PETITION: hexmap/dual scale map: PETITION:

Dear SOTA staff and dev team,

we as your supporters and backers of this game feel there is a need to remove or rethink the hex map/ dual scale portion of this game. we think that this will improve the likeliness of success of SOTA. the reasons we do not like the map system are as follows;

1: breaking into and out of the gaming experience while transitioning scenes.
2: unable to travel and explore the open world "we want to be able to run from one side of the map to the other".

if its a budget issue let us know I would donate more, if its a time issue I would be more than happy to wait a little longer. we feel the benefits of a dual scale map will NOT outweigh the DISTRACTION TO THE GAMPLAY WE ARE TRYING TO ADVOID!

IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS PETITON LET THE SOTA STAFF KNOW AND SIMPLY SAY " I AGREE" DOWN BELOW.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS PETITION PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO IT, INSTEAD MAKE ANOTHER THREAD TO KEEP THE CURRENT SYSTEM.

 

I AGREE

 

I think discussion > petition. The devs read discussions too.

They have already stated that an "open world" does not fit their budget. I would personally prefer a vast open world (even if it was zoned and instanced) but not having the main continent yet or much content to push through I'm patiently waiting to see what their open "overworld" looks like and further into the game. I expect this means I'm waiting until R7 for the new overworld and R8 for access to the main continent but such is the life of seeing a game before it's built.

 

I would love to see that. So for the sake of the OP I'll say I agree. However (and i could be airing my ignorance here) I figure it's never going to happen - and not for financial reasons. This is my reasoning:
With a seamless world, you have ALL the essential world data downloaded onto your client. With UO (simple, 2D. top-down, isometric view) that's not too difficult to do - can be done without truckloads of data. So you can flick to another part of the world instantly, no problem. In single-player games, your character is the only variable, so again you can have ALL the data on your client without trouble.
SotA is 3D, lots of detail, rendering etc etc etc, multiple characters and instances - therefore absolute gobs of data. When you enter a hex it's like "here's the information you need for THIS area".
You want a seamless map? Multiply the loading time for an individual hex by the number of hexes in Novia; then add all the hexes in the mainland continent when that comes online. So if you want to play SotA tomorrow, you'd better log on today
With universal worldwide fibreoptic internet connections, and gigabyte speeds, that may well be feasible. Probably not now.

(If other 3D MMOs can do it without instancing I'll eat my words)

 

I would suggest a Pros vs Cons list or at least the devs design intent for the overhead map (with your points of disagreement). That way people can look at the info and decide for themselves. Or at least have a starting point if they have no idea where they stand.

 

Pros and Cons - Comparison Discussion
.

 

A link to a discussion thread will do but a TLR version might help too.

 

I agree with all this, plus I think the hex map is cool. Not to destroy the petition or anything.. =( I just like my little hex map(I know I didnt make it, but its my little hex map!). And my computer can't even run SotA since release 5 anyway so if the hex map is going to make it easy on my poor poor old computer then ill take the hex map over a seamless world.

 

I agree.

I love everything about this game except the dual scale map. It completely destroys the immersion and exploration aspects of the game. I would rather spend twenty minutes wandering through the woods and seeing what awaits me than spend 20 seconds pushing a flag from point a to point b on a map. When developers add a system to a game they should always ask themselves is this fun? When I am pushing my flag on the map the answer to that question is always a resounding no. I don't think it will ever be fun and should be considered a design flaw.
Unfortunately, the ship of mediocrity has already sailed for this game and they are not going to give up a years worth of work to start down the right path. The best we can hope for is they will get the dual scale map out of their system and 6 years from now when they are designing soata 2, they will make the game we were all hoping for this go around.

 

The link points to the developer video discussing the reasons for the map and the thread continues from there to the next page with the listed points for and against. Just thought it might help.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Well Brink123 this is a moot point. The map issue has been hashed and rehashed a zillion times. We are getting the 3D style map and it will be what it will be now.
It just wasn't showing yet in release 6. So we need to move on to other things to help out on, or give our input as we go along with the new development of the 3D map.
We are having hexes, I do not beleive that will change, or even that it could change at this point. We will still have a wonderful game so rich and full to everyone who hangs in there.
It is just hard to picture some things at this point, but I know it will be so awesome to finally play the game I have been waiting for.

 

Chris Spears elucidation on why the dual-scale map is the dev's preference is an example of clear, rational thinking.

Having a dual-scale map opens the possibility of a more dynamic, vibrant world, whilst shortening development time and costs.

Its that simple!

Asking for it to be axed this late in development when you know perfectly well the alternative will cost $10 - 20million is a faux pas...

 

agreed...

 

I havent been able to actually play the game before release 6 and I agree that the hexagon system broke the joy of exploring the world....I will also wait till release 7 to take a final decision on reselling the account, since I always promissed myself to participate if a 3D version of UO was being built...but the absence of travel experience is sooo frustrating. How come a greek team with limited funds and no access to crowdfunding managed to develop a continuous UO like sandbox (Darkfall) while the original team with all the trust generated by the presence of RG in a financial environment with unlimited cash produced by the US central bank ...could not raise the funds for a continuous world is just out of my understanding capacity...but may be somebody could bring me enlightment here?

 

I think the world is way too large for a seamless open world approach. I think that the Hidden Vale alone is as big as Britannia was in UO, then imagine how big the world will be with Novia and then all of the other continents!

I think the world would have to be significantly smaller for it to work in a seamless open environment. I for myself do not want to wander around for hours through housing areas and areas in which nothing happens if the world would stay as big as it is right now (for the seamless approach).

 

This is all academic at this point. Even without knowing all the intricacies of development and programing its pretty clear to me the project is WAY too far gone for any such radical, foundational change. As I pointed out in a recent post, with a few exceptions, all of the lobbying against "the map" was not against the map at all, but was rather a plea for a true 2nd scale of game play, something which seemed possible to do (given the early demos) and which, in lieu of a single scale world, was a sort of "next best thing" which still fit the foundation they already laid. How well that pans out of course we wont have a clue about until R7 at the earliest (and my fingers are crossed so tight they are numb).

 

Because they aren't trying to recreate UO...they are trying something a bit different in trying to merge the original ultimas with some of what UO was.

 

yup... I think some people are misunderstanding what Shroud of the Avatar really is... it's not UO and it's not UO2... if you backed SotA thinking like that then you'll be greatly disappointed...

 

I came in thinking they were creating a 'new' UO and was very excited. After my first time playing the alpha I realized just how wrong I was and was rather disappointed. I took a step back, looked at what they were really doing, how they were going about it and decided to give this new direction a chance. The more I played the game with this in mind and stopped comparing it to the old UO, the more I started enjoying the game and really began to realize where it is that the developers are going with this. People who come in with their own preconceived notions of how the game should be, will not realize the benefits of this new direction. They will either come to understand it on their own, or they won't.

I think rune_74 hit it on the head though, this is NOT UO. This is a new MMO, with a new style and set of rules made by the same people who had the vision to create what everyone loved before. I say we give them the chance to do it again. If you are not sure then let them finish and then choose to join or not. I, for my part, have faith in the direction of the development staff and their vision.

 

I'll agree to the sentiment expressed in the OP.

The hex system is a cheap alternative to creating a seamless world. Aside from the glaring problems with immersion is that by creating a cheap product you're severely limiting the appeal of that product to a wider audience. The glut of MMOs (especially f2p) has really created a buyer's market. If Portalarium isn't willing to invest in building something with mass market appeal you're just going to see something small and niche that will only serve a small group of hardcore players that will eventually dwindle over time. Limiting that appeal also limits future development, which only only compound the problem.

By all means create a cheap alternative to a seamless world, but if the dissent on here over map issues is any indication it won't be received well by the general public. I noticed that a large amount of strife generated over the 2d map was due to the lack of immersion. This is a very similar issue.