have at one time or another...
     
  13. Moiseyev Trueden

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    One of the problems is that the chat windows just get spammed or people already have everything muted except for guild chat or whatever. I do like the idea of being able to see how many people are online regardless of mode (as it would help with the illusion of emptiness/fullness).

    I personally don't think getting rid of the modes would improve player population, but I do agree more should be done to try to make players feel like the world is more alive with players (sadly I can't think of a good way of doing it without alienating people who enjoy the other modes).
     
  14. blaquerogue

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    I think like the second or third person in this post said about resources. If im in open online and im hacking away at some spider or mob to get that one resource and someone swoops in and takes it, after ive been working on trying to get that resource, it sucks for 2 reasons, one im trying to get that and your taking it while im basically fighting off things to get, and number 2 your not pvp so i cant even attack you for taking it!!!

    Thats the reason alot of people stay in party mode to avoid that.

    now if it made you pvp while taking the resource then game on! i have a chance to attack that jerk and take from him whats rightfully mine that i was fighing for. That i beleive is the main reason you dont see alot of people in open world. There are alot of crafters here who need those resources, most of them dont want to fight for it! From what ive seen personally in this game. So the only way to make open world more viable is to add more and more resources.
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2018
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  15. Metalton

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    Personally love the modes. SotA is unique in that people can tailor their game experience to their liking, and I find that awesome.

    Don't want your dungeon crawl experience ruined by finding someone camping the bottom of a dungeon you finally made it too? Don't have to - Awesome

    Don't want your fps crashed by some group holding a oog contest "event" in a town? Don't have to - Awesome

    List can go on ad inifinitum, but the ability to remove 100% of the annoyances found in all other games (ya know, the non-rp, ooc, oog people mucking up your game world) - Priceless ;)

    Don't care to show up in any lists either, other then friend, guild, or if I happen to be in Open, and near them.. you now were they could see me if they bothered looking around, instead of at their list..

    I feel the freedom it gives, far outweighs any perceived "emptiness"

    Not against an additional option to "default to Open in cities", though I'd probably never/rarely ever use it, but leave the rest alone ;)

    -Met
     
  16. Tiki Pirate

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    I don't care too much about what other players have their mode set to outside of town, but it would be nice if there was just multi-mode in town to add the the games life.

    People could interact, find new friends, make trades then go solo outside of town if the wished.

    For the few that can't deal with that the is single player offline, or they can lock their doors and retreat to the lowest level of their dungeon.
     
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  17. Solazur

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    At the very least it'd be nice if NPC towns were made Multi only (unless ofc you're in single offline) . I spent the last couple days running back and forth across the map on various accounts figuring out where I put what. The thing that struck me.. again.. is that I'd be walking around in town after town seeing almost no one. Looking around however, I see all these intricately decorated houses and I think they didn't deco themselves so there must be people... somewhere.

    The game could really benefit from not feeling like a ghost town.

    Oh... and I'd be remiss if I didn't tag @Chris about LOOT! Yes Chris... I have a brand new set of voodoo dolls. I had to split my focus some time back and polearms won the coin toss. Now that polearms are at least viable.. I can focus on LOOT. I submit (again) people can smile their way through grind and bugs a whole lot better if you just fatten the wallets a tad more. a 15% bump would make a lotta difference.. Just de-bork the dura so you get a decent return from vendor trashing your junk. Happier players are spending players

    here endeth the gospel according to Sol
     
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  18. Turk Key

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    I can understand those who need community to feel at ease. I don't understand how forcing community life makes the game better. Of course the argument can be made that it would in order to support the desire for community, but that is just an argument for a community game, not necessarily for a better game. On the other hand, there is a huge group of people who have an opposite opinion as to how they enjoy the game, and that is solo with occasional community. Being one of those people, I argue that the game can be improved by at least keeping it the way it is, but not trying to change it to community play by ever increasing the difficulty of mobs to the point that they can only be enjoyed by a group. IMO the less we try to force communal play, the better the game is.
     
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  19. LiquidBlaze

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    I myself thought thought this a few months ago quite firmly, I like the options (for a future more populated game) but... if Liquid was king. He would temporarily disable it until a more appropriate decided time in the future... Perhaps X number of average players online target before re-enable, and/or Level target. One of the most popular questions I got from newbies, where is everyone? Secondly, I think the default way chat came set up, (even thou common in other games) Seemed to throw the less mmo literate off. I know Sota will come around. The clock just needs to spin a few more times is all. =)
     
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  20. Roycestein Kaelstrom

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    Forcing people to be on online ain't gonna pan well at this state. There are reason why people don't go on multiplayer mode by default.

    What good does it do to see people moving around in front of your screen in rubber-banding mode while you have 8 FPS while panning around or even worse got the game crash at 99% loading screen. We might end up having less people to play.

    To get more people on the multiplayer player mode, the performance issues need to be addressed. I myself always keep on multiplayer mode, but there are time that I can't just get into the game or control my movement for whatever reason. When that happens, going private mode seems to mitigate the pain.

    If feeling isolate is truly an issue, then either get Discord integration back or implement global chat.

    If the human's touch is really what folks yearning for, then frequent outside world occasionally is also a good alternative.
     
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