Massively OP update

se·man·tics
səˈman(t)iks/
noun

1. the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning. There are a number of branches and subbranches of semantics, including formal semantics, which studies the logical aspects of meaning, such as sense, reference, implication, and logical form, lexical semantics, which studies word meanings and word relations, and conceptual semantics, which studies the cognitive structure of meaning.
   • the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text.
     plural noun: semantics
     "such quibbling over semantics may seem petty stuff"

 

Then it will be down voted and buried as not helpful.

 

Only if it's on Steam.

 

re·view
rəˈvyo͞o/
noun

1. 1.
   a formal assessment or examination of something with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary.
   "a comprehensive review of defense policy"
   synonyms: analysis, evaluation, assessment, appraisal, examination, investigation, inquiry, probe, inspection, study
   "the council undertook a review"

verb

1. 1.
   examine or assess (something) formally with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary.
   "the company's safety procedures are being reviewed"
   synonyms: survey, study, research, consider, analyze, examine, scrutinize, explore, look into, probe, investigate, inspect, assess, appraise;
   informalsize up
   "I reviewed the evidence"
   remember, recall, reflect on, think through, go over in one's mind, look back on
   "he reviewed the day"

re·view·er
rəˈvyo͞oər/
noun

1. a person who writes critical appraisals of books, plays, movies, etc., for publication.
   synonyms: critic, commentator, judge, observer, pundit, analyst
   "a restaurant reviewer for the local paper"
   • a person who formally assesses or examines something with a view to changing it if necessary.
     "a rent reviewer"

 

what's a pundit?

*shrug*

what's a paladin?

wanna buy a duck?

 

Who cares if its a review or column. Guy clearly has problems with this game and most of the problems are known and not a surprice.
Everytime someone says something negative about this game, this kind of behaviour starts.
You really think those steam "reviews" fill every aspect of a real review, lol.

 

Can we just point to the most important thing from this article? http://massivelyop.com/2017/08/17/choose-my-adventure-finding-my-way-in-shroud-of-the-avatar/

 

It doesn't matter if it is called review, first look, blog post or if it's a letter from your mom.
The author has valid points and gives an unbiased first expression.
That's what we should discuss about.

 

Thank you Winter, you saved me some time.

MassivelyOP is a well-known mmo news site and this column has been around for a while - as explained above the writer lets readers vote on the game to play next, which class to play, etc. etc. and he shares his thoughts on what he experiences each week.

I stopped reading this thread around the 5th page, and while I understand caring about the game (I do too), people are going to have to develop a thicker skin when it comes to this kind of thing. There will be more articles written about Shroud, some I hope very favorable but you can expect harsh criticism as well. I take everything I read with a grain of salt anyway, and find out for myself.

The best scenario for me is if the Port team can use this as feedback through a new set of eyes, making changes where they can to further improve the game for new/all players.

But let's not tar and feather the guy

 

It is feedback, and it's some I hope they listen to. It's from someone who hasn't been following every little change they make with baited breath, and that make it particularly valuable because they have a viewpoint that none of us here on the forums do.

 

It was an interesting article, but it seems that they are more used to playing other kinds of games in that they didn't count the social part of the game as important as the story line.

 

The game isn't finished. There are many more quests to come in, systems to be added like fishing etc that could leads to all sorts of options in play.

All that article does is review progress of a game that is in the process of development. That's like saying a house is crap because it's only half built.

SotA may have it's issues as it stands, but that article is an utter farce.

 

Release supposedly 2-3 months away. When will they have time to flesh out current issues, add in new systems, and flesh out those new systems, before release? Or will people be saying "game isn't finished" until past episode 5?

 

Of course they will. They will do everything to defend the game they invested lots of money in.
For me release date is judgement day.

 

I honestly don't think the game will be ready to release this year. Still think it needs 6 months (maybe more). Too many things are missing for a release later this year.

 

All of this was promised for Episode 1:

Pledge Rewards and Add-On item Functionality/In-Game Status
Some items have working models and may be equipped or placed as decorations, but have not yet had their full functionality finished and implemented. eh

1. Fyndoro's Tablet of Finding: Unable to be used to find another player.
2. Puzzle Box: No weekly puzzles or rewards yet.
3. German Beer Recipe: Alcohol system not in game yet
4. Customized Avatar Head: work not started
5. Name on Tombstone and in Domesday Book: No tech to support nor data entry for players to select what name to display
6. Name in Credits: No Credits page
7. Family Crest: no tech to support
8. Additional Character Slots: no tech to support

How long will it take them to add the tech to support these items? Every week they sit at the bottom of the known issues list.

 

If these where only the missing features, we'd be set for a release this year. But they are not, and some of these features might not make it for launch. They will continue to add features after launch.

 

And those "things" are?...

 

Balance
Complete primary quest-line (they can say what they like, what they have now is closer to an outline then it is to a polished quest)
Targeting is still wonky
AFAICT noone knows what causes the random rifts in the world yet (this is a blocker)
stuttering in combat (on high-end machines!)
stuttering out of combat " " " "
unreasonably long load times " " " "
Anything related to agraculture
Anything related to fishing
Anything related to brewing

Do I need to go on?

Don't get me wrong: I love the game, but part of that is to desire it's success. It's won't be successful if the problems aren't recognized and discussed.

 

AFAIC, the only things strictly needed for release are questline polish, optimization and bug fixes. Everything else is gravy.