Number of Characters

wait, so you guys wish to play on the same account and not actually play together? How do you manage play times? this is a very interesting scenario

 

I would like multiple chars as well so I can play my 3 play styles, Mage, Archer... or was that 2 play styles, Wait.. Tamer!!

 

Having one person give a lot of importance to our craft.

J'adore.

 

Well, we have one gaming computer, so playing together isn't really an option. Seems ridiculous to buy 4 accounts when we share a computer. UO was really special in that it was so multifaceted there was something for almost anyone to enjoy. UO was my wife's introduction to gaming, and even my mom had a character. (Incidentally I would have a much easier time justifying to my wife spending $500 for "us" a citizen account.)

 

As its pay to play you really is forced you have 4 accounts. Start with one that you get one of that founders to 'gift' you founder status.
Seems to cost you $25 and then you has a F Adventurer level.
Next make 3 more accounts and spend $40 on each gifting them each a F Adventure pledge, and get the recruitment bonus to your first account.
And finally get that alienware $20 bonus on each.

Now you has one account with $40+20+75=$135 thats a 'F' explorer level pledge (you get the cloth map, game manual, that you really only need one of + episode 1-5)
The other 3 accounts is at level $40+20 = $65 thats a 'F' founder level pledge (60+5).

All this has costed you $25+$40+$40+$40 = $145 if i count right. And would let all of you play episode 1.
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IF that's not satisfying enough you can spend $335 more to expand the first account to 'F' citizen.
OR you can spend $165 for a village lot property deed (then you need to pay in game tax).

And then you declare the others as kindred so they can use your house.

 

You can make multiple characters offline. No need to buy four accounts.

 

i have never heard of this

 

It's been suggested, but not confirmed, to my knowledge.

It's kind of like permadeath. If you want permadeath, delete your character when you die. If you want to create multiple characters, online or offline, you can. First, delete your current character.

 

Well the context the conversation, one household, one computer, one account, 4 gamers. I don't think you will be able to create 4 single player toons on one account.

Best bet is to just suck it up and get 4 accounts. I know it adds up to $180, but you guys still can play together. SotA is not very demanding on hardware, and simple computers will be able to run the game just fine.

 

If they are hard over on one account, everyone can share the single character.

 

I always figured single player offline would feature conventional saving in some way, and since something like that would be saved locally on the pc of the player, someone could theoretically backup that save somewhere and just replace it when returning to that character later.

That's all assuming the devs don't just outright let people keep multiple save slots when playing offline.

 

I've heard several times that there wouldn't be a character limit offline. If I'm wrong, then don't bother to do anything, because I don't really care.

 

1. My character is mine.
2. The rest of my family are "casual gamers" and probably will not mind that I'm the only one playing SoTA while they continue to play Guild Wars 2 (or some other game).
3. This is a pity since one of UO's greatest accomplishments IMO was the appeal to casual gamers.
4. The one character per account mentality will not appeal to family/casual gaming types.
5. My reluctance to buy 4 accounts for one family is a matter of principle more than monetary cost.
6. Even Microsoft doesn't require me to buy one account per Windows user. When any part of your strategy makes Microsoft look generous in comparison, it might be time to reevaluate the strategy.

 

One of the things you may want to consider (if you haven't) is that this is not an MMO. It's more an enhanced single-player RPG with online multi-player capability. You're paying for the game, not the initial cost of it. This is important. This is a game that does not charge a monthly fee. While you indicated it may not be an issue of cost, I do think it comes into play when analyzing the situation.

UO was $15 a month. SotA is $40 one time per account (less if you get some help from someone). So $120. In effect, after 8 months they would have cost the same. Beyond that, you get a better deal with SotA and are never paying again (in theory). And everyone would have their own account indefinitely without a dime more spent. That IS noteworthy.

And with the gifting/referral bonus with our help allowing for net cheaper accounts, that time could be reduced, in effect, to 4 months when it breaks even (assuming 3 accounts down to $20 a pop). And again not paying again thereafter.

I know this doesn't address all your points, but it is something to consider. If you think your family would play a few months or more, it actually is better than most any worthy MMO's setup. I exclude the F2P as microtransactions are harder to make a comparison to in this fashion.

 

I can see his point though, for offline play it should have multiple character slots like any other rpg. I can understand the single player slot online, makes sense as a "buy to play" game. If they don't make multiple character slots offline though, how long do you think it'll take for someone to come up with a way to swap saves? Not long.

 

If one character I would vote for having crafting mules.

Crafting mules can only be used in town or have no combat. This way your would have one character to run around the world and others just for crafting.

 

I'm sure it won't be long before the extra character slots are available in the add on shop, I've have seen it in other MMO games its now becoming the norm to deliver part of a game then make you have to continue buying so called DLC's to obtain the full content that should have shipped with the game on release.

 

I would hope they wouldn't do this for the sake of the dedicated crafters who will devote their avatars to just crafting. If everyone has crafting mules, why would anyone bother to do that?

 

I just want them to be consistent. IF there's going to be one toon per account, then stick with it. If they're going to allow for more, do it before the game starts. They have a vision, be true to it whatever it is.