How about help for lousy players, like me...

I love playing games, but I'm pretty bad at it. The only RPG's I've finished have been with the help of a walk through. That also helps with my obsessive completionist tendencies. Too many times I've abandoned a game, and moved on because I hit a wall, or missed, or screwed up some important stuff. I prefer simpler combat without too many complicated movements that others may love. I play with strategy guides open on the desk in front of me so I don't miss anything, and know what I need to do. I play very deliberately, and slowly. I know this confession will earn me derision, but I play how I play. The conversation system shown in the latest demo is particularly intimidating, as cool as it is. Will there be different difficulty levels, a strategy guide, and hints available for us lameohs?

 

There might be difficulty levels in offline mode but I can't see how it would be possible to implement in online mode.

As for guides and hints - I am pretty sure the community will take care of providing that for you. I wouldn't be surprised if some kind of fan wiki goes live almost immediately post release which will gradually grow to detail all aspects of the game.

 

the best practice is, to team up with someone or join a guild. There will always be helping hand.

 

Well, thats aswell what i think. For the offline mode, there should at least be the difficulty modes: (Easy, Medium, Hard) and possible aswell a trigger for Permadeath. I personally don't like Permadeath, but there are enough peoples who do.
For the online mode, because it would be difficult to trigger the difficulty in a open not to instanced world. Some challenge, so not the easierst one, where you can beat all enemies without problem, but not a ultra hard mode, where peoples have to suffer instead playing.

Google => well http://shroudoftheavatar.wikia.com/wiki/Shroud_of_the_Avatar_Wiki
Not from me, but how it seems, a wiki is already live.

 

If you don't mind partying with people or joining clans you have nothing to worry about, there are always people who would help in tough combat or give hint about npc conversations. Some clans may even have their own wikis and walk-throughs that you seem to like.

 

Your best bet is to find some friends to co-op with that's what i usually do it's always easier when you have other people to play with. I imagine this game will be more difficult than others purely because it requires more than just following arrows and clicking the best options out of three. It's going to require real thinking and patients I hope that even I can make it through the game lol. I'm hoping to have at least 4 or 5 of my best friends to group up with to beat the SotA storyline.

 

Well, of course you all are correct, and I would have thought of it had I stopped for a minute to think. I have not had an enjoyable experience playing with others, or joining a guild (UO, and Guild Wars only), so I exclusively play alone. Maybe the community in SotA will be different.
Thank you all very much for your replies.

 

Playing with friends would be a great way to go, if I had any friends that played computer games. But I don't... Poor me ;-}

 

I hope the game caters to all types and playstyles. I hope to see:

1) That you find things you are, truly better at than others. Maybe 1v1 combat isn't your thing but you love PvP because you've truly mastered the catapult. Having multiple solutions to problems help people find out what they are good at.

2) Failing that, there's always the comparative advantage argument. I'm sure there's a Brave New World quote, but not everyone needs to be an Alpha. Someone needs to enjoy what others might consider boring and tedious.

 

When all else in game fails Bob and you feel like you don't have any friends in game don't be afraid to ask in chat for a person to adventure with! I have done that many times when alone and bored to my surprise to find out there are other people out there looking for someone to group with and adventure with but may be too shy to ask.

For example:

"Looking for someone to adventure with! msg me please "

 

Howdy Bob! Playing Games with civil people has always been a blast for me (regardless of skill), and most players are at least just that, "civil" and much more (funny, witty & crafty). On the other hand I'm sure we have all swam with sharks a few times, the player(s) that can't behave nicely, the very rude puppy. Thank the gods there aren't many people like this, although it only takes one to ruin your program. I won't tolerate it.

People with either very low or very high game skills seem to know how to behave the best! and do so. The player with middle of the road game skill (a few of them) can come under an effect, stemming from grossly over rating their own talent and can be the most foul. Some can even become well known in any given community (few people will talk to them), but they can still ruin anyone's game they group with.

Doctor Garriott's new friends system with selective play should combat this nicely. Some friendly Tactical Killer can pass your way, needing your help for some simple reason , a switch man or something, in a few hours you may have those gloves you wanted , new helm and golden shines for a week! We will all have a blast of fun.

Regards Bob,

Master basket weaver Deathblow.

 

Aye Bob and if you want throw me on your friends list and give me a shout sometime and ill be more then willing to lend a hand if the timing isn't bad and I Can. I also understand the appeal of the lone wolf playing and although I plan to run a guild, there will be times when I want to go out and meet new people. Don't get me wrong, for me being in a guild is a must whether running one or just being a member with no ranking. The friendships and associations can keep me in the game much longer then the game itself may otherwise do. However a time and place for everything and there's those times after a long day at work, its nice to just meet a new person, be helpful, and leave the day knowing I was able to lend a hand to someone.

When I think back to all my online gaming experiences some of the best memories I have was that of going out on my own, bumping into a stranger who needed a hand (or who joined me when I needed one), which turned into a few hours or a day of adventuring together and often to end with never seeing them again (although sometimes forming a long friendship that lasted years). I know im not the only person that feels that way or I wouldn't have had those experiences *chuckles*, so you will find help when you need it.

 

Well, you guys are great, and I will call on you for companionship, especially since I think Iolo won't be around...

Actually my biggest difficulty when running with pick up groups, and I only did that in Guild Wars, was people were more interested in chatting than playing.

Thanks again friends!

 

Ok, i think i lost my faith of guildplay aswell in Guild Wars. We had some PvP there, but we where very bad. One of the reason was, we had a very bad and lazy Guild leader. Was Guild leader because of the hightest rank in the forum, who played Guild Wars. But nearly everybody expect me still wanted to keep him. So everything was a bit uncoordinated.

PS: Ok, to be honest, i was the Guild leader. XD But how already told, i was still Guild leader, when i was on the edge to move to another game. So i even have made a poll for a new Guild leader and voted against me and for the other member (way more active as me and aswell better in the game), but the result was clear for me. Donno why people was to happy with me. Possible because we chat aswell very much with ourself and had fun. ^^ Ok, i finally got degraded by the game itself, because i was to long not online. The nice thing was, that the other player, i thought who should become new leader by the poll got the position after all from the game system. Ok, he asked me, if he should give it back to me, but i rejected. And now i am fleet leader in Star Trek Online. Ok, i am aswell in Eve, but there are to many wars, etc. So i don't want to be in a corp there.

 

Bob, I know where you are coming from. I always have game guides, wikis, and any other manner of help at my fingertips when playing a rpg. Before I ask for help in game from other players, I have usually already searched the forums and given every attempt to solve the problem first. But I will ask for help then, because I will not leave the content unfinished.

I have also had some bad guild and grouping experiences. That is why I usually go lone wolf. I was ecstatic when I heard RG explain the SPO option. I am considering FPO too only because of the quality of the community so far. I can see where interactions with like minded folks such as yourself, could be more fun and beneficial for both of us.

 

Thanks for your support! I'm feeling much better about my chances in SotA due to all of you. Now all we need is the game!

 

Wyse, you are! Your philosophy is startling in the context of a computer game, and I'm in awe. I appreciate your insight, and advice. I don't see myself being able to live it though. It will give me something to think about as I go adventuring, and perhaps I'll be better for it. Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe. Mucho gusto. Many thanks!!

 

oh schwarzwolf, your PS is like my experience in other games. Although i made bad experiences I will try to start a guild here too. We will see where it will lead to.

 

There is no evidence of that. We know very little about human brain and next to nothing about mind or consciousness. To say that one is function of another is at least a stretch. The only thing we can say with any degree of certainty is that there is correlation between the two. Of course you may believe whatever you want or assume for the sake of argument or take it as a working conjecture for a research.

But you are right, it's better not to derail the topic by starting a debate.

 

I think there will be some kind of familiarization period after you create your character that will walk you through some conversation tips and how to use and equip items etc.

However you're best companion guide will be people in game. I think this promotes community. The persistent world will will change. I think a simple 14 page players hand book would be cool though.

On the other hand I plan on helping newbies because I enjoyed doing that in UO. If you find a person or better yet a guild to join then you can expect them to help train you with the skills and insider information that would exist outside of any manual. Join a guild. You can join ours Moongate Travelers 470, or pax lair or many many others. Just be careful you join a guild that meets your needs and doesn't ruin the game for you. You can quit a guild if you don't like it. For me I like a laid back guild that doesn't require you to do a whole bunch of stuff, but they are there to help you and welcome you into their community.

***FYI I'm completely for them creating a short indexed PDF for beginners instead of actually printing out a 14 page player's handbook (except for people paying for a boxed game with a cloth map).