Less Focus on Episode 2

I love SOTA and I love Episode 2. I have bought Episode 2 four times, as gifts. SOTA is definitely heading in the right direction. I am not one of those people who thinks their suggestions are the best things in the world and will only be satisfied when they are in the game. I have seen tons of suggestions from other players that I think are great. Some I think would have a great impact and others I don't know about.

I am seeing an influx of new players and think this is the perfect time to focus on the new player experience. Tutorials, revamping the starter zone, polishing up quests, etc. I have seen a lot of returning players who like the new stuff. I think the base game is what hooks people. I do feel that the base game could increase its conversion rate with some focus.

Even after purchasing Episode 2 six times now, it isn't on my priority list. Episode 2 is for veterans and every game should pay attention to them. But there is sufficient episode 2 content for me. I haven't encountered a single person I have gifted it to not loving it in its current state. I would rather see some Wishlist success stories of suggestions being turned into action.

 

Is this a single player game or an MMORPG? Is the story really the strong point of SOTA? I don't think people play SOTA for the story. And if people play for the story, then Episode 1 needs polish. It has some good stories but they could be told better with cutscenes, voice overs and more dramatic framing. The quest of the missing Elf village is very fascinating but could be done in grander style. There are other examples. Episode 2 works better when Episode 1 has people invested in the characters.

 

You're not wrong, but don't hold your breath. I don't recall the specific conversation (I think I was suggesting ways to make the underworld more interesting/useful) but I was told by one of the remaining devs that aside from bug fixes and the occasional easy/quick addition, there are no plans (or even intent) to revisit scenes and stories from episode 1.

 

Just a little funny. My eyesight is not the best. But when i read this phrase in the OP "I am not one of those people who thinks their suggestions are the best things in the world and will only be satisfied when they are in the game." I immediately looked to the left at the avatar name posting it and read it as "Suggestaton" instead of Seggallion. Not a bad suggestion though.

Edit: just to be clear this was not intended as anything other than a side poke at myself that made me chuckle at the time.

 

Taking into consideration early game puts off a sizeable portion of new players, I think trying to save it is always worth for it's going to impact the game as a whole.
Weary veterans are always going to leave an MMO no matter how good it is, and they need to be replaced with a stream fresh new players.

Now to the part where I think the actual problem dwells: as far as I'm aware, the improvements made to starting scenes were always incremental. This means they built up from a poor foundation.

The devs need to go back to the drawing board and break free from their original vision for starting scenes.

Yes this would take a lot of effort, but if done right it would help the game in many ways.

 

It's more of a sandbox mmo than a story-driven or themepark style mmo. I would rather they focused on honestly a more compelling storyline at least for the main story and perhaps each town/scene should have a subplot. Of course, I'm probably going to be in the minority here when I say, and I believe I speak for the other 4-5 players I introduced to the game the main story quest as it stands is borderline insufferable. Everyone I know personally who has done it has depended entirely on walkthroughs because the quests are directionless and obsessively vague, imho. Some folks like that sort of thing, and that's fine but we cant expect to attract a mainstream following when our flagship quest-line is how it currently is. Sorry. Not sorry.