Instances or A True Open World?

A simple question would you prefer a true open world or the fable like mini maps with instances.

Wasn't Origin's original motto "We Create Worlds"?

The game in its current form is not a world by any stretch of the imagination! It is a mini-map with scenes. Not a World.

Honestly.... I hate to say this.... I dislike the look of the mini map with the zoned instances. I really don't understand why Shroud of the Avatar is taking a gigantic step backwards from the absolute freedom of Ultima Online to something akin to the mediocrity of Fable or Guild Wars. It just doesn't make sense.

Does anyone else agree?

 

I have to admit, although I am keeping an open mind at this early stage, I am dubious about the zoomed out travelling around the map. I think it takes a lot a way from the mystery and exploration of the world. As I stated in another thread, part of the engagement for me is exploration, the ability to just wander off and discover something wonderful that isn't highlighted on the map like a tourist attraction. And also the ability to not know where I am going and get LOST if i'm not careful.

 

@Lord Viator - I have some fond memories of getting lost in Ultima Online. LOL. I remember the first time I got lost I wandered into the woods chasing Rabbits and whatever else happened to catch my eye and then I bumped into a Lich. I was all like "I'm going to kill it" LOL. And promptly got murdered HARD. Pretty hilarious when I look back on it.

 

True open world.

Would I still play the game if it uses the world map with attractions? Sure. But I'd prefer an open world.

 

UO Beta.. I wandered west of Trinsic around the mountains.. heard a dragon roar off screen.. scared the crap out of me. lol but as I didn't know where it was I kept going.. ended up getting chased by that dragon with fireballs right on my tail if I remember correctly. lol (Actually I think that dragon chased me twice but I managed to get away lol)

Oh topic though. I was surprised at the return of a dual map system (I say return only because everyone's talking like this is an actual Ultima even though we don't know the world's back story yet.. or do we?). It does have some technological advantages though so I'm assuming there's some reasonable design decision that went into using it.. probably the ad-hoc features of the game.

Also we should keep in mind that we have no idea how big the world map is going to be. Getting lost is still a viable option as far as we know. (As is getting chased by dragons!) I didn't much care of the look of the Fog of War in the video.. I hope that gets improved somehow.

 

@BlackMagix Exactly! I remember the first time I ventured out of town for the first time. I got lost in the woods after chasing a cow or other such animal trying to tame it. Then trying to find my way back, a big troll came on to screen. I stopped and stared at it for a few seconds, then ran like hell!!

 

@Bowen

Actually during that period and all the way through the pre-T2A era in UO a dragon breath would insta kill you (up to 120 damage). If it really was a dragon it couldn't have "chased you with fireballs"...maybe just a drake.

As of the world map, well, I can't say I am all excited about the scale view of the world, but then again, all early Ultima games were like that, and if you compare the first open world view which came with Ultima VI and earlier Ultima games, you can see that the World got way more smaller in Ultima VI than it was in earlier games as there now was a clear understanding of the map, you could clearly feel it, while in other games nobody knew a real size of the world as it was scaled and all we knew is that we had to consume food every time we made some moves on that map which suggests that the world was quite large compared to later games. I just wish there would be as much stuff to visit on the map as possible.

 

Hey.. it was a big scaley flying lizard breathing fireballs up my backside. As far I was concerned it was a dragon! I didn't exactly stop to click on it. Fortunately for me I was JUST far enough out of range that they stopped just short of lighting me up.

 

@Bowen This has actually got me laughing out loud, purely because I understand your experience.

Just out of interest, did anyone as a young player, come across a wonderfully friendly and pretty musical creature by the name of a wisp, and think 'Hey, Im going to kill this thing'.........

Wow wasn't that a mistake!

 

heheh as an Ultima veteran at the time I'll have to confess.. no.. no I didn't. I was too busy running for my life from other things.

 

"What is an 'Ancient Lich'? Hmmm, best kill it."
*Moves towards Ancient Lich - immediately starts running away*
"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap..."

We need more of this kind of stuff. Don't tell us what we're up against (i.e. player level 10 vs monster level 10). Throw us in and let us deal with the consequences of our own actions.

 

Both monsters and players should not be defined by levels at all... skills and stats only. And personal skills, strategies and experience.

 

In FAQs you can read "SOTA is not an MMORPG" its an online game.

So, no open world ,no Massive Multiplayer game???

Defenetly im not glad to hear this

 

I'm hoping for a departure from UO's skills only system. That's NOT to say that I want a level system mind you. It's just the idea of natural skill decay is unapplealing.

Example: My character has already maxed his smithing skill so he's been spending a few days at the forge. As a result, his cooking skill declines from non-use. Survey says? *buzzer* I would not be happy.

I understand the need for a skill cap in a strictly skill based system. The problem is it tends to result in skill grinding and that's just as tedius as level grinding in my book.

I am trying to keep my mind open on the dual map system. I want to see it in action for myself before forming an opinion. I'm actually a bit happy it's not an MMO. I think the industry has gotten a little MMO crazed.

 

Bowen, I have to ask, and sorry for this being off topic, but did you play on the Europa shard with the same name? We had a Bowen in our guild.

 

I would also prefer a full open world.

 

Open world all the way! if i wanted to play instances, be restricted to where I can and cannot pvp, I'd sign up for WoW

 

But even in that case WoW will still lose to SotA... so no, you wouldn't.

 

Anjel: No I was on Pac. Lord Dugall McKangis (yeah creative spelling whatever). or Thadius Okana (or a few others) still on Pac.

 

Ah, okay. Thought I may have made contact with an old buddy

Your extended reply does raise the question though, will our characters have surnames or will we be restricted to one name like so many other games? I liked being able to add a surname to my character in UO.