New player here - my first thoughts

Hi!

My first impression is that the game was obviously made by a relatively new indie team and considering that it's quite impressive. Even though I have only scratched the surface it FEELS like there is a lot to this game. I am absolutely sure that later in the game there is a lot of stuff that keeps all of you here around.

However, there are some fundamental things that keep me from having fun right away and that's a shame. That's why I decided to give some short feedback with only the most important things in order not to create convoluted post that helps no one:

1.) Loot: I get that you should not get great stuff from the start, but I get the same useless junk for so long now already. I don't feel the character progression like in other good mmos. There absolutely need to be better loot drops to keep games hooked from the start.

2.) Interface: Let's just say it's not slick. Especially everything about dialogues with NPCs. It is off-putting.

3.) I get that it's a MMO first and foremost and not a single player game, but the story drags and is so uninteresting. I think you can look at WOW to get a better sense of how to tell a compelling story in a MMO. I am a sucker for good storylines, even in MMOs, it's a big part of the immersion for me.

4.) Performance and graphics: I am sure you are working on performance, but I want to underline that it needs to be smoother. I know, better graphics could mean even worse performance, but throw some shaders in that game, it's not 2010 anymore

Thanks for reading the feedback! Keep at it! Like I said, great effort for a small new indie team, nothing but respect, but I think especially the first 3 points I made should be improved soon for your own good, this would get players hooked to the game quicker.

Now I'll go back to leveling
see ya

 

hmmm... I was thinking it's all shaders

I'm new too and so far I quite like the story, but I agree the interface could use a little polishing. There's something a bit funny about the way the camera moves, and I don't think it's a simple performance problem on my system. I adjusted the Field Of View settings a little and that has improved it, but there's still something a little unrealistic about the camera motion.

I miss the old Ultima Online style packs that didn't just contain lists of items, which I find a bit too much like a browser game for proper immersion...

It has that magic "thing" that I need to make me want to play it though, so I'm happy for now.

 

The interface was just polished.

 

really? well then it needs some good waxing too. it's just not where it needs to be

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Thanks for your feedback guys. Yes the devs are aware of the story problems and the quest system is getting re-done in episode two and I loved wow but did not take it so much as a story game but a couple of the stories I loved like the story that started the Worgen race. It was so compelling how we went to fight in the buildings and heard the cries and then when we came back to the rest of the world with our Worgen race how the merchants would scream in terror when they saw us. And how that character changed from beautiful into beastly during combat. I wanted so much to have that story go on a bit more but the game kind of dropped the ball on it which left me a bit disappointed. Also I loved the cut scene in wow of the dwarven family getting married and my character was there with them. That was awesome.

Anyway hopefully with the new quest design plans things like this will improve greatly. Also much more UI improvements planned. It has been slow progress but I believe this game offers a lot of options for a virtual home for many players and will continue to work out those kinks players find. Welcome to the game and I'm Majoria in game if I can ever help.

 

Lol, you're right, it still needs work. On the plus side, it gets improvements in almost every release. The deck selection window was redone last Thursday. Hopefully for R60 we see some other new improvements.

And welcome! If you can make it past those sticking points I think you'll find that the meat of the game is well worth being here for. As a reference, I'm probably well past 5,000 hours now, and only about 100ish were spent on the story.

See you in game!

 

My grandpappy once told me you can't polish a turd.

 

Completely agree. Something is still really wrong with the loot / rewards / etc. The devs need to take a big step back and truly ask what they're doing here. Something is really out of whack with their approach on this.

 

The Quest and Interface systems are the 2 oldest systems in the game.

The quest system is getting an overhaul in Chapter 2. And I assume at some point the interface will probably get some love.

 

It almost seems like there is an effort to disappoint the player when the mob is looted. I don't get it either and was under the impression once it launched, the loot train was gonna roll in.

 

Welcome! I like to read new player feedback, so thank you for going to the trouble.

Of the points you mention, the dialogue and the loot bother me the most. Believe it or not, loot has already been improved from what it used to be. Unless one is fighting boss mobs that seems to mean that you get household items and recipes in addition to the regular gold, reagents, worn out gear, etc. I have been spending most of my time recently playing the offline version of the game. The main reason (besides the companions) is that you get more loot and that makes it more satisfying.

 

A new UI came in June, 2018(R55).

 

That was just an art update. The system is still the old one.

 

Yeah they just changed the color and outlines of the UI. Nothing substantial yet

 

Why in the world would they add an "art update" to a UI that you say is one of the oldest systems in the game? You either tear something down and rebuild it or you make it visually more pleasing, not both, as that's grossly inefficient.

 

welcome to the game.

there is no reason to think that what is here today is set in stone. this team is all about improvements and everything gets revisited from time to time.

keep the constructive feedback coming so they know what we want. i think you'll be impressed with how much this team can get done in a month.

 

Mythbusters actually proved that one wrong... though that's neither here nor there ;-)

 

Hello and welcome to the SOTA.
I agree about the performance and graphics.

I like the story although I grew up back in the day when story unfolded through interacting with the game. You had to read it all and piece the story together as you went. No cutscenes or voice acting.
The main quest series is truly engaging and thought provoking, if you can get into the "oldschool" feel of it all.
This style might be what is somewhat off putting. There is nothing wrong with that feeling it is subjective just as my feelings are.
You won't be lead by the hand via quests. In some cases you just find a random quest or puzzle by exploring an area.
The quest tracking and log system truly does need some love.

I think loot does need something. I can't say what.
But part of the general concept of the economy is that you are not going to get that uber gear from loot.
You get it from purchasing from other players that spent months leveling a specific crafting specialty.
So loot needs to be something else. Although I can say that there are tons of players that like to decorate housing so the random goblet or picture is not unwanted.
Efficient players that don't want to scrap the loot for rafting materials and exp often sell it and use the gold for stuff they want. They also don't pick up everything, just stuff that sells well.

I do hope you find the game enjoyable. It does have a big learning curve and many of the advanced mechanics that make it really fun are only appreciated later in the game experience.

 

Not really:
Richard Garriott
Starr Long

etc.