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Let's Ask Ledaye!

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ShadowPuppet

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Hi

"player driven economy": Where did you get that impression, if I may ask? I don't think I've ever said that. If I did, that's my bad, I'm sorry. SGW is a story-driven MMO modeled on the show's experience. Think about the activities you can see the characters in the show doing. Nearly one-half of the game's archetypes are in the US military. What kind of economy makes sense for a society like that? We even debated a long time not having cash for that reason. Think of the Goa'uld. Are they merchant kings? Think of the Asgard. They don't even need an economy. I work very organically from the IP outward, so inventing a 'player driven' economy didn't seem like it landed in the sweet spot of the show. In the end, we went with things like a cash system and such, but, honestly, we never considered a player-driven economy like Galaxies has. It just never made sense to me given the IP. I think in the history of the show there's maybe one episode that alludes to what the Galactic economy might be like. I just didn't think the game should be focused on that aspect.

"player driven pvp" Again, here, I don't think we've implied this, certainly not at launch. When you say this, I think 'Shadowbane.' Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, our PvP works like this: at launch, we'll have 'opt-in' PvP (dueling) as well as a PvP all the time server. Then, some time shortly after launch, after we've seen how players use our PvP, we'll launch our equivalent of 'battlegrounds' (although they will be very different than you might expect). I think our PvP will be the most fun of any game out there, but I don't think that matches a definition of 'player driven.' However, I'll put our PvP up against any other in terms of playability.

As for which game it is most like, honestly, none. There is no other MMO that is story driven. There is no other game (TR included) that has the kind of visceral combat ours does. There is no other game that has as broad a gameplay aesthetic (mini-games and deep combat) as ours does. Comparing it to other games is really unfair. We aren't a sandbox, so comparing us to SWG is unfair to them, 'cause that's what they WANTED to be. We focused on delivering an experience that feels like the show. That's what we wanted to do (and have done, I believe).

Does that help you? I don't know what you hoped to hear.
A question about launch PvP- will there be "flaggable PvP," where you can turn it on and off, like SWG?

Also, what can you tell us about the "mini-clan"-like team ability. There was something mentioned about having special features for permanent groups, like SG-teams.
 

Ledaye

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Hi Ledaye. I read on the wiki that planets will have 'dynamic weather patterns including day/night cycles.' Will these day/night cycles effect gameplay? Or perhaps, more specifically, will there be night time missions allowing us to use the benefit of darkness to complete the mission, as in stealth, night vision goggles etc.?
Many thanks.
Ah, the wiki. The issue with the wiki is that it's a fan's creation, and while well-intended and for the most part accurate, is not 'official.'

The day night cycles, whatever their final incarnation (not yet determined), will not affect gameplay nor missions.
 

Ledaye

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A question about launch PvP- will there be "flaggable PvP," where you can turn it on and off, like SWG?

Also, what can you tell us about the "mini-clan"-like team ability. There was something mentioned about having special features for permanent groups, like SG-teams.
Yes, at launch, on the main servers, PvP is Opt-In.

We have permanent groups. The final qualities and benefits of these groups are not set in stone yet. More to come on them.
 

Ledaye

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Hey Ledaye,

Look I was not hoping to start an argument. The only information we (as a consumer) can only make are assumptions about the game. I know what I was hoping SGW to be. I realize that you and the rest of your staff have the final say what the game turns into.

I heard rumors that invites will be going out tomorrow, I would be honored if you would send me an invite so i can see what this game is about. That way I can decide based upon facts not beliefs/rumors.

You said SGW is like no other MMO on the market, I would much like to see what you guys have created.

(Leans over and passes Ledaye a box of thin mint girl scout cookies.)
We're fine.

I didn't list every single reason we made those decisions, I was just trying to give you some flavor of where we were coming from and why the game wasn't heading in the direction you would prefer, and I thought that your important question deserved some details.

Yeah, I think the game is going to surprise people.
 

Ledaye

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I have to admit I am a bit underwhelmed with the stance on housing and economy as well as the art direction (hey I'd prefer things to LOOK like SG1 not have this stylized representation of it) but I respect the developers choice to do things as they have and can only hope that some of things may come in time (obviously the art direction not being very possible to change).

<snip>

I think of the biggest clashes that can come from interpetation. Just because the person (or people) creating something don't intend for something to be taking a certain way doesn't mean it won't. The truth is anything like Stargate, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings etc, etc is going to end up taking a life of its own. Especially with the advent of the communication that people have with each other via the internet.

This is a very wise statement. Most of my senior team built at least one other MMO and there is no way to predict how an audience will react once they get into the product.

This becomes a problem with future events when people who are viewing/playing a new project in said series are conflicting with those who are creating it, over the meaning of certain things, missed facts, etc, etc. In many ways it can be likend to different types of religion and how some can beileve the same basic principles, but with certain things altered.

Interesting. Can you give me an example of what you mean? I think I understand you, but . . .

Anyway my point is just because I personally feel that a player-driven economy could make a lot of sense in Stargate Worlds, doesn't mean that it would. Though I do feel it would add to immersion.

I agree, but it's a matter of development priorities. In my discussions with various members of SOL, Lucas and the SWG dev team, one constant refrain I heard was that SWG had possibly emphasized too much of a sandbox and not enough crafted content. There was a society there, certainly, and it was interesting to partake in and to watch, but the audience numbers never reached what that IP deserved. That fact is above speculation. Some of those people expressed to me that if they were to build that IP all over again, they would strongly consider structuring gameplay more solidly through missions or a story.

Now, this is my strong suit, certainly, and I took these opinions into consideration when I began the design for this product. I looked at Stargate, came to conclusions about why it worked, and tried to play on those strengths.

Could I imagine SGW with a player-driven economy? Yes. I could even conceive of how to design it so that it would be cool. Do I think a design that focussed on those aspects would serve the IP the best? At launch, I just don't.


The more new ideas and breakaways from the industry standard of trying to make the next WoW, the better in my opinon, because WoW is a great game but it is NOT an alternate world to live in, and that is what I prefer in an MMO.

Again, I agree with you.

Outside of a player economy, things like social events and non-combat things such as fishing (someone mentioned Gate Golf, that'd be fantastic!) and other "leisure" type gameplay elements add to it. Player Hubs for these kind of social gatherings are good to like a bar, or mess hall or something to that effect.

Those kinds of things are indeed planned. We care quite a bit about social and 'leisure' gameplay. The mini-games are a big part of that, we hope.

Sorry to go on long winded rant but I've played alot of MMOs, write for another site and feel very passionate about quality gaming vs quantity gaming. I also realize that just because I don't like a game doesn't mean it is not good, and if I like a game doesn't mean it is necessarily good either, just what I prefer.
Now, that is perhaps the wisest thing I've read on any forum in quite a long time. It's a pleasure chatting with you about these issues.
 
Q

Quette

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Hiya Ledaye, Just wanted to ask ya if npc's will respawn while fighting them on a quest or in a instance. For instance if my team is going thru an instance and we clear out enemy npc can we rest without the enemy respawning or will we have to keep moving thru the instance, so we don't get caught in between enemy npc's?
 
P

Psykeman420

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This becomes a problem with future events when people who are viewing/playing a new project in said series are conflicting with those who are creating it, over the meaning of certain things, missed facts, etc, etc. In many ways it can be likend to different types of religion and how some can beileve the same basic principles, but with certain things altered.

Interesting. Can you give me an example of what you mean? I think I understand you, but . . .

As an example, I'll have to use Star Wars since admitingly I am not all the way through SG1 yet, about to season 6 and I have to say so far I can agree with the timeline given to the game. In the movies for Star Wars the Force is pretty much black and white, light side and dark side and that seems to be how George Lucas intended things to be. In the expanded universe of games, novels, comics etc, there is a much more grey area involved. So some fans would see the hints of that in the movies as well even if George Lucas did not intend for it to be there. Once a work spawns a life of its own it gets very heated in debate about what things mean and when people start taking a solid direction on that work, the fans of course are going to be split based on their own beilefs of how things should be dealt with.

For the religon comment I'd say an example is that a preacher can tell you in his words what the bible says, but it is up to the person to determine what they feel it means to them.

I'd say within the Stargate thing again the open economy would seem to be the best debate. Just because we don't see markets offworld, or Daniel going to the local antique shop doesn't mean that it wouldn't be out of the realm of the universe.

I do see how it would be difficult to incorporate a trade network while keeping in line with the series as far as "does this make sense" when it comes down to certain other aspects. Such as universal currency, certain races having shops and such. It doesn't seem likely that an Asgard would have need to have a clothing and armor shop for example, or maybe trade in general. So I can see your point on the player-driven economy, in that respect. I'd prefer it to be in, but it may be biased based on the fact is the kind of system I prefer to play with.


Anyway my point is just because I personally feel that a player-driven economy could make a lot of sense in Stargate Worlds, doesn't mean that it would. Though I do feel it would add to immersion.

I agree, but it's a matter of development priorities. In my discussions with various members of SOL, Lucas and the SWG dev team, one constant refrain I heard was that SWG had possibly emphasized too much of a sandbox and not enough crafted content. There was a society there, certainly, and it was interesting to partake in and to watch, but the audience numbers never reached what that IP deserved. That fact is above speculation. Some of those people expressed to me that if they were to build that IP all over again, they would strongly consider structuring gameplay more solidly through missions or a story.

Now, this is my strong suit, certainly, and I took these opinions into consideration when I began the design for this product. I looked at Stargate, came to conclusions about why it worked, and tried to play on those strengths.


I don't think that having an open-sandbox and story-driven content has to be seperate necessarily. SWG now has more structured and story driven content but far fewer numbers, perhaps if it'd been relaunched as a new game alltogether that may not be true and it is defitnaly one of the most intersting MMOs in the industry for those reasons and more.

I like choice, I think having the choice between following a quest line or going sandbox mode would be amazing, but doing both well enough to please both sides of the fence is much harder than doing one side really well. It'd almost need 2 seperate teams working on one game and that doesn't seem very effecient or likely. As long as a system is picked, worked on to be high quality and most importantly kept, it can work, changing it a year or two in would prove to be disadventagous to say the least. I guess when I step into an MMO I want to feel that I am really part of that world, and the problem I have with quest lines is that it kind of feels like once you've done it once, you have no reason to do it again. Then it just feels like a chore if you want to make a new character. That and a quest line doesn't make me feel like I am part of the world when every other person has saved the world the exact same way millions of times it makes it feel less important.

However I can see how sandbox gameplay would be difficult in the stargate universe as far as, hey you're in game, do whatever you want. Doesn't make sense if you were a human considering that you'd be military and well being a member of the military I know that just wouldn't happen.
Either way I intend to give SGW a try, nothing I have seen dictates it is not worth at least giving it a chance to see in action, sometimes things look great on paper and turn out to be majorly disappointing, and sometimes things look iffy on paper and turn out better than expected. I don't expect a game crafted to my exact specifications, at least until I can get my DnD Campaign published and start working from there heh.

Thanks again for your time it is a nice change to actually have an open dialouge with a member of a creative team instead of the usual two word answers and smoke screens I am used to dealing with.
 
U

UberNoober

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Firstly I just wanna say thankyou for taking the time to answer our questions!

I have a couple of questions.

Will end game content vary much from leveling content, and how much focus is there on developing end game content vs leveling content?

Also, roughly how long would it take the average player to get to max level?

Thankyou!
 
S

SilverBulletKY

Guest
Story driven game. You mentioned something about how you will be working on a particular part of a story and everyone will know what you are doing and can either help or hurt you. How does this work? I relate this to WoW where you are doing a particular quest and other people can join in and help you, but yet they have done that same quest dozens of times, killing the same ogre, over and over again. While this is a type of 'story', I know you are trying to convey a more immersive story that these simple quests that are in WoW, but I'm just having trouble seeing how you are going to do that. Also, what happens once you reach level 50 and have played for awhile? Will there ever be a time when you have run out of 'story'?Thanks.
 

Ledaye

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Hiya Ledaye, Just wanted to ask ya if npc's will respawn while fighting them on a quest or in a instance. For instance if my team is going thru an instance and we clear out enemy npc can we rest without the enemy respawning or will we have to keep moving thru the instance, so we don't get caught in between enemy npc's?
There is no hard and fast rule for this, it depends on the instance.
 

Ledaye

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Firstly I just wanna say thankyou for taking the time to answer our questions!

I have a couple of questions.

Will end game content vary much from leveling content, and how much focus is there on developing end game content vs leveling content?

Also, roughly how long would it take the average player to get to max level?

Thankyou!
Hmmm, think of the 'end game' as more intense 'episodes' of the continuing story.

We're looking at around 200 hours, but that isn't final yet and is subject to change.
 

Ledaye

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Story driven game. You mentioned something about how you will be working on a particular part of a story and everyone will know what you are doing and can either help or hurt you. How does this work? I relate this to WoW where you are doing a particular quest and other people can join in and help you, but yet they have done that same quest dozens of times, killing the same ogre, over and over again. While this is a type of 'story', I know you are trying to convey a more immersive story that these simple quests that are in WoW, but I'm just having trouble seeing how you are going to do that. Also, what happens once you reach level 50 and have played for awhile? Will there ever be a time when you have run out of 'story'?Thanks.
Okay, so probably the easiest way to explain this is: think of WoW's quest structure. Think of the threads of quests that you play right as you start. The bandits in Elwynn, for instance. Now, imagine that they were the opening encounters in a long continuous series of quests that culminated in WoW's Raids when you hit 70. That the bandits were just the tip of the iceberg of a long series of quests that got deeper and more complex.

That clues you came across at level 10, say, helped you play out the missions at level 60. That *all* the quests you took all along the way related to and supported that story instead of being concerned with local things and side stories.

Now, imagine that the story you played as an Alliance was the same story as the one you played as a Horde except told from the different point of view. That things alluded to in the Alliance story as being 'good' were viewed in the Horde story as being 'evil' and vice versa. That friends of the Alliance were enemies to the Horde.

Imagine that every instance in the game is right along this major story and was placed, level-wise, at climaxes to that story. That actions the player did were at the heart of the twists and turns of that story instead of simply witnessing those events.

This is an overly-simplistic explanation, mind you, but it is a relatively decent one. It's not that we're changing the game paradigm so much as telling one coherent story from start to finish instead of starting a new little local story every zone that you enter. We're not making this a single-player RPG or anything. But rather we're tying together all the actions a player does and having them work together. Think Plaguelands from WoW but from level 1 to 50 instead of just a few levels. Everything supports the main story line. factions, MOBs, locations, etc. Nothing is 'one-off.'

Frankly, we're also working very hard to eliminate the 'kill me five pigs' quest type that is so mind-numbing (to me, anyway).

Finally, no, every new content push will expand upon the story and move it forward.

The reason, btw, that no one has done this before is that it's a really HUGE story and requires great writers and lots of hard work. I don't think that we're the first ones to THINK of doing this, but we're surely the first ones to make it work. You have to commit to it.
 
C

Clacke

Guest
Okay, so probably the easiest way to explain this is: think of WoW's quest structure. Think of the threads of quests that you play right as you start. The bandits in Elwynn, for instance. Now, imagine that they were the opening encounters in a long continuous series of quests that culminated in WoW's Raids when you hit 70. That the bandits were just the tip of the iceberg of a long series of quests that got deeper and more complex.

That clues you came across at level 10, say, helped you play out the missions at level 60. That *all* the quests you took all along the way related to and supported that story instead of being concerned with local things and side stories.

Now, imagine that the story you played as an Alliance was the same story as the one you played as a Horde except told from the different point of view. That things alluded to in the Alliance story as being 'good' were viewed in the Horde story as being 'evil' and vice versa. That friends of the Alliance were enemies to the Horde.

Imagine that every instance in the game is right along this major story and was placed, level-wise, at climaxes to that story. That actions the player did were at the heart of the twists and turns of that story instead of simply witnessing those events.

This is an overly-simplistic explanation, mind you, but it is a relatively decent one. It's not that we're changing the game paradigm so much as telling one coherent story from start to finish instead of starting a new little local story every zone that you enter. We're not making this a single-player RPG or anything. But rather we're tying together all the actions a player does and having them work together. Think Plaguelands from WoW but from level 1 to 50 instead of just a few levels. Everything supports the main story line. factions, MOBs, locations, etc. Nothing is 'one-off.'

Frankly, we're also working very hard to eliminate the 'kill me five pigs' quest type that is so mind-numbing (to me, anyway).

Finally, no, every new content push will expand upon the story and move it forward.

The reason, btw, that no one has done this before is that it's a really HUGE story and requires great writers and lots of hard work. I don't think that we're the first ones to THINK of doing this, but we're surely the first ones to make it work. You have to commit to it.
Fantastic description of how the story is going to work. The amount of work involved in planning, writing and scripting of an entire storyline with all its complexities sounds absolutely mind boggling. You're not taking the easy option of filling out a basic threadbare plot with hundreds of filler quests. This could truely be a ground breaking MMO and the benchmark for every other game to follow. :thumbup1:
 
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