(Video) Landmark Alpha Impressions (UPDATED 17-02)

Elikal

Sorry for the bad quality, I forgot to set up the settings. ^^ But I wanted to give my impressions. Let me know what you think, especially if you are in Alpha too.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os9DdbjPsj0&feature=youtu.be

 

(Warning, may be too loud, so keep your hand on the volume slider. ^^)

 

 

UPDATE 17-02-14:

A new 15 minutes Video I made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6bNuZqqsl0

superconducting

Good stuff Elikal. I would post your video to SOE feedback forums if you haven't already.

Grahor

I think important part of the game is the possibility to monetize it.

 

Freeform builder, you aren't going to monetize it. I'll not buy someone else's template because I want to build my own stuff; that's the point of the builder. So you need to introduce some tedium in the game, so that I would pay to skip it.

 

That whole "harvesting" part is an artificially introduced tedium for game's monetization. It's not fun; it's not supposed to be. It's supposed to be the part where game is monetized. So any feedback on making it more fun/less tedium need to include a part where you explain, how the new way of doing things will be monetized with more profit than the old one.

mysticmouse

Thanks for posting your impressions. I decided to wait on alpha testing and possibly see where the game is at when it hits beta. I love building , crafting things. Very slow gathering would kill the game for me quickly. Keep it coming!

tom_gore

Originally posted by Grahor

I think important part of the game is the possibility to monetize it.

 

Freeform builder, you aren't going to monetize it. I'll not buy someone else's template because I want to build my own stuff; that's the point of the builder. So you need to introduce some tedium in the game, so that I would pay to skip it.

 

That whole "harvesting" part is an artificially introduced tedium for game's monetization. It's not fun; it's not supposed to be. It's supposed to be the part where game is monetized. So any feedback on making it more fun/less tedium need to include a part where you explain, how the new way of doing things will be monetized with more profit than the old one.

 

Of course it's all hot air at the moment, but SOE has stated they are actually looking to fund a significant portion of the game via Player Studio cuts (they take 60% of the sales).

Keep in mind that accomplished 3D modelers will be able to import props into the game and sell those via the Player Studio. Such as furniture, etc. There is no way to make those within the game itself. The Voxel size is just too large to create any nice detailed items within the structures.

Also, never underestimate the laziness of people. If they want to have a nice castle but don't want to spend time designing it, they might very well go for buying the template.

I will agree with you that they will probably also sell shortcuts. I would guess they will sell material packs, since building that castle when you got the template will require a crapload of stone and other materials and harvesting those will take a lot of time.

Nothing bad with those models, though. As you said, there needs to be some way to monetize the game. Getting all the tools and crafting stations is hardly a grind, though. All accomplishable in a few days of intense gaming, so I'd guess the big money would be coming from selling materials. If they're smart they will give players and option to buy the mats required by a template with a few additional clicks (or make an automatic bundle offer for each template in the shop).

 

 

Mightyking

OK, I enjoy your accent, so I listened again to your video, keep it up

 

I don't agree with your statement that Alpha came too soon. The whole point of Landmark is for interested players to help create a new game. With that comes that players get in ASAP. When Smedley tweeted that it looks like Alpha is coming end of January, they internally already had the date set for the Celeberation party of EQ. To me their intention was to hit the start button during the livestream of January 31st. They missed that by a few hours, which is pretty normal for game launches as you know

 

Sure we ran into very big bugs, that are essential for gameplay, but first day was actually pretty smooth. Most of the bugs that cropped up are a result of the MMO aspect of the game, that only crop up because we are so many. You can not really plan for that, as these problems come in so many different ways, that the only real thing you can do is open the gate, and hope you didn't make any big mistakes. Well the mistakes were there, and now they will fix them. So I don't think Alpha is too soon, it arrived exactly according to plan, and besides the unexpected that could not have been planned for it was pretty nice (to me).

 

As for the resources... they will put Tier 2 and Tier 3 deeper down in future updates. For now they simply added everything on the surface, for whatever reason they had right now. My guess is once they put resources really into the ground, the veins will become much bigger, and you will only need to find one vein to make your next pickaxe.

 

Perhaps you should take a look at Minecraft as well. It costs $20 only and you are guaranteed on all future updates. It also gives you access to mane different Mods, that ultimately can become very different games. Minecraft can look like a kid's game, but to me it's obvious that it worked as a blueprint for Landmark, so don't get put off by the graphics.

 

Thanks for your insights, and see you in Landmark!

tom_gore

Originally posted by Mightyking

As for the resources... they will put Tier 2 and Tier 3 deeper down in future updates. For now they simply added everything on the surface, for whatever reason they had right now. My guess is once they put resources really into the ground, the veins will become much bigger, and you will only need to find one vein to make your next pickaxe.

The reason is that there are no caves and caverns at the moment. Putting stuff deep underground with the terrain healing in 20 minutes would be pretty brutal.

 

Nadia

Originally posted by tom_gore

never underestimate the laziness of people. If they want to have a nice castle but don't want to spend time designing it, they might very well go for buying the template.

and buying the resources - players can sell harvest materials on Studio too

Elikal

I would not pay for the building part, but I would definitely pay someone to harvest for me, since harvesting is so unbelievably dull. ^^;

I wish I had harvesting machines like in SWG, teh.

Grahor

I'm pretty sure we'll see a lot of harvesting bots once the game will go public. Considering the lack of protection the engine has (as shown by PS2), there will probably be something of a large-scale operation.

Anthur

Nice vid Elikal. I more or less agree with most of your observations. I just joined EQNL on sunday and there was no chance to find any free claim at all. So I just gathered materials so far and crafted some tools and crafting stations (using other peoples crafting stations).

The zones are nice and huge but still there are zones and you have to switch between those using the portals. Don't know why but maybe I was expecting something like Vanguard and a "smooth" zoning. Anyway, zones are huge especially compared to todays MMO standard.

The bad part really atm are the claims. They already admitted that they expected more claims to fit into a zone (don't know how they could miscalculate that one, but anyway). Also probably many people just joined after SOE proclaimed the refund in case you are not satisfied with game.

Anyway, they will set up a new server today. Hopefully that will help on that part. Unfortunately most likely I won't get online today

There was a severe error concerning their database and how they saved claims and templates (They still work on the templates). That's most likely the reason that most claims now appear empty because they were more or less wiped clean except for the crafting stations. But it's an alpha, so that is to be expected.

As templates don't work (you can store your crafted stuff in those) I guess most people are waiting for a template fix and new server(s) before they start to craft again seriously.

Gathering atm really is boring. It might get more interesting when they add mobs. Currently the game is really in it's baby state. There are the core elements but many things are still missing and it will be interesting to follow the further evolution.

The most crucial parts for me is whether SOE can setup a revenue model which will earn the company enough money without breaking the game. I just don't see myself spending money on other peoples templates in a building game. My creations might be as bad as they are, but I still value them much higher than anything I can buy in a cash shop.

Just in case the game will be fun in the long run when all features are implemented. 

Elikal

Creating pickaxes and axes is essentially the levelling. Instead of a new level you get a new pickaxe. And the harvesting is the grind to level. So the grind cruve is a bit steep, IMVPO, since creating is great fun, but harvesting is DULL DULL DULL. xd

Speedhaak

I'm still utterly confused as to what Landmark and Next are. Do you play both games or one? 

Mightyking

Everquest Next isn 't released, and it looks like it won't be released before 2015. Landmark is a game that allows to build structures. The hope is that players are building things that are so nice so those structures can be used in the creation of Everquest Next. Landmark resembles games like Minecraft, Wurm Online, Xsyon, and A Tale in the Desert.

CalmOceans

I didn't play the game, but it doesn't sound very fun walking around just to walk around for the sake of walking around. All the beta videos I look at are.....people walking. If that's the gameplay, it should have never been a separate game, it's too one-dimensional.

tedgp

Originally posted by tom_gore

Getting all the tools and crafting stations is hardly a grind, though. All accomplishable in a few days of intense gaming, 

 

 

Do people even read what they write lately?

Elikal

And here comes a new video from Feb 17th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6bNuZqqsl0

 

Grr what the heck is it with Youtube? I uploaded a 720 resolution, but I only get 360?? Youtube must hate me.

Grailer

The only reason I would buy someones template is if the claims were 100x bigger .

 

I would create a city . and using storybrick create quests etc . If I had to make my own buildings I think they will look like crap

compared to some of the artists around.

 

Unless I made an underground dungeon which wouldn't require mad skills to make look somewhat decent.

Elikal

Originally posted by DMKano

There's some really funny stuff in your updated video 

1. Chopping down a GIGANTIC tree with a *tiny* one hand axe - the whole tree is gone after a few whacks, it's pretty funny

2. When gathering resources - everything gets sucked into your body - I know ALPHA right - still at this point all players are really humanoid amoebas - feeding on resources by osmosis!

3. No fall damage - I guess humanoid amoebas are fall resistant (that makes sense in a way)

 

I know none of this has to do with the core part of the game - which is building - just struck me as pretty hilarious when I watched the video.

 

 

 

Hehe, yeah I lol'ed about the sucked in stuff too. But I kinda like it. ^^ Not everything has to be dead serious.

Fall damage will come.