MMORPG SotA Column: Concerns Worthy of Note

MMORPG has a new article up discussing some concerns the author felt worth pointing out:
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/935/feature/8916/Concerns-Worthy-of-Note.html

Some of these concerns are:
- entering a saturated market
- "strange" combat system
- skill trees (this was actually his biggest issue)

Check it out and discuss below

 

Lol, I got a kick out of the comments, one guy didnt like it because he said he played "beta" and listed graphics and such as what he did not like. Rofl!

 

I read the article, it seemed pretty fair but I'm not sure if the author completely understood the mechanics behind the system calling glyphs 'runes' and stating, "...In real life, you rarely slay your fifteenth rat to the reverberating sound of some mystical gong and then suddenly find yourself better at blacksmithing....". This is why there is a combat area that is separate from the crafting area in the skill tree. Different level gains and way of earning points.

Still, all in all, a fair assessment from his viewpoint.

 

To be fair, I think that was a bit of intended hyperbole used to drive home a point.

Personally, I'm glad we're not getting a "use-to-gain" skill system. I don't need the worst part of Oblivion (an otherwise outstanding game) infecting my Shroud.

 

Its a good article with genuine concerns

 

yes. Author does have some relevant points for concern

 

For those who don't want to read, or find it too long to read... here's a key statement. The author is a fan of SoTA:

"I set out last week trying to really put some extra thought into Shroud of the Avatar and find some decisions or components that I didn’t care as much for or thought might be problematic for Garriott and his team in the long run. I’m one of those folks who feel you should never be 100% onboard with any product or idea. Also, it’s through examining what you don’t like that you sometimes find help in defining what you do like."

Get this guy on the forum!

 

Ultima's skill system was one of the best aspects of that game. Unfortunate that it hasn't been continued and enhanced with SotA.

 

I can only assume when you say Ultima, you actually mean Ultima online. Because Ultima games didn't have skills (unless you count the underworld games), just Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Combat and Magic ability scores.

 

Sorry, I should have clarified.

 

The "strange" combat system will be the downfall of SotA's popularity. It will estrange most current traditional MMO players. I know SotA isn't an MMO but the audience is the same audience SotA will be striving for. I understand SotA isn't catering to the majority and trying to please everyone. What I don't understand is exactly who they are catering to. Who asked for this system? When something as fundamental as combat is changed in the name of "being different" it will alienate a whole lot of future users for no reason because a lot of people don't have the patience to relearn what they have been doing for years. It's like if all new cars were built with the acceleration and brakes into the steering wheel as buttons. This game seems to focus on limited player owned housing and player made items and this system seems to stymie the player growth. I am not here to batter this game. I love everything else it the game, backed and will play. My problem is I have 5 friends that have all tried this system and don't want anything to do with it. They understand how it works and 3 of them even got pretty decent at pvp...but they just don't bite. I applaud the team for going for something different and better but I feel they have only achieved different.

 

I'll be honest and say I've lost a lot of enthusiasm for this game in the past few months. I wish they'd overhaul and re-conceptualize many of the core systems and mechanics that distract from the gameplay and story itself, which works against the idea of an immersive world. As it stands now the world feels painfully small, overcomplicated, and generic. There are also way too many straight lines in Ardoris for it to feel natural.

 

I agree with that.

I'm not sure "painfully small" and "over complicated" really go well together. I know "over complicated" and "generic" don't go well together. I'm not really sure what you were trying to express here. Also, Ardoris is a man made town so it wouldn't feel "natural". I think what you mean is that it doesn't feel, organic? (as if it were built over time?)

 

Well, he may have a point about Ardoris. I mean, if you look at the older cities of the world, the ones that were around in medieval times...they aren't gridded. They're more like spiderwebs, with oddly-shapen blocks radiating outward from the city core. Even a few US cities (Philly comes to mind) follow this model.

Ardoris feels very gridded. It could stand to feel less so.

 

Again props to the author of the article

I don't think the combat is the determining factor here - the game is incomplete and its hard to gauge the game - fun is a bug - part of the reason I don't really group at the moment is because I want to see what the game is like on its own (that way I'm attempting to see if I really like the game / and not the great and fun people that play it)

The issue for me - at the moment - ?is the game moving towards artificial barriers to entry for the "beginner"? - through its attempt at Sandy-MMOsy-RPG (I like the game / and I think I will like the end product)

But the sheer volume of "discovery content" - will be an issue / I'm sure that this community will step up to a degree and bridge that gap for players /

I ask myself ?"if the game systems are intuitive and engaging"? - (combat is included in this assessment)

 

I consider this a compromise from "realism" towards ease of play. The more organic a town, the harder it is to navigate. I can live with some "unnatural layouts," if it reduces my chances of getting lost (ya know, down from 95% to 90% ).

 

Agreed.

I really enjoy Ardoris though, it's by far my favorite scene in the game. Despite owning my own player town I waffle on living there as my primary location, I like it that much. (I did notice a lack of Town and City level housing though)

 

I certainly don't mind Ardoris, nor does it particularly grab my attention.

I did enjoy waking around on the aqueducts though.

 

This was a reflection on my criticism. The scenes are small, the mechanics are overly complicated, and the themes, colours, and props are repeated over and over again. I should have expressed this better.

 

City planning is a new phenomenon and out of place in a medieval style world. Gridding is also awful and lacks imagination.