I'd need some more details about how they intend to pull this off before I pass judgement.
Right now it sounds suspiciously like their game engine is designed to react to players. And this could really lead to a disaster. MMORPG players are completely anonymous and do not suffer any consequences for their actions save banning of their accounts (which they can renew easily, look at gold farmers) So you have could have living, breathing, virtual world occupied by anti-social jerks who are never held responsible for their actions in any real-life manner.
Unless they've put in strict controls to limit behavior deliberately intended to exploit their reactive world, there will always be those who will get their entertainment out of ruining it.
Maybe they haven't forgotten this, as I said, I'd need to hear more details. But after we've seen spectacular failures of small companies that tried to develop MMORPGs, the community should confront any annoucements of "revolutionary" new games with MUCH more cynicism or else we're not learning anything from the past.
I think I will watch this game's developement. If they can deliver on what they indicate is being done, this game will be a refreshing change to MMO concepts currently. I am realy curious as to how the quest generation will work. I dont even recall if any single player games pulled it off successfully to date.
I read an earlier comment on here about "well what if a large group of players decide to destroy every city" and I cant help but think, the games logic will be set in this to rebuild at least some of those cities or starting areas.
Graphics arnt bad at this point. And the game play may be quite fun. even with instancing which in some cases most games need it. EQ taught many people that after waiting days for a spawn etc. I like the somewhat non class system, I would rather build a class my own way then have a predefined method. Kind of like the game Fate. I pick and choose what skills to develope and which ones that may not suit my favorite play styles.
I will definately keep an eye out on this game.
Playing: Not much actively. Games played: to many to list, been playing MMO's since 2001 --------------------------
I read this preview with great interest and agreement.
If I could make one comment at this stage, it would be: Have a good understanding and awareness of risk versus reward.
Games get boring fast, especially for the seasoned player, if they lack any sense of risk.
Its something that unfortunately is lacking in many of the MMOGs that are on offer today, where rewards, instead, have a direct relationship with time invested. As you guys seem sensitive to the grind-factor, I have confidence you wont fall into the same trap.
Btw, if you need early stage testers for Citadel of Sorcery, and want someone with experience but that also has a very open mind to new MMO concepts, then PM me
Dynamic, personalized quest content is a feature of Hero's Journey. The Hero Engine has been licensed by Bioware for their MMO. Perhaps CoS is using HE?
Dynamic world content sounds good, but seems to be difficult in practice. For example, the ramifications of destroying a quest destination must be handled effectively. Just the killing or distraction of a quest NPC can be a nuisance or time drain.
Another commenter cited risk as a motivation, but that is only one of several for players.
I'm an explorer at heart, so I want a big world in which to journey. If you can succeed at making it a changing world then that will be very interesting indeed, so I wish you luck. In any case, the adventurer in me wants something new in MMO's, beyond grinding for equipment.
Sounds great. Unfortunately, as a matter of habit, I will compare all games to something else I have played. As far as open-ended games go, I always compare things that claim to be open-ended to Shadowbane. Shadowbane let you create and run empires, act as a diplomat, a general, a spy, an artisan, or an explorer. What you did was up to you and your own ability.
Horizons also had that example, of cities being attacked, destroyed, rebuilt, the only difference is it was entirely up to players whether they chose to defend or rebuild the cities, NPCs didn't play a role as buildings were handcrafted by individuals.
People can say their game is like nothing else, but I've got news for developers: Chances are whatever you can think of has already been done in a video game.
That being the truth, don't try to claim something new that already exists. Let people have some comparisons with games and titles they already love.
Look here, I'll be honest, i was rolling my eyes as i read all that text but at the end the part where it said you guys have been working on this for 5+ years plus is a good sign so who knows maybe your engine is capable of doing all these things, still not going to wait on this one though, ive seen this happen too many times before, but either way good luck.
Comments
I'd need some more details about how they intend to pull this off before I pass judgement.
Right now it sounds suspiciously like their game engine is designed to react to players. And this could really lead to a disaster. MMORPG players are completely anonymous and do not suffer any consequences for their actions save banning of their accounts (which they can renew easily, look at gold farmers) So you have could have living, breathing, virtual world occupied by anti-social jerks who are never held responsible for their actions in any real-life manner.
Unless they've put in strict controls to limit behavior deliberately intended to exploit their reactive world, there will always be those who will get their entertainment out of ruining it.
Maybe they haven't forgotten this, as I said, I'd need to hear more details. But after we've seen spectacular failures of small companies that tried to develop MMORPGs, the community should confront any annoucements of "revolutionary" new games with MUCH more cynicism or else we're not learning anything from the past.
I think I will watch this game's developement. If they can deliver on what they indicate is being done, this game will be a refreshing change to MMO concepts currently. I am realy curious as to how the quest generation will work. I dont even recall if any single player games pulled it off successfully to date.
I read an earlier comment on here about "well what if a large group of players decide to destroy every city" and I cant help but think, the games logic will be set in this to rebuild at least some of those cities or starting areas.
Graphics arnt bad at this point. And the game play may be quite fun. even with instancing which in some cases most games need it. EQ taught many people that after waiting days for a spawn etc. I like the somewhat non class system, I would rather build a class my own way then have a predefined method. Kind of like the game Fate. I pick and choose what skills to develope and which ones that may not suit my favorite play styles.
I will definately keep an eye out on this game.
Playing: Not much actively.
Games played: to many to list, been playing MMO's since 2001
--------------------------
I read this preview with great interest and agreement.
If I could make one comment at this stage, it would be: Have a good understanding and awareness of risk versus reward.
Games get boring fast, especially for the seasoned player, if they lack any sense of risk.
Its something that unfortunately is lacking in many of the MMOGs that are on offer today, where rewards, instead, have a direct relationship with time invested. As you guys seem sensitive to the grind-factor, I have confidence you wont fall into the same trap.
Btw, if you need early stage testers for Citadel of Sorcery, and want someone with experience but that also has a very open mind to new MMO concepts, then PM me
Dynamic, personalized quest content is a feature of Hero's Journey. The Hero Engine has been licensed by Bioware for their MMO. Perhaps CoS is using HE?
Dynamic world content sounds good, but seems to be difficult in practice. For example, the ramifications of destroying a quest destination must be handled effectively. Just the killing or distraction of a quest NPC can be a nuisance or time drain.
Another commenter cited risk as a motivation, but that is only one of several for players.
I'm an explorer at heart, so I want a big world in which to journey. If you can succeed at making it a changing world then that will be very interesting indeed, so I wish you luck. In any case, the adventurer in me wants something new in MMO's, beyond grinding for equipment.
Sounds great. Unfortunately, as a matter of habit, I will compare all games to something else I have played. As far as open-ended games go, I always compare things that claim to be open-ended to Shadowbane. Shadowbane let you create and run empires, act as a diplomat, a general, a spy, an artisan, or an explorer. What you did was up to you and your own ability.
Horizons also had that example, of cities being attacked, destroyed, rebuilt, the only difference is it was entirely up to players whether they chose to defend or rebuild the cities, NPCs didn't play a role as buildings were handcrafted by individuals.
People can say their game is like nothing else, but I've got news for developers: Chances are whatever you can think of has already been done in a video game.
That being the truth, don't try to claim something new that already exists. Let people have some comparisons with games and titles they already love.
The ideas sound great. Let's hope they turn out to be more than ideas and are implemented well.
Loving the vision of this game, this genre needs thinking like this.
I can't help thinking this is just another potentiol Darkfall though...
Look here, I'll be honest, i was rolling my eyes as i read all that text but at the end the part where it said you guys have been working on this for 5+ years plus is a good sign so who knows maybe your engine is capable of doing all these things, still not going to wait on this one though, ive seen this happen too many times before, but either way good luck.