SOTA's Target Audience is too broad.

I believe pvp is going to be much better than it currently is (right now it's very poor due to imbalance and the macro pvp system not being present).

I also believe that the social dynamics of multiplayer mode will be what keeps this game running for many years.

 

This criticism is to broad. Cant you just come out and say you want something? Why frame it as if your problem has to do with other players and what they want? Your post is not about that, it is about what you want- just come out and say what you mean.

 

My opinion, such that it is, is that this game is way too ambitious for it's budget.

It should ditch the single player game completely, because it's pretty obvious it's not going to be successful in the marketplace with it and concentrate on what it has potential at, which is being an Ultima MMO that appeals to UO players.

Then more resources could go to fixing the stuff that really needs fixing.

 

I have nothing against PVP or RPG. I do wonder, though. Do those who enjoy PVP want story advancement? Are there PVP people who want their skills to be central to getting to the end game of Episode 1? Likewise, does the RPG group want the story to progress due to their talents and interests, or are they satisfied with a static life of interaction with their friends and the economy?

I can envision, in the PVP context a game progression through some type of control point system, perhaps requiring varying types of cooperation, alliance, and or solo action to progress. On the RPG side, similar progression through economic activity, questing, and such. Perhaps a combination of both RPG aspects and PVP aspects to get through some of the control points.

For those who do not particularly want story advancement, there should be satisfying combat and RPG aspects that do not become boring. In this sense they become live NPC's in the world of the people who are advancing the game.

I think that story advancement and adventuring are very important to Tracy and Richard. Can they offer a suitable reward for completing an episode?

 

i think charizards, squirtle, and bulbasaur. satisfied balance just fine.

 

I feel like Shroud doesn't have a clear identity. I wish I could elaborate more eloquently on it, but it's this gut feeling when I'm playing like, "What is it that I'm playing?"

It's got an overworld like the old Ultimas and NPCs that are eventually going to be highly interactive, which is cool and immersive, but then there are people running around doing the same things I am like a generic MMORPG where everyone does the same quests. That's immersion-breaking. Is it a single player game, a themepark MMO like WoW, or what?

It's got PvP but the PvP feels janky. This is personal preference, admittedly, as while I like the allure of the deck system, I (and many, many others from my experience) do not like how it is currently implemented. But I also talk to a lot of people who are playing because they played UO years ago. So is PvP going to become more gritty like UO? I hear that there will be a bounty system for loot, but with the option to just "turn off" the outside world and play with the handful of people you want to play with, will that end up segregating the populace more? In other words, is Trammel and Felucca built in?

And if it's just going to separate us, then how is this going to be the Ultimate RPG? In my experience, there are better PvP games and better PvM games. I think there are a ton of people here for different reasons, but Shroud doesn't exist in a vacuum, and it isn't 1997 anymore. My concern is that the game won't retain players in any of the multiple genres the game is displaying. I know it's pre-alpha, but I'm not seeing a lot of discussion on dramatically changing some of the core concepts of the game that will keep any particular genre populated.

There's a lot of talk about player housing, decorating, rares collecting; these were cool things in UO. But real estate was meaningful in UO for a lot of reasons, not just to have something for the sake of having it. Showing it off was a big deal. If people end up just playing by themselves and turning off outside influence because it's more enjoyable to play Shroud single-player or friend-only than MMO, it seems like a waste. But that's because I'd rather pledge for boats to explore with than houses that people may or may not ever see or interact with. Without open world PvP, the houses don't seem to even provide comfort and safety like in UO or ArcheAge. It's just a big doll house, and that's the "feeling" I'm struggling with.

I'll still be submitting bugs and pictures of things needing fixed because I have faith Portalarium will provide a well-polished, interactive game, and playing it reminds me of a graphically updated UO. But how interactive that game will be after launch is what concerns me, when players aren't united in a common purpose to see the game succeed, fueled by nostalgia and their own individually defined hopes and expectations, but rather just looking to enjoy the game however they can with what they get.

 

Well that is a good point you make Dewderonony about the identity of the game. Honestly I have to keep reminding myself that we do not know at this time how the game will feel since there isn't that much yet to feel. I'm sure there is a plan
to tie it all in together. I do agree if the world seems small with many players going into single player online, the loners that the world could feel empty. I try to stay in the multi online world with others, I feel it is important, especially at this time. We
need to pull together and help each other to keep the game being tested out.

Yes I sometimes think single player online is a bit of a waste in the fact that it devides us and lessons our potential to have a thriving population to share it all with. I know
we all need a moment of peace sometimes,like when first getting home from work and needing to wind down before jumping in with others, well some might that is

I have met some really fantastic people that I wouldn't have met if I was off by myself, people who needed help, people that it might make a difference if they got that help or friendliness. Well regarding the open world pvp not looking a certain way,
I can only hope that in the long run the development team can make it fun for everyone. At this point it is so hard to determine, we have much work to do to get to the point that we see it all put together. I do think the dollhouse part is needed tho for
those who want to play dolls and I do understand the danger part too.

The only thing that comes to mind is that once I heard Richard say that there could be random upheavals to our safeness. That is the fun part of having hexes, they can be dropped
in and out pretty easitly with added content. It could give us an everchanging world. It will make the game more changeable and interesting in the long run. I remember In UO creatures would occasionally a
attack the towns and we'd have to all band together to rid the town of this menace.
In WOW before the Wrath of the Lich King creatures roamed the world and had plagues that would kill you and interfere with your game play sometimes irritating but to me not game breaking. So Thank you for your thoughtful post.

 

Having read my exact concerns being written by someone else with such accuracy and detail... Wow. I think there's a lot of us who feel the same way but don't have the ability to express it as well as you have. Thanks.

 

I think if you were a more hardcore player, you'd be seeing the lights at the end of the tunnel that leave it open-ended in a good way. On average, I mean the grinds are open, and in that mantra the game hits it's sandbox open ended grind quest. However, not all is lost.

Sandbox games take time, it took a while for UO to have to have it's side lanes you know, right now, the best way to think of what we got is like a rapidly built express highway with no exits just yet.

From a gameplay perspective It's probably the best color scheme out there, it plays somewhere between fable (blacksmith stealing!) and Vanilla WoW with limited char aptitudes, which again isn't really a con in the longer scheme when we start seeing how these avenues and sidelanes, and back mountain passes start to really come together to reflect the over-all.

For someone who says this game lacks identity. I would say expecting identity and flavor from an Alpha is kind of like mad hermits description, you're expecting lasagna and what you got is some cold meat about to go into a pan, and you haven't made the noodles yet.

I hate to stick up my neck and defend a game ,but in all sincerity -- There is a lot of work that has to go in, and yes, they're aware of that. Like, the 2d/3d of UO made char development a lot easier because of the timeline, lets not forget the bandwidth required for 3d polygons is probably pretty ridiculous.

we all have long lists of wants, and it's good that you have expressed your voice, but you'll definitely see more in the future. There's a huge problem between "we has idea" and "we implemented an idea" they're on a timeline.

I think the game will inevitably satisfy, but for reasons that ultimately always brought people together. You'll go on multi to find someone who can process your wares, you'll stick to single player to satisfy your own little need to escape for a while.

That's a pretty healthy mix actually in a game. The problem is trying to balance 1 person adaptability, and multi-playing aspects. This is why games are usually one or the other when you consider in a single player game, you are typically an unstoppable beast with unlimited powers, or amazing skills. In a game like Ultima you're the avatar, gotta save the world.

In Multiplayer, your mission is a bit less blatant, since as of right now besides those few repeatable quests, and grinding for materials, you have to essentially make your own fun, and explore stuff on your own. There isn't much hidden content (currently) so again, like someone like me, I was easter egg hunting, I wanted all those delicious secrets, passages, explorations, secret zones, off path boat ventures, I wanted to get lost.

I think in the future you can gladly expect more, but as far as saying the game doesn't have a flavor, it's definitely a healthy hybrid of a lot of a mechanics, a lot of mechanics when flushed out will probably give you more fun, then a headache. Right now the crafting system is more like EQ; and the Skills system something more like a basic point sink. (still waiting on ALL the options) so, I can see why anyone would lament, particularly if you aren't like me, and love your "NI HAO"

 

I doubt that the Kickstarter would have been successful without all of those single player fans hoping for a single player RPG. If you read through the early comments on the Kickstarter page this becomes pretty obvious.

Besides, they already announced a true, full-fledged single player experience. Ditching it now would anger a rather large part of the community. I doubt that Portalarium would need a shitstorm and bad press. Also this would hurt Kickstarter pretty badly - broken promises etc. you know.

 

that's cool man, tbh, i haven't lurked much if any of their material, and i'm not an expert. so, in short, i just work here. how they actually flush out the game, idc my investment is 45 bucks. they get me in time

 

Because, as I said in another thread:
Hardcore PVP players are faded away in the MMORPG market because there aren't games for them.

AND NOW THEY'RE COMING BACK.

Garriot & co made a huge mistake by making a casual game instead of what the normal people expected of them.
Caught between beasts like Life is feudal and Crowfall SotA is gonna have a hard time surviving with its playerbase consisting of mainly 40+ year old people who donated lots of cash out of nostaliga.

 

Sure they are. I have yet to see that though, so lets wait and see.

This would be a deathblow here. This was obviously not the game sold to us on kickstarter.

I note a lot of the core UO players came out in support of this, the sad fact is it is a simmering feeling underneath peoples nice wording of "Wanting everyone to have their game".

I don't think SPO is a waste of time personally. It allows those who would prefer to play by themselves the luxury of participating in the game...and they see all the housing and deal with all the vendors. It also allows them to go online if they would like.

This isn't UO2, it's not trying to be UO2...lets give what they are doing here a chance.

 

What a pity, considering just how great UO was.

 

That's a matter of opinion.