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Post by trencher on Jul 18, 2008 1:39:15 GMT
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Post by steevodeevo on Nov 25, 2008 21:29:48 GMT
thought I would bring the discussions on this game to a single thread. There are two artices on UK PC Zone on this developing title. One time Bioware could do no wrong for me, I have played everything they ever worote I think. But now they are swallowed up by EA, second only to the big ebil So*y, I wonder of they will get dumbed down for console release? Who knows.. anyway the two articles can be founid here---> www.computerandvideogames.com/sites/pczone/
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Blue Leader
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Post by Blue Leader on Nov 26, 2008 5:07:49 GMT
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Post by steevodeevo on Nov 26, 2008 17:53:14 GMT
yea me too
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Post by trencher on Dec 2, 2008 16:14:10 GMT
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 3, 2008 12:58:39 GMT
nice artice - worth a read MMO fans and SW fans alike
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Post by trencher on Dec 10, 2008 17:02:46 GMT
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 10, 2008 21:25:38 GMT
I dont have a problem with the new breed of free to play microtransaction based games. They really can work and you don't have to buy to compete. From the several I have played payers (on the odd occassion me) are lazy and impatient - they want speed levelling buffs and potions.
It doesn't usually or have to give them an advantage, unless you consider getting to the end game quicker an advantage, which I don't. In many ways I would rather free play and decise what if anything i want to spend on the game every month.
Only Shaia so far for me has given buffs that enhance competitive pvp, but even that is controlled as pvp zones are restricted, so you could easily just pay a few dollars a month for an edge (much less than a monthly subscription) or just not bother with th buffs and fight in a good group as I did or not bother with the PvP and do the coop PvE stuff.
Given that it depends what devs offer to be allowed to be micropurchased, it is easy to ensure good balance and I am sure Bioware are up for it.
Bring on credit crunch MMO gaming!
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Post by trencher on Dec 13, 2008 10:23:03 GMT
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Blue Leader
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Post by Blue Leader on Dec 22, 2008 4:52:17 GMT
Actually, I have to admit that I don't agree with any of it... Get a lightsaber right away? Jedi had to earn their lightsaber. They weren't taken on and handed a saber right off the bat... They had to prove that they were worthy and capable of wielding one. Such a deadly weapon wasn't handed over to just anyone right from the start. The leveling thing I sort of agree with. While grinding mobs can be boring and questing is much more engaging, players should have to work for something. Everything should be simply handed over to the player. "I don't want to be a moisture farmer"? That guy needs to speak for himself. Actually, when I first started SWG my character owned a moisture farm (in role play), and was a moisture farmer. My houses had moisture vaporators lined up all around it. And it was a blast. What SWG is doing wrong now is that it's making each player the frontline hero. No longer are the players background characters, the players are no longer part of a universe... now they are the universe. That's not good for an MMO. A player's character should be just that, a character, not a hero single-handedly saving the day. That's what's most fun... living your character's life as you see fit. The design thing I actually do agree with. Unique is good. And I, for one, support George Lucas. Okay, he's made some unwise decisions, but who hasn't? He doesn't love his creation any less than the fans do and he does what he thinks is best for it. That's what I would do too. Besides the fact that we wouldn't even have "Star Wars" if it wasn't for him... And we wouldn't have most of the movies we have now if it wasn't for him, Lucas Sound and ILM (which are all Lucas' creations, and are used in almost every major movie lately). But people will find anything to complain about.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 22, 2008 10:21:56 GMT
Vert interesting comments Blue but I only half agree.
Firstly I am quiet bored of MMO's where I am a nobody. Only yesterday I was thinking 'why can't I find an MMO where I can inflence or change the world? Some have tried to 'simulate' this impression of influence through epic quests, but you're 'just a hero for an instance' (pardon the bad pun). To my mind LoTRO probably gets the closest to you feeling part of the plot line with its overarching quests leading you through the story on the epic journey to Moria. But it didnt quite work for me, perhaps because I was never in a decent Guild to attack the big dungeons and push the epic story line forward.
WAR abjectly fails in my opinion to make the player feel like they are shaping the world despite this being its core intention. Yes the RvR is a great idea and it is visceral fun, but to me it makes me feel even less significant than in PvE when I stand in a warband of 24 playes amongst 4 other warbands facing off to another 4 warbands and die repeatedly.
The $60m MMO question to me is: how do you make a player feel like they can reshape the world's future when in reality MMO's run on rails and are just great big spreadsheets? I have my fingers crossed that Bioware will do this using story telling. Bioware are the best in the world at this and with epic story lines per character type they just might bridge the gab between grinding and immersion where no other MMO has yet quite succeeded.
I can't help wonder however how taking your character type's story line forward in SWTOR will change destiny. If it does actually change the balance of power within game, great. If its just a co-op version of the bioware Old Republic games where you can do missions as a group in a team based RPG, then I am pretty disinterested.
One final word on the hero thing. Most of Lucas's hero's were moisture farmers, thieves, Merc's, Mechanics or plain old hermits. If you can be both a hero and a moisture farmer anywhere you can do it in Star Wars.
One day somone will crack the world shaping conundrum in MMO's. Today, if the devs are honest, am sure they would admit that they simply can't write code dynamic enough or drive powerful enough servers to create the 'butterfly wings effect' needed for a truly dynamic MMO world.
In the meatime I have decided not to waste any more money on them. The current generation are all ultimately dissapointing, grahics show-off's who have dumbed down gameplay so much that a week of play shows off all they have to offer, except PvP/RvR.
PvP as the only dynamic gameplay element has made Devs lazy (I blame the players to an extent, obsessed with it) and has all but destroyed many of the truly immersive and imaginative gameplay elements iof traditional MMO's: crafting, meta-social structures, deep character development etc. The last generation of admitedly graphically unimpressive but gameplay rich MMO's were better products in my view. Sfter a few days who looks at the graphics anyway?
I have so many MMO boxes in my loft and dining room that I can barely move. Its sad, like an elephants graveyard. It's also a lot of money. For now I am making a philosophical and strategic decision to stay with free to play - if they have to make their money to pay their devs and fuel there servers with micro transactions, then fine by me.
For now Atlantica with its decent graphics, real tactical combat and amazing old school - virtually MUD style - gameplay is filling my evenings and not emptying my pockets.
But I did spend $10 on a horse! I admit it.
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Post by Turwhitt on Dec 23, 2008 9:28:06 GMT
V The $60m MMO question to me is: how do you make a player feel like they can reshape the world's future when in reality MMO's run on rails and are just great big spreadsheets? Persistent housing and player cities. It is impossible for one to be a hero in an MMO. There are thousands of players, so you can't be "the one". When MMOs try to do this, it just feels ridiculous. Let me be my anonymous starting character who will potentially be famous for being a great weaponsmith, a great PvPer, or just that guy who loves to set up his big old ranger camp for his friends to hang out in when there's a guild hunt on.
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Blue Leader
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Post by Blue Leader on Dec 29, 2008 18:59:14 GMT
V The $60m MMO question to me is: how do you make a player feel like they can reshape the world's future when in reality MMO's run on rails and are just great big spreadsheets? Persistent housing and player cities. It is impossible for one to be a hero in an MMO. There are thousands of players, so you can't be "the one". When MMOs try to do this, it just feels ridiculous. Let me be my anonymous starting character who will potentially be famous for being a great weaponsmith, a great PvPer, or just that guy who loves to set up his big old ranger camp for his friends to hang out in when there's a guild hunt on. Exactly. SWG used to be exactly like that, and than the NGE happened and right off the bat the player was some sort of hero. Heck, the story even centered around the Empire capturing the player because they were so amazingly skilled at their profession (when the player hadn't even yet done anything other than create their character). Pfft.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 29, 2008 22:26:22 GMT
Future patch of Atlantica includes housing and (wait for it) - procreation. Yes ofspring.
One reason for this (I am told) is your character ages and will eventually die after several years of rl gameplay, as will your Mercs. This phased me at first but with deft use of calculator I realised your avatar lives for several rl years.
As I rarely play an MMO for more than a couple of years (at most) this isn't an issue for me but it is with dedicated sorts. So the Devs are creating a dynasty / legacy kinda thang whereby your ofspring can take forward the legend and perhaps some of the attributes & titles (who knows) of their forefathers. Which is an interesting concept.
I continue not to tire of Atlantica which is plain great fun and interesting. I never play WAR now. It feels so shallow and pointless (as all MMO's ultimately are beyond enjoyment, and when that goes - really, what is the point? other than habit and obsession.) Sadly I am thinking of cancelling WAR despite the $90 SE box set investment next to my feet complete with artwork. the making of, mousemat & diecast model etc.
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Post by Turwhitt on Dec 30, 2008 9:21:16 GMT
That's a very bizarre concept.
I can't see people being too keen on it a couple of years down the line, even if there are dynasties. People become very attached to their characters.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 30, 2008 18:52:42 GMT
maybe, but then bored with their old avatars and skill mix and then they stop playing. I think its a pretty interesting hook to drive change and even freshness whilst retaining (whatever) aspects of your investment in yer old fella are passed on to his lad.
For me often the early months or first year of an MMO are the best anyway as you explore the gameplay. Logging onto level 50 steevodeevo in LoTRO was pretty turgid, maybe this will be quite different, who knows.
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Blue Leader
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Post by Blue Leader on Dec 31, 2008 16:44:40 GMT
Hmm... interesting. There was going to be a feature sort of like this is "Universal Century.net Gundam Online" where a character could have a child that would grow. The player's character also aged and died at one point. It actually kind of sounded like an interesting system, but unfortunately it was removed during closed beta along with machine customization, wounds, fishing, doctors, hair growth (repeat business for Hairdressers), Hairdressers, Chefs, Photographers, space colonies, oceans, team insignias, component damage, player-owned battleships and mobile armors, and much more... Wow, it would have been an amazing game with all that stuff...
Though I guess I'm getting off-topic now. Heh.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 31, 2008 20:43:57 GMT
not really bro - most of that is in or planned fro Atlantica -
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