Hi folks,
Just picked up the game and, I have to say, it's awesome. Brings back all the old MUD memories of the early days. I'm really looking forward to see where the future takes this game and, if at all possible, playing as a Myconid. Myconid's are cool. Like bowties.
Anyhoo, I won't sit here gushing about all the features I love but rather raise points about features I felt weren't intuitive or may turn people away or, simply, didn't Feel right. These are just my opinions of course and though there's a lot don't think for a moment I don't adore the game! Disclaimer away, off we go...
1. Where's My Rage Meter?
Monsters gain rage and then use a powerful attack. Why don't players have the same mechanic? When I saw the rage meter, I was thoroughly confused as I assumed that I would have something similar, along the lines of The Secret World's builders and consumers system - basic crappy abilities that generated power to fuel my big hitters. As it stands, I don't remember when I last used a basic sword attack because all the other sword skills are better in pretty much every way.
This carries over into PvP as well. I don't know the intention for player conflict and, to be perfect honest, I don't care as I never really liked PvP. A Lot of people do though, and it seems odd that a large chunk of skills are worthless against players.
2. Necromancy
Necromancy summoning restrictions is absurd. I can only use skeletons if I'm in a zone that has a Graveyard (ie. Not a dungeon, even the Crypt) or I can, if tooltip be believed, walk in and die three times to the first monster and thus use my own 'graveyard' as a summoning point. Either make the summoning skills require more reagents but usable anywhere, make pets zone with the player, or add an 'unhallow' type spell which is available quite early (but not immediately, perhaps level 5?) and allows summoning spells to be cast in its vicinity. Maybe it buffs undead pets at higher levels?
3. General Store
No general store to buy the most basic crafting tools? Nowhere to buy a skinning knife, butcher knife, saw, or most other really basic items. I know that you can get most of those items from the npcs in the newbie dungeon but not all players will do that; perhaps they're roleplaying a crazed hermit who hates doing things for people or they just don't like quests. Either way, I would have thought such items would be readily available.
4. Newbie Dungeon - The Other Half
Only part of the newbie dungeon is mapped. Also, the dungeon very quickly becomes much harder when you find yourself facing off against three skeleton mages at once when all you'd previously had to deal with was a single archer or swordsman. I know that death is not just accepted but actually important to experience and, oddly, practice so it's no bad thing dying there. I dunno though, maybe a sign saying something like "if you can't kill them yet come back later; give it a shot now though as even death holds surprises..."
5. Jump Arc
Jump animation is fine, but the arc the character travels in isn't an arc but rather a triangle. A jump graphed with Y-height and X-time should be a smooth curve but currently it would look like a pyramid. Also jump height seems a little low - couldn't get over the mini wall into the newbie town fountain for a wash.
6. Holy Cow!
I read that you were considering removing the cow boss from the newbie level? I think that would be a bad idea as the curse mechanic is awesome and people should know and be able to access/suffer from it asap. What about the initial npc is sad because he can't sleep through the frantic mooing and asks the player to kill the cow. Unsuspecting the player attempts this and gets mauled to death horribly. If the curse only takes effect upon the player's death then upon re spawning at the start the npc offers to cure the player this one and only time, with an apology he should have warned the player that Big monsters can and will make defeat something to be truly afraid of. Maybe the player needs to gather a couple of simple items for the cure - cheese, bread, grass, water... Stuff you find in that dungeon... So gets to experience a little Cow Combat.
7. Vulnerability Visability
On the blog you mentioned that people weren't noticing the vulnerable state perhaps because they're looking at the icons/meta info? If so, could you just make the skill icons that take advantage of it all glowy? Maybe even a 'Shing!' sound as they shine? So people looking down there can see when it's time to pile on the hurt! (Wow, how macho did I sound then!)
Anyhoo, that's all I can think of for now. Epic game and I'm loving every minute of it
Cheers,
- Jon
Just picked up the game and, I have to say, it's awesome. Brings back all the old MUD memories of the early days. I'm really looking forward to see where the future takes this game and, if at all possible, playing as a Myconid. Myconid's are cool. Like bowties.
Anyhoo, I won't sit here gushing about all the features I love but rather raise points about features I felt weren't intuitive or may turn people away or, simply, didn't Feel right. These are just my opinions of course and though there's a lot don't think for a moment I don't adore the game! Disclaimer away, off we go...
1. Where's My Rage Meter?
Monsters gain rage and then use a powerful attack. Why don't players have the same mechanic? When I saw the rage meter, I was thoroughly confused as I assumed that I would have something similar, along the lines of The Secret World's builders and consumers system - basic crappy abilities that generated power to fuel my big hitters. As it stands, I don't remember when I last used a basic sword attack because all the other sword skills are better in pretty much every way.
This carries over into PvP as well. I don't know the intention for player conflict and, to be perfect honest, I don't care as I never really liked PvP. A Lot of people do though, and it seems odd that a large chunk of skills are worthless against players.
2. Necromancy
Necromancy summoning restrictions is absurd. I can only use skeletons if I'm in a zone that has a Graveyard (ie. Not a dungeon, even the Crypt) or I can, if tooltip be believed, walk in and die three times to the first monster and thus use my own 'graveyard' as a summoning point. Either make the summoning skills require more reagents but usable anywhere, make pets zone with the player, or add an 'unhallow' type spell which is available quite early (but not immediately, perhaps level 5?) and allows summoning spells to be cast in its vicinity. Maybe it buffs undead pets at higher levels?
3. General Store
No general store to buy the most basic crafting tools? Nowhere to buy a skinning knife, butcher knife, saw, or most other really basic items. I know that you can get most of those items from the npcs in the newbie dungeon but not all players will do that; perhaps they're roleplaying a crazed hermit who hates doing things for people or they just don't like quests. Either way, I would have thought such items would be readily available.
4. Newbie Dungeon - The Other Half
Only part of the newbie dungeon is mapped. Also, the dungeon very quickly becomes much harder when you find yourself facing off against three skeleton mages at once when all you'd previously had to deal with was a single archer or swordsman. I know that death is not just accepted but actually important to experience and, oddly, practice so it's no bad thing dying there. I dunno though, maybe a sign saying something like "if you can't kill them yet come back later; give it a shot now though as even death holds surprises..."
5. Jump Arc
Jump animation is fine, but the arc the character travels in isn't an arc but rather a triangle. A jump graphed with Y-height and X-time should be a smooth curve but currently it would look like a pyramid. Also jump height seems a little low - couldn't get over the mini wall into the newbie town fountain for a wash.
6. Holy Cow!
I read that you were considering removing the cow boss from the newbie level? I think that would be a bad idea as the curse mechanic is awesome and people should know and be able to access/suffer from it asap. What about the initial npc is sad because he can't sleep through the frantic mooing and asks the player to kill the cow. Unsuspecting the player attempts this and gets mauled to death horribly. If the curse only takes effect upon the player's death then upon re spawning at the start the npc offers to cure the player this one and only time, with an apology he should have warned the player that Big monsters can and will make defeat something to be truly afraid of. Maybe the player needs to gather a couple of simple items for the cure - cheese, bread, grass, water... Stuff you find in that dungeon... So gets to experience a little Cow Combat.
7. Vulnerability Visability
On the blog you mentioned that people weren't noticing the vulnerable state perhaps because they're looking at the icons/meta info? If so, could you just make the skill icons that take advantage of it all glowy? Maybe even a 'Shing!' sound as they shine? So people looking down there can see when it's time to pile on the hurt! (Wow, how macho did I sound then!)
Anyhoo, that's all I can think of for now. Epic game and I'm loving every minute of it
Cheers,
- Jon