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Single Player Offline: Unique Features

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by DarkStarr, Feb 17, 2015.

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  1. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    Thank you for this much needed update! So much great stuff here!

    This goes to Richard, Starr, Chris, all of Portalarium and the community:

    I want to apologize for being so annoying and pestering about the single player mode in recent weeks. Ultima 7 is my all-time favourite game and I have so many fond memories about it. When SotA was announced I had hoped that it would capture this same feeling and that I could play a game that would create a similar gaming experience and a similar feeling.
    But when the focus was put on the MMO-aspects and questions about the single player part were not answered I lost confidence and I feared that the game would become an MMO only.

    Everything I read in this thread has renewed my confidence in SotA and I am so looking forward to this game.

    Thanks again for clarifying what we can expect from the single player (offline) part.

    I'm sure I will come up with some questions later but right now I just wanted to apologize for my recent behaviour and tell you that my faith in this game has been renewed again!
     
  2. gtesser

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    You have now convinced me to play offline in addition to the online modes.
    Thank you for the update, Darkstarr!
     
  3. smack

    smack Avatar

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    I definitely plan on playing in both modes. Offline primarily for the story experience and online for the social experience, especially with the awesome community we have already. I'm not yet convinced we will have a story-based multiplayer RPG but instead merely a single player one that happens to be played online. Unless Richard and Tracy can comment that the story experience is multiplayer by design (Avatar vs avatars) and the hero's journey is different in offline vs online.

    Perhaps maybe they can comment on this in regards to story: will they play out any differently in offline vs online?
     
  4. Themo Lock

    Themo Lock Avatar

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    They get a smirk on their faces whenever multiplayer storyline comes up... they clearly have big news on that that is hard not to talk about heh
     
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  5. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Here is an idea that could spice up respawning enemies (basically in every mode).

    First I have to say that I am really glad that the offline mode will get unique respawning rules. It is very important to create a sense of achievement by being able to clear areas and defeat enemies once and for all.
    But maybe there would be a method to spice this up a bit. This idea is based on an idea I read here on the forums but I don't know who it was that suggested it. So sorry that I can't mention you.

    How about roving encounters on the overland map being able to repopulate scenes to some extent?
    So we cleared out the bandit camp in the forest but a band of dark elves who is wandering around on the overland map realizes that this area has been "cleared" and that they could use it as a new base of operations. So the roving dark elves try to reach this scene. We the players could now intercept the dark elves on the overland map. If we do this and defeat them, then they can't reach the scene and it will stay cleared. If we do not intercept the dark elves, then they reach the scene and repopulate it to some extent. So when we come back to this scene later, there will be dark elves roaming around there which we have to fight.

    This way we would get the sense of achievement by being able to clear a scene but it would also add two interesting elements to the game. 1. a strategical element as we would have to look out for roving encounters wanting to reach some scenes and 2. re-visiting scenes later would be spiced up if there could be some new enemies there.

    The mode we play in could determine how long it takes for roving encounters to realize that a scene has been cleared. So for single player this could be about two hours but for multiplayer this could just be a few minutes.

    This would basically not be a respawn as we know it in which the same monsters reappear over and over again. But instead it would be a more dynamic and natural system in which we could even take actively a part in and basically decide if a scene will be repopulated again. Also a repopulation would not mean that the scene would be full of enemies but just a few new ones who reached the scene and settled there.
     
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  6. graylake21

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    obv problem is yielding 1-70 xp with 1 map set.

    obv solution, being able to crush an object on the map to prevent creature spawn, or to fix it, in the event you'd want it re-enabled.

    {though, i suppose the real end game is finding a way to farm freely} {under consideration}
     
  7. royalsexy

    royalsexy Avatar

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    That's one of the mysteries you have to solve in the story - where have all the children gone? I suspect the liches took them for nefarious purposes! The townspeople are too scared to talk about it even...
     
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  8. Katrina Bekers

    Katrina Bekers Localization Team

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    This may sound a silly question, and maybe it already has an answer, but I didn't find it.

    We will be able to play the entirety of the storyline even if we play exclusively online - either single or multi? Or the best experience for the narrative part would be in offline?

    I ask this because at the moment Steam users (like me) can only access the online part, and I'd be a sad panda indeed if I had to mix & match Steam and non-Steam to take full advantage of the rich storytelling I'm being promised (and I'm sure will be delivered).

    TIA.
     
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  9. royalsexy

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    Solid question, and we're all playing online still at this point, no matter which client you access the game through. Single-player offline has been disabled since they created the online game, many releases ago.
     
  10. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Will the adventure scenes offer different content in single player mode? I guess that the scenes in multiplayer modes are more or less a means to gather ressources and fight monsters due to the respawning.
    But as the offline mode offers different respawn rules will there be other content in the scenes, too? For example some NPCs, quests, hidden treasures, some things that happen in the scenes for example Bandits attacking a merchant etc.? Or will such content be present in multiplayer mode, too?
     
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  11. Katrina Bekers

    Katrina Bekers Localization Team

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    Ah ok, I get it, thank you so much.

    Somehow I always gave for granted that "regular" players have all four options (single/friends/singleonline/multionline) active.

    The doubt stays, however, even if now I know I share the destiny of KS-only pledgers ;)
     
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  12. docdoom77

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    I haven't read all 7 pages, just wanted to respond as I saw this.

    First, I'm very happy to see these items addressed. The companions sound great!

    Second, I'm terribly disappointed at no time advancement. That sounds like it will make for a very tedious experience in a game with NPC schedules and if those schedules are as important to the plot as they were in U7, it could be nigh unbearable.

    So, since it has to be put on a wishlist for single player offline, I kindly request that it be put at the very TOP of said wishlist.

    Thanks again for taking the time to answer theses questions.
     
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  13. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Yes, advancing time would be not only nice but I think important, too.

    Also it could be very atmospheric if we could "hole up and camp".
     
  14. docdoom77

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    Agreed. It seems a little off to me not to have sleeping. In fact, it should be required. Richard has put all this time into creating all these recipes for eating, but we don't ever sleep?

    That aside, I think time advancement is very important, regardless of how it's implemented. Could you imagine standing around and waiting all day to catch all the ne'er-do-wells at night in Ultima 7?
     
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  15. Caladhan

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    Great news!
    Thank you, DarkStarr, for answering so many questions!
     
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  16. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Great ideas but likely not in scope for Episode 1
     
  17. rune_74

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    Darkstar, wouldn't it be possible to put in a function with beds that would advance time? If time is just a stat why not have the bed adjust that stat.....? It wouldn't be the perfect solution but it would allow time to advance from day to night or vice versa.
     
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  18. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Any answer we might give you would likely have spoilers in it so "no comment"
     
  19. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Very interesting idea! Likely not in scope for Episode 1 though
     
  20. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    You can play the entire story in offline or online mode.

    We won't enable offline mode until we launch.
     
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