SotA Then vs. Now....?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Ishel, Mar 25, 2018.

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  1. Ishel

    Ishel Avatar

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    I've been a backer since day one because I enjoyed the Ultima games as a kid (I missed UO). I have noticed that the hate for this game is strong on Reddit and various web sites. The chief complaint I'm hearing is "It's so different from what was originally promised - not the same game!"

    From what I've read and how I've followed this game for the last several years, though, it doesn't seem to me as though there has been much deviation from the original goals - only expansion. The one exception that I can see is that there is now a map when it was previously said there would be no map - a very welcome addition, in my opinion, to say the least.

    I am not expecting to run into the same level of hatred here as in those other places. I am looking forward to playing more regularly. But is there anything that any of you are aware of that has greatly deviated from the original plans? Features, UI, anything?
     
  2. mass

    mass Avatar

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    Back away from rabbit hole...play game...make own decision.
     
  3. majoria70

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    Yes really enjoy the game and lets go forward. This game imo is based on many visions coming together throughout the years from all of us who have been here to form what is now call Shroud of The Avatar. No one could envision exactly what directions this game would go since it was never based on just the developers vision. Since it was being made with us and for us not just one source created or controlled what it would become. It had to come from many other sources (meaning us too) There was no way to stop that it did go in all those directions. Now our job in playing the game imo is to enjoy it of course and also if we are providing that constructive feedback during that time we have the opportunity to improve upon what is there and what is still coming in the game with monthly release still happening after launch there is lots of opportunity for this kind of feedback.
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2018
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  4. Max Bennis

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    Don't let negative comments hold you back, @Ishel !
    I backed the game around R16 and played on and off since then.
    Yes, at first glance this is a game that doesn't share modern AAA MMORPGs' standards.
    but even so, I urge you to plunge yourself into the game, since its world is VERY immersive, not to mention its addictive community.

    I've been playing numerous games these days, but I always find myself coming back to SotA after awhile.

    It has its magic, try it.
     
  5. Ishel

    Ishel Avatar

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    Thanks, everyone. For those who have been around a while, I was looking for particulars. Is there a single (or a few) changes from the original idea of the game that has players up in arms? Like I said, I can only think of an addition of a map, and it's a welcome one rather than a negative.
     
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  6. Beaumaris

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    No significant deviations, IMHO. RG and team built the game they wanted to build. I'll take playing that any day over the Monday-morning-quarterbacking game called Reddit. SOTA is a good game getting stronger all the time. Play and judge for yourself. Welcome back!
     
  7. Lained

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    I've been here since the Kickstarter also and I'm of the same opinion.
     
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  8. majoria70

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    Well in the very least kickstarter notes could only be used as an outline at best. Backer feedback, system limitations, budget, and being developed by a small team affected how this developed. No one had a vision that was the same. We all had our own visions and many of the visions were from playing UO so as I mentioned this all contributed to what you will see during playing this game. And what good is it to go back? I know I'm not all up in arms about it, I am accepting that my vision was my vision and now we move forward. As many wanted this to be UO2 they soon found it was Shroud of The Avatar instead. I know that we truly don't know what this game will become exactly. There is still so much coming in and still being changed and adjusted at this very moment from dev choices and player feedback and that will continue. Oh well I will let you carry on. I don't have anything to contribute.
     
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  9. Ishel

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    @majoria70 What is this nonsense? You were very helpful. Thank you!

    I didn't play UO very much, but from the beginning, the newbie quests are VERY reminiscient of the old Ultima RPG games. If it's similar to UO, it's that and more. People need to accept that they're not playing a sequel to a game in 1999. Personally, I very much like what it has ended up being (which, from what I have seen from the dev notes over the years, is exactly what I expected). Can't beat that. :)
     
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  10. MrBlight

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    Little things like treasure hunting.. right into meaningful PvP / GvG r big deviations IMO that strayed from promises.

    Shroud essentially to ME ( opinion warning ) isnt so much a BAD game, as it was just a disappointment. I had such high hopes and felt like i waa just being led along for entirely too long. The game on its own, is.. a mediocer standard RPGish online game.

    The other variables led me to have stronger opinions in regards to features, development, state and dev communication.

    Id argue that for ME.. theres dozens of changrs that werent up to par for what was promised/funded.. compared to other small devs ive watched develope.
    But of coarse.. every comment and promise can be interpretted differently ( altho some i feel was outright and intentionally misleading ).

    All in all. Play the trial, but dont do it hoping for RGs next big game.. compared to Ultimas or UO.. . it will lessen your objectivity and you will probly enjoy sota more that way.
     
  11. Dirk Hammerstrike

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    Partly it is due to completely unrealistic expectations. You cannot win against nostalgia. Things were rarely as rosy as folks remember them. Partly its due to differing ideas of vision. When you have a "shared" vision, you might think everyone is in agreement, but the devil is in the details. And once a vision is realized, people start to recognize that their vision wasn't as "shared" as they thought it was. I think the biggest thing from early days talk I'm not seeing is the idea of player's impact on the world. I don't know if or when that is coming, but I was hoping for more than town sieges and choke points that everyone bypasses. I've played little in the last 4+ releases... just checking mail, restocking the merchant a bit and thats really it. RL keeps getting in the way of playing but I'll be in at least a bit for the launch. Hope to see a world full of avatars.
     
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  12. Ishel

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    @Dirk Hammerstrike I played for a total of two hours hopping on between releases and decided to wait til launch. Recently, decided to commit to it since I put a substantial (but not THAT substantial) amount of money into backing it. I see a much, much, much better product than the one I played at the beginning, and substantially different in even t he last year. I understand the dislike about the world-affecting (whatever that word is). I remember that was promised, too. There are 4 episodes to go - hopefully it will come soon! I'm sure you're not the only person who wants this. :)
     
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  13. Numa

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    I've been eager to try the SPO (Single Player Offline) mode since strides have been taken recently to bring it up to par development-wise with other modes. But those who backed the game for the SPO part are far from satisfied still at this mode's current status. The storyline is more or less complete though and all the companions will be available in the next release which is R52 (coming this week). And POTS have disappeared from SPO which is a very big thing immersions wise for those playing this as a single player game.

    On other fronts SOTA has come pretty far along.
     
  14. Tiki Pirate

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    I backed at release 9. The game improved quickly at first, then seemed to stagnate - mostly I think development moved to other less visible areas. With the last few releases the game has improved a surprising amount and I now feel good about the direction and effort from the developers again.

    I've seen the Reddit threads over the last few years, many of the gripes were justified; but, most were based on an incomplete game, unreal expectations, or unfulfilled nostalgic dreams. There is plenty of work to do, and some older scenes could use reworks, yet I've done my best to hold my breath until the devs said it was done - or done enough for release. I enjoy the game.

    It's not a AAA mmorpg; but, the funny thing is - I have those, yet find myself logging in and playing SOTA nightly while my AAA mmo's sit uninstalled or unplayed in my Steam library. SOTA is not a UO clone or UO remake, but a game in a different direction. A zig in a world of zags. In that sense, it is like UO was...unique.

    Some nights I just log in, fish, craft, fish, listen to drunks and dragons podcast in the background and call it a night. Other nights I log in and go on a quest to find a recipe, loot, or resource. Sometimes I go hunting, questing, exploring, or shopping. The freedom to play your own way, yet be part of the bigger story/world is the strength of SOTA.
     
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  15. Ishel

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    Well said! I'm looking forward to exploring more. If only there were horses! :)
     
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  16. Rufus D`Asperdi

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    Episode 2
    These will come... Treasure Hunting wasn't a launch feature of UO, and I don't believe it was ever promised for launch of SotA. Yes, not all of the PvP commitments have been delivered for launch, but I'm confident they will be.
     
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  17. Vodalian

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    Making a fun game has to take priority over following earlier goals to the letter. The current game is the result of many different choices and some compromises along the way (with plenty of input in all directions from the community).

    Some would say for example that the single player experience isn’t developed the way they expected. I think the early vision was vague enough that there was room for very different expectations. Some early ambitions may not have been completely thought through. Which is not so strange in a process like this imo.
     
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  18. Duke Gréagóir

    Duke Gréagóir Legend of the Hearth

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    I agree that Kickstarter was a start of a roadmap. Along the way many people helped and transformed Shroud of the Avatar into what we have today = a fun immersive world that will give me the majority of what I wanted.

    Not everything I wanted. I am ok with that. The Devs are working very hard and reviewing to make sure everything works together.

    Some pledge items were tweaked into something better. Some were replaced due to the technology not been developed (or is too hard to develop right now).

    In the end we have a very fun game. I am proud to of helped with my Kickstarter-era pledge, POT and SeedInvest investment to make SOTA a reality.

    Well done Portalarium!!
     
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  19. Ishel

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    Yeah, but that's two years away! :D Hopefully it will be added along the way in the not-to-distant future. At least by then I'll have enough gold to buy one. I hope. :)
     
  20. Dermott

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    How many people expected 15+ years' worth of UO content on top of the 20+ years of Ultima content to be available almost instantaneously?

    Two things to remember:

    1. People were let in from the VERY beginning when all we had was one fairly empty town and a LOT of potential and has had to build from there.

    2. Development on SotA does not stop tomorrow. Unlike the old Ultimas that shipped when done (or demanded by EA) and then were "as is", SotA will be persistently changed and added to so some of those "They said they would do X" bits of content may very well still find their way into the game.

    There have been patches of time where SotA has been less playable, and some features that were old school Ultima, but removed (bye bye Bag Mode), but overall, the "feel" of SotA is definitely getting there. I hope to find more and more things to do even outside of the specific main storylines to make it worthwhile to explore all of the various scenes in the game... but I think that will all come in time.
     
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