2024 roadmap and future vision?

That is not Roadmap at all. That is called the working log, and we definitely don't need that because the monthly release notes have already covered that very well.
Roadmap should be about something that "WILL" be done in a "FIXED" date, not some "DREAMS" that might or might not happen without any clear reason.

 

Whatever you call it, it's going to be a waste of the developers precious time.

 

That's not true. It's actually pretty important to plan and prioritize what you're going to work on.

 

Exactly !!! That is why I said we don't need the "Fluid" roadmap. Because that is no different from the monthly release notes that we already have.

 

I meant making a roadmap for the players to see is a waste of time. They haven't delivered anything close to what they have planned in the past, you really think this one will be different?

I'd rather have them just spend their time working on the game, but I guess that's just me.

 

I agree sort of, but they must internally have a short term plan for the next 3-4 months. Why not let us know too? I can't imagine they go into each release blind

 

There are other benefits to publicly providing a plan, like generating excitement in the player-base, which will likely lead to more income for them.

 

Been thinking about my own SOTA 2024 wishlist. As I ponder that, questions come to mind like: What are the community's best ideas to improve the game that would further engage the current player base? Which of those ideas might best attract previous players back to the game? And which of those ideas would be simpler and less-expensive to implement while having the highest positive impact on the game? Thinking about that, what strikes me is that what SOTA most lacks is a player-driven 'strategic' reason to play. In other words, while SOTA has a deep lore with factions (e.g., Lord British vs Darkstarr, etc.) beyond the single-player storyline there is not much in the game for the player 'to fight for'. After Episode 1 quest lines are completed, there is not much else in the game after that calls the player to associate with and engage as part of those factions we learned about. As a result, there is little strategic reason for players, who may otherwise like to identify with a faction (Lord British vs Darkstarr, or otherwise) to care about lore factions, engage in PVP at anything but the individual level, or really even role play around those. Lord British vs Darstarr? Who cares in this game? But what if that lore, which I suspect attracted some number of interested players here, could be further implemented. What if there were factions in the game that allowed players to associate at a level higher than their individual guilds? What if those factions were given some meaning in the game - such as the ability to somehow influence or take factional control towns? Towns are such a large feature of the game, but outside of Episode 1 questing lore, they have little factional meaning for the aftergame What if they did? What if PVP was about 'flipping' the faction of towns on the overland map (thinking very roughly similar to how towns can be 'flipped' in Sid Meier's Civ 6)? Would that give players a reason to 'take up sides' as part of the lore and log into the game more to participate? Essentially, it boils down to this: Other than building out POTs until we run out of space, what is the 'aftergame' of SOTA? And can one easily to created by adding a faction system somehow attached to towns that creates a more strategic reason (and by that I mean a reason bigger than our own character's advancement) to play the game? I dont know, I'm just asking the questions here in a brainstorming manner. But what if?

What's your top 2024 road map wish list item?

Cheers!

 

The only reason that I can think of is that the devs are trying to hide something from us. And I bet that SOMETHING is definitely not a good thing.

But if the plan turns out to be a lie, the potential damage would be much greater than the income it initially brings.

I think the answer is very clear already, which is, finishing up all the already existing half-way-done content in Sota. Such as the mounts that can jump, bard voice training skill with useful effect, complete cooking skill tree.... etc. Those are one of the reasons that caused waves of rage quitters in Sota along the years. However, I believe this is impossible since Sota devs are so insisting on leaving them unfinished for years to come.

Just take a look at how many brilliant new ideas we already have in the wish list and how little attention the devs have paid to them. Do you still believe that brainstorming more new idea for Sota would be any different from daydreaming ?

 

Lore-based factions for long-term strategic game-play would be great! It's probably a major development; I don't know.

Being more of a community and new-player-focused person, I'd like to see two 2023 roadmap items completed in 2024. Unless I missed something, I don't think these were completed yet.

Ref: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...tate-of-the-game-and-roadmap-for-2023.173558/

• “In Game Events” menu item (Q4) - This new icon will be part of the HUD menu (top-right of the screen) and will contain relevant information, such as when Double XP is active, Game Calendar Events, and more!
• Small Teaching Scenes (Q4) - Several small, private scenes will come into the game where players can learn about a particular system (e.g. housing, deck building, etc.). Access would be from popular NPC Towns, at-will, and repeatable. Scene scope and themes would vary depending on the lesson, but could be similar to a small Isle of Storms or simple encounter.

For new and returning players, a goal might be to provide more information in the game, rather than relying on forums and wikis. Many new players starting the game probably don't visit the forums much if at all. They just want to play and use the interface (HUD) to learn and experience as much as they can without much reading/study.

- So, an "Events" icon on the HUD could draw them in to do more things and meet more people.
- A "teaching area" could intrigue them to learn more complex features like decorating a house, advanced crafting, or kill bigger monsters with different decks (all teaching items go poof at the end of the teaching session of course).​

Perhaps in the future, the "In Game Events" could extend to include Player Events, which are currently only announced and cataloged on https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?forums/in-game-events.2406/ -- thus are hard to find for the non-Forum / non-Universal Chat players.

Just contributing to the brainstorming. Thanks!

 

If they don't get to something then that doesn't mean it's a "lie", just that they didn't have enough time. That happens everywhere in software development.

 

If the devs didn't have enough time to get to something planed, that means someone needs to have "performance review" or even "personnel adjustment". This happens in all IT project everywhere as well.

 

I think you are seriously overestimating the amount our devs get paid and the number of people lining up waiting to replace them. While I certainly get frustrated when large portions of roadmaps never materialize I am very grateful to have the devs we have and that they are able to keep the game alive and improving even as slow as those improvements may seem.

My main hope for the roadmap is that they leave off the multiple houses on a lot thing- not that I don't want it but because it is an Atos project and I don't think it belonged on last year's roadmap since I think he had already stopped doing that type of work. If we get it in the future great surprise us with it but if no one is actively working on it don't tell us someone is.

 

Some things turn out to be more complex than it seemed they would be at first. That's a simple fact and if that happens then you have to adjust your development schedule appropriately. It doesn't indicate dishonesty.

 

So what is the root cause of underpaid devs ? It's the dramatically shrinked player-base. And what is the root cause of dramatically shrinked player-base ? It's the waves of rage quitters in Sota along the years. And what is the root cause of rage quitter waves ? It's the devs themself who are insisting on making the same mistakes over and over again. So, being grateful to have the devs equals to being grateful to the same mistakes they have made and still making.

I, as an ex software developer and in cumbent IT project manager, know very well the complexity of that. All IT projects require well planning and tight control with structured management. This is the only way to ensure the service quality to the clients and can never be achieved by the "casual" working style that Sota devs have adapted to. If things really run out of control and needs any readjustment of the schedule. Full "explanation" and "compensation" will always be made for the clients "beforehand". Rescheduling or even replanning is a serious thing and can never be dismissed with a few simple sentences such as "things came up". Otherwise, this will not only be dishonesty, but also disrespect to your clients.


I can assure you that every single Sota player as well as the devs recognize that low player-base is a serious issue. But does anyone really wholeheartedly wish that the issue be solved? As an old proverb says, you cannot solve the problem with the same mindset when you created it. The current way of working has been used by Sota devs for over a decade already and it is apparently not working as we wish. Therefore, if we don't change the mentality, this issue will definitely persist and even lead to a total die out of the game. However, this consequence is totally avoidable for Sota. It all depends on the devs as well as the players and no one else. So again, if you truely want Sota to avoid such kind of destiney wholeheartedly. You never should agree with or even indulge the current working style of Sota devs.

 

Agreed.

It would help also if you don't assign tasks to a dev who is busy making yet another game, Free lot placement, terrain modification, unity updates for example.

 

Thanks! But look at it this way: If we can't express constructive ideas for the game on this forum, what do we expect that participants can we do here? Just complain about the game? That's been done enough as well.

We all need to choose to be either 'builders' or 'destroyers' in life. Suggesting positive ideas for the game is an expression of building. Complaining relentlessly without offering alternative suggestions for improvement can be viewed as a destroying expression.

In that regard, I'm happy to brainstorm ideas that might be positive for the game. If someone doesn't want to read it because it doesn't align with their destroyer-minded tendencies, they don't have to.

Cheers!

 

There's more between builders and destroyers, it's not black and white.
Its called realism.

Game was great, but loot (lack of it) and never ending grind got to me.

As it is now ( for few years already), the game and development has been nothing but catering the few.

The fact that you are pushing us to that kind of categories, does nothing good.

Still waiting, maybe someday pop back, but killing same enemy, thousand times, kinda gets to you.

I dont mind grinding, I just finished s3 of diablo, with killing everytjing there is, as solo. It took me 50 or 60ish hours maybe more, with those hours, I could not expect any reward from this game anymore.

So, not destroyer, but realist.
Was good(ish) while it lasted.

 

The "No Negative Vibes" mantra, bringing us such hits as Theranos and Fyre Festival...

The game had a vision, the devs continually modified that vision chasing the money from a smaller and smaller segment of the player base. The idea that the devs would spend time considering suggestions from anyone but the slim wedge that is paying to keep the servers on runs counter to the years of indifference they've shown towards ideas to grow the player base and their placating the financial backers instead.

 

My experience has been that players have kept me in the game. If they go, there’s little incentive to stay.

I’ve seen people who do the work they think others want to see and not what they’ve been asked for. And that is rarely successful. The people offering criticisms want to stay in the game or come back. Part of being a creative person is getting ideas and opinions of your work whether you want them or not. Even if it’s a pain, it still helps you grow and get better. I know there are a lot of suggestions. Pick 5 that seem doable and let people vote on them and work on the one that wins.