Shroud of the Avatar Comments from other Gaming Sites.

Anarcho-syndicalist commune? Do we take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week?

 

I agree strong statement directly from shroud of the Avatar, front and center; stating that pay to win is absolutely not part of the game would go along way for attracting more gamers into the community.

 

Not really........just saying if you really want a house there are ways to get one. If you don't like the mechanics and mechanisms required to get a house it probably means you want something without working for it (whether that is generating $ or generating Gold).

Changing someones perception doesn't necessarily mean that there are issues with the game.......more often than not it's more to do with PR.

I haven't 'claimed' anything......I have made a 'guestimate' based on 56,973 current backers making an allowance for multiple accounts and the fact that a lot of people don't necessarily part with cash until they get a final product. I guarantee 60k won't be the number but I expect it is likely to be in the ballpark.

Those are called 'Row Lots'

I don't particularly like your phrasing as there are a lot of the 'beautiful' people as you so ignorantly put it, who have done a lot to help other players and the community in general. What I would say is that it would ultimately be damaging to the game in general to begin breaking the principle of housing markets along with the rarity of land/housing ......... this is a principle that has attracted many to the game.

 

That's the real reason this game will never get off the ground after launch, no newcomer will have a chance to compete with a player that already has everything going in their favour, Tax free land, unbreakable tool sets, Extra bank slots, unbreakable armour sets, Buffed cloaks, would be a long list to specify all the perks.
So the Backers will get the funds to buy any in game land deeds a lot quicker, Through what I think is a major flaw created by the DEV's in allowing multiple Land deeds per account.
This definitely has all the hallmarks of pay to win, plus the F2P mechanics of needing to use the add-on shop to make the game anywhere near enjoyable after playing for 2 hours gathering your armour is worn out, Banks slots are full and your encumbered.

Edit: thanks Envy

 

I can see why alot of people would say cash grab. But what they don't seem to be aware of is the team making the game. They wern't around when UO was a hit, or they were and at the time were not "gamers". Again WoW did alot of good for the MMO Genre except the filthy casuals and their offspring.

 

Indeed.....who want's to play to lose?

 

It is interesting to see that those who have the most invested think the housing system is great instead of flawed.

You may not like his phrasing, but it is pretty accurate in the fact of how some of these self proclaimed royalty have treated others and as long as you played by their rules to fit into the in crowd all is fine. however, if you don't agree with what they say you are in the outside looking in. One of the big reasons I am moving away from this game.

 

UO was the death of Ultima as I knew it...so mixed feelings on that.

 

Well I wouldn't let anyone chase you away. I don't agree with the back and forth about elitests and such. Imagine I have been called one. We are all human beings who sometimes it wouldn't hurt to be reminded when to step back from trying to be right. Since it is a human condition. When the game launches we individually won't exist, we are at present here as a product of the status of development atm but later, I won't be here. I'll be in the game having a blast.

 

I guess I should have stated that one a little clearer. I meant to refer to UO and Ultima. But to each their own. UO was my first MMO and by far the best I've played to date, Ultima was a great RPG but not the best. Zelda still holds the RPG trophy for me

 

Didn't Captain Jack read somewhere that not only is in-game gold required, but Captain Jack will need to be placed on a wait list of some kind?

Why would this be? Does Captain Jack need to wait for a lot to degrade and get abandoned? Or are they slowly distributing the land to new perspective in-game buyers with gold, as they still need to ensure that the real life money people who want a house always get one? Captain Jack does not understand how houses in game will be given out, does anyone here?

 

I thought you wanted a Ship!

 

Having a Ship as a "home" in this game could quickly fall under all of these very same issues. So while Captain Jack waits, he ponders these issues with a glass of rum!

 

I live in a country of a 100 million where 50 families control 90% of the wealth. I know elitism first hand and SOTA isn't it (yet).

 

Why do you go out of your way to insult people all the time? I don't get it.

Here is the thing, those two things are not mutually exclusive.
It can be fun and personally rewarding to do something for the community.
The sotawiki, avatars radio, RPSOTA, Caverns, etc are all run by players at a cost. That means that those players are paying out of their own pockets monthly for something which benefits the community.
Lots of player events are giving out prizes out of their own pocket. You have such in these forums as well like the $100 giveaway running right now.
The charity drives are both out of player pockets and organized by players streaming for other players.
Players are organizing meet and greets IRL at great personal cost.
Etc.
plus all those who spend time testing, helping and eventing in the game all the time.

Does it help that most of these things are usually fun and/or rewarding along the way for organizers and participants. Of course it does, this is a game after all.
But it also builds the community.

 

There are so many 'RPG' MMO F2P, P2W cash grabs out there, that it's not surprising newbies to SotA will take one look at the add-on store and think this is one of them. But 5 minutes playing reveals quite obviously that this game is nothing like them.

I just want to share two points that say, 'Hey! This isn't one of those games!'
1. It's not free to play. You have to pay $45 to get the game. Eventually, a free-trial method will be established, to allow outsiders a glimpse under the shroud, so players can let their friends give it a try easily; but the initial fee should be a strong clue that this game isn't depending on in-game cash payments to be successful.
2. When you don't see 'cash' as an in-game currency anywhere on your screen, and the beginning tutorial doesn't force or encourage you to 'speed things up' with generic gold/gem payments, it's a big clue that this game is different! No where does the game stop and say, 'Hey, try paying some money to get these helpful items, or stop these stupid timers you have to wait for'. Here's a test: Go chop down a tree. Finished? Good, now, were you able to pay some cash-bought gems to loot it instantly? No!? What do they think this is, some kind of real role-playing experience that isn't P2W?

And I don't see how anyone spending time in the game can feel like this game is one of those. None of that is in this game!

So in my opinion, anyone saying that playing this game feels like a F2P-P2W game, doesn't know what they're talking about, and is leaving untrue, and misleading reviews for other potential players.

Love you guys. Keep up the great community!

 

I don't think anyone knows for sure, probably not even the Devs. But they have said that they want to make sure that there will be land available for new players to acquire post release. To this end, they are restricting the number of lot deeds that are available, and they will release lot deeds into the game bit by bit. We do not yet know what the mechanics of obtaining an available lot deed will be. There has been speculation about a kind of lottery.

At the same time, DarkStarr has stated that there will always be enough land in non-POT areas for people to claim, so no one will be forced to live in a POT for lack of land elsewhere. Q&A from the last hangout:

QUESTION: Can you confirm that players will never be forced to place their home in a POT? Will there always be NPC/PRT alternatives?
DarkStarr: Yes, we do not intend to force anyone to place their lot in a POT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fas0Y9hfJUA
Minute 8:04

 

Hopefully after E1 anything purchasable from the add-on store can also be obtained in game (or an equivalent). I believe that will be the case.
Yes, it is currently possible to buy from the add-on store certain items that can give players an initial advantage, albeit minor. Things like elven armour and housing. Keep in mind however that fast travel will be nerfed come E1, and additional storage slots in the bank can be purchased in game, making housing less attractive than it is now. Balancing this is the significant risk that early participants take when they back a game with real money that is a long way from completion. In the period of highest risk the reward for backing should be greatest. As the game nears completion and the risk of backing the game is reduced, the reward should also be reduced. We can see this in the gradual elimination of pledge rewards as game development progresses.

I have no doubt that come E1 those with more spare time will progress much faster than those with more spare money.

 

Not sure what you actually mean by "overzealous high backers"...........I don't really tend to see people broadcasting their pledge amounts (other than you of course) so I'm not really sure who these high backers really are or at what point you become one. I'm also not sure where this perception of people not being free to post their thoughts comes from........of course your free to do so but when you post comments that are fairly negative and provocative to parts of the community you can hardly expect a warm reception.

 

You don't see people letting everyone know they are high backers? Do you read these forums? Most use their "nobility" in their name, I'm not sure how you can't notice who backed at a high level. You may not always know about the amount, but you definitely know they did.

You are more then welcome to post your thoughts as long as they agree with you, it is hardly an open forum in that regard. Like I said before this is a big reason I have decided to back away from this.