Quests - What's wrong with people?

Yes I really like it as well Darkmoon. I think chat windows should be separated. We should not be talking to our NPCs or each other all in one space. It gets too crazy. I don't feel the vibe. When I'm at a party hanging out with people or out in a party killing stuff, I get so lost. All the colors of words in the rainbow will not let us get connected to each other the way chat is set up now. We have complained and complained about it and some changes have happened like unchecking what you don't want to see, but still the chat boxes can't be separated that I've seen. I'd want to pull out a chat from someone by itself, not mixed in with the world. Ok a bit of a rant lol

 

I think that it is too complicated to get the chat window to at least look a little bit like a regular dialogue window. We have to manually resize it and drag it into a proper position. Then we have to adjust every Tab what it should display and still the text looks like a protocol.
These are way too many steps to get a sonewhat usable dialogue window. Not many players will do all this and then they won't be content with this chat window.

 

I think the revamp of the chat window isn't a too time-consuming or expensive task. In fact I believe this could cheaply be done and would satisfy many people

 

Indeed Sir Cabrius, things like the very complex music system was done by one third party contributor in their spare time. So we've not been accepting "too hard to do" as an excuse for a looong time now

 

That chat window would fix so much that is an issue right now with npc's.


I remember when you brought it up for the first time over a year ago....

 

Hey! Not before they fix the Love Line. Priorities!

But yes, agree 100%. Chat is rough, and not in a good way.

 

Na sorry Im not buyin it. There are plenty of types I would not want to join this game. International game-slaver farmers come to mind first of all. People who exist for the pleasure of causing grief would be a close second. I also cant see the value in people who choose to only react emotionally to any interruption of immediate gratification, and try to employ some sort of perceived power of "social media comments" to demand attention to their need for a watered down experience.

Also, for the record, typing in all caps actually makes your message less clear, and is more difficult to read than standard text.

 

Who is asking for this?

I think a lot are saying the quests are not good enough and not detailed enough yet....at least I am for sure. Simple fedex quests are not what I am looking for in 2016.

 

Hmm we couldn't agree more thats why I said "I get where you comin from".

I myself would LOVE to have my closed economy Siege Perilous ! In fact I can be considered one of the only and the MOST PERSEVERANT demanders of this wonderful idea.

But you can't come around and make largely generalizing comments that might be less than well interpreted, especially if you don't explain yourself. Your earlier definition was encompassing ALOT of players, I'm not saying either that you'd be responsible if they really took your advice but this is not what this forum is about. In fact it should not be called a forum because by definition a forum is where opinions are pitched against each other, and there is a rule against that here, so in fact its a censored forums just like *cough* stratics... been there done that

I'm all for equity and I've got a strong reputation on this forum of someone that dosen't raise flags and use the report button just because I feel someone isn't friendly. I'm just telling you to stop generalizing and make your posts feel a little welcoming, even if you have a strong opinion noone is asking you to put rose colored glasses on, after all the OP states "what is wrong with people".

I'm just sayin : Don't judge people... often your best friends and people who end up helping you are the ones you least expected to...

HOW was that for SYNTAX... I'm not getting any better am I ? heheh

 

Then perhaps I interpreted "ALL INCLUSIVE" quite literally, as a request to actually "water it down" to please some grief-mongering attitudes.

I was really referring to people crying on steam (which is what the OP is about, right?), and most likely down-voting the game, because it wasn’t holding their hand through the experience. At times, steam forum comments can get very, well, youtube-ish.

I like having to actually ask the NPC for a "key" rather than having a prompt that basically amounts to clicking through text to proceed.

 

I think the way the quests are now would cause a downvote for good reason.

 

You're both right ! lol... this is two very different issues.

If you guys had read my suggestions when the quests and the gypsy first came out you would have thought "oh man thats a bit over the top"

I would make it much, much harder, and very very different.

Cloud computing allows for logging of many types of actions and its easy to run a background program that really analyses the behavior of the player and thus you don't depend on "do this to get out" or "answer those questions to know your class" in fact I think its more important to make the player know that he's being analysed and thus, blur the lines between right and wrong.

Thats actually easier done than said

 

"At times".

*Sigh*

 

Quests, and hints, in computer RPGs are a tricky subject, since I seem to want both 'realistic' conversations and a storyline that makes sense and I can follow - and I fear that's hoping for too much from a programmed game, I'm 'spoilt' by starting from pen-and-paper RPGs with humans who mostly understand what you are talking about and usually manage to be rational and sensible. Computer game NPCs fail badly on those qualities

I've never been much use at getting the right 'keywords' to make NPCs respond, in any game, and that's unlikely to change now - but I also don't much enjoy trying to have conversations with NPCs either, since experience persuades me that it will rarely prove remotely useful and usually just remind you 'you are playing a game' when they parrot back meaningless, irrelevant and frequently surreal responses. My usual inclination now it to just get on with doing stuff, and pay little attention to the programmed 'people' who are more likely to annoy than to help. Trouble is, of course, I also like finding things out rather than being hand-held through a scene or encounter, so as with most things I'd settle for a reasonable compromise that doesn't annoy me too much, and go along with that. Again, a problem since the main 'second line' of communicating with a game world seems to be books and notes, and I am never that convinced someone watching their village burn down and their family being killed by invading enemies stops to make a note of what's going on at the time - but I don't think there's a 'good' solution to those things, just a 'good enough' compromise to be found. 'Artificial intelligence' is certainly artificial, but in no way 'intelligent'.... interacting with it is rarely a fun experience for me.

It is amusing at times though when you hit the 'keyword' out of sheer frustration- Mortinus experience being a classic example

There's an intriguing paradox involved - we want the NPCs to be clear and straightforward, but surely we all know far too well that real humans in any interactions - real life, online, and anywhere else - frequently seem obtuse, stupid, ignorant, deceptive.... no certainty you will be dealing with an intelligent and helpful person, whilst it's pretty likely it is not guaranteed. And that leads me to ponder if the years of dealing with 'artificially intelligent' morons in games has contributed to the way some online social spaces turn nasty, having 'trained' people to forget they are interacting with other, real, people on that screen and not just automated parrots.... but that's a whole other question

 

@Chris @DarkStarr interested in easily accessible, credible online reference on usability in game design? Have I got a list for you!

Do Usability Expert Evaluation and Testing Provide Novel and Useful Data For Game Development?
Author: Sauli Laitinen
Description: A case study was done to study whether usability expert evaluation and testing are suitable for game development. It was found that the usability expert evaluation and testing provided both novel and useful data for game development.

Better Games Through Usability Evaluation and Testing
Author: Gamasutra; Sauli Laitinen
Description: The best way to make sure that unintended problems do not hinder enjoying the game is to take usability into account in game development. This article presents how this can be done and what kind of results to expect.

A survey method for assessing perceptions of a game: The consumer playtest in game design
Authors: John P. Davis, Keith Steury, and Randy Pagulayan
Description: In this paper we describe the playtest method we have developed, a method that combines traditional, scientific survey methods with a controlled laboratory environment to collect systematic, quantitative information about consumers perceptions of games.

A Cognitive Ergonomics Approach to the Process of Game Design and Development (PDF)
Author: Yves Grassioulet
Description: In this qualitative study, the main features for a foundational framework of game design and development process will be described, using cognitive ergonomics methods such as semi-structured interviews, critical incidents gathering, and free mind mapping.

Accounting for User Needs and Motivations in Game Design
Authors: Lucy A. Joyner and Jim TerKeurst
Description: This early research suggests that games are used differently to support personal and social needs and motivations. Focusing on the players definition of the gaming situation and how they orient themselves to the game could provide insight as to how game playing captivates the player and promotes identification within the game.

 

For one of the first quests in a game that's very overwhelming, I'd say having a dumbed down quest to be reach the point where the game "opens up" is acceptable.

Let them discover the quests at their own pace... but at least let them play the game. Aka: get them out of the starting prisons.

 

I am so guilty *blushes slightly, while gazing at the ground off to the right shamefully*. I am so darn spoiled by other MMO's. I have been trained to know what to expect from quests without reading them. This is why I can play games in Japanese, as literacy is optional. Ironically, that predictability is what I despise most about MMO's. Takes time and willingness to adjust....