Big fan of the game, but not the overview map...

I don't know if it works in a single player game why wouldn't it work in an MMO style game....this is a merge of both worlds. I think they have done a pretty good job of that. I'm not sure if you are trying to imply that playing single player games doesn't mean you are playing in a true world.

Regardless, it is pretty much here to stay, and thankfully it looks fantastic.

I'm really hoping they add some more functions to the map to give it more of a function in game.

In the end, we should get a much larger overall world then UO....as well as more dynamic.

 

While I don't disagree with you Znick, and as much as I like exploring large open areas..(climbing that mountain, etc.) that is not the type of game they are going for. In time, I'm sure the scenes could be made more expansive to give a more "open world" feel for exploration though. In addition, a lot reference is made to UO and it's open world feel. Sota's over world map could have that same type of feeling also if they chose, with the addition of instanced areas to drop into. (remember when you could take a little boat in UO and sail around the world and back? Why couldn't the same thing be done here on the world map?)

I do like a sprawling open world to explore, but I've only played a handful of mmorpgs that offered a "good" feeling of expansiveness in a 3d setting. Many have you running into walls eventually. With that being said though, I'm going watch/test/play and see how things progress.

Tracker

 

I agree with what you are wishing for and I do think we will get more and more over time. Yes please drop
my waterways idea in one of them and we will sail the seas.

 

I actually think the dual scale map can work, even though the UO style would 1) be more popular and profitable 2) make for far more immersion in terms of a "world".

But I think the current "map" is at best still in it's prototype stage and that the expectation from the start (from Portalariums desgin) not robust enough as to what is realistically needed from a overworld map for a online RPG.. For the Map to be the "sun" of the world means in fact that the Map needs to become more important as likely a FAR larger portion of gameplay will occur here than simply travelling.

Many other big games give heaps of features to such gameplay hubs and I don't think those kinds of features would be for nothing here. Even Ultima 4 did such and that is what I'm talking about.

But there is still lots missing, that is known. But my fear is the map won't get too much extra love once everything else that is still needed for the game, I am glad that Abe is working on the look of it, which is hugely improved.

Lots of talked about features in the dev+ forums and non-dev+ forums. It's has always been a very popular topic to discuss. I would like to think that many of the features requested are not unreasonable but would require at least a proper process of feedback -> counter arguement -> rinse out the design - > add new support.

Things like economic relation between provinces, seasons, day/night cycles, lunar cycles, PvP, layout of towns, GUI, UI, interactiveness. Once foundation was layed the rest of this is spreadsheet/picture and text quest sorts of features. I would argue the social aspects should be highlighted and more premise given for players to get involved with in game politics which would have more meaning.. A bunch of these things were lightly talked about by the developers and they are probably working on them behind closed doors.

 

BTW, I uploaded some critisms about the new map, here: map https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...k-about-the-latest-overworld-peek-pics.21234/

 

I have to agree that the overland map is a horrible idea for a MMO. For single player, sure. But it will definitely detract from the living world experience that most of us crave.

It would remove a lot of confusion if the game was simply marketed as an RPG with Co-op features and a player run economy. I have actually tried to get some of my MMO friends to get excited about shroud, and I have mostly been laughed at. Unfortunately, no matter how much some of us may want it to be, this will not be a real MMO.

That being said, I think this will be a great RPG game and I will enjoy it as such. The fact that you have the player economy and co-op means it will play for quite a bit longer than the 40hrs that the story will last. But shroud will still only be a supplement to my MMO time.

Everyone keep hoping and wishing for a successor to UO, we may see one before we grow old and die...

 

It's almost strange how the kickstarter called it a rpg with multiplayer capabilities. I'm at a loss why many of you think that single players don't want a living world as well....if the map has moving monsters and animals, clouds, weather etc wouldn't it be safe to say it would feel like a living world?

 

A video game living world, and a MMO living world are two completely different things. In a video game it is no problem to hit a load screen and then grow into a giant and travel across a map to another zone so you can load-screen and shrink down to normal size again. For a MMO, it is just weird.

If you go back and read my post again, you will see that I have stated, "This will be a great RPG game". The overland map will work out fine in a normal video game setting. Many games have used this system, and I am sure that many in the future will also. However if people are hoping for a MMO here, they will be disappointed. The words "Sandbox MMO" should be removed from the game description in my opinion.

 

I have said the same since the beginning, I do not like the deck or the overland map and I am actually considering selling my 220 dollar account investment because I think those two factors plus the prehistoric art assets make me think this game was a huge mistake, I really dont see improvements after the last 3 builds if anything crafting seems to have taken a step backwards

 

I'm sorry, what do you want people to say to that?

 

Don't agree.

 

Ok...

 

I posted my frustrations with the random instance encounters in the world map when my character was young and fragile. One person who responded gave me a good laugh. He described traversing the map as a "Godzilla walk". Nothing like humor to make you forget your troubles.

I'm still not a fan of the world map but am getting used to it. But I can see a plus to a one-world, multiple-instanced game. We can use UO as an example of a problem we can encounter with a multiple shard world:

When a population dwindles on a shard, the people that are left are either forced to figure out a way to make the best of the it or restart new characters on a more populated shard. (Really, most of the shards on UO have enough room to swing a big dead Godzilla around and not harm a soul...sad). Having everyone playing the game in the same world assures us there will always be someone around to interact with.

My own personal challenge is getting used to my slow loading times for instances. Ugh. But I either deal with it or move on. So far, I choose to deal with it. I AM grateful that we are allowed to zone in to our homes, though. Takes the bite off a bit.

 

I thought they disabled zoning home?

 

no luckily they have not. They changed it to hitting the 'U' key. I hope they keep it, we need to be able to go home.

 

You should be able to go home even when they disable it...I'm sure you will still be able to walk across the map.

I'm also pretty sure some expensive modes of transportation will be available.

 

I don't know if you'd seen the other thread(s) where this was discussed, but there is and advantage to loading the game onto a SSD. Quicker than a conventional hard drive. Also, as optimization continues, your load times should decrease as we get closer to release - though I imagine Ardoris and Brittany will still both be on the long side, load-time wise.

 

I'll look around for those threads. Thanx

 

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/scene-load-times.21210/

and

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ad-time-measurement-thread.21548/#post-320628