Features you'd like to see in Shroud of the Avatar

Relating to in-game games:

I'd like to have the ability to play a game of chess from a chess board in my house. Specifically, I want to be able to make a move and then be blocked from making my next move until my NPC servant or another designated "friend" makes their move.

It may take days or weeks to complete one game of chess depending on play time availability and how often I visit my house but so what, it's part of the immersion.

 

I would like to have companion characters available via the main questline. I'd like them to have character development (story-line driven) as the main quest-line progresses and have the choices you make during the game impact your companions (having them leave you if you chose certain options or only having certain ones join you if you chose certain options). I loved the companions in Ultima VII and would like to see something similar for this. Romancable characters or NPC's would be nice but I'd like those to be a little deeper than the one in Ultima VII (you literally just had to talk to Anastasia like 2 times and she fell in love with you.)

I think this would really fit well into the limited MMO and solo-play options. Perhaps limiting group size to be either chosen NPC companions or your friends or a mix of the two (like in SWTOR) would be nice.

 

Also (sorry for posting twice in a row, I don't know how to edit my last comment!) I would like to have different racial options available in game for the choice of your avatar. Having one of the gargoyle or sprite races as an option would be cool and add to the diversity of personal avatars.

 

I would like to see actual choices/solutions for quests based on different skills I have, sneaking, BSing my way past guards, just killing everything, or hell just crafting items that might b called for quests. I know not all quest might qualify for multiple paths but some could.

 

Also the ability to create n use traps including non lethal traps. And weapons\spells that could b non lethal too. So I could get into cities or houses without having to kill any guards if I chose.

 

I really like the idea of random encounters that r not actual quests, but choices I make should have consequences, helping a merchant or other on road fight off bandits\orcs, or killing them n taking loot, or just waiting n attacking the weakend winner, even the option of kiting a group of enemies into another group just to disappear n then attacking whoever won.

 

Seasons that actually change scenery n make sneaking different depending on area woods\grasslands\snow making tracks\rain making tracking harder, or even cold blooded creatures being slower in winter\ faster in summer.

 

I've played computer RPG games since the early 90's, and the most fun element in all those years was found in Ultima Online's crazy, detailed housing system.

That ability to set each piece of the hundreds or thousands bits of furniture in place, with carpets, drapes, wall finishes, lamps- and to set stuff on the tables, right down to forks, knives and spoons, made for an amazingly realistic experience.

If some shadow of UO's greatness along these lines could be brought to Shroud of the Avatar, I would be forever grateful.

It would be wonderful to be able to brings things from dungeon hoards to place in your house as trophies.

It would be awesome to be able to customize your house's interior so that it was like no one elses.

I've heard that there are hopes of making all items purposeful and interactive- and that is certainly a step in the right direction.

I fear that the team, many of whom are young, will make the tragic mistake of going with the craptastic housing approach found in so many of today's games- which all are awful, cold, tacked on solutions to where one hangs one's hat.

The adventurer's home ought to be the place where the designers START- not a last minute detail at the end of the development. Player Homes are at the top of the list, because your home defines your experience outside of it in the wilds. Without an interesting, interactive, changeable home interior, games quickly get dull and unrealistic.

My hope is that the team will throw out the awful housing concepts of the last dozen or so years, and realize that much more interesting and realistic approaches....like that found in Ultima Online, are possible, and really, a must have feature.

 

A game mechanics thing I would really like to see is some kind of auto-walk ability. It's really nice when traveling long distances to just click on the map and have the character start walking there itself (but it still got attacked by things). Ether Saga Online had this ability, and it was the best thing ever.

If some pet monsters could also be mounts, that would be cool too.

However the <i>main</i> thing I would love to see is some 'realistic' female armor for female avatars. Boob armor is just not practical by any means (cracked sternums, anyone? Because that's where all that force that hits the chest is going to). Some skimpy costume armor is cool and all, but I would also like the option to play a female character and not feel like the armor value should be half what it actually is because it's only covering half of the body.

 

The biggest deal for me is going to be the semi-attached/friends only mode.
I want to be able to play the entire game without having to deal with griefers, UO nuts, and PKers.

This was mentioned often in the blogs, and it's huge for me. It's a major part of why I tossed in *so much* money on this project. This new semi-MMO paradigm is probably the best new feature ever. I hope it's not undermined by trying to cater to the PK nuts.

 

@randomonium I hope we get to play it how we want for the SPO/FPO/OPO as well.

 

@rune_74 Exactly - if the stuff they promised gets delivered, then people will get to pick their play experience, from hard-core full loot PVP to never ever playing PVP, and many steps in between.

That'd be awesome.

 

Just make a great game like UO was and ill be happy!

 

Has anyone ever mentioned player controlled Mobs?

This would be a very cool aspect of the game... Say you've maxed out your character and now you unlock the ability to create a Mob.... it would be just like creating a character but it would actually be a monster that you control and hunt players in the wild. You level you mob like you would your character. You would how ever be more powerful then the normal player. You won't be able to communicate with anyone or know where you're on the map. Just wonder the hill side. When you kill players you gain their loot and it stacks in your inventory so when a force is sent to fight you you drop all the loot that you've collected killing players. There would be a modifier for your spells ext for how many players are fighting you to make it interesting.

Just a thought.

 

@Baddreams: Someone has indeed mentioned this before! Sounds like a pretty fun idea on the surface.

New suggestion: A component model for determining the output in SotA's crafting systems.

Rather than building pre-built objects from a list of ingredients and a set process, is it possible to build objects dynamically through the use of individual components? For example, there may be several classes of swords or guns in the game, and each might be able to be assembled using different hilts, tangs, blades, (triggers, stocks, barrels), etc.

Allowing individuals the ability to build custom results could produce unique play-style options.

 

Full loot. No "care bear items" like almost every MMO has had that when you die you will always have it.

 

I really Liked Josephs post about being able to lock the camera into a birds eye view similar to UO while pvping. That is a really good idea!

 

My best memories of UO involved exploration. PLEASE emphasize the exploration of the world (by not giving us too many in game tools to make this overly easy to navigate). Nothing better than coming across some really remote location with a random dungeon or interesting POI. Make me want to explore your new world!

 

A novel approach to death.

UO was fun but having my own head on the mantle in my house just doesn't make any sense!

 

While we are on the subject of death, I enjoy diablo hardcore mode (permadeath). It really adds to the gameplay you can't describe the anguish of losing your character. why would anyone want to experience a negative emotion during a video game? Well for me, I play to FEEL something. While you could feel happy getting a better sword or that house you've been wanting for ages, I also want to be able to experience pain and anguish of losing this sword or.. my life. How can I appreciate the value of happiness of gaining the sword if I don't know the pain of losing it in my last life. It's only a game some people lose sight of this fact, i want my character to permadie...

or if not possible please allow a dungeon for players who enjoy permadeath with very epic loot, or maybe loot that is bound to your character. so let there be a dungeon where you can permadeath and let there be an AWESOME sword you can find. have this sword magically bind to you. so you cant sell it but can brag to people that you risked your life to get it...