My experience so far has not been good

Unfortunately if this is anything even remotely close to what the finished product will be like, I'm gonna have to pass.

It is not sleek by any means. The interface seems crowded, the graphics feel like they're 15 years old and it's hard to see a lot of stuff even at high detail, and for a game which seems to promote you being able to do just about anything you want, it is very linear and forces you down certain paths, at least at the beginning.

I understand that the game is still in development, bugs are being worked out, and functionality is still being added, however the issues for me seem to be at the core of what this game is, rather than something that will get fixed in newer versions.

I'm hopeful that this is not the case, because I really want this to be a game I end up playing.

 

beginning 'force' down certain points is just a tutorial, really. and very brief. After that, you're on your own. You'll see

THE HENDOMAN

 

I'd also like to add that when it gets dark the game is pretty much unplayable, and I'm sure there is stuff out there to counter this, but I have no idea what that is.

 

Since you are saying Good Bye in the Welcome forum, I don't know what you really intend to do. So just incase, Welcome new avatar!

If you want to post constructive feedback, the link below is the feedback forum section where developers read. I am sure your experience will be of value.
https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?forums/release-44-feedback-forum.1052/

@Berek may move this feedback to the correct forum for you.

 

Feedback is welcome, however this post is an exercise in extremes.

It doesn't seem like you have asked for help, so here's a tip: this game makes the player provide their own light sources. Use a torch, learn to cast light or night vision for sight during combat.

Have you tried turning your graphics up to "Fantastic?" I only ask because the graphics in this game, comparatively to other MMOs is actually pretty breathtaking. Unfortunately, you do need a decent graphics card and plenty of RAM to see it.

Just in case you were not aware, a 15 year old MMO looks like below. This is the really amazing MMO Dark Age of Camelot. It launched in 2001. Ok, this is a 16 year old MMO AFTER got graphics upgrades about 3 years after launch.




And this is SotA:



That's really all I can say about this post.

 

This is a perfect place for new player feedback @Raven Lockehart .

You never know, you may be the person that gets the light spell put back in from the very beginning.

You don't happen to have a torch to start with do you? Because that would be a good thing to start new players with as well.

Re: being forced down a path, @The Hendoman is right, that's only going to be going on for a very brief time. After that the "hard" part that I warn new players about is that it really is up to you. What do you want to do in this game? There are so many options it's sometimes overwhelming.

Welcome! If you don't stay this release, keep an eye on us. The game gets a major update every month.

 

Guys and gals, lets not jump all over the new player. The light thing is correct, it's detrimental to have no light source for a new player when night gets as dark as it does.

Yes, the graphics are far better than a game from 2002, but how can a new player even know when it's pitch dark? The frustration is understandable.

 

I disagree because posting feedback here may be misunderstood a trolling, an attempt to frighten new players. This person's post had valid points, so it is my understanding that he cared enough to post it, which means he could just be a little frustrated and simply wants improvements. So I pointed him to the correct forum.

Please read the posts, nobody is jumping all over anyone.

 

Yeah it helps to use Light or Night Sight depending on which one you prefer.

 

I prefer night sight because it is very consistent. However, it can much harder to see the mines and other resources. You got to like green though.

 

@Raven Lockehart

Like what @Vladamir Begemot this is the kind of feed back that helps the game progress! Thank you!

New players should have have to ask for help if they do not wish, it should be self explanatory.

The game is WAY to dark.

 

I just started a new character she had 2 torches on her.
So this is already implemented at least for highvale path.
I should have went to bed but i did this experiment instead.

Side note Gawin likes to stand up and tell you how injured he is while you stare at the ground. I guess i should bug that.

 

I wholeheartedly disagree. The game is mimicking day/night cycles in real life. It's not light at night or inside caves or inside buildings with no windows. You need light sources to see in those places, like in real life. I do see, however, a problem with daylight shaded areas. Those ARE a bit too dark.

 

Keep the Darkness to let me shine for you and ban the draugr

 

The game is annoyingly dark.
Its not a fun or lifelike experiance, its unappealing and fruastrating. I made a comment a while back aboit it and got told *turn up brightness* when i clearly state in the post that i was on max.

Lighting is imo currently still needing serious work.

Also.. plz dont be comparing SoTa to DAOC.. it does nothing for the graphics debate when the argument is how it looks vs a game over a decade and a half ago.

Sotas graphics arnt amazing but thats not what makes a game. Trying to argue they are is simply a weak argument to most gamers who play games.
Compare it to mmos from the last 5 years and try to use the point of unique style.. thats closer to the truth..


To the op.
I also dont feel sota has figured out its personality yet. The game is a few months to release and i feel it will sort out its identity shortly after. So i understand that. The light spell is an annoyance but deals with some of the lighting issues. Other then that, we appreciate an¥one willing to take the time to write up feedback or anyform.

 

Thank you for your feedback, Raven. As you probably can see in the replies some of your statements can be interpreted in different ways. It would be very helpful for the Developers if you could add some explanations. E.g. was it the "New Player Experience" scenes (Bloodriver / Solace Bridge Outskirts) or the general gameplay that felt linear? Is the forcing relating to the selection of the profession etc. "Not seeing stuff" does that apply to certain items (herbs, plants, secret doors) or is it a general statement? and so on.

Most of "us" have played the game for a longer time and went through various iterations. With this experience it sometimes is hard to understand what impression the game leaves on a new player at first contact. The same probably is true for the designers that know the game and the plan - but not necessarily how things work out for new players. Detailed feedback therefore always helps.

 

Welcome @Raven Lockehart. Thanks for your feedback.

Actually in this stage of development the game can give a bit of a lost and confused experience until you see more of it. We really have some amazing things in the game so far with much more coming. Music is one of them. So definitely playerscan get an experience of lost and confused and dont know what to do.

For now make sure you get your second bar and the light spell and drag it to the 2nd bR called a utility bar.

Use o key to see your emotes and talk to NPCs to get more. Use your k key to see your skill and skill trees.

I for inventory. Z to toggle combat to replenish faster. Eat food for buffs and get blessings at shrines to give you more buffs to aid you.

The y key is how you set up decks. J is for journal and f is friends list. Use people added to friends list as teleports.

You should have a few Teleport and recall scrolls in your bank to drag to your non combat bar or to right click them too.

You can bind to a town by talking to a town crier that makes it so you can recall back there. Right click another player to friend to use them as a Teleport. You don't Teleport to them only the scene they are in. So no worries.

Most players do it. Feel free to add me in game and friend me. I'm Majoria. At the moment I'm out of town but I'll be back in a few weeks. Check your options for a light slider also.

 

Why not? The OP said the graphics looked 15 years old. I was showing him what they looked like 15 years ago.

 

@Raven Lockehart Welcome to SotA.

 

Actually I am of the opinion that we should not have to ask for help. A game should be designed in a way for the player to just be able to play and enjoy the game. The game itself should provide for the help.
Now people say that we shouldn't have hand-holding in the game and the game doesn't offer much hand-holding. Which is basically fine. But then telling people that they should ask others for help or use discord to get hints, is just the same hand-holding. No, it is even worse. Because players are ripped out of the game experience to go to other places in order to get hints from other players.

If a game relies on this mechanic I can tell you that it won't last long. Not many players want to get ripped out of the game experience constantly to have to ask other players or search for hints elsewhere because this is annoying and disrupts the experience.