Welcome to New User Experience Testing/Feedback!

Discussion in 'New Player Experience Feedback' started by Attenwood, Jun 17, 2016.

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  1. Chrymylch

    Chrymylch Avatar

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    My first thoughts
    btw I have been playing MMOs since Asherons Call but would call myself the ultimate casual player (permanent Newb if you must)
    The first hours are obviously critical to draw a player in - so here goes.

    Highvale
    Decent start tutorial first half hour or so but once I found Resolute and returned to Highvale I found it really tough.
    Every fight seemed to pull an add or three, with archers slowing me. Luckily I found the starting weapon that some players miss.
    But as I was struggling I thought what am I doing wrong I need a better weapon or armour. Lets craft. This is a non starter for new players so I found NPC merchants in Resolute but no weapon or better leather armour. The player vendor was found and the only weapon was 800 gold so it was endless fight sell rusty weapons fight repeat. Now that I am a crafter I can see why so few sell low priced weapons - it is just not worth the waste of expensive ore (since this time I have seen non rusty iron weapons that can be repaired).
    It took me a long while to find the alternative Skull one area. Collecting resources to sell is a great way to make money (which I now see is one of the start up tips) but new players especially colour blind ones are going to find it hard finding them.
    I try not to use the internet and cheat maps/recipes' but how can one move around and craft without.
    Two examples
    I am crafting my own armour how the hell does one make metal and leather bindings - I spent ages trying blacksmiths craft vendors etc; without these I could not craft a thing.
    An early quest asked me to visit Ardoris so of I went managed to run through a lvl 3 Pass and then got to a lvl 5 pass - luckily I found a sneaky route around but only thanks to non game maps.

    It seems like a moan but I am enjoying game the game I have two home banks Resolute and Ardoris so I can vary my skull 1 and 2 areas and bandits in between :)
    I have moved from leather to chain and am one piece from crafting a full set.

    Chrym Kingson
    aka Chrymylch
     
  2. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    Welcome Chrymylch,

    Thanks kindly for the excellent feedback! As you rightly point out, we're still very much in development and tweaking some of the areas that need improved balance, which includes recognizing if something is confusing or down right too difficult for the average player.

    Looking forward to more of your thoughts!
     
  3. mike11

    mike11 Avatar

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    Hi again team. This time I have really been focusing just on this topic, and many of my posts in the release feedback section(s) has been noted.
    I also thank you guys again for the opportunity to be involved in this project!

    Trying best to consider the best needs for SotA in the given amount of time (damn soon)

    Bugs - pretty good in my experience however future combat changes, OW, skills, character etc changes may easily contribute to new ones

    Improvement Suggestions - I think it's fairly clear that certain games elements are shining while other critical elements may still be underdeveloped - combat + action polish

    Difficulties/Challenges - loading times? zone limitations (size and navigability) Combat expectations vs limitation. Overworld "stuff" aka lacking stuff to do on the OW

    Things you liked - Housing, story premise, quality of certain NPC areas design & layouts (very Ultima 7-ish), playable instruments, certain armor/weapons, certain game objects (crafting tables or anything by Scott Jones), concept art and the list goes on...

    Things I didn't like - some zones just feel cramped or just aren't the best of the bunch, as well some animations seem like work-in-progress, some monsters seem terrible. I still don't like in particular the given Hotbar arrangements (the fixed arrangement) which IMO give confusing expectations to the new player. NPC conversation still need to come a long way as far as UI and chat

    Character Creation - not bad but there very little along the lines of background/story and the gypsy encounter scene's immersion is a bit lacking partly from no finished audio, unpolished UI/action handling (ongoing i suppose), lack of voice-over content etc..

    Isle of Storms - not bad but lacks fidelity and polished interface elements IMHO
    Back ground screen loading - gives away location artwork before you have reached/ or in a relevant area. In other words the randomize background loading images might not be a great idea.

    Tutorial Scenes - TBH I found most of them average but that doesn't mean they are anything but that. I guess it's a matter of interpretation or as more features/polish is done those things will disappear. I would go with the "ultima 7" vibe as much as possible. Right after the tutorials the character should (IMO) be moved to a much more busy game where town centers are transport and economy hubs, introduce players to other players etc.. This is where players should be expected to experience many other players also either lone wanderers or small grouped peoples.

    When the players first experience the OW they should have the feeling of being roughly spread out across the main cities, due to the players class or storyline I suppose. When they first adventure the OW map they should feel like there is A LOT of content available or potential - being finished content or not is another story, same with player towns and content..

    General
    • UI - the current hotbar setup is very bland IMO
    • Controls - as above, the controls related to avatar animations are limited and don't extent at all to any sort of ability synergy. Although I enjoyed the unique jumping/roaming setup it is easy for WASD players to adjust - and there is a adjustment as SOTA controls have good original qualities. However the targeting seems to also need more fine tuning and/or defining
    • Visuals - world ranges from excellent to average and maybe slightly below average (such as the older content..) Light+water is excellent for this type of game. Animations have come a long way but I think there is room to improve as combat+ NPC interaction also improve
    • Audio Intro is especially lacking in audio.. ranges from classy traditional to totally wacked out electro sounds
    Other notes -

    NPC interaction - player IMHO doesn't connect well when meeting new NPC's due to lack of visual and audio

    What to focus on - OverWorld and improvements to adding content. More test maps kind of things. Events which teleport players to somewhere...
    Get thrown into 'experimental' area for player testing (not fun, no no no, no fun here, only testing stuff not for fun).. This brings improvements for player-design stuff such as tools to do new things.. (like level building blocks and more player-NPC in those areas)

    Get rid of the locked hotbar concept for the reason I mentioned that it weakens the focus on the core-dynamic of the existing combat, and continue to develop the glyph and abilities. My testing of higher end abilities was rather limited due to the time lost leveling due to wipes..

    Core economy based around player owned areas - money spent on housing/towns should be important, give those persons extra means to extra content, allowing them to act as various Lord/Baron/Dark Lord or what have you. This is all stuff that spills across various game play areas from player to NPC.

    Hint - I really liked finding a decent weapon from those skeletons that killed somebody before. Recent patches changed that?

    Work on - removing some of the lower quality content where possible

    Good things about encounters - allows the player viable area to farm some basic needs for gold, crucial to early development as most levels monsters are too difficult for the weak Avatar. However enemy AI makes combat frustrating as it's like a enemy that just crushing you - do you remember the Sentry scene in Thor Dark World?

    First Death experience - usually a ankh is available, perhaps too easy. With little challenge to get to the respawn area that death is less valuable

    - edit (day 2) -
    Barrels in city (eg Kingsport) - I think that early scavenging shows a few more areas for known tweaks to the player experience
    1 - it seems gold + found items may be too high ATM. I'm seeing gold in far too many chests IMHO. Almost every Barrel/Box has gold in it.
    2- that 'Gold' still hasn't been normalized as it seems out-of-wack that gold is found so easily. Maybe Gold should become copper coins and then silver, gold added as well?


    best
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2017
  4. Nytingale

    Nytingale Avatar

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    I wrote about my first few hours in game , but to tell the truth, although I learn more every day, each day seems to be truly another adventure! What I still find so refreshing and wonderful are all the nice people and the fun events last Saturday.
    Although I felt I needed to remake due to a problem with what I felt was gear. I have had a blast foraging.. Cloth gear is just not great for older players that weren't even afraid of Ever Quest dragon trains, or healing through our monks pulling entire zones to our tanks! Some areas are just not meant for new beginners. Plate chain or leather are not good for healing, due to fizzling rates. So for a healer based player. it means we die more. We don't get to jump in and really defend ourselves with as many hit points as our counter part with plate gear. Just an newbie observation after my first week. Found a great guild with super nice folks! Irenholde Still not sure if the spelling was intentional.
     
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  5. Nytingale

    Nytingale Avatar

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    This was my first reaction to my first few hours of Shrouds of the Avatar.
    Copied and pasted...
    (Heart warmed chuckles) New comer!

    Read this this morning after my experienced adventure in game. Being a well hardened gamer with many, many years of testing new games, playing MMORP's since Ever Quest, I was prepared to start this game with the same expectations. Except that a well known name in games ( Lord British was the creator) so I was hoping for more than just another PVP or half cooked PVE game of late. So here I went, Oracles, Mirrors, Ghosts, skeletons, oh there is a central map to go from one large area to another, town to town, but wait...there are green skeletons, they won't hurt me they are green right? LOL I ran from it when I saw I had no idea how to fight back yet, and surprised by it attacking me, zoned again when several red skeletons and a few yellow ganged up on me. I ran faster !! zoned, to the central map, started along my merry way to find a town, when a Thug jumps out and I start running again! As I am running I see another figure with color in the name and so I decide I need to avoid and run faster , zone and Phew I am safe !!! Only to find out after I finally read the text that I was running away from Lord British! Rofl I bet he could of saved me from the thug, I am betting now I thought he WAS the thug!
    This is truly a different gaming experience than all others I have tested. I have had more excitement in the first few hours!
    Seriously, different, better, than the usual PVP & PVE games out there. What I am most impressed with is the amazingly kind, helpful, sweet players. EVERYWHERE! Everyone you meet seem to be helpful, nice! Most games these days, are full of rude people.It is delightful to find a game with questing, RP and truly incredibly graphics. From all I have seen thus far, I think I am staying to play it under construction. Supporting a game like this is worth every penny!
    edit: And I am sorry Lord British for being rude and running away from you! Hugzz
     
  6. Ifrus Darksun

    Ifrus Darksun Avatar

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    This is my first time playing shroud of the avatar, and I must say I'm enjoying the experience. It's nice to see a game not lead you by the hand when finding and solving quests. Nice to not have a pointer overhead, making the player have to interact with NPCs and players alike. Most of the quests I've come across have played out rather well, with a few exceptions like the ash's keepsake. So far SOA has done a good job of making an interactive world.
    I do have a few points to make, one being the inventory. For me, its a bit of a mess and would benefit from being a little more organised, but I'm sure they're looking at that. Crafting is something I'm having difficulty getting into, but I haven't been playing that long, so hopefully, I'll get me head around it.
     
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  7. Lord-Galiwyn

    Lord-Galiwyn Avatar

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    Welcome to SOTA! if you think the invintory is messy go to the gear annd click on inv,and select List mode that is what I do to make it managable,,.
     
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  8. 2112Starman

    2112Starman Avatar

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    Welcome! If you have any questions in game, feel free to whisper me, I can help out "Starman"
     
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  9. Duke William of Serenite

    Duke William of Serenite Avatar

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    I want to say this game is at a good place right now and naysayers may want to take it down another road. Well lets not forget what happened to SWG. Stick to your guns is my advice, everyone I talk to is very exited with the current state of the game.

    My only recommendation is to have PVP battlegrounds in levels. Why because a level 40 player has no business in a level 100 pvp zone.
     
  10. Lannross

    Lannross Avatar

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    I've had this game since launch and I keep putting it down. I find the experience of wondering around cities for hours looking for an item to buy from a player vendor so boring that is turns off my desire to experience any other parts of the game. For example, I wanted a better sword, spend a whole night of play time checking vendors while making no progress in the game and never manage to find a better sword.
     
  11. majoria70

    majoria70 Avatar

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    So what is your suggestion? Yes I had that experience tonight too but I could have placed an order for what I wanted with any of our skilled armor smiths in the game. You should never have to go from vendor to vendor unless you want to.

    As to other parts of the game I would be very happy to show you around anytime. We have the most wonderful music system if you are interested in that. I find it pretty amazing. Anyway I am Majoria in the game if I can help.

    So sending call outs to you guys if you can help this person. :) @Oddjob2 @Lord Andernut @Sara Dreygon. These are all players who could refer you and mail order you anything you need or help you find it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
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  12. Nick

    Nick Avatar

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    Hi Lannross,

    Are you by any chance on the path of courage? If you have, then I have failed. :( My town, Soryn Fields, is closest to Resolute, catered specifically with new players in mind, with vendors properly named. I even provide accommodations and littered my town with player help notes.
     
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  13. Sara Dreygon

    Sara Dreygon Avatar

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    I have 200 on my vendor in Brekken Bay (right in front of my museum which has every sword in the game). They're all bronze/bronze with multiple masterworks and enchantments. I'm usually cheaper than others but PM me if they're out of your price range and we'll figure something out.

    https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...-museum-and-high-end-equipment-vendor.111484/
     
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  14. Makkion74

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    Hello all, i and my wife are new in the game.
    In the past when i'm very young, play a lot the Ultima series, i started with UVI and continue with UVII e U8......only Ultima online i have no time in the past to play.....but now i decide to remedy the "guilty" with a lot of hour in this great and beautiful game.....Shroud of the Avatar is not like the 99% of mmo in the internet.......it's another thing, complex, good graphics, farming, housing, and the possibility (like the old good game of the series) to take object around the world and put in my house, castle, inn etc......good job dev, very good job.....some optimization and some other sound in the game, but for the rest, until now i have no negative feedback.....if i encounter bug or problem i post in the future.
     
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  15. Lord-Galiwyn

    Lord-Galiwyn Avatar

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    @Makkion74 Welcome to the game..Ask anyone with the Hospitilier or any other Player, for help. Most of the Players who have been around for a while are willing to help New Players.
     
  16. musicmom

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    Hello musicmom is my id. I am just now waiting for the patches to finish installing,
     
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