A believable world - something SotA is missing

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Lord_Darkmoon, May 25, 2017.

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  1. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    For me and for a game that wants to be the spiritual successor to Ultima and offer a simulated world this is essential: a believable world. A world that looks alive even when I just stand there watching the inhabitants. But in SotA the areas are just there to grind or talk to NPCs, buy or sell stuff. The world does feel like a set of a movie and not like a "real" world. A world that reacts to what is happening and what we do.

    This is a very interesting article regarding this issue:

    https://www.gamespew.com/2017/05/praise-witcher-3s-world-barely-matter/

    For example this, as in SotA the world unfortunately works very similar:
    "Despite the fact that there’s a civil war raging, NPCs exhibit an obsessive interest in the minutiae of your life even before they’re informed that you’re The Chosen One (TM) – news which, apparently, instantly reaches all corners of the land."
     
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  2. MrBlight

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    For some reason this post made me remember how much i enjoyed Fable 1 and Fable 2..
     
  3. GreyMouser Skye

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    Great read. I was always unsure about the Witcher series because of the cheesy art on the cover (yes, with limited time for games I do sometimes judge by a cover), but now I am more intrigued.

    This reminds me of two games: 1) When The Bard's Tale made absolute fun of this idea of you being super important, and 2) the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series where you are just another guy making a living in the Zone that has factions battling everywhere that does not depend on you. You can join a faction, but none matter to the overall mystery that you start to uncover. Stalker will always be one of my favorites. [And the cheese-ball English translations from Russian can be epic]
     
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  4. Sir Cabirus

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  5. Shade Baneborn

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    Good stuff.

    I kind of agree, but not completely I guess. Having seen the npc attitudes/behaviors change over even the short time I've been around I have hope it will continue developing.
    And I mean, how real do you want it to be?

    We already have to pay taxes! ;)

    I do hope they get to be more aware of what's going on in some respect but what happens when you need to talk to an NPC but they're like:
    "Look, I want to help and all but I've got to pick up my kids in an hour and the gustball tournament is later...I know you're 'the chosen avatar' and all (muttering: like all the other ones around here) but I mean....you've been here for months and done little more than steal apples and kill some pesky wolves."

    hehehe. Or maybe that's the kind of immersion we want ?
    It would be fun as I love the few oddball npc's that already exist in the world. I almost have to wonder if for a task that large Port would need to crowdsource help from the community...which could be interesting for sure!
     
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  6. Vladamir Begemot

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    Makes sense, fame should go up as you complete the story and quests. Good fame if you're good, terrible if you're bad.
     
  7. 2112Starman

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    HA!!! +1 to Bards Tale, one of the best RPG's ever created.

    But lets go more modern, I actually didn't like the MMO part of Star Wars the old Republic, but its story line to me just kicked butt. It made you feel like you were the most important thing in the universe, so much so that when I hit top levels and started to PvP, I was making jokes that all the other players clearly took the story line to hearth and thought they were the most important thing in the universe even though everyone else did the same quests :)
     
  8. redfish

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    @Lord_Darkmoon,

    Don't forget the player half of the equation, where players might leave bread out on the grass or go out to fight dressed in wings and masks :D Again, not to knock those who do that, but I think it matters to the overall atmosphere of the game, and it would be ideal if the reality of the world also had some effect on what players were influenced to do.

    I would note that despite shortcomings in this area, there are a number of ways in which SotA is better than other games so far, such as in the astrology and weather. I do think though that the game would feel better and more well rounded the more believable the world, especially if we're expected to stay and live in it for the long-term.
     
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  9. MightyUnclean

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    I understand what you mean. To me, SotA just lacks the intangible magic of the old Ultima games. The whole world just feels lifeless and flat. I want to be drawn in, but every time I try, I am not. Maybe it's me.
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2017
  10. Carlin the Druid Archer

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    Wow, that is a great article. A must read for anyone building an RPG in my opinion.
     
  11. Bubonic

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    Judging from his comment I think he was referring to the recent Bard's Tale reboot, which was less than one of the best RPGs ever created. In fact, it was a huuuuuge disappointment.

    I have much higher hopes for Bard's Tale IV.
     
  12. GreyMouser Skye

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    It was the reboot, 2112Starman was likely thinking the former ones. And I was highly entertained by it making fun of RPGs.
    So yes, not the best RPG ever created, just a really fun example that points out what this OP article was alluding to.

    The trailer for the next Bard's Tale looks hideous in my opinion.
     
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